ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604180088
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W10 EDITION: METRO
Summerdean Church of the Brethren has begun a drive to equip RAM House day shelter with a new commercial-size cooler and freezer. The Hollins church donated nearly $500 to begin an account to buy appliances to replace used ones inadequate to store food for daily lunches served to needy city residents. Donations may be sent directly to RAM , 824 Campbell Ave. S.W., Roanoke 24016.
The Elizabethans, a service group from St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, has begun packing 100 shoeboxes with small toys for children in Bosnia, Jordan and Russia. In 1995, the group packed 85 boxes sent at Christmas. Others wanting to contribute may call 774-5183.
International mission scholarships have been established at Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church in memory of the Rev. James A. Allison Jr. The fund, obtained from memorial donations, will allow church members to carry on service ministry in Third World countries. Allison served as minister at Raleigh Court for more than 30 years before his death several months ago.
Two Roanoke Valley preschools, operated by Christ Lutheran and St. Philip Lutheran parishes, have received $500 grants from Aid Association for Lutherans, a fraternal insurance society that gives part of its profits to church-sponsored human service projects.
A Roman Catholic fund, the Campaign for Human Development, to which Virginia Catholics donate each year, has awarded $1,800 to the Northwest Neighborhood Environmental Organization of Roanoke. Through renovation of nine dwellings and building two new homes and an apartment house, the neighborhood organization has provided affordable housing for 17 families and has bought 33 more houses for future development if it receives further money from the Catholic fund.
Covenant Presbyterian Church has assumed partial support of two medical missionaries in Zaire. Dr. Larry Sthreshley and his wife, Inge, worked in the control of the ebola viral epidemic last year.
West Salem Baptist Church plans to send 30 youths to Myrtle Beach, S.C., June 22-28 for leadership of worship and Bible camp at a family campground. They are raising their own funds through a sale and child care. CHURCH PEOPLE
The Rev. Dr. Harold S. Moyer, 66, will retire as pastor of Williamson Road Church of the Brethren on Oct. 1. He has served the congregation for 35 years, having come to Roanoke from Northern Virginia in 1961. Moyer and his wife, Hazel, will remain in Roanoke. He is a former president of the interfaith Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference and has been active at regional and national levels in his denomination.
The Rev. Jeff Etheridge, formerly of Salem, will begin his ministry Sunday at Crystal Spring Baptist Church. He has come from a four-year pastorate at Iron Gate Baptist Church and succeeds the Rev. Harry Leland, who left a year ago for an Orange County church. Etheridge is a graduate of Salem High School, Virginia Military Institute and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tenn. He was on active duty as a Navy ensign for three years and later served as youth director of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Salem. He is married to Kathleen K.B. Etheridge and has two daughters.
Martin Doss, a graduate of Radford University and a licensed minister, will become pastor of Blue Ridge Church of the Brethren on May 1. A member of Mount Hermon Church of the Brethren in Henry County, Doss will be joined on the staff by his wife, Cheryl, who will work part time with youth. An installation service will take place at 11 a.m. on May 19 with the Rev. David Rittenhouse, a West Virginia relative of the new pastor, the guest speaker. Doss will succeed the Rev. Matthew Fike, who is now at Bethany Theological Seminary.
Margaret Martin, active in First Presbyterian Church, has joined the staff of the Presbyterian Community Center as part-time coordinator of volunteers. Her addition to the staff represents an expansion of the ministry of the inner-city center, which seeks more volunteers to help with its clinic, pantry, clothing room and reception desk. To donate time or supplies to the center, call 982-2911.
Two Eagle Scouts, Scott Schever and Curt Layton, have built a foot bridge and a protective fence at the City Rescue Mission's Roanoke County Jubilee Acres summer day camp. Others who have coordinated the time and skills of volunteers for development of the camp for needy children and youths are Jerry Bain and Sidney Miller. MUSICAL EVENTS
A free concert, featuring 175 children and youths from Roanoke and Montgomery counties, is scheduled Saturday at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in downtown Salem. The singers will come from First Presbyterian and the United Methodist parishes of First, Raleigh Court and South Roanoke as well as from Roanoke College and the Montgomery Boychoir. Participants have been trained for several hours by Henry Leck, an Indianapolis, Ind., conductor and professor at Butler University whose specialty is teaching singing techniques to young people. The workshop is made possible by the Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians.
