THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 22, 1995 TAG: 9505220038
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
The Rev. Dennis Grey last year told members of Northside Assembly of God that he'd preach from the rooftop if the church met its membership goal.
On Sunday, the minister lived - thank God! - up to his promise.
``My whole purpose is to show appreciation to the Lord and to the church for pulling together and doing their work,'' Grey, 51, said before being lifted 85 feet into the air by a huge crane.
Most of the new members and those who helped recruit them squinted up toward the heavens about 11:30 a.m. They listened as the preacher delivered a 25-minute sermon from inside a crane box set near a steeple.
``I'm picking this scripture because it is telling us exactly what we're here for, and that is to look up the Lord,'' Grey said, his voice sometimes supplanted by wind blowing into a tiny microphone attached to his tie.
Grey then proceeded to read from the Bible's Book of John about Jesus Christ urging others to be lifted into heaven.
``And we feel like we're in heaven being placed up here,'' the minister said.
When Grey and his wife arrived from Florida a little more than a year ago, the Elizabeth City church was losing parishioners. Weekly attendance had dropped to about 80.
Eager to see more people fill the pews, Grey vowed to preach from the rooftop when church rolls reached 200. On Easter, some 250 people crowded into the 14-year-old brick building on U.S. 17 North.
If anyone could relate to Grey's experience Sunday, it was George Archuleta, who left the service feeling a little light-headed.
Inspired by the pastor's pledge, Archuleta had said he'd shave his head if Sunday school attendance also broke records.
``I learned a lesson about foolish gestures,'' Archuleta, the head of the program, said jokingly as barber Bill Felton set to work with his shears.
Within minutes the man was donning a military buzz cut, his thick black locks strewn across the brown-shingled roof.
Both men continually praised the people watching below. In the past year the church also has paid off a new bus and held a mortgage burning for an education wing.
``These are the hardest-working people I've ever seen,'' Grey commented.
The same was said of Grey.
``He's just a nice guy, and he's done a lot for this church in a short time,'' said Felton, whose wife is a church regular.
``You know, it would have been easy for them to say, `We just didn't mean it,' '' said Cindy Hitchings, who joined Northside Assembly of God last fall.
Even those not associated with the church were impressed with the duo's commitment.
``This is the first time I think we've had one like this. I don't believe it's ever been done around here,'' said Scott Craddock, who helped Vernon Voliva operate the crane donated by Gordon Sheet Metal Contractors of Elizabeth City.
``It's definitely going to be the talk of the town, especially in the churches,'' Craddock added. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
DREW C. WILSON
Staff
The Rev. Dennis Grey, above, addresses his congregation from a crane
box held near the steeple of the Northside Assembly of God church in
Elizabeth City. Grey promised he'd preach from the roof if
attendance broke 200, which it did at Easter. New and old members
gathered outside the building, right, for the event.
by CNB