THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406240233
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANELLE LA BOUVE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940626 LENGTH: Long
They say things like ``Get your ticket to heaven here,'' ``If you're looking for a church, here's one,'' or ``Look in the back of the Bible and guess what we won.''
{REST} ``We get a lot of calls from people who read the signs and say they are inspired,'' said the Rev. Ernest Trueblood, pastor.
The Pentecostal Holiness church will celebrate five years in Chesapeake today and dedicate a second-floor, 10,000-square-foot Christian education wing.
The debt-free addition cost about $225,000 to build. The church contracted construction of the outside walls. But the men of the church have done most of the remaining work.
``We have trades people - masons, plumbers, electricians, carpet and drywall installers, painters and cabinetmakers, said Trueblood with pride. ``It's like a big family. This has been a harmonious thing all the way through. People are excited about having a part in it.'' Church members worked on their church evenings and Saturdays.
The building will provide housing for youth activities, classrooms for children and adults, and children's church.
``Our plan is to have the building completed by Sunday,'' said Betty Trueblood, the pastor's wife. ``But we won't be occupying it by the end of the week.
``I think it's marvelous. We have needed the space almost since we've been here. After we move the classrooms upstairs, we are going to enlarge our office space downstairs.''
The church was formed in 1932. Originally, it was Norfolk First Pentecostal Holiness Church. Later, the name was changed.
``Parkway Temple moved from Norfolk to reach more people and to expand the ministry,'' said Trueblood, 60. The average attendance is about 400 worshipers. The membership is 475.
``In the five years we have been here, we have doubled our membership,'' said Trueblood, who has served churches in New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Gary, Okla. ``I think we have been a godly influence on the community, and the community has been good for us.''
Trueblood's goals for the church include relieving the original property indebtedness.
``We're also working at and extending our program for missions and evangelism,'' he said.
Church programs include children's church, Sunday School, midweek family night programs and a program for senior citizens. Lay people from the church provide biweekly religious services at Sentara Nursing home.
``We take the same ministry to Maggie Todd Powell Home in Hampton,'' Trueblood said.
``We're not the biggest, but we're one of the best.''
Peter Marquez, who works with the mentally retarded at Southeastern Virginia Training center, has been a member at Parkway for two years. Marquez, a former drug addict, now heads up a support group at the church.
``When I found the Lord, I felt like no one at the church had ever had drug problems,'' Marquez said. ``So I talked to the pastor about having a rehabilitation and repentance class.''
It's set up like a support group where participants discuss their past and their new common ground as Christians.
``We found out that there were a lot of us in the same situation, but we had kept it hidden and never discussed it,'' he said. ``The church took to us tremendously. They accept us as we are and they love us.''
From 10 to 20 people attend the meeting every other week.
``It's a hard step to take coming to church and becoming a Christian,'' Marquez said. ``It ranks right up there with admitting you're a drug addict. I don't feel like you can overcome addiction unless you confess to God first and then to the church. That thing is on your mind. Will the church accept us? Drug addicts tend to hide.''
For the past year, Robert West II and his son, Robert West III, have been in charge of the church's marquee. Most of the posted messages are selected from books of quotes. Some just come to West as he prepares to teach Sunday School. Some are suggested by others.
``We sort of pass quote books back and forth between us,'' said the senior West, Norfolk branch manager for Polar Water. ``Robbie will recommend one. If we agree, that's what we put up.''
They use paint roller poles to hold up the glass. Robbie works one side. His dad works the other.
``A couple of weeks ago, Robbie chose `This church is a place of love,' '' his dad said.
``It's pretty fun,'' said Robbie, 13. ``It takes no longer than 20 minutes, including settling on what we're to say. The Wests come to Parkway from their Green Run home in Virginia Beach.
Ernest Trueblood, who has been pastor at Parkway Temple for 33 years, grew up in Norfolk. Betty Trueblood up in Portsmouth. She is church secretary and assistant Christian education director.
The two met at Southwestern College in Oklahoma City, Okla. Their son Paul is now music director at Parkway. Their daughter is Sherri Highlander. Her husband, David, is the pastor of Calvary Assembly of God in Hampton.
by CNB