
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 20, 1990                   TAG: 9005200134
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LUTHERANS [LAN VIDEO CAMPAIGN

Bringing Mission90 from its birthplace at national church headquarters in Chicago to the mountains and flatlands of Virginia was the major business of Lutherans gathered for their annual convention Saturday at Roanoke College.

The effort to revitalize one of Western Virginia's major denominations includes use of a six-session video series, the first of which was shown to about 700 clergy and lay delegates Saturday morning.

Later in the day conventioneers divided into smaller groups to share their faith with each other. Workshops also were available for more study of such topics as tithing time and money to others, protecting the environment, passing on the Bible heritage and encouraging people to come to church.

The church renewal videos are the first part of a process expected to take several years. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, following the merger of three Lutheran bodies in 1988, is now one of America's largest denominations.

But its membership has failed to keep pace with population growth since the 1950s. National and state level leaders have sought a means to show busy people who live in cities that the best way to find meaning for life is through God and the church.

Lutherans have traditionally resisted mass evangelism in favor of study and individual search for closeness to God. Mission90, which features national Bishop Herbert Chilstrom talking of his personal encounters with grace, follows that method.

Following one of the Saturday morning education sessions for New River and Southwest Virginia parishes, the Rev. James Mauney of the Virginia Synod staff, said VCR equipment is now available to every church. The synod office in Salem will supply the video series free of charge to any pastor who orders it soon, he said.

The videos are intended to stimulate discussion among members and encouragement of each other through "faith stories." They will then, the theory goes, be better prepared to talk with others who take God casually.

Saturday night, delegates gathered at St. Andrew's Catholic Church, because it is larger than any Lutheran church, for the annual ordination service. Among those to be ordained were former Salem resident David McCoy and Linda Sue Mitchell, who will become associate pastor of Christ Church of Roanoke.

The synod assembly ends at noon today. The synod covers all of Virginia except three suburban Washington counties. Its headquarters is in Salem.

by CNB