Wednesday, December 24, 2003
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hofiday greetings
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Kadesh members plan to return to church site
Ministry
will go on
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Members of Kadesh
A.M.E. Zion Church plan
to return to their church
grounds early next year
after several months of
worshipping off-site.
Officials from the
historic African-American
church on East Gale Street
received approval Dec. 8
from the Edenton Preser
vation Commission to
erect a modular building
on Kadesh property. Rev.
Edna Lawrence told the
commission that the
church suffered about $1
million in damage from
Hurricane Isabel in
September.
“It may take two or
three years,” Lawrence
said, “or longer,” before
the sanctuary — in the
town’s historic district —
is repaired.
Unfortunately, she
added, problems with the
church’s damaged roof
continue and the bell
towers still leak. Church
members are anxious to
return to “Kadesh
grounds” for worship, she
said.
“We’re very, very proud
to be a part of the (his
toric) district,” Lawrence
said, “but we also have a
need to do the ministry.”
The historic Kadesh AME
Zion Church in Edenton sus
tained heavy damage dur
ing Hurricane Isabel. Church
officials estimate it could be
years before all the damage
is repaired. (Staff photo by
Sean Jackson)
The 120-member congre
gation has been meeting
on Sundays at the Chowan
Life Center since the Sept.
18 hurricane. Kadesh was
established in 1897.
The commission unani
mously approved a certifi
cate of appropriateness for
the modular meeting
facility. The only condition
for the project was for
landscaping to be done at
the site in line with
historic district guide
lines.
Lawrence said work on
the new building isn’t
expected to begin until at
least January. The struc
ture will be put together
on-site, she said, and will
match-up with historic
district and Kadesh
appearances. Matching
stained-glass windows
with the sanctuary’s
existing design is one
example of compatibility
efforts, she said.
Edenton-Chowan Plan
ning Director Elizabeth
Bryant said building
inspectors have deemed
Kadesh’s sanctuary “un
safe for people to go in.”
“They are in need of
another place to hold their
services,” Bryant said.
Commission members
expressed hopes to see
Kadesh restored to its pre
hurricane condition.
“It’s a beautiful build
ing,” Brenda Spruill, a
commission member, said,
“inside and out.”
Lawrence said current
plans for the future are to
just hold special services
in the main sanctuary. She
said the church is in the
process of obtaining a
Small Business Adminis
tration Loan from the
Federal Emergency Man
agement Agency. Church
officials are also waiting
to hear from insurers.
Private donations are also
being accepted, Lawrence
added.
Future plans also
include turning the par
sonage into an African-.
American museum and
cultural arts center. The
parsonage is located on
church property on
Albemarle Street, behind
the sanctuary building.
“Right now,” Lawrence
said, “we’re looking
forward to something
new.”
Operation Santa
brings joy to kids
BY ROBBIE LAUGHTON
Contributing Writer
On Saturday, Dec. 20 the old
D. F. Walker gym was a winter
wonderland for approximately
330 local children. Santa and
his elves descended on Eden
ton in fme fashion bringing
loads of toys and goodies for
the annual Operation Santa
Program. This marked the
sixth year the Edenton-Cho
wan Recreation Department
and its volunteer helpers have
organized this gift to the com
munity.
Gwen Brown, Project Coor
dinator, and her volunteer
staff worked countless hours
since early September making
sure all the children in
See SANTA On Page 3-A
\ 1
Old Saint Nick listens to one little girl's Christmas wishes
during the Operation Santa party. (Bud Weagly photo)
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Above, Jesus, center, heals a paralytic during "The Greatest Gift" panorama at Center Hill Baptist Church in Tyner
on Sunday night. The three-night event involved 165 performers and drew an estimated 800 vehicles. (Staff photo
by Sean Jackson)
Panorama spreads message of love
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
TYNER — Cars packed a
dark Country road while a
long-haired, bearded man took
part in everything from heal
ing a man to dining with
friends to re-enacting his own
death.
Jesus was in most of the
eight scenes behind Center
Hill Baptist Church here over
the weekend. But his life was
the focus of “The Greatest
Gift” and it took eight actors
to get him where he needed
to be for the free three-night
See LOVE On Page,3-A
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“WTT
jfe
schedule
■i:
The Chowan Herald busi
ness office will be closed all
day Wednesday, Dec. 24 (to
day) and Thursday, Dec. 25
(tomorrow).
Anyone submitting news,
photos or ads for the New
Year’s edition is encouraged
to have them in our office by
this Friday afternoon.
The Herald will observe
regular business hours next
Monday and Tuesday. The
office will close all day on
New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.
r" 1
'Rockin' event benefits children
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Peter Boehling didn’t know
any Christmas songs to play,
but he helped rock the night
away at Acoustic Coffee for a
Friday night gift drive for
needy children.
Coffee shop owners Glen
and Anita Anderson opened
the night with playful versions
of “Blue Christmas” to more
than a dozen listeners.
But the audience did more
than just listen to tunes. They
delivered gifts for the chance
to listen to the folksy music.
Dee Spruce, an accounting
Glen and Anita Andersen perform Friday night
manager with Classic Hits
104.9, said a stack of presents
and a shiny blue bicycle proved
the holiday spirit was alive and
well in Edenton. The station,
which recently changed its for
mat from Christian music to
classic rock, played a role in
that spirit, Spruce said.
“The station wanted to do
something here in the commu
nity,” the Rocky Hock resident
said of the choice to co-spon
sor “Rockin’ Around the
Christmas Tree.”
Gifts will be distributed by
the Edenton-Chowan Recre
See ROCKIN’ On Page 3-A
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Horace the
Mule a
holiday
favorite
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
10-A
Hicks Field named
a top venue by
Baseball America...1-B
Wright Flyer draws
massive crowds_1-C
Rocky Hock Opry
delivers big fun_8-C
> Christmas Eve at St. Paul’s
g«^;.^101,.\Vest Church Street ■ M
5:30 p.m. - Children’s Service “S
SLllsOO Pm- • Candlelight Service
CTlMfi AND CI-I.MRATf; 0( !R 1ORIVS BIRTH
Christmas Day at St. John’s
%n East Church Street • 10:00 a.m.jg
Christmas Morning • Holy Communion