t,1C2760'3 Ri\LEIGK, '3 2079 TE.l.. (9l 9) B3 -

The Advertiser News, June 7, ··1995

LANIERS CHAPEL FWB CHURCH recently observed Pastor's Apprecation Day. bove, the~ Andrew_Hilland his wife Geraldine (left) were honored with Dr. Burkette Raper and his wife Rose isspecial guests. Dr. Raper, who was president of Mount Olive College, 1954-1994, was the keynote speaker for the occasion.

Laniers Chape on Pa tor's Ap

Honors Rev. Hill reciat· on Day

by M a et e Special Correspondent

Everything seemed to be nor-mal on Sunday, May 2 1, at Laniers Chapel PFWB Church. Ludie Brown Road, Chinquapin. The choir sang 1b.is is the Day" and the Worship Services continued as the Pastor had planned until the end of the Children·s sermon. Just as the choir was to sing the Anthem. Ann Lee English sum-moned the Rev. and Mrs. Andrew Hill to come forward . They were to be honored by the Woman's Aux-iliary. From two directions came members of the Hill family who had been hidden away. After hugs they opened the gift. a gold plat-ter. An additional surprise was an instrumen talduet 1 0 God i3eThe Glory" by the Hill's daughters, Saborah Smith and Terry Bask.a. A selection of songs was rendered by Saborah and a friend, Mary Susan Humphrey.

Just as the Rev. Hill was going to the pulpit to begin his message. Dr. Burkette Raper entered from the room behind the pulpit, the distinguished guest greeted Rev. Hill and let It be known that '"This is the day that Lamers Chapel Church ~Declared Pastor's Appre-ciation Day in honor of Rev. An-drew Hill and his good wife, Geraldine. Sit down. relax. and enjoy the day ...

The senior deacon. Leonard Lanier, was called upon to say a

THE REV. ANDREW HILL holds his decorative "Pastor's Appreciaton Day" cake that was inscribed with his favorite Bible verse.

few words on behalf of the church members. He commented on the love we have for Bro. Hill and his family and invited everyone to stay for the fellowship dinner after th appreciation services. Then Dea-

on Lan er p~ented the pastor with a beautifully framed picture of the church. with this insciip-tion, urn honor of Rev. Andrew Hill on Appreciation Day. May 21 . 1995. Laniers Cha p 1 OFWB Church.~

Dr. Rap r noted the picture of the church w?s complete wit the steeples an accomplishment the pevplc had worked toward since Andrew had been the pastor, Au-gust 13. 1989. and that he very well remembered being at the Dedication of the steeple, August 23, 1992. when the congregation assembled in front of the church at 12:00 and joined hands for the ceremony. He then sai , "Now we're going to distribute the real bulletins and proceed accord-ingly."

D1. Ra per wa President of Mount Olive College. 1954 - 1994. He has retired as president but 1 involved in other activities at the college. He continued "I want to commend you people at Laniers Chapel for what you are doing today This is a tribute to you for honoring your pastor. It expresses your appri"ciation, your respect and your love for your pastor". Dr. Raper gave a brief background of U1e church history and recalled U1is being his third visit to Laniers Chapel--"Once at the Dedication ofthenewsanctuaryinJune 1975. when Rev. Stephen Smith was pastor, again in Augus t 1992 a t

the dedication of the steeple, and 'today for Pastor's AppreciaUon Day to honor Andrew Hillff.

Dr. Raper shared the story how he met Andrew Hill. "It was 40 years ago, in 1955, at a revival in Deep Run when I first met this young man. He had been serving in the USAF fou r years and was called to preach while stationed in Japan. He expressed his interest to further his education in the ministry. The fall semester had already begun at Mount Olive College, but we were able to enroll Andrew. Looking back over the records, I discovered he was one of my Old Testament students

"After Andrew left Mt. Olive Col1ege he went on to Campbell College. He holds an Associate in Arts, an A B. degree from Atlantic College. and did post graduate work at East Carolina University. He has pastored for 35 years in Carteret, Pamlico. Pitt, Lenoir, Wayne, and Duplin Counties. For 30 years he taught at public schools in Craven County, at Beu-laville School and South Lenoir, until his retirement five years ago."

