BY MILES LAYTON

Since it is not every day that St. Paul’s Episcopal celebrates a new rector, this story will be this week’s Church News.  

St. Paul’s has been searching for a rector for about two years. The last permanent pastor was Malone Gilliam.  

Saturday, a standing-room-only crowd held a Celebration of New Ministry service at church for Melody Perdue, who recently took over the reins of the parish that has been serving the faithful since the early 1700s.  

Worth noting, though a winter storm threatened eastern North Carolina, the weather seemed to hold, even offered a bit of sunshine, for the service that allowed folks, including Bishop Rob Skirving, to travel from near and far to attend this special service. Photos appear with this story — see the bottom of the article.

Also worth noting, it being 2 p.m. on a Saturday, this ink stained wretch was highly impressed with such a huge crowd — pews were full and the service was at least as big as worship on Christmas Sunday. Even the “Layton pew” way up front was filled. Saw many folks including Amelia Bond — love her house — also, Peggy Anne Vaughan, who recently won the Edenton Historical Commission Lifetime Achievement Award — her husband, Roland, a former longtime mayor, served as an usher so I’ll say it again — there was a big crowd. 

I mention all that about the crowd because a mainstream media outlet recently did a report saying the church attendance is down, very down.

“In the late 1940s, nearly 80% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, mosque or temple, according to Gallup. Today, just 45% say the same, the analytics company noted, and only 32% say that they worship God in a house of prayer once a week,” ABC News reports.

This probably goes against the media narrative, but St. Paul’s was filled on Saturday, and folks went to church again on Sunday. And the same is true with churches in Chowan County and across Northeast NC. Again, I’ll say the media doesn’t know what it’s talking about and never does these days.

Other takeaways — Perdue is the first female rector in the church’s long and distinguished history. While a pastor’s gender shouldn’t matter when delivering the word of God, perhaps it does to a young girl, growing in her Christian faith, who said she was mighty impressed by Perdue, the same as her brothers.    

Perdue comes to Edenton from the Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church at Virginia Beach.  

Perdue is an experienced worship leader, military (and clergy) spouse and mother of five. She is married to The Rev. Hayes Perdue, an Episcopal priest and U.S. Navy chaplain.  

Perdue earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Grove City College in Grove City, Penn. and a Master of Divinity degree from Bexley Seabury Seminary in Chicago. She has additional training in youth ministry and pastoral care from The Lazarus Center in Ambridge, Penn.; The International School of Service in Cincinnati, Ohio and The Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Penn. She has served churches as a youth and worship leader in Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. 

Another takeaway from the sermon: Perdue knelt in front of God and the congregation to profess her faith. And later when Perdue sang a song with her daughter – the Rector has a good singing voice and knows how to play guitar.

Reverend Canon Cameron Randle gave the sermon. Apparently, when Randle’s western Kansas bishop asked him where he was going Friday in such a rush, Randle said, “To the store to buy a pack of cigarettes” (joke). Randle’s sermon touched on the power of grace and the Holy Spirit. A former music industry executive, Randle shared an anecdote about Country and Western artist Waylon Jennings being in rehab – Willie Nelson couldn’t be there for a party but did something amazing – he cut his braids to send to Jennings to show his support. Another takeaway: Randle once worked in the music industry and is now an Episcopal priest – so God calls folks from all backgrounds and professions to serve.  

Sunday, the incoming vestry members were “sworn in” — Hood Ellis, Stephen Willhauck, Chris Ford and Kathryn Nelson. Congratulations!

St. Paul’s is poised to begin a new era – thanks be to God.

Next week, pending the absence of a snowpocolypse, the Albemarle Observer will be visiting another church. Folks, if you have church news, send it this way to albemarle.observer@gmail.com