DATE: Thursday, November 6, 1997            TAG: 9711050851

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 16   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TRUDY CUTHRELL, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

IMPACT SUFFOLK HOSTS CITYWIDE RALLY FRIDAY, SATURDAYTHE CHRISTIAN GROUP HOSTED A SUCCESSFUL WEEKLONG REVIVAL IN MAY AT CONSTANT'S WHARF.

IMPACT Suffolk for Jesus will sponsor a citywide rally at the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Local churches and congregations are coming together for this event, joining hearts and hands to make a positive difference in the community.

Dot Dalton, chairperson of the IMPACT Executive Committee noted, ``We want to continue to focus on love and unity . . . our goal is to bring the body of Christ together.''

Guest speakers for this weekend's rally include Dr. Raymond W. Stiles and the Rev. John O. Ponder III. Stiles is President of Hampton Roads United Christians and owner of one of Virginia's largest insurance agencies dealing almost exclusively with the church marketplace. He also is founder of Tidewater Gospel Chapel in Norfolk and President of Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary.

Ponder is pastor of the First Baptist Church West Norfolk. He serves as a chaplain with the Virginia Beach Police Department and is president of the Community Relations Chaplain's Association, Inc. Ponder is employed by Family Services of Tidewater, Inc., where he serves as coordinator of the Street Smart program.

This weekend's IMPACT Suffolk Rally will feature praise and worship, testimonies, challenging messages by Stiles and Ponder and special sacred music by area choirs and musicians.

IMPACT vice-chairman, the Rev. Russell Leonard, is excited about the thrust of this fall rally. Leonard, quoting from II Cor. 5:18, explains the ministry of reconciliation which leads people into a right relationship with God. ``By focusing on Christian unity in the rallies . . . IMPACT is reaching out to area churches to build greater and stronger bonds of love and unity within our relationships to one another in the body of Christ,'' Leonard said.

Summarizing the purpose of IMPACT Leonard explained, ``We believe when racial, cultural and denominational barriers are overcome and relationships are forged through the love of God, it will pave the way for greater avenues of ministry and position the body of Christ for greater blessings from God within the city.''

IMPACT Suffolk acquired momentum and visibility in May through sponsorship of a week-long tent crusade at Constant's Wharf. During this first Jesus to Suffolk Crusade, evangelists Linda and Newberry Hearne led evening services with 35 local churches and ministries and 18 businesses endorsing the effort. Attendance peaked at nearly 500 but hundreds attended the crusade's ``Eight-Hour Extreme,'' a family fun day.

At the close of the crusade Dalton pointed out, ``Many miracles took place fantastic.''

Throughout the summer, IMPACT Suffolk continued to help local churches reach out to their communities through cooperative sponsorship of Neighborhood Block Parties. In July and August, IMPACT also sponsored Christian Youth Concerts on Saturdays at Constant's Wharf. In addition, a Youth Committee chaired by the Rev. Dan Gray will work on upcoming youth events.

IMPACT Suffolk sees prayer as an essential element in all they do. The group continues to sponsor a citywide prayer meeting the fourth Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. followed by a potluck lunch at noon. Weekly prayer is also held at Constant's Wharf at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Future plans for IMPACT Suffolk include a second citywide crusade scheduled for May, 1998, at the National Guard Armory. In addition, the nationally acclaimed drama company ``Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames'' have contracted to perform with IMPACT in Suffolk next fall.

``We're all rejoicing and excited about what the Lord's doing in Suffolk,'' Dalton said. ``We pray that more and more churches will become involved.'' MEMO: For more information about IMPACT Suffolk, attend this weekend's

rally at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 237 N. Main St.,

or call Dot Dalton at 255-2134. Regular monthly committee meetings are

held on the first Monday of each month at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's R.Z.U.A.

Church on Spruce Street in Suffolk. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER

Planners for the rally include, from left, Dr. Edward Foreman, Dot

Dalton and the Rev. Russell Leonard.

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