Members of Rev. Hill's family were acknowledged. His wife Geraldine of 47 years, Dr. Raper describe "as a faithful and helpful wife. Geraldine has been beside him and behind him and helped him along the way. She is a g.Q2d woman". Their daughter, Saborah and husband. John Melvin Smith. their two children, Kyle and Sandi Smith, reside in Deep Run, and daughter Theresa 1erri" and her husband, David Baska (who was not present because of work) and their two children, Rachel and Shannon Baskareside in Raleigh.

An appropriate appreciation message was delivered by Dr. Raper, taken from St. Luke 4: 16-19, an essential attrtbute to Rev. Hill as to why he was called to the ministry. Then in Psalm 23 he compares a good pastor to a good shepherd that loves his sheep, stressmg these points: a good pastor cares for his people, leads his people. serves his people, and the most Important quality of a good pastor, he loves his people. "As long as he loves them lie can meet their needs." Dr. Rapers clos-ing comments 'and to you An-drew, the kindest thing that may ever be said to you is when a

member of your church introduces you as PlY Pastor. I'm happy for youandyourfamilyand I'm happy for your church that this is the day that I could be with you to help c.omrnemorate this day and add to you personally my respect and my appreciation for you. and my prayers and best wishes that with all the experience you have behind you that your future days may even be your best days. I'm sure you have your own words you would like to say. but hold that sermon until next Sunday. God bless you."

Rev. Andrew Hill thanked ev-eryone for this special day and then Introduced Rose Raper , wife of Dr. Raper: and members of his family. His brother, "Bill" Henry Wilbert Hill. and wife Fannie; his sister Carrie, and husband Rob-ert Gooding; and his sister Pearl. and her husband Durwood Mills. (One sister Thelma and husband Frank Wisneski were not able to attend.) To end this part of our special day. -mest Be the Tie" was sung by the congregation and the benediction was rendered by Dr. Raper.

The Fellowship Hall was deco-rated with live flowers and red and white tablecloths, with the excep-tion of the family table that was covered with an ivory linen lable-cloth. A pig, cooked to perfection and brought in on a large carvirig board, was sen1ed with a mixture of traditional and creative en trees. On the dessert table was a cake in the shape of a Bible, with the scripture Isaiah 4 1: 10 written on top. Approximately 75 people en-joyed this delicious lunch.

The members ofLaniers Chapel OFWB were honored to have Dr. Raper as our speaker on this spe-cial day. We enjoyed the fellow-ship with all the visitors and were pleased With the events of the day, and delighted to "pull this sur-priseff on our Pastor. Geraldine Hill was in on most of the plan-ning, but the gift. from the Auxil-larywas a surprtse to her. She has prove11 to us the old saying -be-hind every good man is a good woman pushing". She Is a retired Postmaster. The Hills now have more time for each other. thetr family and friends, and the Lord. We are grateful for their leader-ship, dedication and fellowshte,

Pikeville Church Gets Pastor

Rev. A. W. HiIJ of Go dsboro has ai:cepted the pastor te o the Pikeville Missionary B Church. --'

He succeeds the late Rev. Her-man Trueblood or Gold! bo o who died se.. erat week ago.

Mr. HIii, a native or Gold boro, woo now lives at lll Sumpter Road in Jeff r n Pa has been with the Goldsboro P office since 1950.

He is an ordained mJnI , but in recent vears he has w; r -eel as a lay leader in the Ca -ary Baptist chureh, has do e supply work, and is now se as superintendent or the B erhood for the Neuse Ba sociation of more than 30 ch es.

Mr. Hill Le; a gradunt Goldsboro Hlgh School nd b done S-Ome study at l\ Oliv College. He will pr a b Pikeville e ery Sund .,.,,, .... ir"' at 11 o'clock and wi nt for the Wt'dnesd