A Cappella Worship and Open Communion on Old Farm Lane
Hunter Hills Church sits on Old Farm Lane North in Prattville, Alabama, just off the back roads of Autauga County, and has built its identity around two practices that set it apart even among Churches of Christ: a cappella Sunday worship and a communion table that is open to any believer every single week. The church's motto, drawn from Colossians 1:28, is to "proclaim Christ so that we may present everyone complete in Christ," and the language of being "complete in Christ" shows up in its sermon series, its youth ministry goals, and the way staff members describe the work of the church.
The church is honest about the human condition it brings to the table. "We are a church that admits we are broken and sinful. Our only hope is in God's forgiveness provided for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his healing power at work within us by his Spirit." From that starting point, Hunter Hills invites everyone, no matter their background, to experience the forgiveness and healing it says God offers through Christ.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
Hunter Hills keeps a simple weekly rhythm. Bible classes for all ages begin at 9:30 am, and the whole church gathers for worship at 10:30 am. The Sunday morning order is intentionally familiar: announcements, a welcome and call to worship, a cappella singing, a time of weekly communion, a message from Scripture, and a communal benediction. Members and even children sometimes lead the singing or read Scripture aloud.
Music is sung without instruments. This is not a doctrinal requirement but a "beautiful and beloved part of our heritage as churches of Christ" that lets the whole congregation hear one another lift up the same songs.
Communion happens every Sunday. Trays are passed, and each person who intends to participate takes a stacked pair: a small cup of grape juice on top, representing Christ's blood, and a piece of unleavened bread underneath, representing his body. Gluten-free bread is available at the back of the auditorium. Communion is open to "all believers."
Services are livestreamed on Facebook each Sunday, and recordings remain available afterward for anyone who cannot be in the auditorium. Giving boxes sit at both entrances for cash or check; offering trays are not passed.
The Shepherds, the Ministers, and the Mission
Hunter Hills is overseen by six shepherds, the congregational term for elders, who are drawn from within the church and tasked with caring for the members in the spirit of 1 Peter 5, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1. The current shepherding board includes Mac Adkins, Keith Cantrell, Carl Carpenter, Don Greer, Brandon Maddox, and Vernon Taylor. The shepherds can be reached together by emailing shepherds@hunterhills.org.
The staff ministers handle day-to-day ministry. Will Collins serves as Lead Minister. Collins, originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, has also lived in Louisiana and China, and is married to Brittany with three children. Steven Evans, a Montgomery native, serves as Associate Minister and directs the youth ministry alongside his wife Paige. Abbey Haisten leads HHKids as Children's Minister. Jerri Hall coordinates ministry areas and supports the trustees with day-to-day finances, and Sandi Carter, married to Don with two adult children, manages the office and usually answers the phone. Thaylon Maddox oversees the building.
HHKids: The Church Right Now
Children's ministry at Hunter Hills is built on the conviction that kids are part of the church today, not someday. Under Abbey Haisten, HHKids aims to prepare children "to be rich in Bible understanding, equipped to apply the Good News to their everyday lives, and firm in what they believe and why." Children are welcomed into real service: leading a prayer, reading Scripture in class or worship, helping prepare or pass communion, and pitching in on church-wide service projects.
Sunday mornings offer Bible classes at 9:30 am for preschool through fifth grade, plus a staffed nursery for babies from birth through 24 months. A nursing mothers room is also available. After Bible class, kids preschool through fifth grade join the whole church for worship at 10:30; after communion, children ages three through kindergarten are dismissed for an optional Children's Worship time.
Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm repeat the rhythm with topical studies for ages three through fifth grade, recent series have included Psalm 23, Jesus Is a Friend of Mine, the Fruits of the Spirit, the Armor of God, a baptism series, and a walk through the books of the Bible. The staffed nursery continues on Wednesdays as well.
HHKids runs a full annual calendar: Vacation Bible School in June, Camp Refuge in July, a Back to School Bash in August, the Fall Festival in October, Advent programming in December, and an All Abilities Egg Hunt at Easter. The classes are intentionally structured to welcome children of all abilities.
