Auditorium of South Norfolk Baptist Church, Chesapeake, Virginia
The display pipes above the choir loft are part of the Henry Pilcher’s Sons pipe organ, and actually “speak.” They belong to the Open Diapason stop. They are in front of the Swell box (Swell division) with shutters that open and close (right side) with the Great division on the left, also behind the screen. The console was renovated some years ago, and moved to where the baby grand piano is shown. The piano was then moved to left side, opposite. The current pastor and church leadership, as of 2012, decided they didn’t want to use the organ (having, unfortunately, opted for "contemporary" worship), and the console has been moved to the right side classroom, out of sight. The Virginia State Flag (to left of American Flag) was given in memory of Trooper James R. Hughes. The City of Chesapeake Flag stands to the right of the Christian Flag. The four large stained glass windows are beautiful, especially on a Sunday morning, when sunlight illuminates the pulpit area around the time of morning worship at 11 a.m. (This architectural feature was studied by a former Art History Professor from Old Dominion University). The balcony is of unique design, with no visible means of support, and is called a “floating balcony.” The lower floor slopes downward, and is so designed that the congregation feels very close to the preacher.
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Knotts Island, N.C. Baptist Church where he became a member:
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Information about one of Rev. Hughes' Knotts Island Baptist Church Sunday School teachers, John Thomas Lassiter, written by Artwell L. Pierce:
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Methodist Church where he accepted Christ during a revival service:
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Picture of first South Norfolk Baptist Church building:
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Church service letting out, late Fall:
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Young Men's Sunday School Class, late 40's or 1950s:
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Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ,
Church Musicians
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Dr. Hubert M. Poteat Organist for Installation Recital at South Norfolk Baptist Church.
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Dr. Poteat at the organ console,
Wake Forest Baptist Church,
where both
Rev. Hughes and his son Joe, worshiped.
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Dr. Hubert M. Poteat was the Organist for the Installation
Recital of the Henry Pilcher’s Sons Pipe Organ at South Norfolk Baptist
Church. He was organist and choir
director at Wake Forest College, N.C., where Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr. and his son
Joseph attended. Both attended services
at the Wake Forest Baptist Church, where Dr. Poteat was Organist.
In a rare recording found recently, we hear Dr. Poteat
delivering an address to a Wake Forest College graduating class. In this recording, we hear the introduction
of Dr. Hubert McNeill Poteat and the commencement address delivered by Poteat.
He proposes that the College's foundation stones include "hard, solid
work," "the open mind," "faith," and "the
lordship of Christ."
This project was supported by a Recordings at Risk grant
from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program
is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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Joe Hughes at the Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ. He was often asked to substitute when Gwen had to be away:
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Some who Served at
South Norfolk Baptist Church:
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Two of the many superlative musicians
who played the Organ and Piano at South Norfolk Baptist:
Mrs. Betty LeBlanc
and Mrs. Gwen Whitehurst.
Both were outstanding keyboard artists
on either instrument!
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Mrs. Harvey Whitehurst, Sr. ("Gwen")
at the Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ,
South Norfolk Baptist Church. She served as Organist for over 25 years, retiring on April 2, 1976, and moving to Lynchburg, VA.
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When Gwendolyn Roberts was born on May
3, 1913, in Gordonsville, Virginia, her father, John, was 32, and her mother,
Lucy, was 24. She had 11 siblings. She died on April 13, 1999, in Chesapeake,
Virginia, at the age of 85. She was married to Harvey A. Whitehurst, Sr.
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Gwen Roberts (Whitehurst) at age 9
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Gwen Roberts (Whitehurst), 1931
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Gwen Whitehurst with some of her family and friends:
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John Marshall Roberts, Jr. (Johnny) was brother of Gwen, and served for some years as Music Director at South Norfolk Baptist Church.
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An early picture of Betty LeBlanc at the Baldwin grand piano:
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Betty LeBlanc playing the Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ:
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Betty served 42 Years as Church Organist
at Kempsville Baptist, before retiring. Betty and Ernie have two wonderful children, Barry and Bonnie, who are also talented musically; Barry is also Pastor of a Church.
