BUIES CREEK – The Rev. Lionel Cartwright, a 2009 graduate of Campbell’s Divinity school and pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church in Chadbourn, raised more than $6,000 with the help of his congregation, other area churches and community leaders to benefit two North Carolina schools.
Cartwright’s church hosted “Unity in Community Service” recently to raise funds for Chadbourn Elementary and Chadbourn Middle schools in Columbus County. The message was given by the Rev. Lestor Holcomb, pastor of the Living Word Church in Chadbourn, who focused on bringing unity to the town through Christ;
“The service is designed to unify in a spirit of Christ and Christian fellowship, all churches, business leaders, school administrators, faculty and staff and community stake holders for the glory of God and community, “ Cartwright said.
Deanna Shuman, the principal of Chadbourn Elementary School and Georgia Spaulding are both graduates of Campbell’s School of Education, where they were classmates. Both principals said they are grateful for the donations to the schools in light of recent budget cuts and the community’s support for recent school tragedies.
“In the fall, we (school officials) asked the community through a forum to become involved in our schools through participation, service and in raising money,” Spaulding said. “That’s when Rev. Cartwright approached us with the vision for the ‘Unity in Community Service’ event.”
Spaulding said she looks forward to working with the community in future endeavors to make the schools a better place, because she is a firm believer in the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
Story by Jonathan Bridges, Campbell University Communications intern