Someone You Should Know — Tony and Ann Bartlett

Someone You Should Know — Tony and Ann Bartlett

By Leigh Pritchett
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist

More than 20 years ago Tony and Ann Bartlett taught their first Sunday School class, which was a large group of first graders. As the children moved to the next grade level so did the Bartletts. The couple continued to move up with the class until the students were in sixth grade. Along the way the Bartletts developed a close bond with the students and have maintained contact with the individuals, who are adults now. The Bartletts are still teaching Sunday School, currently working with third, fourth and fifth graders. Ann, 75, is a retired IT specialist; Tony, 67, is a foreman/contractor assistant.

Ministry description: Bible study teachers for third through fifth grades

Church name: Moffett Road Baptist Church, Mobile, in Mobile Baptist Association

Life verse: “Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil. 4:6)

Q: Describe where you focus your greatest ministry efforts:
Bartletts: We teach God’s word to children. We work with Amy Flowers, director of the children’s department and teacher for first and second grades, and with our secretary Sheila Gully. As we continue to teach, we find that all children are special and a gift from God.

Q: Who was or is one of the most influential people in your faith life? Why?
Tony: My fifth-grade Sunday School teacher was the most influential person in my faith life. He had a positive effect on my life.
Q: What has God been teaching you lately?
Ann: God has been teaching me to be more humble and to be focused on Him and not me.

Q: If there were one thing you could tell your younger self about faith, what would it be?
Ann: I would tell my younger self, “Trust God and live by faith.”

Q: Does your church have any special traditions that mean a lot to you? What are they?
Bartletts: Some of our special traditions are each Christmas our church displays poinsettias around the sanctuary and each Easter they display Easter lilies. The displays are beautiful.

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