ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 8, 1997 TAG: 9703100029
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: in religion
SOURCE: MARY LOU BRUTON
Local churches whose members oppose abortion are selling tickets for the Crisis Pregnancy Center of the New River Valley's two 1997 Spring Banquets, which will be held in Blacksburg and in Dublin. These are the major annual fund-raisers for the pregnancy help center, located at 102 Marlington St. in Blacksburg, and its Dublin branch on Virginia 100.
The Blacksburg program will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, at Custom Catering Center on Patrick Henry Drive. Thomas A. Glessner, founder and president of the National Institute of Family Life Advocates, will be the featured speaker. As a public-interest law program that offers legal counsel and training for pregnancy help centers, the institute represents more than 530 pregnancy centers in 46 states, including the New River Valley's Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Dr. Anthony Levatino will speak at the Dublin banquet at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Edwards Hall at New River Community College. Director of the obstetrics-gynecology residency program at Albany Medical College of Union University, Levatino has testified before congressional subcommittees on abortion issues.
The Fine Arts Team from L.I.F.E. Bible College East will perform at both banquets, doing a dramatic reading from Psalms and a mime to the song "Children Can Live Without It."
Two mothers will also be present at the banquets to share their testimonies about how the centers helped them. Their babies are two among the 40 children born to women who received care through the ministry in 1996.
Jane Lookabill is executive director of the New River Valley's center, in its 11th year of operation. Supported by approximately 20 area churches, the center offers alternatives to girls and women in a crisis pregnancy situation. "We try to get them involved in learning how to become more responsible parents." Lookabill emphasized the importance of encouraging communication between pregnant girls and their parents.
The Center has a new site on the World Wide Web on subjects such as "First Nine Months of Human Life" and "What the Bible Says about Unborn Life." The web site can show volunteers where to apply, as well as what items would be best to donate to mothers and newborn babies. The address is: www.ptiweb.com/
cpc.
To purchase an $11 banquet ticket, contact your church's representative or call the Crisis Pregnancy Center at 552-3347.
First services in a new church building will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday with Sunday school and 11 a.m. worship at Centennial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 6266 Centennial Road, McCoy. All are invited to attend the services and the covered dish meal following.
Revival services at Dublin Baptist Church, Virginia 100 and Hawkins Street, begin Sunday at 11 a.m. and continue each evening at 7 through Wednesday. The Rev. Roger Roller of Forest, formerly pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Floyd, will be the guest evangelist.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB