Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 15, 1994 TAG: 9401150098
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Sunday at 3 p.m., Saint Jude formally will dedicate its new - albeit not-quite-finished - church building off Tyler Road (Virginia 177), just outside the Radford city limits. The church is on a 17-acre site, so there is plenty of parking room.
Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond will preside. A reception will follow.
"We're far enough complete that we can move in," said the Rev. Tom Magri, Saint Jude's pastor.
Ironically, the congregation will exchange one temporary sanctuary for another. Completing the "real" sanctuary on the upper level awaits Phase II of the church's construction plans. Magri said Mass will be held in the fellowship hall on the lower level, which will serve other purposes as well.
The church has spent about $1 million so far, including site development. Ultimately, Magri said, the two-story structure will have a lot more room. Phase III will expand the seating space, and Phase IV will add an educational wing.
It is hard to say how long it will take to get to Phase II, he said.
Magri said the recent bad weather held up completion of some exterior work, and paving is not complete. The church will have a temporary water supply and bottled propane gas until city utilities become available in the 177 corridor.
Although it is close to Radford, the church's mailing address is 1740 Tyler Road, Christiansburg 24073. The telephone number remains 639-5341.
By the way, Mass tonight only will be at 5:15 at Grove United Methodist Church on Tyler Avenue, next to the Tyler Square Shopping Center.
\ A celebration honoring MARTIN LUTHER KING will be held Sunday, 3:30 p.m., at Shaeffer Memorial Baptist Church on High Street.
The Rev. P.L. Barrett of First Baptist Church, Blacksburg, will be keynote speaker.
The celebration is sponsored by the Montgomery County Branch NAACP and the Coalition for Community.
Call 382-0595 for more information.
\ A variety of professionals, including a physician, a lawyer, an insurance agent, a hospice volunteer and members of the clergy, are leading a six-week Sunday-morning series of classes on "PREPARING FOR DEATH AND DYING" at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, 600 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg.
The classes meet at 9:45 a.m. and continue through Feb. 13. The public is welcome.
\ The WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY, sponsored by the Radford-Fairlawn Ministerial Association, begins with a catered dinner Monday, 6:30 p.m., at Central United Methodist Church, Eighth and Wadsworth streets, Radford.
This ecumenical observance has been held for many years.
The program, "Our Common Ministries of Love," will focus on the association's shared community ministries. Among these are Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread, the Radford Clothing Bank and the Radford Food Pantry.
A pulpit exchange will take place Jan. 23, when Radford and Fairlawn ministers will cross denominational lines to preach in other churches to emphasize Christian unity.
The Rev. Gina Rhea has additional details at 639-3696.
\ "Making Art as if the World Mattered: Connective Aesthetics" will be artist Suzy Gablick's topic Sunday, 10:30 a.m., at the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF THE NEW RIVER VALLEY, 1301 Gladewood Drive, Blacksburg.
A discussion will follow, and guests are welcome. For more information, call 552-8050 or 552-4749.
\ The CHURCH OF CHRIST, 1250 S. Franklin St., Christiansburg, will have a "Ladies' Night Out" potluck dinner at the church building Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Coffee and tea will be provided. If you have a good low-calorie dish, bring it and the recipe.
\ OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1845 Cambria St, Christiansburg, holds services Sundays at 10 a.m. Fellowship is at 11, and church school begins at 11:15.
Mark Briehl is the pastor.
Call 382-2223 to find out more.
\ Church Names in the News:
The REV. BARBARA AUSTIN-MCCOMBS, who retired recently as associate pastor of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, will be honored with the renovation of the senior high and mid-high rooms in the church. The improvements are made possible by gifts to honor her ministry, and plaques will be placed in the youth area.
Austin-McCombs joined the church staff in August 1986 and worked extensively with younger members of the parish. A search for her replacement will begin next month. A new staff member is expected to be on board by early fall.
The REV. RAY ALLEN of Blacksburg Baptist Church and TOM PROVOST, director of the Department of Partnership Missions for Virginia Southern Baptists, are spending January in three foreign mission projects.
They are in India now, revisiting a mission site they have been working on with a Vinton Baptist team for several years. Monday, they are scheduled to go to Cyprus for a Baptist World Alliance meeting on Third World mission work to join with Baptist leaders from throughout the world.
Before returning to Blacksburg, Allen and Provost will meet with Croatian and Hungarian Baptists in Switzerland to map plans for work in those countries.
The REV. STEVEN R. EMORY will become pastor of First Baptist Church in Pulaski this month. Now minister of Park Avenue Baptist Church in Norton, Emory will succeed the Rev. James Sorrell, who died in 1992.
He will take over for the Rev. John W. Tresch Jr., who has been interim pastor for 11 months.
Emory, 33, is from the Petersburg area and is a 1983 graduate of Bluefield College.
\ In Religion is a regular Saturday feature of the New River Current. Please send news of your church or religious organization in care of Rick Lindquist, New River Current, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg 24073. Clear, sharp photographs accompanying news items are welcome. Items must be received by noon Wednesday for use in that week's column.
by CNB