Ai Church History 

Ai Baptist Church was organized in September, 1885, by three brethren, T.J. Garner, J.R. Newell, and J.D. Walker. The original church was housed in a one room school, named Bo Bo School. Plans were made to build a 30x40 wood frame church below the graves already placed by three families of early setters on land donated by T.A. Weathers.  

The church was then deeded some land from M.L. Gaines. Worship services were held once a month. In the summer the windows were open and pasteboard fans were used to cool the attendees. Coal burning heaters warmed the building in the winter. Those heaters were replaced by gas heaters in 1953 and by a heating system in 1956. Sunday School was organized in 1949 and Bible School in 1963. That church was used until about 1957, when the church saw the need for expansion. In January 1957, the church voted to buy the Ai school building and move the church to the present location. The church paid $500.00 to purchase the school property and to move the church to the school's location, to make Sunday School rooms and two bathrooms. Plain windows were replaced with stained glass windows. The first two are in memory of C.E. Garner and Alzono Weathers. It was about 1963 that the church was bricked. Since that time, central heating and cooling have been installed. The Church has gone from one Sunday a month, to twice a month and now full time services. Ai commemorated its 100th anniversary with a Centennial Celebration on September 22, 1985 . Bill Clark, Clyde Lambert, Ken Norton and Jimmy Loveless made up the building committee elected to start a fellowship hall on Labor Day, 1989. Shortly after completion of the fellowship hall, the church installed a Baptistery, new Sunday School rooms, new carpet, children's playground, a cement ramp and a time capsule was buried. In 2006 the church had a sound system installed. There have been 35 pastors serve Ai Church so far. Serving the most number of years was Clarence Bright, 1962-1987, for 25 years. Our Pastor at present is Donald Leggett.

Ai Baptist Church is located on County Road 62, (off Hwy. 46), Heflin, Alabama.

Below is a class photo, when Ai was still a school.

Not everyone is in agreement on the names.

1- Nellie Mae Warren
2- Ethel Williams
3- Helen Jeannine Johnson
4- Melba  McMahan
5- Dona McClendon
6- Calra Jo Walker
7- Gladys Chupp
8- Robert Lee (Bob) Lambert
9- Julia Owens
10- Pauline Owens
11- Ralph or Shorty Shelton
12- Marvell Norton
13- unknown
14- Mary Sue Myers ? (Martha Ann Walker)
15- Geneva Huey
16- Ruth Williams
17- Mary Norton
19- Ruth Warren
20- Rosa Stellyne Johnson
21- Ezma Lee Huey
22- Bobbie  McClendon
23- Beatrice Pesnell
24- Faye McMahan
25- unknown
26- Hobart Todd
27- Eugene Dryden
28- Everett Connell
29- Kay McClendon
30- Helen Shoemaker
31- Mary Ola Skinner
32- Lillie Maude Camp  

 This is a picture of one of Ai's members', Great-Grandmother's crossing of the ocean from Germany to America, she is one of the small girls in front,  the one leaning on life preserver, her name is Charlotte Esiel Kirchert, she is now 99 years old. The picture is on the ship coming over. The Patricia Hamburg was the name of the ship. Mrs. Kirchert pass away in 2008, her 100th year.

                                 Recent Pictures of the Graveyard;

                                                          2008

                2007