THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270168
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANELLE LA BOUVE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Roland Balmediano couldn't be still.
As the room full of line dancers swayed and turned, he shuffled his feet and snapped his fingers in time to the music. But he didn't join the group on the floor.
``I like to really dance instead of following the conformity of steps,'' said Balmediano, who was among the male majority of 109 young adults at the first meeting of Sold Out at Greenbrier YMCA.
And if dancing were not one's thing, there was wally ball, basketball and racquetball.
Sold Out, which signifies the choice of Christianity as top priority, was a mission for Patrick Ambeault, a former youth pastor, who felt called to start an area group for young adults.
Ambeault and a friend are now publishing Youth Ministries, a bi-monthly magazine.
``I waited a while for the right timing and for confirmations from other people,'' he said.
He got it at the first meeting.
Folks, ranging in age from 20 to 40, came together from several Hampton Roads communities and seven churches to meet new people and have fun.
``I think this is really cool,'' said Balmediano, a 25-year-old Great Bridge resident. ``I like the fact that different denominations are coming together instead of dividing ourselves by the walls of denomination.''
Maria Albrecht of Portsmouth agreed.
``It is really a good idea to bring churches together,'' Albrecht said. ``I didn't have to worry about having a date. I think young adults are looking for a good way to meet people, and this is a good environment.''
About 85 percent of those who attended were singles, but there were couples like Christopher and Tina Ruedigers, who live in Virginia Beach.
``It was a great success for a first meeting,'' said Christopher Ruediger. ``A lot of groups like this are not this big after months and months.
Christian D.J. Services representative, Trina Olson, provided Christian pop, country, rap, alternative, rock and disco music for the line dancers.
The group's overall goal is to bring about church unity and evangelize Tidewater.
Sold Out organizers plan to put together a yearly calendar, and Ambeault expects that Sold Out will continue to meet at the Greenbrier Y for at least a year.
The meetings will be held at 7 p.m. the last Saturday of each month. by CNB