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Mrs. Betty Miles LeBlanc, Director of Student Work, Radford College, news article:
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Betty
Miles
LeBlanc
1930 - 2015
Betty Miles LeBlanc, 84,
went to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on April 20, 2015. A native
of South Norfolk, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Wesley and Lucille
Grimes Miles and wife of the late Ernest George LeBlanc, Jr. She earned her BS
degree from Madison College and a Masters of Music from Southwestern
Theological Seminary and taught private piano lessons for many years. She was
organist of Graham Funeral Home for 30 years and retired as organist of
Kempsville Baptist Church after 42 years of faithful service.
Surviving are her
children, Bonnie L. LeBlanc and Rev. Barry E. (Cynthia) LeBlanc; four
grandchildren, Cristen (Karl) Hepler, Lauren Thompson, Joshua (Susie) LeBlanc
and Charity (Chris) Olney; two great-grandchildren, Wesley LeBlanc and Emmett
Olney; and a sister, Ellen Fogel (A.J.).
Her life will be celebrated
on Friday at 9:30 a.m. at Kempsville Baptist Church with Rev. Barry LeBlanc and
Rev. Ken Carlton officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at Graham Funeral Home, Chesapeake on Thursday
from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Kempsville Baptist
Church.
Betty served as Educational Secretary, Church Secretary, Children’s Choir
Director, and Church Pianist and Sub-Organist at South Norfolk Baptist Church
for many years, before becoming Organist at Kempsville Baptist Church.
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In Memory of
W. Russell Mathews
Organist at South Norfolk Baptist Church
for 10 Years
Portsmouth - William Russell Mathews, 72, died May 6, 2016.
A native of Portsmouth, he was a retired warehouse manager at the Navy Exchange
Command in Norfolk. Russell was a member of Cradock Baptist church and a Navy
veteran. He was an organist and choir master for over 50 years, currently
serving as organist at Cradock Baptist Church. Music was his passion, life and
ministry. He touched many lives.
Survivors include his wife, Linda A. Mathews; and brother, R. Earl Mathews.
A celebration of Russell's life will be held on Tuesday, May 10, at 11AM in
Cradock Baptist Church by the Rev. David Phillips, Rev. W. Thomas Wood, Dr.
Derek Harbin, and Dr. Hugh Litchfield. Burial will be in Olive Branch Cemetery
with military honors. A time of fellowship will follow at the church. Memorial
contributions may be made to the Music Ministry of Cradock Baptist Church, 96
Afton Pkwy., Portsmouth, VA 23702.
Published in The Virginian Pilot on May 10, 2016.
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"Celebration of Life"
William Russell Mathews
Worship Service Bulletin:
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Stop
List and Information about the M.P. Möller, Inc., Opus 11169, 1977:
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Russell Matthews, Graduation Organ Recital at Old Dominion University:
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Some who Ministered, or were Ordained at South Norfolk
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John D. Tripp Educational Director
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John Pruitt, Educational Director
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Oscar S. Whitescarver,
Educational Director
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Oscar S. Whitescarver (2 pictures below) He was born May 11, 1926 in West Virginia. The family moved to High Point, North Carolina. He attended NC State.
He was married to Sarah Patrick Peacock, July 26, 1955, High Point, NC.
Served as the third Educational Director: 1956-1958. He started the first Royal Ambassadors (RA's) for boys and Girls Auxillary (GA's) for girls, a Southern Baptist program. Jim and Joe were members of the RA program.
He left to go to Providence Church, Charlotte, NC.; later served at New Palestine Baptist Church, Picayune, MS, and elected as President of the Pearl River Association Pastor's Conference.
He visited our family at Kitty Hawk, NC one summer and showed Jim some of his campcraft skills he learned while serving in the Army (He had enlisted in 1944). Jim was interested in how a pup tent could be put up and stay up. So Mr. Whitescarver showed him how to put it up and let it stay for one night to see if it could withstand the wind coming across the sand dunes.
