Mt. Nebo gives Good Samaritan award on Good Friday
By: Jeffrey Willis
Reprinted with permission from The Toledo Journal
Originally posted 4/13/2004

Good Friday was truly a good day at Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, where Rev. Cedric Brock is pastor.

The church was packed with many to hear not one but several pastors coming together to spread the word of God. They included Pastor Shears, Empowerment Temple Ministries; Pastor Walthall, Inspirational Baptist Church; Pastor Lucas, Liberty Ministries C.O.G.I.C.; Pastor Washington, First Baptist Church, Overseer Tisdale, Friendship Baptist Church, Bishop Hall, The New Psalmist Church; Pastor White Christian Community, and Dr. Allen, New Bethel C.O.G.I.C.

The Good Friday service on April 9 was for bringing together great preachers to fellowship among the brethren. Pastor Brock stated, “We try to go across the denominational lines every year. We want to show the community that seven pastors can come together, anointed men and women of God, to deliver the word of God. And to let the community know that we are in this thing together.

“We do this every year. This is about the eighth year. We have a great, consistent crowd. It is a beautiful day.”

During the event, Pastor Brock took the time out to give the “Good Samaritan” award to Sheryl Riggs, director of Dale Funeral Home. Pastor Brock stated, “The Good Samaritan award derived from a story about a man who saw someone on a roadside. He decided to help him when two other ‘church folk' had passed him by. The Good Samaritan picked the man up, took him to a hotel, asked the innkeeper to take the man in and feed him, clothe him, and provide shelter for him. He also asked that if he was there for longer than one day he would come back and take care of the bill.”

Pastor Brock went on to state, “Sister Sheryl Riggs has been in the community as a great help and a great supporter of the community for many years. She has been quietly funding in the community, and she supports a lot of things and doesn't get the recognition. So every year we give the Good Samaritan award to someone in the community that is deserving of recognition for their support of the community. We give the award recipient prayer, support and a plaque of recognition.”

After receiving the Good Samaritan award, Ms. Riggs stated, “We are committed to the city of Toledo in terms of service. Beyond the funeral home we try to help people that are in a situation where they have to bury someone and they are not able. So we do a lot of helping people through that experience.

“We do a lot of things to support individuals, sports, and the schools. We have sponsored many people, (including) debutantes. We even have a gentleman that transports children to and from sports tournaments. We also support reading programs. Anyone that comes to us with a need, be it an organization or individual, we try to help with whatever situation that may have a need.”

The business has there since 1913. Mr. Dale purchase the funeral home from the previous owner in 1947. Ms. Riggs has been with the firm for 12 years and is the managing director.
She stated, “It's my legacy from Mr. Dale to continue to help people in the community.” Mrs. Riggs moved to Toledo from Detroit. She graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with a bachelor degree. She was a social worker for seven years. She became a funeral director and embalmer in 1980 after graduating from Wayne State University.

She stated, “I'm honored to receive this Good Samaritan award because I'm so concerned about the community, and the people in the community. To be acknowledged for doing what you love to do is an honor.”

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Mt Nebo's Pastor Brock can be heard on FM 95.7 every Sunday morning from 9 to 9:30 a.m. He would like to invite everyone to come worship with them on Sundays at 11 a.m.