The Roanoke Times: Focus on Faith

Focus on Faith blog to end but faith coverage continues

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:58:44 -0500

Dear Readers,
The Focus on Faith blog is part of a broad effort by The Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com to expand and improve our coverage of spirituality matters.
This wonderful assignment was handed to me in February, and I had actually been concentrating on religion-related feature stories since December 2007.
The print edition of The Roanoke Times has been extremely generous with what the newspaper business calls "play"--meaning where stories appear.
Since December, the editors here have been putting probably half of what I write about religion on the very front page of the paper, and much of the rest on the cover of the Virginia section.
Also, in April, we started the print version of the Focus on Faith column on Saturdays as part of a revamped page 2 of the Virginia section devoted enitrely to faith issues.
And while you have responded, with supportive letters, calls, emails and by clicking the online platform of these stories enough to make dozens of them among the five "Most Read" on the day they appeared as tracked by our Roanoke.com editors, the Focus on Faith blog isn't attracting the interest we hoped.
So the blog will end, at least for now, on Thursday, July 31. If you have ideas about reintroducing it in a format or style that will have more appeal, please write to me at rob.johnson@roanoke.com, or call me in the newsroom at 981-3234.
And please know that The Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com remain committed to news and feature stories about religion, faith and spirituality.
Thanks for reading,
Rob Johnson
Staff Writer
The Roanoke Times

Yet another version of the Bible is here

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:30:31 -0500

How many versions of the Bible do you own?
In my family's home there are at least three and I guess to me that seems like a lot.
But there's a new Good Book in town.
Check out the excerpt below from a wire story about the new Codex Bible, and see the Internet link for more information.
By RAPHAEL G. SATTER
The Associated Press
The Codex Sinaiticus Project
LONDON | The oldest surviving copy of the New Testament, a fourth-century version whose Gospels and epistles were spread across the world, is being made whole again — online.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/world/story/714711.html

Organizers meet for August Revival at Melrose Park

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:57:42 -0500

The organizers of the planned "Take Back The City" revival in August at Melrose Park will meet on Saturday at 10 a.m., at the Solid Rock Pentecostal Church, 317 S. Market St., in Salem.
The revival is scheduled for Aug. 8 through 11, at 7 p.m. nightly and a service finale at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Volunteers are being sought and those wanting to give time to the interdemoninational event are welcome at Saturday's meeting in Salem.
Further, a training session for volunteers will be held on Saturday, July 26, at the church, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

When You Hear the Cowbell, Stop Preaching

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:54:24 -0500

The Congregational Holiness Church in Shawsville will hold its third "Cowbell Service" Saturday night, July 19, at 7 p.m.
There will be five guest preachers, and each will have 10 minutes for their message. "After 10 minutes we ring a cowbell and they know to stop," said the Rev. Wesley Conner, pastor of the church.
He occasionally holds the cowbell services "because it's a way to bring some fun into the church and people seem to enjoy it."
For more information call 230-8580.

Liberty University Closes Enrollment for the First Time

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:36:15 -0500

For the first time in Liberty University's history, the Lynchburg institution has closed enrollment for the coming school year.
Chancellor and President Jerry Falwell Jr. said, "The sheer number of students who are choosing Liberty is evidence that Christian education is sorely needed in today's world."
The university expects 11,300 students this fall, including 3,500 new ones.
Enrollment is up 15 percent from a year ago, the school said.

Church sports camps gain popularity

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:37:59 -0500

Using youth athletic programs to proselytize is on the rise this summer as church sports camps gain popularity. Fincastle Baptist Church in Botetourt County attracted 140 children to its week-long camp in early July, where dozens of volunteers trained them in a half-dozen sports, including football and tennis. "You could try a different sport every day," said the Rev. Randy Daniels, pastor of Fincastle Baptist.
And West Salem Baptist Church will hold its first-ever summer sports camp from July 21 to 25. "It's a form of outreach, mainly a way to share the gospel," said the Rev. Brett Williams, West Salem Baptist's student and family pastor. For more information call 389-2129.
The camps are yet another form of God-spreading sports programs, such as Upward Basketball. So popular are the camps becoming that the Assemblies of God has started marketing a starter kit for such venues; the $99 package includes a program recruiting and training DVD and announcement posters. for more information call 800-641-4310.

Churches to host Week Long Revival at Melrose Park

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:08:28 -0500

A multi-church revival with the theme "Taking Back the City" is scheduled at Melrose Park in Northwest Roanoke from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17.
The interdenominational gathering will hold services starting at 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
On Saturday, Aug. 16, starting at 2 p.m., there will be a Gospel concert, praise dancing, games and other activities.
The Rev. George "Mack" Taylor, pastor of Solid Rock Church, a Pentecostal denomination in Salem, which helped organize the event, said, "As a pastor in the Roanoke-Salem area I have watched this city destroy itself with drugs, sex, alcohol, killingsand many other problems."
Other congregations participating in the revival include: Church Alive International, Greater Prayer Temple and Disciples of Christ.
The revival will include counseling on addictions, domestic violence and a job fair is planned, said Deborah Freeman, a volunteer organizer.
For more information call Taylor at 206-9201.

