THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, July 5, 1996                  TAG: 9607030252
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 16   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   45 lines

REV. LARRY BRAYBOY TOOK RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY.

It takes a bit more than a $187.5 million School Board budget and a room full of irate parents to ruffle the Rev. Larry Brayboy.

At least most of the time.

Before Brayboy took his School Board seat 1 1/2 years ago, he had G1CPBRA05 Brayboy

known controversy more volatile than a rezoning debate.

Brayboy is a man who entered the Army at age 17, did a tour in Vietnam during the war and later spent years in military intelligence.

And as pastor of Manna Baptist Church in Chesapeake for the past 11 years, he constantly tussles with the toughest of decisions.

``In the military, it wasn't anything to be in charge of $100 million worth of equipment, making life or death decisions,'' said the 42-year-old Brayboy recently.

``With the church, too, I'm dealing with life and death matters.''

But being responsible for 35,000 Chesapeake students can humble the strongest men, Brayboy included.

``The enormity of the responsibility was overwhelming at times,'' he said. ``It's an incredible honor when people entrust you with their children. Incredible.''

But it wasn't the massiveness of the job that drove his decision to sit out this year's School Board election. After concentrating on the futures of the city's children, he decided his own - two sons, age 17 and 11 - needed more of his time.

He also decided that his church - which has grown from 3,200 square feet to nearly 8,000 with building acquisitions - needed more of his attention.

``We want to expand our mission ministries, a pre-school program,'' Brayboy said. ``We want to expand our mission of outreach. We want to be able to cook food and invite anyone from the community to come in and eat with us.''

But don't count him out of local politics altogether.

``If needed, I could always come back and run for the School Board, the City Council or the House of Delegates.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Brayboy

KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE SCHOOL BOARD by CNB