TARBORO — The Rev. Robert Sparks is proud that First Baptist Church Tarboro is recognizing his "10 years of faithful service" as minister of music and worship.

He appreciates the acknowledgment. Some friends and colleagues have been invited to the Sunday morning worship service and afterward, everyone will gather in Fellowship Hall for a covered dish luncheon in his honor.

What Sparks really likes is the thank-you poster nailed to the sign out in front of the church on Main Street.

"You think they will let me roll that up and take it home?" he asked.

Sparks, 63, has no plans to retire anytime soon – "If my health holds," he said.

He takes medication for Parkinson's disease, but he still manages to fit in a round of golf now and then, and he is teaming with Becky Johnson again to direct the Community Chorus for a fifth time.

The chorus is preparing for a concert celebrating the town's 250th birthday on Nov. 7.

"It's going to be exciting," Sparks said. "We just need more of the singers to come out. We have a lot of music to get ready. We have a rehearsal (at First Baptist) at 7 p.m. Sunday."

Sparks has been singing all his life. His parents said as a child Bobby would go outside in Rutherfordton and preach and sing as the street preachers common in the day.

Sparks tried out for the Rutherford County Boys Choir in the fourth grade and director Laverne Jefferies pulled him aside and gave him private lessons for years until his voice changed.

"I sat out for about six months and then started up again," Sparks recalled.

At Rutherfordton-Spindale Central High School he made the glee club as a freshman.

"We had a great music program" he said. "We traveled around and sang in festivals and gained experience and confidence.

He was chosen for Governor's School in choral music.

After two years at Gardner-Webb Junior College and more awards, he transfered to Mars Hill College where he sang in a touring chorus while earning his bachelor's degree in music education, majoring in voice.

"The Lord chooses who he wants to serve," he said. "We all have talents, gifts. Music has always seemed to be a part of me."

Sparks began working as the minister of music and minister of youth and education at FBC Spindale when, after three years, he was persuaded to go to FBC Burlington, a much larger church, where he stayed for 14 years as minister of music.

"We had a lot going on at Burlington," Sparks said. "We had a youth choir that toured, a puppet ministry and handbell choirs.".

He worked on his master's degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest while at Burlington, finally receiving the master of divinity with church music degree. He is an ordained minister and has filled in the pulpit for the Rev. Eric Crowe, FBC pastor, and at weddings and funerals.

"He's like an associate minister," Crowe said. "He strives for excellence, real meticulous."

After Burlington, Sparks was called to Old Town Baptist Church in Winston-Salem where he was minister of music and singles for more than five years.

He returned to Rutherfordton and was beginning his eighth year there when FBC Tarboro called just after the flood.

Sparks began work in Tarboro in January 2000.

"They said I brought the big snow we had in 2000 from the mountains," he said, shaking his head.

Forty years ago, Sparks married Virginia Brooks "Ginger" Sparks, the daughter of a Baptist minister and an instructor at Edgecombe Community College.

"She is my right arm" Sparks said.

They have two daughters, Ginny Sparks, 32, of Kernersville and Carolyn Proctor, 25, in Beaufort, S.C., with three grandchildren with more expected.

"(Tarboro) was a big change for us," he said, smiling. "We are from the mountains and didn't know anything about Eastern North Carolina."

Summers have always been a busy time. He has been on the faculty at music camp at Caswell Beach for years, teaching advanced handbells for adults and youth, leading children's choirs "and learning a lot."

Sparks is a member of CenturyMen since 1985. The auditioned men’s chorus of professional musicians who are directors of music in Baptist churches tours all over the nation and world.  

"We went to China in 1987," he said. "We are supposed  to record a CD in Nashville, Tenn., this fall.".

Closer to home, the ministers of music in North Carolina have a 135-voice choir Sparks has been a part of since 1969.

What is good music?

"Good music has good text and music that goes with the text," he said. "It is theological sound."

His favorite song to solo? "He Loved Me."

After 41 years, his favorite choir hymn? "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

The First Baptist Church choir will sing that on Sunday.

"Robert added new depth and a technical level to the choir," said Joe Spiers, a choir member. "He is always challenging us to improve and rise to new levels

"He's very dedicated and hard worker at the church."

 Another member, Frances Wright, pointed out, "We sing a variety of music.

"He is a wonderful director, very diverse."

The church secretary Phyllis Griffin said, "He has a lot of integrity and is kind to people, always willing to help."

Said Becky Johnson, who is co-director of the Community Chorus: "Robert is a real gentleman, a nice guy who is a team player, willing to share the directorship.

"He's a classically trained musician who knows what he's doing and has high expectations. I have throughly enjoyed working together."