-? ; ' . The Chronicle
Community Focus
N for# Vth Cc'- Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point
siction C ^ C 1974- Celebrating 25 Years - 1999 Amu 1 ' 1999
Community
Calendar
By God's grace
, . . . .[V ' ?
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteer connections
. Volunteers are needed for the
Volunteers Connection Program.
The United Way agency assists
people with disabilities. Volun
teers are needed to work with indi
viduals with developmental, phys
ical and mental disabilities. For
more information call 759-9370
extension 238.
Assist Hospice Patients
Handy men and women are
needed to help Hospice patients
and families with occasional odd
jobs. For more information about
specific jobs call 768-3972.
Student Exchange
Families are needed to host a
high school student from overseas
starting in August 1999. For more
information call Joyce toll free at
(877)-846-5848.
Moses Cone Hospital
Volunteers
Middle and High School stu
dents can get involved with the
Teen Volunteer Programs at
Moses Cone Hospital in Greens
boro during the summer by pick
ing up registration packets at the
information center. Those inter
ested in volunteering at Wesley
Long Community Hospital can
call 832-1745. For The Women's
Hospital call 832-6661. Space is
limited.
Ongoing Events
Senior Financial Care
The Winston-Salem Senior
Financial Care service is available
to all adults over 60 years of age
who live in Forsyth County. A
counselor can help a client with
personal budgeting, balancing
their checkbooks and writing
monthly checks. For more infor
mation call the office at 725-1972.
Free Legal Clinic
The Legal Clinic for the Elder
ly at Wake Forest University Bap
tist Medical Center is accepting
new cases. The clinic provides free
legal services to people age 60 and
over who meet certain financial
guidelines. The clinic is open from
9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays in the J.
Paul Sticht Center on Aging And
Rehabilitation. To be screened for
eligibility call (336) 713-8630.
Free Tutorial Program
The Children's Loft announces
the opening of its Afterschool
Tutorial Program. This program
will run Monday-Thursday from
3:30-5:30 p.m. at Reynolds Tem
ple CME Church, 2935 Glenn
Ave. The Loft is sponsored by the
Beta Alpha Chapter of Iota Phi
Lambda Sorority. For registration
information call (336) 724-7132.
Federal Tax Assistance
The IRS offers free help to tax
payers at the IRS office in the US
Courthouse and Federal Building.
251 N. Main Street, Suite 16 from
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m on Saturdays.
This service will run on through
until April 10.
Sm Pogm C6 for Moro of this
woo kit Community Catondor
franc? *o?W?y, right, smites at Hm congregation at Union Chop#) Baptist Church on Sunday, gives hor a standing Ovation. AUerwoman Joycelyn Johnson road a proclama
tion declaring the day as Frances Mobbley Day. Mobbley will celebrate her 104th birthday in May.
" . ' ' | I - . t ?
IN earing 1U4, local woman and church feted tor service
BY T. KEVIN WALKER resoonsc to all of the attention.
THE CHRONICLE
r*= 1 r?> 1" 111',,
Relying on her niece's gen
tle hands for support, she
walked slowly before the
attentive congregation, flashing
a dimpled-smile that has been
seasoned by God's grace and the
confidence that comes with a
long, well-lived life.
While a bright sun peered
down over spring-like conditions
outside, the folks inside of
Union Chapel Baptist Church
were basking in the glow of
their own star, Frances Mobbley,
whose light has been shining for
almost 104 years now.
They pulled out all the stops
on Sunday to thank Mobbley for
her nearly 60 years of service
> and dedication to the church and
to celebrate her more than ten
decades of life.
"We want to take this time to
honor a young lady who has
been around for quite some
years," the Rev. Konnie Robin
son, the church's pastor, said.
"We want to give (Ms. Mobbley)
her flowers while she is alive."
And a lively Mobbley accept
ed her flowers proudly as a
church member displayed a
bouquet of red, long stem roses
before her and then passed them
on to her niece, Martha Lewis,
for safe keeping.
And the fresh white corsage -
another gift from the church -
that was pinned to her lapel,
matched perfectly with Mobb
Jey's neat three-piece black and
* feray suit.
The day belonged to her - lit
/ I1_
erauy.
Also on hand for the service
were Joycelyn Johnson and Nel
son Malloy, both members of
the board of aldermen.
Citing her more than 70
years as an upstanding resident
of the city of Winston-Salem
and her life-long commitment to
helping others, Johnson read an
official proclamation from
Mayor Jack Cavanagh and the
other members of the board pro
claiming March 28, 1999 as
Frances Mobbley Day.
' "Ms. Mobbley is a living
example of how good God is,"
Malloy said. "God's love is in
our presence here this morning."
After receiving numerous
standing ovations from the emo
tional congregation, Mobbley
made a request to say a few
words. Her request was immedi
ately granted.
