Brown, Helen

Auburn First Baptist Church
Tuskegee Lee Baptist Association

Favorite Verse: Isaiah 40:31
Favorite Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision”
Hobbies: Auburn football, reading, bridge and Civitan Club
Family Status: Widowed after 48 years of marriage to Conner; three children, Virginia, Martha and Tom; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren

At 88 years old, Helen Brown has taught the same women’s Sunday School class for more than 40 years. She has been a deacon more than 20 years. And 18 years ago, she began a jail ministry at Lee County Justice Center in Opelika, where she teaches a weekly Bible study class for female prisoners. Each Christmas, Brown also works with Auburn First Baptist Church and several other area churches to give a box of gifts to every prisoner at the justice center. Last year, 400 men and women received a Bible and many other gifts as a result of the ministry.

Q: What led you to start this ministry?
A: I have always wanted to do this. Once I went to Shocco Springs (Baptist Conference Center in Talladega) and heard a home missionary tell about her work in the jails. She told me about materials and a training course, which I took. I’ve always felt that most people are redeemable, and I was so glad to take the message of Christ to them.

Q: Why have you continued this activity?
A: Women prisoners are just so receptive to hearing the word of Christ and studying the Bible. This is a time when they know that someone cares about them and wants to help them.

Q: What does the ministry require?
A: It requires consistency and devotion to the purpose of the ministry.

Q: What do you get from the ministry?
A: It’s a blessing.

Q: How do others support you?
A: For the weekly Bible study, Dr. Mary Virginia Moore and Mrs. Ann Crance from First Baptist, Auburn, and Mrs. Joyce Dawson from Grace (United) Methodist Church in Auburn are the workers who go with me every Thursday. A big committee helps with the Christmas project. They support me in every way. They are so enthusiastic, devoted to the work and consistent in their efforts. It makes the work more effective.

Q: How do you see yourself involved in this in the future?
A: As long as I can, I’m certainly going to do this. And others in the church are interested, so I think it will continue when I am not able to do it. But I have no intention of giving it up anytime soon.