Moneta church schedules "Mommy & Me" Program

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:42:07 -0500

Trinity Ecumenical Parish in Moneta will offer a “Mommy & Me” program every Wednesday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. starting September 10, 2008 through May 20, 2009.

It is available for 2 year olds (age 2 by September 1, 2008) and a parent. The purpose is to provide a special time for parent and child in structured activities such as arts & crafts, story telling and listening skills and motor skills. For more information call 540-297-7386.

Worthy program in Africa by St. Luke

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:27:02 -0500

Check out this neat article in the new SWOCO section of The Roanoke Times about a vacation bible school in Southwest Roanoke County that made an impact in Africa.
Here's the link:
http://blogs.roanoke.com/swoco/2008/06/st_john_makes_a_splash_in_africa_1.html

New health care program to train community volunteers

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:57:10 -0500

Can churches become community health centers?
That’s the goal of the Community Health Promoter Program, aimed at training volunteers to offer free services such as blood pressure checks and counseling on a range of maladies from asthma to stress at churches and other neighborhood venues in the Roanoke area.
The free course, consisting of 30 hours spread over 10 weeks, is scheduled to be held on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m, from Sept. 16 through Nov. 25, at the Belmont Baptist Church Health Management Center at 825 Stewart Ave., in east Roanoke.
“The idea is that volunteers working through churches and other organizations might be able to reach people who might not come into a doctor’s office or clinic,” said Donna Bollinger, the program’s coordinator. She’s also coordinator of community outreach at New Horizons Healthcare, a nonprofit agency in northwest Roanoke.
To sign up, or for more information, call Bollinger at 362-0360.

Church to offer advice on avoiding heart attacks

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:18:05 -0500

So much of what is taught in church has to do with our most heart-felt feelings, and now a church program will teach about living through a heart attack.
“Act In Time -- A Patient’s Perspective” will be presented at Trinity Ecumenical Parish on Tuesday, July 22, at 6 p.m. Phil Gray, a Franklin County resident, will share his heart attack experience in the hope of helping others to “Act In Time”.
Trinity is located on Route 122, one mile south of the Hales Ford Bridge in Moneta. For more information contact Parish Nurse Tami Akin at 540-721-4330.

July 4 is a big day for Jehovah's Witnesses

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:29:05 -0500

While July 4 is a big secular celebration with fireworks and barbecue, the day will also kick off a weekend convention for an estimated 4,600 Jehovah's Witnesses at the Roanoke Civic Center Coliseum.
It will be a three-day event and non-members of the denomination are welcome. Admission is free and no collection will be asked.
The attendees are expected to be from Roanoke and elsewhere in South Central and Southwest Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley and Eastern West Virginia.
A printed statement from the Jehovah's Witnesses public relations office in Brooklyn, N.Y., described the convention agenda as follows: The program will focus on why reliable guidance is needed today and where people can turn to for trustworthy advice in all aspects of life.

Nicaragua is an expensive mission, but worth it

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:52:59 -0500

Two Dublin teens are trying to raise money to pay for a mission trip to Nicaragua in August, and the $1,875 apiece it costs may sound like a lot. After all, they could volunteer for World Changers and go as far as Alaska for about $260.
But Caitlin Worrel and Mandy Lester say the plane ticket and other expenses are set, arranged by the Assemblies of God's Ambassadors and Missions group.
"We will work for the money," said Lester, 19, who went to Nicaragua in 2003. "It changed my life," she said of the work, which includes bringing toys and other items to children.
And the two have done their share of mission work closer to home, they say: Lester volunteers at Roanoke area homeless shelters and Worrel went to Atlanta last summer.
For more information, call Lester at 540-239-7832.

Rob Johnson on vacation

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:42:16 -0500

Dear Focus on Faith faithful,
I'll be on vacation the week of June 16-20.
Although I won't be blogging during that time, there will be print versions of Focus on Faith appearing in the Virginia section of the Roanoke Times on Saturday, June 14 and 21.
There will also be a faith-related feature on the front page of the paper on Sunday, June 15.
As always, your thoughts and comments on religion and spirituality-related local matters are encouraged.
Rob Johnson
Staff Writer
The Roanoke Times
981-3234

Downtown youth ministry's donations on upswing

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:38:17 -0500

Donations to Acts 2 Ministries in downtown Roanoke have increased significantly since a May 13 article in The Roanoke Times mentioned that the nonprofit youth outreach program's was in financial distress.

Lee Pusha, executive director, said, "The response has been tremendous." The funds include about $40,000 raised at Act 2's annual banquet, from which Pusha was expecting much less. Another $6,000 in additional donations has come in since the article appeared.

That story said Act 2's gifts had dwindled to about half the amount in the first five months of 2007.

Act 2 typically draws 60 to 80 middle and high school studentsfrom Roanoke's urban neighborhoods for activities that include games and nondenominational religion-based guidance.

The organization's major benefactor is First Baptist Church on nearby Third Street, which provides a 15,000-square-foot building it owns at 406 Luck Ave. Some funding also comes from Cave Spring Baptist Church and Church of the Holy Spirit in Southwest Roanoke County. For more information call 345-2495.