Debbie Williams grew up in Cullman County.  She also grew up Southern Baptist.  As a teenager she knew God had something special for her to do.  Reflecting back, she knows that she was called to be a missionary, but like so many others have done, resisted the Lord’s direction.   In fact, she ran away from it.  She married an engineer, George Williams, and they have two grown sons.  For most people a life such as hers would be complete and rewarding.  But God renewed his call.  This time, as she sought to follow His call, an opportunity arose for her to become pastor of a group of Christians in Cullman.  This was a concept she had never imagined, but with nudging from the Lord and the urging of others, she tested the role and discovered that this was truly a call from God.

Shortly afterward, she and a group of like minded others felt led of the Lord to begin a new church.  As they examined their own faith and various Christian traditions, they determined to constitute as a Baptist church.  The new church is meeting in a storefront on Highway 31 under the name Community of Hope. 

In the meantime the church ordained Debbie to the ministry.  She joins other female Baptist pastors serving in the state, Rev. Sarah Shelton who is pastor of the Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham, and Rev. Robin Norsworthy who is pastor of University Baptist Church in Montevallo. 

Debbie says she could never have imagined God calling her to be a pastor.  Neither could her husband, George.  He also grew up a Southern Baptist and had difficulty with the concept of a female pastor.  But he and their two sons now affirm her calling and her new ministry.

This fledgling church and their pastor are evidence that, as long as there are Baptists around, the autonomy of the local church will be alive and well.