Briley Worship Center Family Conference
April 28 through May 4, 2008

Briley Worship Center is located in the heart of Briley Courts area. This is a very infamous area of the city of Carrington.  Briley Courts was a place known for drugs, murder, and other crimes. That all began to change in 1989, when a young preacher, newly ordained, was lead to begin a ministry in this area.

Eld. Russell Tarrytown then 23 years old had spent all of his life in the Briley Courts area. He had even seen his cousin/best friend shot dead. Eld. Tarrytown tried to commit suicide in 1982. Eld. Tarrytown said that an elderly lady was the only reason that he did not commit suicide. The woman told him, "Son, I know things have gotten bad, but you can make it through.  God has a work for you to do, right here in Briley Courts. God loves you."  Then she disappeared.  It was at the moment, Eld. Tarrytown accepted Christ into his life.

Eld. Tarrytown began attending church regularly with his grandmother.  He also began to witness to people in Briley Courts.  He led several people to Christ.

In 1989, Eld. Tarrytown and his wife began holding services in an abandon house in the area. The house was drafty and had to be cleaned up. While Eld. Tarrytown and a friend cleaned up the house, Sis. Tarrytown worked on finding out who the house belonged to. No owner could be found for the house. Sis. Tarrytown went to the city. The city could not find an owner for the house. The city allowed Sis. Tarrytown to purchase the house and the land for only $10,000.

The Briley Worship Center held its first service on November 19, 1989. The church was full, mostly because people wanted to get out of the cold.  At the service, ten people gave their lives to Christ.  Those ten people plus seven other people became members of the church.

A week later, the church was broken into and vandalized. The new converts and members were brokenhearted, but Eld. And Sis. Tarrytown were not.  The break-in was on the news.  As a result of the news report, a security company donated a security system and offered the church the security service at a discounted price.  A music company donated musical equipment to the church.  An area businessman who owned a hardware store donated painting supplies so that the church could be painted.  Several of the workers from the store volunteered their services.  Two of the workers received Christ and joined the church.

Briley received its musician as a result of a community service program. Several young men had broken into a store in the Briley Courts area. Eld. Tarrytown was asked by the mother of one of the boys to talk to the judge. First, Eld. Tarrytown talked to the boy. Eld. Tarrytown found out that the young man could play the drums and a couple of his other friends could play instruments as well. Eld. Tarrytown convinced the judge to let the six young men do community service at the church instead of doing time.  The judge allowed it.

Briley had an organist, drummer, two deacons, and a janitor. The young men worked very hard and diligently at their community service, with the urging of Eld. Tarrytown. At the end of the community service, only the organist, and the janitor continued to work at the church. Both young men were saved and received the Holy Ghost.

Briley continues to grow.  In 1995, the house that had been using was too small to hold the membership.  The church began building a new church. The new building was completed in early 1997.

In 1996, Briley Worship Center began a "Clean-Up Briley Courts" campaign.  Many area churches, organizations, and businesses helped.  Briley Courts received its own full-time police office during this time.

Bishop J. Berry Adkins, founder and presiding prelate of the Greater Buelahland Fellowship, met Eld. Tarrytown.  He invited Eld. Tarrytown to come to the Greater Buelahland Fellowship Convocation that year. After the convocation, Bishop Adkins invited Eld. Tarrytown to join the fellowship. Eld. Tarrytown declined.  It was not until 1998 that Briley Worship Center joined the Greater Buelahland Fellowship. Sis. Margaret Tarrytown went to Bishop Adkins in 1999 and asked if she could start a community outreach ministry in the fellowship so that other churches and pastors could setup community outreach programs at their churches. Bishop Adkins agreed.  This ministry has been very successful.

Briley has helped to clean up Briley Courts. Briley Worship Center has been recognized by the city of Carrington for its efforts.

The Briley Worship Center is a light in Briley Courts.

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