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

DATE: THURSDAY, October 7, 1993                   TAG: 9310070439
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

OAK GROVE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN will observe its 85th anniversary Sunday with the first paid pastor, the Rev. H. Lawrence Rice of Roanoke, preaching at the 11 a.m. service. A potluck lunch will served after the service. Those attending are encouraged to dress as `Old Brethren."

The original house of worship is the frame building on McVitty Road Southwest now used by Showtimers Inc. a theatrical group. The current brick church is nearby.

\ POAGES MILL CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN has dedicated several improvements to its worship center at 6660 Bent Mountain Road S.W. The $50,000 project includes new carpeting, pew cushions, lighting and sound systems and remodeling of the entrance.

\ TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH has been commended for its leadership in the LINK program, a ministry to pregnant drug addicts. Evaluated by the College of William and Mary, which started the program in five Virginia localities two years ago, the Roanoke project has had twice the percentage of women participating as at the other sites in Eastern and Northern Virginia.

LINK seeks to give unborn children a chance at normal development by helping mothers remain free of addictive drugs at least through pregnancy, says the Rev. David Tanner, pastor.

Trinity offers a lounge, which is opened daily, and a weekly lunch and educational program in home care and child care each Wednesday. Trinity's program serves about 125 women, Tanner said.

\ LORETTA EWALD will become organist at Christ Lutheran Church this month. She will leave her present position at Belmont United Methodist on Oct. 17.

\ A DISASTER RELIEF TEAM from the Roanoke Valley Association of Southern Baptists will be in Illinois from Oct. 18 to Oct. 23 to assist in the cleanup from recent floods. For details or to offer the use of a recreational vehicle or camper, call 344-8120.

\ "ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE," a 12-hour course for those who wish to help with Vietnamese ministries or other projects relating to immigrants to the United States, will be offered Oct. 14 to Oct. 16 at the Roanoke Valley Baptist Association office, 3926 Plantation Road N.E.

\ Doris Rudd, who has taught literacy classes, will instruct.

Call 366-7631 for the time and more information.

\ MORE THAN 1,000 COATS were sent from the Roanoke Valley through a Church World Service appeal to help residents of war-torn Armenia keep warm this winter. The garments filled 300 boxes and many contributed money for postage.

\ THE MARY-ELIZABETH PROJECT is a new ministry of the Woman's Missionary Union of Southern Baptists. WMU members will be matched with pregnant teen-agers to offer emotional support and some basic infant supplies, if needed.

The name refers to the pregnant mothers of Jesus and John the Baptist sharing their feelings about their unique roles in the time before their sons' births. For more information, call Mary Evelyn Divers, 992-5450.

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