BY MILES LAYTON
A round-up of church news and local obituaries…
First up, Edenton Baptist Church was recently awarded a $3,000 grant in order to do mission work in Edenton by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina. Back in the summer, the CBF of NC invited Edenton Baptist to take part in a church revitalization program called Helping Churches Thrive. The grant comes with being a part of the program.
“Edenton Baptist Church has a long history of helping our neighbors,” Pastor Koby Strawser said. “We love Edenton, and we want the people of Edenton to know that they have a friend in EBC. Every dime of this grant money will stay in Edenton. The purpose of this ministry grant is to determine the community services that are currently being offered and, conversely, services that are not being offered but are desperately needed. We look either to help other community organizations or fill gaps where services are lacking.”
In other church news, because of the winter weather, the celebration of the ministry of Whit Stroud – new rector for the Church of the Holy Trinity in Hertford was postponed – when we find out when that event is to be rescheduled, we’ll let you know.
Stroud, formerly Priest-in Charge at Holy Innocents, Seven Springs and St. Francis, Goldsboro, started as Rector at Holy Trinity on September 1st.
Lent is around the corner. Ash Wednesday, a Christian holy day marking the start of Lent, falls on March 5. Lent will extend for 46 days, concluding with Easter Sunday on April 20. It’s a time of preparation to remember Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection.
If your church plans an Ash Wednesday service, please send those details to mileslayton1969@gmail.com
OBITUARY REPORT
In days of yore, obituaries published in the local newspaper were free or relatively inexpensive unless the family wanted something as long as War and Peace.
Much like birth announcements and wedding anniversaries, editors considered obituaries important news for the community.
When greedy media conglomerates started charging more and more for obituaries, that spelled the slow death of the obituary section, which was one of the most highly read sections of any newspaper. Much like any decision that chases pennies instead of dollars, the decision to charge for obituaries came at the expense of readership.
Rather than paying for an expensive obituary in a local media outlet — and then getting billed again to purchase a legal ad for the estate in that same newspaper — here is a FREE listing of local obituaries from Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Homes & Crematory in Edenton. If folks have other names to add to the weekly obituary report, please send the names and the obit links to the funeral homes to me at mileslayton1969@gmail.com. We publish the weekly obit report late Saturday/early Sunday.
Michael Adrian Gillenwaters
Jan 23, 1969 – Nov 10, 2024
Michael Adrian Gillenwaters, 55, a former resident of the Portsmouth/Chesapeake area, died Sunday, November 10, 2024, at his home in Bremerton, Washington
Joseph Lawrence Winslow
Jul 5, 1948 – Feb 20, 2025
Joseph Lawrence Winslow, 76, of 587 Beech Springs Road, passed away Thursday, February 20, 2025, in ECU Health Inpatient Hospice House, Greenville.
Patsy Owens Plyler
Oct 5, 1954 – Feb 20, 2025
Patsy Jean Owens Plyler, 70, of 104 Zion Road, passed away Thursday, February 20, 2025, in her home where she was being cared for by family.
David Scott Schwarm, Sr.
May 18, 1965 – Feb 19, 2025
David Scott Schwarm, Sr., 59, of Edenton, NC, died Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in his hom
Hazel Annette Pierce Corprew
Mar 7, 1945 – Feb 14, 2025
Hazel Annette Pierce Corprew of 1270 Ocean Hwy. N., Hertford, NC passed away on Friday, February 14, 2025.
Nov 19, 1939 – Feb 14, 2025
Dorothy Esther Ferrell Morrow, 85, a longtime resident of Utah, and more recently of Elizabeth City, NC, passed away Friday, February 14, 2025, in her home where she was being cared for by family.
Edward Asa Harrell
May 8, 1933 – Feb 13, 2025
Edward Asa Harrell, 91, of 160 Byrum Road, died Thursday, February 13, 2025, in his home.
Lula Earlene Bembridge Mason
Oct 18, 1942 – Feb 12, 2025
Lula Earlene Bembridge Mason,82, of Edenton, NC passed away Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at her residence.
Rochelle Ullom Hendrix
Mar 15, 1958 – Feb 9, 2025
Rochelle Jeanette Ullom Hendrix, 66, of Edenton, NC, passed away Sunday, February 9, 2025, in Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Elizabeth City.
Lucille Anne Warwick Lambert
May 2, 1956 – Feb 6, 2025
Lucille Anne Warwick “LuAnne” Lambert, 68, of Williamston, NC, passed away Thursday, February 6, 2025, in her home.