The Rev. A. Eugene Wiggins received his doctoral degree recently in worship studies from the Eastern North Carolina Theological Institute of Weldon, N.C. He also graduated magna cum laude in the class.

Wiggins submitted a theological dissertation entitled &uot;Worshipping Among Thorns/&uot; The major focus was on the many hindrances that attempt to prevent and obscure true worship.

The piece received raved reviews from the president of

the school, Dr. Charles E. McCullen, and the school’s dissertation committee. Wiggins’ next challenge and pursuit is to rewrite his dissertation into a manuscript for widespread publication.

Wiggins is the pastor of the newly formed CornerStone Missionary Baptist Church of Suffolk.

On June 1, a group of Christians desired to formulate a church and requested Wiggins to be their pastor. On June 2, the congregation held its first worship experience. The church theme is &uot;Preparing to Take the Gospel to a Lost Generation.&uot; The goal of the pastor and church is to confront every person with the life-altering person of Jesus Christ as expressed in His eternal salvation.

Wiggins said that the church had its humble beginnings with a desire and determination to be Scripturally taught in Mission Ministry and Kingdom Building for God.

&uot;It is also the desire of the congregation and myself to worship and to glorify God with all of our minds, strength, and souls unhampered,&uot; he said.

Wiggins is a native of Baltimore, Md., but was reared in Emporia, where he now resides. He is the son of the late Zack and Ruby T. Wiggins, and is a graduate of the Greenville County Public School System. He is also a graduate of the Virginia Union University of Richmond where he earned his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Sociology. He is a graduate of the Virginia Union School of Theology with a Master’s of Divinity Degree.

Wiggins has served distinguishable in the United States Air Force as a Chaplain, holding rank of Captain at the Wurtsmith 379th CSG Air Force Base in Wurtsmith, Mich., where he was honorably discharged. He has studied at the Saint Paul’s College of Lawrenceville, and the Trinity Theological Seminary of New Burg, Ind. He has also served as a teacher’s aide in the Sussex County School System and as an adjunct professor of Southside Community College of Alberta.

He has served as pastor to churches across Southside Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. His ministry of teaching and preaching has taken him throughout the United States of America.

Service each Sunday begins at 10 a.m. with Church School, then 11:30 a.m. worship. At 7 p.m. each Wednesday, Bible study, prayer and praise take place.