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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991                   TAG: 9103080317
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By Frances Stebbins
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

CONNELLY MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH, Hershberger Road at Westside Boulevard Northwest, will hear a missionary speaker March 14-17. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Haines, who has worked in Colombia for six years, has been appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board to start a seminary in the Soviet Union city of Kiev. He and his family expect to go there in two months to begin planning the first evangelical training school permitted by the Soviet government.

Haines will speak nightly at 7 and on Sunday at 11 a.m. He also will discuss missions in Colombia and the Ukraine at 5:30 p.m. on March 16.

\ THE REV. METZ T. COKER will observe his 39th anniversary as pastor of Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church Sunday at 3 p.m. The Rev. W.W. Thompson and the choir of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Chester, S.C., will lead the service.

\ WILLIAMSON ROAD LENTEN LUNCHES will begin at noon Wednesday at Huntington Court United Methodist Church, Williamson and Huntington Northwest. The Rev. Steve Greer of Elliston, a former assistant pastor of the church, will speak for the first lunch. The Rev. David Kirk of Northminster Presbyterian will speak March 20, and the Rev. Arthur Grant of Woodlawn United Methodist will speak March 27.

There is no charge for the program and meal in the church's fellowship hall. However, an offering will be taken for world hunger relief.

\ FAITH ALLIANCE CHURCH, 7505 Barrens Road, has scheduled its annual missions festival March 17 and March 23-28. The North Roanoke County church is affiliated with a denomination that supports more than 1,240 workers in 37 countries. This year's emphasis will be on Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Guatemala. A nursery will be available. Call 366-1864 for a schedule.

\ TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE for an Easter pageant, "The Life of Christ," to be presented at Oakland Baptist Church, 3623 Round Hill Ave. N.W., March 29-31 at 7 p.m. Performances are free, but seating is limited to ticket holders. Call 362-9066 or 366-5861. The pageant cast will be costumed, and the church choirs will sing several contemporary numbers.

\ THE BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE CONCERT CHOIR will sing March 17 at 3 p.m. at Southview United Methodist Church, 3539 Peters Creek Road N.W. Directed by alumnus Jessee E. Hopkins Jr., the 46-member choir will perform classical and folk works, spirituals and rounds. Students also play handbells and sing special numbers as part of a 25-member chorale. An offering will be taken.

\ THE TALLEYS, a gospel trio that has sung with Billy Graham Crusades and on national television, will perform March 17 at 6 p.m. at First Wesleyan Church, 3706 Peters Creek Road N.W. Singing are brothers Kirk and Roger Talley and Roger's wife, Debbie Talley. Call 563-4481 for more information.

\ WOMEN'S DAY will be celebrated at High Street Baptist Church, 2302 Florida Ave. N.W., on Sunday . The Rev. Faye Gunn, assistant to the pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, will speak at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. services. Special music by the Women's Day Choir will be part of the afternoon service.

The annual banquet follows the morning service. Reservations for the $7 meal should be made by calling 563-0123 by Saturday.

\ AWAKENING, an annual Lenten series of services sponsored jointly by Roanoke Valley Churches of the Brethren, will be led this year by the Rev. Paul Fike. The services will be at Central Church, 416 Church Ave. S.W. March 17-20 nightly at 7:15. Fike, pastor of the Cloverdale church about 30 years ago, now is chaplain at a Bridgewater retirement home. Call 342-0337 for schedule of activities.

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