Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 18, 1993 TAG: 9302180433
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
LENTEN SERVICES
LENT, the period of 40 days before Easter, begins next week with Ash Wednesday. In many churches, the first day of the penitential period is observed by attending a service in which a smudge of ashes is placed on the forehead of worshipers to remind them that people were created by God from dust and "unto dust you shall return."The word Lent comes from "lengthening" of the hours of daylight. The early spring period has been observed for hundreds of years by Christians who see it as valuable to growth of their spiritual life. Its somber tone with opportunities for study, prayer and fasting are intended to prepare believers for the happy time of Easter, which falls this year on April 11.
Lent is now observed in many Protestant churches as well as in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopal denominations.
\ NOON LENTEN SERVICES will begin Wednesday at Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, 402 Second St. in downtown Roanoke. The Wednesday services start at 12:05 and includes music and a message by a different minister. An optional lunch for $2.50 is served at 12:30 in the social hall.
The speakers are: David Yingling, Central Church of the Brethren, Wednesday; Jim Rivers, First Christian Church, March 3; Dennis Herman, Calvary Baptist Church, March 10; Thomas O'Dell, St. John's Episcopal Church, March 17; Charles Roberts, St. Paul United Methodist, March 24; Tammy Estep, Windsor Hills United Methodist, March 31; and Anthony Layman, Thrasher Memorial United Methodist, April 7.
\ SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 214 Mountain Ave. S.W., also will have Wednesday noon services during Lent. Staff members will conduct the worship service, and lunch will be available in the fellowship hall.
\ ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, Franklin Road at Highland Southwest, has scheduled Ash Wednesday services with imposition of ashes at 12:15 and 7 p.m. Beginning on March 3, the mid-day worship will include lunch, available by donation, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. and again from 12:45 to 1:15 p.m.
Clergy speakers each week are: March 3, Kenneth C. Emmerling, Episcopalian; March 10, Daniel E. Scott, Virginia Heights Baptist; March 17, Robert J. Meier, Glade Creek Lutheran; March 24, John L. Derrick, Trinity Ecumenical Parish at Smith Mountain Lake; and March 31, David Wolfe, chaplain at Lewis-Gale Hospital.
\ PEACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 4536 Cloverdale Road, will vary the usual Shrove Tuesday sausage and pancake meal - a traditional festivity for the last night before Lent - with a vegetarian potluck supper from 6 to 8 p.m. Child care will be provided, and members of the community may call 977-1821 for more information.
\ CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1101 Franklin Road S.W., will open Lent next week with services with imposition of ashes at 7 a.m., 12:10 and 5:30 p.m. Child care will be provided at the evening service.
Beginning March 3, three discussion groups will be offered on Wednesdays through March 31 beginning with a $3 supper; call 343-0159 by the previous Friday for reservations.
The groups from 7 to 8:30 p.m. will cover "The Active Life: Wisdom for Work, Creativity and Caring," "Sacred Stories," a video featuring Frederick Buechner and Maya Angelou, and "Born of a Woman" from the book by Bishop John S. Spong.
\ ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, South Jefferson Street and Elm Avenue in downtown Roanoke, will observe Ash Wednesday with services at 7 a.m., noon and 7:30 p.m. Ashes will be imposed and child care available at the two later services.
From March 3 through 31 the church will offer classes for all ages and an evening prayer service each Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. Call 343-9341 for a schedule of week-day events.