Playground brings ‘Joy’ to children

A new playground named A JOYful Place opened at Millbrook Baptist Church last week. The playground was named in honor of Joy Jones, a longtime member of the church and advocate for children’s biblical education.

By BRIAN HODGE

  Friends and family of the late Joy Jones gathered at Millbrook Baptist Church last week for a special ceremony to commemorate a new playground that was named in her honor. A sign bearing the name “a JOYful Place” sits at the gate of the new playground, which the church will use as part of its children’s ministry.
  Jones and her family moved to Millbrook in the mid-1970s and have been members of Millbrook Baptist Church since that time. Jones’ husband of 52 years, Emmette, recalled that Joy loved children.
  Emmette explained that Joy taught a Bible school class in the church for young children, and later for adults. She also conducted a program called Backyard Bible Study in which children came to her home, enjoyed refreshments and studied the Bible. 
  George Jones, the youngest of Joy and Emmette’s four sons, said that his mother believed that drawing children into the church was the best way to ensure that they stay in the church as adults.
  “She believed that if you get the children into the church and they have an opportunity to grow up in the church that God would take care of things from there,” Jones said. 
  The playground has a number of features designed to be durable and rugged. Family members said that perhaps the playground will have a lasting impression on the children, just as its namesake has had on the church and the community.