ROANOKE TIMES 

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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 9, 1995                   TAG: 9503110020
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCIS STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

W. ALBERT COULTER has retired after 48 years as director of music at Melrose Avenue United Methodist Church. Coulter, who began his work as a volunteer in 1947, will be succeeded by Patsy Bowles Heffernan, who has assisted with the music program since 1977.

ALMA LEE EDEN, a staff member of Oakland Baptist Church for more than 31 years, will retire March 31. She has performed secretarial and financial duties under four ministers.

Ruth C. Williams, a retired teacher who also is church organist, will succeed her.

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 4515 Delray St. N.W., will use "Characters Called God" as the theme of its Lenten program, which will begin Saturday with a supper at 6. The program, led by the new rector, the Rev. M. Anthony Seel, begins at 7. Youth will provide a children's program. The series continues through April 1.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN will be the theme of Wednesday night Bible studies during March at Peace Presbyterian Church, 4365 Cloverdale Road. To reserve a light meal and for more information about the 6-7:30 p.m. family programs, call 977-5237 by noon each Wednesday.

AT WILLIAMS MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH, 2105 Carroll Ave. N.W., the John W. Hubbard Memorial Ensemble and the Male Chorus of Pilgrim Baptist Church will sing Sunday at 4 p.m. The occasion is the 12th anniversary of the Willing Workers organization.

EVELYN CONNER, a Salem gospel singer, will perform Sunday at 7 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, near Troutville. An offering will be taken.

THE SENIOR CHOIR of High Street Baptist Church will sing March 19 at 6 p.m. at Price Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 15th Street at Moorman Road Northwest.

A MISSIONS WEEKEND will begin Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Westminister Presbyterian Church in America, 2216 Peters Creek Road N.W. The weekend will include programs for adults and youth and focus on campus ministry and evangelism in Jamaica.

Leaders will be Kirk Ogden of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Virginia and Ernest Clark and Debbie Turner, workers in the Caribbean country.

Clark will preach Sunday at 11 a.m. Call 562-0964 for more information.

A SPIRITUAL RENEWAL EMPHASIS will begin Sunday at First Wesleyan Church, 3706 Peters Creek Road N.W. The Rev. Dr. Robert W. McIntyre, general superintendent emeritus of The Wesleyan Church, will lead the service.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with Sunday services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday through Thursday nights, McIntyre will preach at 7. A nursery and service for children through the third grade also will be provided. Call 563-4481 for more information.

THE REV. STEVE R. WITT, who served as pastor of White Rock Baptist Church at Hardy from 1987 to 1989, will begin his second pastorate there Sunday. He has been associate and youth pastor at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church at Blue Ridge.

THE REV. CLYDE CARTER will retire April 30 from the pastorate of Mount Bethel Church of the Brethren in Botetourt County. Carter has served the congregation for 15 years.

THE REV. PARIS BAIN has announced that he will retire from the Peters Creek Church of the Brethren pastorate at the end of March. Bain, known as "Pete," has been on the staff for more than five years.

THE REV. E.T. BURTON will mark his 36th anniversary at Sweet Union Baptist Church Sunday. Guest speaker for the 11 a.m. service will be the Rev. Kenneth B. Wright,pastor of First Baptist Church on North Jefferson Street. The Gospel Chorus of Sweet Union will sing.

THE PINNACLES, a gospel singing group, will perform March 19 at 5 p.m. at Villa Heights Baptist Church, 4080 Challenger Ave. N.E.

THE REV. NELSON HARRIS, chairman of the Roanoke School Board and pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church, will speak March 17 at the 8:15 p.m. service at Beth Israel Synagogue, 920 Franklin Road S.W. Harris, who also is president of the interfaith Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference, will discuss "Church and State Issues."

JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH, 1014 Norfolk Ave. S.W., will sponsor a March 19 concert featuring the pastor, the Rev. J. Eugene Young, and the Rev. Dwight O. Steele Jr., pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church. The concert is at at 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY LENTEN SERVICES are being rotated this year among four Lutheran parishes in the northern and eastern part of the Roanoke Valley. Wednesday's services will be at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran, 4040 Williamson Road N.W.

They will be held at St. Timothy Church, 1201 Hardy Road, Vinton, on March 22; at St. Philip Lutheran, 8115 Williamson Road, Hollins, on March 29; and at Glade Creek, 80 Webster Road, Blue Ridge, on April 5. Supper at neighborhood restaurants precedes the worship. Call one of the churches for a schedule.

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

Want to know what's going on in the religious community? Get on the Internet and find this listing of Religion Briefs as well as other Neighbors columns in the news section of InfiNet. Call 800-849-7214 to subscribe. 


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