ROANOKE TIMES 

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

DATE: THURSDAY, December 23, 1993                   TAG: 9312230356
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RELIGION BRIEFS

THE REV. JULIE HOLLINGSWORTH, director of Roanoke Area Ministries, has resigned from the pastorate of Virginia Presbyterian Church near Buchanan to devote her full time to the interfaith service agency for the Roanoke Valley needy.

Hollingsworth said her work at RAM is now considered her official ministry by the Presbyterian regional body of which she is a member. Future leadership of the small Virginia Church is being considered by Presbytery of the Peaks, she said. Hollingsworth had held the two jobs on a part time basis for more than three years.

\ UNITY OF ROANOKE VALLEY, 3300 Green Ridge Road N.W., has scheduled several services to celebrate the birth of Christ and the coming new year.

Christmas Eve candlelighting service will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include special music. A nursery will be staffed. The Sunday service will be at 11 a.m. On Dec. 31 at 7 a.m. Unity will sponsor a World Peace Service with prayers at 7 a.m. and a New Year's Eve liturgy at 7 p.m.

\ FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 2101 S. Jefferson St., will have a family service on Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. with music by the youth choirs. A later service by candlelight will begin at 10:40 p.m. with special choral and organ music.

\ ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Elm at South Jefferson in downtown Roanoke, will hold a Christmas Eve pageant at 4 p.m. and a late liturgy starting with special music at 10:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist will be included at each. On Christmas Day, the Eucharist will be celebrated at 10 a.m.

\ At CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1101 Franklin Road S.W., celebration of Christmas will begin Friday with a pageant and Eucharist at 4 p.m. Special music at 10:30 p.m. precedes the Festival Holy Eucharist. On Christmas Day, a service with Eucharist and carols will begin at 11 a.m.

\ UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, Grandin Road at Brandon Avenue, will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m., followed by a cookie party. No service will be held at the church Sunday.

\ THE REV. FLEET POWELL, a former pastor of Colonial Presbyterian Church who retired two years ago, has become the interim minister of Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Vinton.

Deadline for religion briefs is the Thursday before desired publication. Material must be delivered to Neighbors Religion Briefs, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by noon in order to run in the following Thursday's edition. 


 by CNB