ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: THURSDAY, January 12, 1995                   TAG: 9501130058
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S3   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


RELIGION BRIEFS

THE WEST END CENTER, an ecumenical ministry to children and youth in an inner-city Roanoke neighborhood, served more than 200 young people in 1994. James Mabry,who worked with the center during the past year, has been nominated to the USA All-American team of volunteers for his direction of a 5K Fun Run to benefit the center.

"RESPONDING TO A CULTURE OF DISBELIEF" will be the theme of Tuesday morning's meeting for professional counselors and clergymen. The meeting, sponsored by the hospital and the Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference, will be held in the Lewis-Gale Hospital cafeteria.

David Peterson and the Rev. Dr. F. Tupper Garden will discuss the theme after a free breakfast at 7. The event, which ends by 8, is especially for religion professionals and medical personnel.

THE ROANOKE DAY AGLOW will meet Wednesday for a luncheon meeting at the Garden Patch Restaurant at the Jefferson Lodge, 616 Jefferson St. Dottie Ramsey will be the guest speaker.

Registration time is 11:15 a.m. with lunch following at 11:30. Price for lunch is $6. Participants must register by noon Tuesday by calling Jerry Testerman at 362-4849; or Karen Delafield, 366-4589.

THE REV. DENISE POOLE, a British clergywoman, will discuss "Ministry to a Multicultural Population," Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bishop Marmion Resource Center, 1010 First St. S.W. Poole is from the Anglican Diocese of Bradford and serves a parish with a large Asian population.

The meeting, which will include dessert and coffee, is especially for religion educators and others interested in religious life in England. Call Jean Butler, center director, at 342-6797 for more information.

"THE KATHMANDU VALLEY," a center of Buddhist culture, will be the topic of a program by Lowell Wine on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Babcock Auditorium of Hollins College. The program of slides and narration is free.

FAYE DUNCAN THOMAS, the first female bishop in the Church of God in Christ denomination, is conducting revival services through Friday at Guiding Star Church of God in Christ, 804 Madison Ave. N.W. The services are nightly at 7:30.

Thomas, a former gospel singer, was elevated to bishop in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Dec. 3. She is attending Marilyn Hickey Bible College in Thomasville, N.C.

For rides to the services, call 342-5029.

KEVIN L. RICHARDSON, a 1994 graduate of Northside High School, has been appointed a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will serve a two-year term in Roseville, Calif. The son of Bobby and Debbie Richardson of Roanoke, he will begin training in Provo, Utah, on Jan. 25.

Richardson will speak Sunday at 9 a.m. at the Salem congregation service on Wayburn Drive.

MARY C. NEBELSICK has joined the staff of Second Presbyterian Church as interim Christian educator. Of Presbyterian background, Nebelsick was educated at Wellesley College and Princeton Theological Seminary and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. She and her husband, the Rev. Dr. Paul Matheny, pastor of Westhampton Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), are authors of a book on the German martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

OAK GROVE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, 2138 McVitty Road S.W., will sponsor a Lay Witness Mission Friday through Sunday. More than 30 people from other churches who are trained in the lay witness style of evangelism will conduct small group meetings and speak at services at the church. Call 774-3217 for schedule details.

THE REV. DAVID E. VANDERPOOL of Salem has joined the staff of Penn Forest Wesleyan Church as assistant pastor with responsibilities for music and youth leadership. He is a 1994 graduate of Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C.

THE REV. DR. JOHN SYLVESTER-JOHNSON has begun an interim pastorate at Mount Olivet Baptist Church at Bent Mountain. The Roanoker, who is trained as a professional interim minister, also teaches at Virginia Western Community College and directs the Mending Wings Learning Center at The Rescue Mission in Roanoke. Most recently he was interim minister at Floyd Baptist Church.

CHARLENE LANDES, a member of Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, will join the staff there as director of program ministries Jan. 30. Most recently in a similar position at Bonsack United Methodist Church, Landes succeeds Mary Ellen Scott, who is now on the staff of a Northern Virginia church.

EVANGEL FOURSQUARE CHURCH, 612 Bullitt Ave. S.E., has scheduled a presentation by Jeffrey D. Miller on Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Miller, who is of Jewish background, became a convert to Christianity 12 years ago. He is host of a radio program, Messianic Minutes, and travels widely promoting evangelical Christianity.

CHRISTIAN FINANCIAL CONCEPTS, a seminar to help individuals and couples budget while following biblical principles, will be offered Feb. 10 and 11 at Bethel Baptist Church, 1601 Colorado St. in Salem.

The cost is $30 per person and $45 per couple. Call Roger Vest at 389-5330 for details.

SALEM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Main at Market Streets downtown, will offer a five-week study on the book, "Life Together," beginning Jan. 19. Based on the book by German martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the study will be taught by the Rev. Dr. Dean Lindsay, pastor.

"THE CHRISTIAN AND CANCER" will be the theme of a three-week series of programs beginning Sunday at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Main at Market Streets in downtown Salem. Dr. William Fintel, a cancer specialist, and Gerald McDermott, a professor of religion at Roanoke College, will lead the sessions.

The pair, who live in Salem, have achieved national attention for their 1993 book, "Living With Cancer," which covers medical and spiritual aspects of the disease.

Send information to Frances Stebbins, Neighbors, P.O. 2491, Roanoke, 24010-2491, by noon Thursday.


Memo: ***CORRECTION***

by CNB