Youth, Aging to Perfection, and Small Groups
The youth ministry, led by Steven Evans, is for students in sixth through twelfth grade and aims to help them "become more like Jesus in all that they do, whether at home, church, school, or in their community." Beyond weekly classes and Sunday worship, teens meet in small groups centered on proclaiming Christ and living out the gospel.
Older adults have their own ministry. ATP, short for "Aging to Perfection," gathers Hunter Hills' senior adults for fellowship and study.
Adults of every stage can join a small group through the Life Communities ministry, led by Phil Barnes, Keith Cantrell, and Dave Nichols. Groups meet in homes and around the area at various times, some on Sunday nights, others during the week. They gather for fellowship, prayer, devotion, and often a shared meal. Frequency varies: some meet weekly, others less often.
Wednesday Nights and The Well
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm are a second weekly gathering point. Classes run for children from nursery through fifth grade, for teens in sixth through twelfth grade, and for adults as a combined class. A monthly church-wide meal often precedes the classes and is coordinated by a rotating Meals team.
The Well is the church's coffee shop, a centrally located spot that opens at 8:30 am on Sunday mornings and serves until about 10:15 am, just before worship begins. The menu includes hot and cold coffee, cider, hot chocolate, herbal teas, and light snacks, all free. A small free book exchange on spiritual growth topics sits on the counter, and a team of volunteers led by Bryan and DeeDee Maddox keeps things stocked. For visitors, The Well is also a natural place to meet people before Bible class.
Outreach: Honduras, Prison Ministry, and Local Partners
Hunter Hills treats outreach as a core ministry, not an add-on. The Honduras Ministry, led by Alan Manley, supports individuals, churches, schools, and humanitarian efforts in Honduras. A team has been planning trips to Honduras for summers, and many Hunter Hills families sponsor children there.
The Prison Ministry, led by Carl Carpenter, provides daily mentoring to inmates, weekly Bible studies, and monthly worship services inside correctional facilities, and occasionally needs volunteers for projects such as assembling Christmas gift bags.
Locally, Hunter Hills partners with several organizations: the River Region Pregnancy Center, AGAPE of Central Alabama, Hope House Montgomery, the Autauga Interfaith Care Center, and the Heart of Alabama Food Bank. Members serve in these ministries through the church's Gifted ministry, which focuses on sharing the love of Christ with people of all abilities, both within and beyond the Hunter Hills building.
Recent church-wide service opportunities include a Kids Against Hunger meal-packing event supporting global hunger relief and a Fall Festival with Trunk-or-Treat, a shared meal, and fellowship for the whole community.
Camp Refuge
Each summer, Hunter Hills co-sponsors Camp Refuge, an overnight Bible camp for children entering first through twelfth grade, alongside Vaughn Park Church of Christ and Landmark Church of Christ. Held at Hargis Christian Camp near Chelsea, Alabama, the camp is co-directed by Will Collins and Rob Sellers of Landmark. Its goals are to exalt Christ through teaching, singing, and mentoring; to build relationships across congregations; and to give kids from non-Christian families a refuge of love and care that lasts beyond a single week.
Counselors, teachers, and kitchen staff come from all three sponsoring churches and are required to pass background checks and complete child safety training. Hunter Hills offers partial scholarships and a church bus on a first-come, first-served basis, and Will Collins coordinates transportation and financial help.
Giving and Getting Connected
Hunter Hills practices cheerful, pressure-free giving. Guests are not expected to contribute, and offering trays are not passed during worship. Cash or check gifts can be placed in giving boxes at either entrance to the auditorium. Other options include online giving through the church's secure portal, text-to-give by texting "Give" to 334-316-5959, and ACH auto-draft. "We give out of gratitude and love."
Visitors who want to dig deeper can fill out the Connect form, sign up for the HHKids weekly newsletter, join a small group, or step onto one of several ministry teams. There are dozens of ways to serve, from greeting at the Welcome Desk to preparing communion, running slides on the Tech Team, serving on the Security Team, singing with the Praise Team, or helping with The Well. For the curious or the skeptical, anyone may submit honest questions about Christianity, the Bible, or faith.
For now, the door at 330 Old Farm Lane North stays open. Come casual, grab a cup from The Well, sit in Bible class at 9:30 am, stay for worship at 10:30 am, and take communion with the rest of the church if you are a believer. The rest is up to you.