RELIGION BRIEFS

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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 25, 1993                   TAG: 9303250427
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
RELIGION BRIEFS
MANY SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES in the Roanoke Valley Association are promoting a program to send vegetable seed packets to Baptists in the war-torn Eastern European nation of Croatia. The seeds for all common crops except corn will be mailed to a specific Croatian Baptist leader who will distribute them for spring planting.
\ MARY N. ORVILLE, employed by four of the Roanoke Valley's six Episcopal parishes as lay minister to the homebound and sick, will retire Wednesday from the full-time position.
Orville, a member of St. Paul's Church of Salem, has been the missioner for 16 years. She will continue some part-time service for the Salem parish. The lay minister will be honored at a luncheon April 1 at the Salem Civic Center.
\ THE REV. CARL J. NARO, pastor of St. Andrew's Catholic Church, will retire in May after a three-year assignment there. Naro, 68, came to the parish after 12 years in Charlottesville. He has been a priest for more than 40 years. His successor will be named by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan when annual assignments are made in May.
\ ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST, a cantata for Lent, will be sung Sunday at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Salem. The Frank Williams work replaces the usual 9 and 11 a.m. services. The education program will be held at 9 a.m.
\ COMMUNITY APPRECIATION DAY, a project of West Salem Baptist Church, is scheduled Sunday at 10 a.m. at Salem High School. A meal will be held after the service, and a nursery will be staffed.
\ MARANATHA FELLOWSHIP, 2715 Green Ridge Road N.W., has scheduled a renewal service Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Guest evangelist will be the Rev. Don Arney of New Covenant Fellowship in Wytheville. Music will be provided by a choir from New Covenant.
Deadline for religion briefs for Neighbors is Thursday. Material must be delivered to Neighbors Religion Briefs, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by noon in order to run in the following Thursday edition.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB