The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

Related Photos

  • Meta Wood, wife of Tarboro Church of God's pastor, Samuel Wood, sings praises to God at a Saturday evening dedication service for the church's new sanctuary. Standing directly behind Wood is choir member Bud Woolard. (Staff photo/Miranda Baines)

    DSCN6544.jpg
February 24, 2013

Tarboro Church of God dedicates new sanctuary

The Daily Southerner Staff reporter

TARBORO — Tarboro Church of God dedicated its new 908 W. Saint James St. sanctuary to God Saturday evening in a spirit-filled service.

The crowd of 192 assembled in the sanctuary rose to their feet, raised their hands in the air, clapped and gave praise to God for their new place of worship during the ceremony.

“It has taken a lot of people that we could come into this beautiful sanctuary today,” said Dr. O. Wayne Brewer, administrative bishop of Eastern North Carolina Church of God. “God has used every one of us.” But he gave the ultimate glory to God for the new sanctuary.

“It was the Lord Himself who hath done this,” he said. He preached to the congregation about “God’s hands,” explaining that everyone in the church has a different role, just as Moses and Joshua did in their leadership of the Israelites in Old Testament times.

“It’s not just one man or one woman. It takes every one of us,” he said. “We are all different, but we are all part of the hands of God.”

Bishop Samuel “Sammy” Wood, church pastor, recognized everyone who played a role in the opening of the new sanctuary, John Dew of Providence Bank for the building loan, and the builder.

“I honestly believe that God placed these men in our path,” Wood said. “God has a way.”

The service concluded with the choir lifting up their voices in the song of praise “This Is Your House.”

Tarboro Church of God’s new sanctuary is about twice the size of the church’s old 1954 sanctuary at 412 Shirley St., according to Wood.

“It seats 325, but will max out at about 450,” he said, noting the church has 5,000 square feet of property yet to add to the new building and plans to build a multipurpose/ family life center. The church continues to see growth.

“We took in 15 new members last Sunday,” Wood said.

“I’d like to see it continue to grow until we have to buy some more property,” said church deacon Paul Parrisher. Ultimately, he said he would like to see the church “continue to grow to be worldwide.” Wood said the church supports missionaries all over the world.

“This is the mission field here, even in this community. We want to continue reaching people for Christ,” Wood stated.

Parrisher said the church will continue to fulfill the Biblical mission of “reaching out to the homeless shelters, the rehab centers, people hurting and in need.”

Wood said the vision for the church was already in place when he became the church pastor eight years ago, following in father-in-law Haywood Preslar’s footsteps.

“My wife Meta felt like the Lord was speaking to her and that I would come and finish what her father had started,” Wood said. The church closed on the loan for the new sanctuary in the seventh month of the seventh year of Wood’s leadership as pastor, and at that time, church had raised $70,000 in donations. Wood took those numbers as a sign from God, as “seven” is the Biblical number of completion.

 

Text Only
Local News
  • AIB judging under way

    The America in Bloom (AIB) judges are in town, and Tarboro’s AIB committee rolled out the red carpet for them, beginning with Sunday supper at the home of AIB committee member Candis Owens.
    “I am really excited about these judges,” Owens said “It looks like they have been selected specifically for Tarboro, because they’re both historic preservationists.”
    James R. “Jim” Abraham is a professor of historic preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, while Ed Hooker, III is the historic architect and cultural resource manager for Fort Riley, Kan., according to the judges’ biography.

    June 17, 2013

  • lemonade.jpg Brother, sister offer relief from the heat

    Madelyn Gay, 9 left, pours lemonade in a cup that her brother Peyton Gay, 10, is holding in front of their St. Andrews Street home last Thursday. With the temperature reaching 96 degrees, the sister and brother tandem sold the refreshing liquid.

    June 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Summer Food Service Program for children kicks off

    Edgecombe County Public Schools is working to make sure that no children in Edgecombe County go hungry while school is closed this summer by sponsoring the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for children. Summer meals will be offered at Carver Elementary, Pattillo, Phillips Middle, Princeville Elementary and West Edgecombe Middle schools starting today. The meals will be offered from Monday through Thursday until Aug 8. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

    June 17, 2013

  • Gun permits on the rise

    The Edgecombe County Sheriff's Department reported a spike in the number of citizens applying for gun permits and carrying concealed weapons. From Dec. 1, 2011 to June 13, 2012, the sheriff's department issued 88 gun permits as well as 213 concealed weapon permits. From Dec. 1, 2012 to June 6, 2013 the sheriff's department issued 492 gun permits and 364 concealed weapon permits.

    June 14, 2013

  • Heat.jpg Warmest day this year reaches mid 90's

    Beating the heat was the name of the game Thursday in Edgecombe County, as temperatures soared into the mid 90’s.
    “Right now the temperature is 95 degrees. This is the warmest day so far across central North Carolina,” said Shawna Cokley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, at 2 p.m. Thursday. She said the average June temperature for the Raleigh area is 86, 87 degrees.

    June 14, 2013 1 Photo

  • Art Council offers summer camps

    Art camps this summer will get children’s creativity flowing.
    Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council is offering several camps for children ages 3 to 12. Art teachers for the camps include Ashley Myers, Genevieve Govoni and Taylor Owens, as well as guest artists.
    “It will be a chance for them to create and explore different mediums that they might not be exposed to in school,” said Joyce Turner, executive director of Edgecombe Arts. “Each camp will more or less be themed.”

    June 13, 2013

  • Vines Cobb.jpg Pinetops mayor satisfied with 2013-2014 $4.6 million budget

    PINETOPS — The board of commissioners stayed in line with surrounding towns by adopting its budget without implementing a property tax increase, although water and sewer rates increased by an average of 6.5 percent.
    "It's a good budget, said Pinetops Mayor J. Vines Cobb. "There was no tax increase, so we are holding the line,"

    June 13, 2013 1 Photo

  • Drugs found on THS student at school

    A Tarboro High School senior was hit with drug charges on campus three days before graduation.
    According to Tarboro Police Sgt. Al Braxton, a teacher spotted Rasheen Travon Council, 18, 404 Lincoln Road,. Tarboro, engaged in suspicious activities. The teacher notified a police officer.
    Upon the officer's investigation, he found Council was in possession of 29.4 grams of marijuana in small bags. Braxton said he doesn't know whether or not Council made a transaction at the school.

    June 13, 2013

  • RIVER.jpg Rising Waters on the Tar

    The Tar River has risen to 16 feet-four inches over the past four days. On Saturday, the water levels were very low, but since the rains have come, the water levels have risen. The gates at the Tar River on River Road are shut with padlocks on them, because the water has gone over the path that runs adjacent to the river.

    June 13, 2013 1 Photo

  • Flag.jpg WWII veteran Cobb honored at 118th flag raising

    The American Flag flying at the home of World War II veteran Walfield Cobb was only one of signs he was proud of his country.
    Cobb was honored Tuesday during the 118th Memorial Flag-Raising Service sponsored by Tarboro Golden K Kiwanis. His five children, Teresa Cobb, Tim Cobb, Polley Briley, Trudy Gallinotto and Karen Mobley attended the event.
    Cobb served in World War II from Sept. 1, 1944 to June 2, 1945. He returned to his Edgecombe County home and began a family, retiring from Glenoit after 32 years. Cobb died Sept. 30, 2011 at the age of 86.

    June 12, 2013 1 Photo