Spring River Seventh-day Adventist Church

A Brief History of Williford, Arkansas

Iglesia Adventista de Spring River

The Work Begins

Around 1889, a church was organized east of Hardy by Elder James P. Henderson and Mr. Divelbiss. By 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith were the only members left, although several who used to attend the church still believed the Sabbath truth (Littell, 1908).

Spring River Church Organized in 1991

The Spring River church was organized in 1991. In November 2001, the congregation purchased some property with an existing structure to renovate in nearby Williford. Pastor Bill Sorenson worked tirelessly in heading up the project of renovating and building a new addition (Sorenson, 2006).

Property purchased in 2001 to be remodeled as a church (*Minutes, 2001*).

A New Church in 2001

In spite of challenges — a tire blow-out on a trailer loaded with cement blocks, and a strong wind blowing over a stacked wall of blocks — God blessed their project. He sent the help of a pastor’s son and friend from Dallas, when it was needed. The beautiful new church included rock decor to enhance the structure (Sorenson, 2006).

New addition to the Spring River church. *Photo courtesy of the Southwestern Union Record.*

Spring River church on Highway 63 in Williford, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of Google Maps, 2018.

Citations

(2001, Oct. 15). Minutes of the Arkansas Conference Association Board. Shreveport, LA: Arkansas-Louisiana Conference of SDA.

Littell, Leslie. (1908, May 5). Southwestern Union Record, p. 2.

Sorenson, Betty. (2006, Feb. 1). Ibid., p. 10.