ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, March 7, 1996                TAG: 9603080034
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                PAGE: N7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCIS STEBBINS


RELIGION BRIEFS

LENTEN PROGRAMS

Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Road S.W., is sponsoring two Wednesday night study groups through March 27. Both begin at 7:30 and follow evening prayer service at 7. "Continuing the Dialogue" focuses on the 1994 General Convention paper on contemporary sexuality. "Faces on Faith" is a video presentation on the theology of several contemporary leaders in religion. Call 343-0159 for more information.

Cave Spring United Methodist Church, 4505 Hazel Drive S.W., will begin a three-week women's study group on March 19, 9:30-11 a.m. "Wilderness Wanderings" will be the theme, and Elizabeth Martin will be the leader. Child care will be provided. Call 989-3673 for more information. MUSICAL EVENTS

New Grace, a Southern gospel group, will perform March 17 at 11 a.m. at Gospel Light Baptist Church, 4176 Cloverdale Road.

The Stewart Jones Ensemble will present a program March 16 at 7 p.m. at Price Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church under sponsorship of the Life Members Council. The church is at 506 15th St. N.W. CHURCH PEOPLE

The Rev. Harry Y. Gamble, pastor emeritus of Calvary Baptist Church of Roanoke, and his wife, Frances, will be honored March 17 on his 50th anniversary of coming to Roanoke. Following his retirement in 1978 after more than 30 years in the pastorate, Gamble has continued to be active in church and civic life throughout the Roanoke Valley. A reception for the couple is planned at the church at noon.

Helen Robertson recently marked her 47th anniversary as minister of music at Calvary.

The Rev. L. Carlton Lyon, formerly of Memorial Christian Church in Lynchburg, has become interim pastor of Bethany Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He will serve until a pastor is chosen to succeed the Rev. Dr. John Dunstan, who has gone to Bedford.

Julien Sacks, a longtime member of Beth Israel Synagogue and a Roanoke businessman, has been honored there on his 75th birthday and 62nd anniversary of his religious coming of age. More than 70 members of the congregation contributed to an honorary "leaf" on a wall decoration that honors members.

Ginny Alumbaugh has joined the staff of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Fincastle as the parish expands its office hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. SPECIAL EVENTS

First Wesleyan Church, 3706 Peters Creek Road, plans revival services March 17-20 with the Rev. Dr. A. Wingrove Taylor preaching nightly at 7. He is a former general superintendent of the Caribbean General Conference of the denomination. Pat Burdette, a missionary to Haiti, will also be at the Sunday service. Call 563-4481 for more information.

The Rev. Vater Colbert, pastor of Maple Street Baptist Church, and the choir of that church will lead worship Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Price Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The event is sponsored by the deaconess board of Price Memorial.

Living Free, an evangelical Christian program to help the addicted, is scheduled Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Jordantown Wesleyan Church near Vinton. Call 890-3495 for more information.

North Valley Seventh-day Adventists, which meets in the facilities of St. Paul Lutheran Church at 4904 Peters Creek Road N.W., will hear the pastor of that church, the Rev. Joseph Crowther, Saturday at 11 a.m. A luncheon follows. The event was postponed by snow.

Hollins College services in duPont Chapel will be led Sunday at 7:30 p.m. by the Rev. Ben Curry, chaplain at American University in Washington. The Rev. Robert Thompson, coordinator of Virginia Campus Ministry Forum in Alexandria, will be the guest March 17.

Woman's Day, an annual observance at High Street Baptist Church, will be held Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. with messages by Lynchburg evangelist June Taylor. She also is a social worker for the city of Lynchburg. The Woman of the Year will be announced.

Grace Academy, an evangelical Christian elementary school at 2731 Edgewood St. S.W., will have an open house Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Call 982-0104 to visit and for more information.

A Pulpit Exchange is scheduled March 17 at the 11 a.m. services between First Church of the Brethren's the Rev. David Miller and Williams Memorial Baptist's the Rev. Paul Johnson. The congregations are neighbors on Carroll Avenue Northwest.

First Church of the Nazarene, 728 Highland Ave. S.E., has scheduled a missionary couple, Jerry and Brenda Rice, to speak at 10:35 a.m. Sunday. The Rices are teachers and staff members of a Nazarene seminary serving students from throughout Mexico.

The Rev. Bob Blinn, mission worker in the mining area of Eastern Kentucky and a former New River Valley pastor, will speak March 23 at a breakfast at Calvary United Methodist Church, 845 Hemlock Road, Salem. For reservations for the $2 meal, which starts at 8:30, call 366-4107 Tuesday through Friday before 11:30 a.m.

On Maundy Thursday, April 4, Neighbors will publish news of spring religious observances. Material to be included in this edition is needed by noon March 21 and should be sent to Frances Stebbins, Neighbors, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. Include a daytime telephone number.


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