At Fort Lewis Christian Church, Southern gospel musicians Evelyn Conner and Ray Holley will present a program Sunday at 7 p.m. The Disciples of Christ church is at 2931 W. Main St. in Salem. SPECIAL EVENTS
The new Parkway House of Prayer at 2525 Feather Road in Vinton was dedicated last Sunday.
The building was occupied unfinished several months ago, said the Rev. Steve Parker, pastor of the evangelical Christian congregation. It is valued at $700,000. The construction costs were reduced by using a member of the congregation, Tony Feazelle, as the general contractor. Also, most of the work was done by members, Parker said.
The worship center will seat 300, with the first basic building also containing limited education space and an office. Parker said a second unit will contain fellowship and more education space.
The church has scheduled a missionary convention April 24-28 with services Sunday at 11 a.m. and nightly at 7. The Evangelical Bible Missions programs will be led by the Rev. Gerald Bustin. Call 890-2842 for more information.
Word of Life Church, 402 Colorado St. in Salem, has scheduled musical revival services Sunday through Tuesday beginning at 10:30 a.m. with nightly worship at 7. Guest leader will be Tim Newton, an evangelist from Concord, N.C.
A Promise Keepers introductory program for men of any denomination is scheduled Monday at 7 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church, 103 N. Broad St. Leader of the meeting will be Ron Ward, regional coordinator, who will discuss the goals of the national movement to promote responsibility in work and family life for men.
Valley Christian Center, 4265 Cloverdale Road, has scheduled a "miracle healing" service Friday at 7:30 p.m. Call 977-2382 for more information.
Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 2922 Corbieshaw Road S.W., will mark its 50th anniversary of founding on May 5. Retired Bishop R. Kern Eutsler of Richmond will preach at the 11 a.m. service. Eutsler was pastor of South Roanoke United Methodist Church about 40 years ago.
The Rev. Marie Bean, a retired college chaplain now living in Roanoke, is leading a discussion series, "Christian Spirituality for Our Time," each Wednesday night at 6:30 at Grandin Court Baptist Church, 2660 Brambleton Ave. S.W. The series continues through May 8.
Mount Moriah Baptist Church, 3521 Orange Ave. N.E., will observe its 138th anniversary with a service April 28 at 3 p.m. The Rev. Kenneth B. Wright, pastor of First Baptist Church on North Jefferson Street, will be guest speaker.
Roanoke United Methodist Home, a retirement center at 1009 Old Country Club Road N.W., will open its renovated facilities for public inspection April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Weather permitting, refreshments will be served on the lawn. A gift from the estate of Charles Schepmoes made the renovations possible.
An elevator and other facilities for those in wheelchairs will be dedicated April 28 at 2 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 4404 Williamson Road. The additions will provide easier access to all three floors of the building. The program will include refreshments and an open house.
Spirit of Life, a Full Gospel Baptist congregation worshiping at 1806 Loudon Ave. N.W., will sponsor a bus trip to the national meeting of the denomination July 13-20 in New Orleans. For more information, call 343-9048 or 362-5516.
Hillbilly Holler, a dinner theater program with mountain music, regional dishes and humorous skits, is planned by youth of Grandin Court Baptist Church, 2660 Brambleton Ave. S.W. Performances on April 26 and 27 will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a Sunday lunch program at noon. Child care is available by reservation. Tickets, available by calling 774-1684, are $7.50 for adults, $3.50 for children 10 and under, or a maximum of $20 per family. The show will help pay for a youth mission trip to Vermont in June.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Salem is planning a major expansion and renovation, Project 2000, to better meet community human service needs. To be implemented over several years, it will provide for three new programs covering children, senior adults, and women with unplanned pregnancies. Building expansion includes the area for Christian education, worship and a new structure for community activities. A liturgical consultant has been chosen, and soon a Roanoke Valley architect will be engaged. Construction should begin in the spring of 1997.
Maple Street Baptist Church, 902 Fairfax Ave. N.W., has scheduled the Spring Hill Gospel Chorus of Brookneal for a concert Sunday at 4 p.m. Marilyn Randolph is director.
A bimonthly newsletter for evangelical Christian educators is scheduled to begin publication in May. Betty Robertson, its editor and active in First Church of the Nazarene, said CE Connection Communique will be useful to pastors, education planners and teachers of all age groups. A one-year subscription will cost $19.95. For more information, call 342-7511.
Send information to Frances Stebbins, Neighbors, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491 by noon Thursday. Please include a daytime telephone number.
LENGTH: Long : 172 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Moyer, Etheridge, Leckby CNB