
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 3, 1990                   TAG: 9005040325
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH in downtown Roanoke has raised $3 million toward the construction of a $7.9 million building and parking garage project. The Rev. Charles Fuller, pastor, said the campaign will continue until an additional $3.4 million is promised. Fuller said the church will not reduce its giving to causes outside the congregation in order to get into the new building sooner. In 1986, the church announced plans to construct a larger worship center and other facilities during the '90s decade.

\ CHURCH WOMEN UNITED of the ROANOKE VALLEY will observe May Fellowship Day Friday at First Presbyterian Church, South Jefferson at McClanahan. The meeting, in the church's Lapsley Chapel, will begin at 10 a.m.

\ GREENE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH plans to send 14 members to Salisbury, Md., July 7-14 to help construct three houses to be sold to the working poor. The work will be done for the Habitat for Humanity ecumenical agency.

\ THE REV. GEORGE BOWERS, who retired from a 20-year pastorate of St. Mark's Lutheran Church five years ago, will be installed Monday as the next president of the interfaith Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference for professionals. The ceremony will be at Camp Bethel Conference Center.

Other new officers are: Kirk Ballin, Unitarian-Universalist; Steven Teague, Baptist; Anna Marie Canary, Roman Catholic; Gerald Stone, Presbyterian; Richard Harris, Lutheran; and James Reynolds Jr., United Methodist.

\ FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH has begun a campaign to raise $365,000 during the next three years. The largest portion will go to improve the air and heating systems, to upgrade the organ and to buy new office equipment. More than $100,000 will be allocated to a national church mission fund, for building a Habitat for Humanity house for the working poor and to start a fund for the proposed Peace Presbyterian Church in the Bonsack area.

\ A CAMPING TRIP for fathers and sons is scheduled Friday and Saturday under sponsorship of the young men's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Camping will be at the Peaks of Otter and participants don't have to be members of the church. Call John Whitby at 989-9775 for more information.

\ RONALD D. SCHWARZ has resigned as director of Craig Springs Conference Center, a ministry of the Disciples of Christ in Virginia. Schwarz has been in the full-time position since 1983. The Rev. Jack Austin, Virginia regional minister, said the 1990 summer program will continue under guidance of committee leaders. Schwarz will remain as part-time pastor of Craig Springs Christian Church, Austin said.

Deadline for religion briefs for Neighbors is Thursday. Material must be delivered to Neighbors Religion Briefs, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by noon in order to run in the following Thursday edition.

by CNB