ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230072
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
When Connie Sankey and her husband, John, moved to Blacksburg four years ago from Richmond, she looked for a church "which had Awana." The child guidance program of fundamentalist Christian congregations is named for a verse in the New Testament book of Timothy, "Approved Workmen are Not Ashamed."
Sankey, who now is secretary at Harvest Baptist Church, said Awana means a church follows a strict Bible interpretation and brings up its children in a fear of the Lord.
Though she admitted she's in an older age group than most of the members at Harvest, she feels comfortable with the kindness and commitment of her pastor, Ernest Baker, to young families, singles and students.
Like Sankey, Dr. Craig Shoulders, a professor in the Virginia Tech accounting department, hasn't been at Harvest long. He, his wife and five children used to go to another Baptist church in Christiansburg - a church where he said he still has many friends - but they were attracted to the Awana program and to Baker's involvement in community baseball.
"Our pastor preaches the Word without apology and challenges us with his messages," said Shoulders who has been active in Harvest Church for about three years.
Brenda Oliver, a 32-year-old computer program analyst at Tech, has been at Harvest all her life and finds it a major source of social warmth as well as religious faith. She's one of several young adult singles who are leaders in Awana. She too admires Baker's "consistency" in Bible teaching and his skills in administration.
LENGTH: Short : 38 linesby CNB