Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 24, 1994 TAG: 9501170013
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: A5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS & WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A reception honoring retiring Camp Bethel manager Wayne Garst and his wife, Jean, is scheduled Jan. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the conference center in Botetourt County. Garst has been manager of the Church of the Brethren facility since early in 1992. He is leaving the post for health reasons. The conference center serves many church groups from throughout Western Virginia.
Family Services to move
Lutheran Family Services based in Roanoke County will move into its new offices on Virginia 419 on Jan. 6 with the dedication set for June 20. For many years the church-supported agency, which assists children and their families, has been housed in the former orphanage in Salem. That property is now used by Roanoke College and by special education classes that are part of the family services program. The new site is south of the Oak Grove area.
Classes begin
Colonial Bible Institute , a ministry of Colonial Baptist Church of Blue Ridge, will begin semester classes Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. More than 100 persons have received certificates from the evangelical Christian training program since it was begun nine years ago. Free tuition will be offered for the first semester in 1995 with a $25 charge for the second semester. Call 977-5683 for class and registration details.
Youths smash CDs
KENOSHA, Wis. - About two dozen teen-agers smashed compact discs at a non-denominational church after the youth pastor asked them to bring music they felt was not influencing them in a positive way.
The youths brought about 10 CDs, a few cassettes and a handful of paperbacks to the Lakeshore Tabernacle.
As the teens chanted, ``Break it! Break it!,'' youth pastor Skip Snell stood on a balcony and started things by dropping a heavy log on a CD by Roger McGuinn, the lead singer of the defunct group The Byrds. A CD by Slaughter was the next target.
``They're a bad influence so I'm going to slaughter it!'' Sarah Freeborn, 15, said before dropping the log and missing. Slaughter survived at least a half dozen misses before another youth took a sledgehammer to crush it.
Other bands and performers were cited by the youths as they wrote the names of groups on plastic foam before smashing it. Nine Inch Nails was mentioned the most by the youths.
Thieves return Nativity
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Thieves who took wooden cutouts from a church Nativity scene responded to an appeal for their return and propped up the missing camel and donkey during Sunday morning services.
Rustlers took the donkey figure during Dec. 4 services at University Christian Church and then returned for the camel, leaving behind cutout figures of the three Wise Men, Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and others.
A newspaper story about the thefts included a picture with the church's appeal: ``Please bring our donkey back - no questions - just put it back.''
The thieves returned the missing cutouts, minus the poles that supported the animals, during Sunday morning services.
The camel cutout contained this scribbled message:
``Sorry 'bout this; we can't remember where the poles are, but I reckon it's the thought that counts. Merry Christmas to all of you.''
Church board moderator Doug Southall said he thinks college students took the figures as a prank.
``It's just that time of year,'' he said.
``They go nuts around exam time.''
by CNB