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

DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994                   TAG: 9409030003
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

BRETHREN HERITAGE DAY, a celebration of Church of the Brethren history and culture, is scheduled Oct. 1 at Camp Bethel Conference Center near Nace in Botetourt County. The celebration will include a children's' court, food booths, sales area for crafts, education booths about church-related ministries, musical entertainment and an auction. Many participants will wear the simple dress of a century ago. Call 992-2940 for more information.

THE ROANOKE VALLEY MINISTERS CONFERENCE board of directors will recommend to the opening seasonal meeting of the membership on Sept. 12 that a proposed project based on a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant be dropped.

The conference had considered beginning a human service project in cooperation with a helping agency on condition that no financial responsibility for keeping the program going would be required. Study of the proposal showed that an ongoing annual financial commitment of at least $11,000 would be expected.

The board unanimously agreed that the conference's need to support the Rev. Richard Harris in his $35,000-a-year job as jail chaplain prevents it from assuming further responsibilities.

OPERATION FIX-UP, a program of the Roanoke Valley Association of Southern Baptists, is seeking volunteers to assist needy people in the Roanoke Valley with home repair. Call Paul McDaniel at 977-2168 to offer skills and to be assigned to a project.

THE REV. ED KOHL will join the staff of First Baptist Church in downtown Roanoke as minister to single adults. Kohl is coming from First Baptist Church in Texarkana, Texas, where he has been on the staff for 11 years, most recently working with counseling and single adults. He will arrive in Roanoke in late September. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF ROANOKE will resume its winter schedule on Sept. 11 after the summer recess. The 11 a.m. worship at 2015 Grandin Road S.W. will be followed by potluck lunch. The education program for adults will begin Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m. with that for children at the same hour on Sept. 25.

THE REV. JOHN HUFFAKER will become pastor of Ninth Street Church of the Brethren on Oct. 1. Huffaker, 57, is coming from Manheim, Pa., where he has been pastor of East Fairview Church of the Brethren. Married to Sue Huffaker, he will succeed the Rev. Gene Hagenberger, who left a year ago for a pastorate in Roaring Spring, Pa.

THE REV. W. MICHAEL BARNES has become pastor of Belmont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1101 Jamison Ave. S.E. From Wilson, N.C., he is 26 and a recent graduate of Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He is married to the former Martha Fisher of North Carolina.

Barnes took undergraduate education at Barton College at Wilson. He succeeds the Rev. John Wallace, who retired to Franklin County several weeks ago.

Belmont also will celebrate its 90th anniversary homecoming on Sept. 25, beginning with buffet breakfast at 9:15.

Guest preacher at the 11 a.m. service will be the Rev. Leroy Ashworth of Glen Allen. He was pastor from 1962 to 1965 and is now retired. A potluck luncheon will be held after the service. Call 343-7502 for more information.

by CNB