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

DATE: SATURDAY, March 18, 1995                   TAG: 9503230051
SECTION: RELIGION                    PAGE: B-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BRIEFS

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, a former Roanoker, will conduct renewal services April 2-5 at Rocky Mount Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.), 209 N. Main St. Hale, a graduate of Hollins College and Duke Divinity School, has been pastor of Atlanta's Ray of Hope Christian Church in Atlanta since 1987. Hale also is first vice moderator of the Disciples of Christ on the national level. She organized the Atlanta congregation, which now has 1,000 members. Services will be nightly at 7:30.

Drinan to speak

The Rev. Robert Drinan, member of the Jesuit Order and a law professor at Georgetown University in Washington, will speak April 2 at 3:30 p.m. at the Roman Catholic Church of the Incarnation in Charlottesville. Drinan, who became nationally known as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971-1981, will discuss "Cry of the Oppressed: History and Hope in the Human Rights Revolution." Call (804, 973-4381 for more information.

Child abuse liability

A workshop to help church leaders learn of legal liability for child abuse in their programs is scheduled April 2 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Heritage United Methodist Church, 582 Leesville Road, Lynchburg. Sponsored by United Methodist churches of the Roanoke, Lynchburg and Charlottesville Districts, it is open to others. Call Carole Vaughn at (804) 359-9451 for more information.

Potato seeds

The Society of St. Andrew, an ecumenical service community in Bedford County, has begun its distribution of seed potatoes to low-income people who can grow their own food to improve nutrition. Truckloads of 40,000 to 50,000 pounds have gone to poverty areas in Kentucky, North Carolina and in Tazewell County. Eleven more loads are scheduled to be shipped before the end of March. Churches help support the society by donations and by sending volunteers to harvest commercially useless crops.

COGIC conference

Jesus and the Family will be the theme of the annual Church of God in Christ Workers Conference beginning Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Holiness Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, 1130 Melrose Ave. N.W. Church leaders will attend from throughout the Second Jurisdiction of Virginia. A Bible study program will be daily at 10 a.m. starting Tuesday. The conference will be climaxed with worship at the Roanoke Civic Center auditorium March 26 starting at 8 a.m. The COGIC denomination, a pentecostal group, is among the nation's fastest growing.