"I thank the Lord for being
here," was her simple, eloquent
. J&orn cm Maj^5, 1885 ? a
there 30 years-WW-the end of
the Civil War - in Chester
County, S.C., Mobbjey's eyes
will have seen three different cen
turies come the year 2000.
But in a little more than 40
days, Mobbley will reach anoth
er milestone: birthday number
104.
Her age itself may seem
unbelievable to some, but take it
into Consideration with the
events she has lived through and
it's even more astonishing.
Mobbley was born one year
after Nicholas II, the last czar of
Russia, ascended to the throne,
and one year before the land
thark Plessy versus Ferguson
decision was issued by the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Before .she -was five, Henry
Ford developed his two-cylinder
Model T automobile, Wilbur
and Orville Wright soared into
the history books in Kitty Hawk
and President William McKinley
was hoping for widespread citi
zen support for the newly com
menced Spanish-American War.
She came into the world dur
ing the last years of the Victori
an Age, while Queen Victoria,
the longest reigning monarch in"
England's history, was still on
tthe throne and while words like
"imperialism" were being tossed
around, as the United States and
nations in Europe were snatch
ing up small, powerless countries
left and right.
Mobbley has been witness to
The Great Depressibn, two
world wars and 17 American
presidents.
Although I
the dates have I
become fuzzy ||
over the I
decades,I
Mobbley and I
her family Q
agree that she I
moved to I
Winston - I
Salem in the
mid to late
1
1
Mobbley married but never
had children. But she did adopt
a child.
She didn't work for money or
acclaim. Instead, she spent her
time helping those who were in
need by providing them with a
soft bed, a hot meal or just
encouraging words.
She joined Union Chapel in
the early 1940s, when it was still
in its infancy. Some members
still remember when Mobbley
Robinson
Angola Graham, a member of Union Chapel tinte fh? 1930s, pos?i wifh ffi? church i newest member, 2
month-old, Erin Alexandra, her daughter. Graham '? husband Market if also a member.
* *' .. ?
was a nurse at church.
Those who know her describe
her as a proud, caring woman
who has relied heavily on her
faith in God.
"In the 14 years that I have
been the pastor here, I have
never heard her complain one
time," Robinson said.
Her great-nephew, Dennis
Lewis, recalls a woman who
never let a day go by without
drinking eight glasses of water,
who always has "words' of wis
dom" to share with anyone who
will listen and who has remained
active even in old age.
"She was old when I was
young, and she was still running
around chasing us," he laughed.
Mobbley's keen sense of
humor also has not diminished
as the years fly by.
"What can I do?" she said
after the service, alluding to her
grand age. Then after a few sec
onds had passed, she answered
her own question with a loud
chuckle:
"Nothing, but eat."
Mobbley rarely misses Sun
day service; she has become a
weekly fixture at Union Chapel,
like the pulpit or the organ.
Before her keen eyes, pastors
and members have come and
gone, and the church has evolved
from a small building into the
sprawling one.
"It's fine," Mobbley said,
describing the church from her
unique perspective. "It is just
fine."
For some time, Mobbley has
lived with her nieces, Lewis and
Mattie Marshall, but she has
remained a free and independent
spirit.
She roams freely around the
house and dresses herself each
morning, Martha Lewis said.
And with the aid of her eyeglass
es and a magnifying glass, she
still methodically reads the
newspaper.
"I thank God for her,"
Martha Lewis said. "When I was
coming up, they always taught
me to do all you can while you
can."
It might seem strange that the
members of Union Chapel Bap
tist Church chose to honor Mob
bley a month and a half before
her birthday, but the church saw
Sunday as a way to celebrate two
glorious occasions on a single
day.
Union Chapel had a birth
day of its own, although at 70
years-old, it is a mere child com
pared to Mobbley.
"Seventy years is a long time
and we thank God for this bless
ing." Robinson said to a chorus
of "amens" from the packed
sanctuary. "If we forget our his
tory, we will soon be forgotten."
History played a big part in
the service on this particular
Sunday.
While a church member read
brief bios on the church's
founding fathers, youngsters
enthusiastically held up large,
framed black and white pictures
of the men. The portraits will
hang in the Fellowship Hall and
"will connect the entire ministry
of the church," Robinson said.
Starting in a, small house on
Derry Street in the early 1940s,
the church was initially called
Union Methodist Church. It was
founded by John Smith and most
of the kids in the neighborhood
at the time simply referred to the
church as "Mr. Smith's Church."
In the summer of 1933, the name
of the church was changed to
Union Chapel Baptist Church,
with the Rev. W.P. Clark taking
the helm as its first minister.
A new church was construct
ed at the corner of Derry and
Belo streets in 1940 after the
floor of the original structure
gave way during a program.
The church's second pastor,
the Rev. W.L. Davis, headed the
church soon after the new edifice
was constructed. After Davis'
death in 1961, the Rev. James
Monroe Lewis Sr. took over the
church.
See God's Graco on page C2
] ? Community Niws Dsaduns is 5:00pm Monday ? * us Hmn School and Couim ?
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