Support for Cherrill Schmid

Cherrill Schmid has just celebrated his 80th birthday! For so many of his years he has taught the gospel, preached from the pulpit, led Bible classes for the church as well as personal studies with anyone who would join him over an open Bible.


But health issues, including several strokes and other serious ailments, have left him unable to speak well and confined to a wheel chair. His day consists mostly of struggling through the daily tasks of life and trips back and forth to doctors' appointments and rehabilitation sessions.

I am Rex Bittle, a long-time friend of Cherrill's family. I now worship with their daughter Jerrell Jamerson and her family at the Elliottsville congregation in Alabaster, AL. Over the last several years, our congregation, among many others, has supported Cherrill for preaching the gospel, though he has not been able to stand in the pulpit for quite a while now. I have spent a lot of time with Cherrill over the years. I enjoy his company because he is a man of strong faith in the Lord and experience in living the Christian life. As he does for so many, Cherrill encourages me in preaching and teaching the gospel. Even now, he would prefer to talk about the scriptures and teach God’s word than dwell on his physical challenges.


I am organizing this fundraising campaign to help the Schmids with some big expenses which are fundamentally necessary but are beyond the means of a retired preacher to provide for themselves.  We are seeking assistance for this faithful brother and sister in Christ to purchase them a better designed, more reliable vehicle and to significantly alter their home for handicap access and accommodation. Expenses for these combined goals are estimated at approximately $50,000. 

·         Vehicle $25,000

·         Home refit for handicap access $25,000

Having spent his career as a responsible, conscientious preacher of the gospel of Christ, Cherrill now has very little means to take care of the exorbitant expenses to meet the needs that his health crisis has brought him.

The car they are currently using is very difficult for Cherrill to get in and out of. Gerry can help Cherrill get in the car with a struggle, but she can’t help him get out at all; they always need extra assistance for this which is often not readily available. Even with help, the car sits so low to the ground that Cherrill has a hard time getting in it, then struggles to exit even with help. They need transportation that is much more reliable and a design that Cherrill can get in and out of with less assistance or at least that Gerry alone can help him. In addition to an impractical design for Cherrill’s needs, their current vehicle is old and needs many repairs; the air conditioning does not work which was especially hard when it was recently so hot every day. The needed repairs will cost more than the vehicle is worth and it still won’t be the vehicle the Cherrill needs right now.

The Schmid’s also need new accommodations at home because of the handicaps Cherrill’s strokes have caused. They have already turned their home upside down in moving furniture and changing rooms to provide the best conditions for Cherrill. This includes giving up their living room to make it a converted master bedroom for easier access to a bathroom that he can use. Gerry’s elderly mother has lived with them for a long while and was using the living room herself, but they moved her to another room in the back of the house and Cherrill to the main living area.


One entrance to the house has been modified with a ramp but there is good bit more that needs to be done inside and outside.  At least one bathroom needs to be completely refitted with hand-holds and specialty fixtures. A handicap accessible tub would help Gerry assist Cherrill for bathing. At least one wall needs to be knocked out and that side of the room redesigned for better access to the room.

They have a fine home which has served them well for many years while working with the Mt. Olive church. But Cherrill now needs handicap facilities to go in and out safely and to live in the house with his physical limitations. Gerry needs these improvements so that she can give Cherrill the care he needs while she also provides for her mother.

These needs are too expensive for the Schmids to take care of themselves. Their children’s families are directly involved with taking care of their parents and grandmother but these expenses are beyond them. It is more than any one church could be expected to help them with in full. So we are reaching out to the thousands of brethren and friends who would like to help the Schmids during their time of need. Thank you for considering how you can help us meet these goals to provide for the needs of this faithful family.

Rex Bittle