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W. Bruce Meriwether, Minister of Music
(pictured below)
came to South Norfolk Baptist August 18, 1963 as Minister of Music. He had previously taught music at Shawnee High School, Oklahoma. He held two degrees: B.M.Ed. from Oklahoma Baptist University, also the M.M. (Master of Music).
He felt called to return to classroom work, and left South Norfolk to work first, at Twin Rivers High School, Nashville, TN; then later on the faculty of David Lipscomb College, Nashville, TN.
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Rev. Jerry Odom Minister of Education, pictured below, served as Minister of Education, 1964. His wife, Lana, worked with the Youth Choir and they hosted a monthly youth Bible study at their house:
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Michael Dale Hopkins and
Cathy Ellen Boyd Hopkins,
served as Minister of Music and Education, respectively. It was one of the few husband/wife combination ministry teams employed by SNBC. Here are several pictures of Michael, who attended Campbell University, and was born 1952, Rowan, North Carolina:
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Other staff members,
some not pictured:
Ronald Hicks: Minister of Education, May 1963
W. Bruce Meriwether: Minister of Music, July 1963 Kay M. Mt.Castle, served a short tenure as organist during the 1960s.
Jerry Odum: Minister of Education, June 1964
T. Russell Hughes: Minister of Education, February 1970
Rev. William A. Richardson: Outreach Minister, 1972-1981
Hollis C. Frazer, Jr.: Minister of Music and Education,
August 1, 1971-August 27, 1972. He went to a church in Tylertown, MS.
Milton Fisher: Minister of Youth and Music.
Robert Clements: Minister of Youth and Music, August 1973-
Scott Foxwell: Organist, August 23, 1974-
Bonnie Ray Smith: Music Director, January-October 1976.
Michael D. Hopkins: Minister of Youth and Music; and Cathy
Hopkins: Minister of Education, May 9, 1979-October 1983. (They moved to
Wallace, NC).
Ray Jones: Associate Minister, June 1986-
David L. Pierce: Minister of Music and Worship Leader,
September 1986-
Rev. Scott Chafee: Minister of Students and Singles, April
1990-August 1993.
Rev. Jack Wilder: Interim Supply Pastor, January 1993-August
1993.
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Ministers ordained at
South Norfolk Baptist:
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George William Wollett, was Vice-President of his Junior Class, South Norfolk High School.
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George Wollett, Senior Class, South Norfolk High School.
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George Wollett, Wake Forest College photo.
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Sam Tatem, at Columbia Bible College, prior to attending Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY.
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Sarah Margaret Rogers, South Norfolk High School photo:
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"Prophecy 1942" for the South Norfolk High School yearbook, written by Sarah Margaret Rogers:
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Rev. and Mrs. Sam Tatem wedding, South Norfolk Baptist Church. Jim was the ring bearer, standing in front of Sam; Joe is on left holding his father's hand, Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr.
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Jim, as ring bearer, standing on left; Joe is peeking out the door, right side.
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James Winnen Russ, Junior Class, South Norfolk High School.
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Jimmy Russ was in the Monogram Club, South Norfolk High School, 1942 and 1943:
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James Russ, Senior Class, South Norfolk High School. He was Vice-President of his 1943 Class.
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Jimmy Russ attended Columbia Bible College seen in this senior photo. He coached basketball there for two years. He then went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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William Claude Russ (Billy), Senior Picture, South Norfolk High School.
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Eddie Griffin, 8th Grade Class:
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James Edward Griffin (Eddie) in 1951 photo, South Norfolk High School.
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Eddie Griffin on
JV Basketball Team,
South Norfolk High School.
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Eddie Griffin in 1953 South Norfolk High School photo.
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Rev. Mark Midgette Alexander, Jr. born December 27, 1927, was ordained at South Norfolk Baptist Church, and served as Missionary to Argentina. The church family was always present to hear him speak and show slides of his work there. Audio of his sermons and testimony can be found on the "Audio" page of this website. He is pictured below:
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Mark Alexander, early High School photo, Junior year.
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