Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 8, 1993 TAG: 9307080316
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
\ AN OPEN-AIR PAVILION for large gatherings in warm weather is under construction at Camp Alta Mons, the United Methodist retreat center near Shawsville. Volunteers are doing much of the work. The pavilion will be used for a camp meeting program in early fall.
\ THE REV. D.B. MARTIN, pastor of Natural Bridge Baptist Church, will speak Tuesday at a 7:30 p.m. meeting of conservative Baptist pastors and laymen at Pecks Baptist Church in Bedford County. Music will be led by Joani Tabor, a Roanoke gospel singer. Call 343-4204 for more information.
\ FOURTEEN LATTER-DAY SAINTS YOUTH from congregations throughout the Roanoke Valley have completed a four-year gospel study based on the King James Version of the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the history of their church.
The recent graduates are: Mary Jane Conklin, Daffney Dutton, Colby Warr, Freddie Tucker III, Keith Mann, Bradley Turnmire, Karma Anderson, Lee Nichtman, Laura Christley, Courtney Cooper, Shari Billings, Dawn Carter, David Haswell and Thomas Leech.
\ THE REV. EUGENE BURRIS, pastor of Airlee Court Baptist Church for nearly 11 years, will leave its ministry by the end of July. Burris, 55, who has been receiving training in interim pastoral care for churches temporarily without ministers, said he will remain in the Roanoke area. The church serves the Williamson Road neighborhood from its building on Hershberger Road Northwest.
\ THE REV. JOHN W. "TONY" NEAL is concluding a nine-year pastorate at Mill Creek Baptist Church north of Troutville. Neal will re-enter the field of engineering, in which he worked before going to theological seminary.
\ MIRIAM CALDWELL, music director at Mill Creek Baptist Church for more than 30 years, has retired from the staff for health reasons. Caldwell, who also has taught for years in the Botetourt Weekday Religious Education Program, expects to return to her family home in Maine. SUSAN HECK is interim music director.
\ THE REV. ROBERT BALDWIN, formerly a pastor and hospital chaplain in the Roanoke Valley, has become pastor of Eagle Rock Baptist Church.
\ MOUNT MORIAH BAPTIST CHURCH, 3521 Orange Ave. N.E., has scheduled open house for its new facilities Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The church, one of the oldest in use in the Roanoke area, dates to pre-Civil War days; in recent months financial gifts have made possible a new kitchen and restrooms.
\ OAKLAND BAPTIST CHURCH, 3623 Round Hill Ave. N.W., has scheduled a program of sacred music July 18 at 7 p.m. Ouida Shotts, a soprano from Lincolnton, N.C., will perform for the free concert.
Shotts, a graduate in applied voice from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, has performed in more than 50 churches and has made two recordings including patriotic and sacred songs.
\ FIRST CHURCH OF GOD, 5008 Hildebrand Road N.W., has planned a Friends Weekend on Saturday and Sunday for the community. The weekend will include a free hot dog supper, starting at 6 and a concert by the Gospel Harmony Boys, a Huntington, W.Va., quartet that been singing together for more than 40 years and has been on TV for 17. A watermelon feast at 8:30 p.m. will conclude the outdoor event.
Sunday's events include worship at 11 a.m. and a potluck lunch under a tent at 12:30.
\ THE SPIRITUAL SEVEN, a gospel singing group, will be featured Sunday at 4 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church, 2910 Cove Road N.W.. The Gospel Train singers also will participate on the program.
\ THE GOSPEL ENSEMBLE of Melrose Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church will perform Saturday at 6 p.m. for the annual concert and robe dedication. The church is at 1601 Melrose Ave. N.W.
\ NORTHVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Plantation Road at Ridgecrest Drive in the Hollins area, has scheduled vacation Bible school July 18-22. The evening school with sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 is for both children and adults.
"Peter Rock," is the theme of the curriculum and deals with Jesus' disciple Peter through music, stories and crafts. For more information, call 362-8015.
\ YOUTH REVIVAL SERVICES will be held Monday through Thursday nights at 7 at Williams Memorial Baptist Church, 2105 Carroll Ave. N.W. Several choirs will present music with the Rev. William Howard Whitaker II as the evangelist.
Whitaker, born and reared in Roanoke, is a 1992 graduate of James Madison University and is preparing for gospel ministry in the theological school of Virginia Union University in Richmond. He also produces a radio program from First Baptist Church in South Richmond, where he is an intern.
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 CNB