THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 16, 1996              TAG: 9601160281
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                         LENGTH: Short :   42 lines

BLACKS TO POOL PURCHASING POWER TO WIDEN ACCESS TO GOODS, SERVICES

Five black religious groups unveiled a new company Monday that will pool the purchasing power of black consumers to give them greater access to a wide variety of goods and services.

Leaders of the for-profit company, Revelation Corp. of America, said the aim is to help black consumers acquire home mortgage loans, life and auto insurance, food products and durable goods.

E. Edward Jones, of the National Baptist Convention of America Inc. and head of the new corporation, called the company ``a mechanism to bring economic empowerment and development to the black community through the leadership of the black church.''

Revelation hopes to reach 20 million members in 43,000 churches nationwide.

Members of the five denominations will be able to buy products from businesses that will be chosen by Revelation Corp. Other groups also can take part in the program.

The companies will offer rebates in bids to have ``product exclusivity'' with the members of Revelation Corp., said John Lowery, executive vice president of Revelation and president of Lowery-Riggan Co., which owns 30 percent of the new venture.

Members will be able to call an 800 number and make purchases through a catalog. Thirty percent of the rebate of each purchase will go to the church's community, Lowery said, and the rest to a nationwide housing fund for minority neighborhoods.

The five denominations that formed the company are the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, National Baptist Convention of America Inc., National Baptist Convention USA Inc. and Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc. by CNB