May 30, 2008Two Roanoke churches offer discount groceriesTwo Roanoke churches are joining the national Angel Food Ministries program to sell discounted groceries. May 28, 2008The Niche Liturgy of Anointing Oil in MonetaThe tradition of anointing with oil is often referred in the Old and New Testaments. May 22, 2008A Memorial Day prayerWith Memorial Day coming up on Monday, the thoughts of many readers are with our military personnel stationed around the globe. Michael Carden of Vinton submitted a "Citizens Prayer for our troops," excerpted below. We invite your response and comment about your views about the role of faith on Memorial Day. "Oh greatest in the highest, May 20, 2008Should pastors preach on politics?In a story on the front page of today's Roanoke Times is an article about pastors who support the U.S. military effort in the Middle East but specifically decline to say anything about it from the pulpit. Do you think they should? After all, preachers have been political advocates from the days of the "Black Regiment," when pastors supported the colonies' revolution against King George III. Like today, there was considerable political division in America, and the red coat-supporting Tories condemned the rebellious clergy. So during a presidential election year, when pastors linked to Barack Obama and John McCain have been controversial, the role of reverends is in the spotlight. Would you like your pastor to be more pro-active politically? Do you even know how he or she feels about Iraq, Afghanistan and other issues? Do you care? Please write this blog and share your feelings. May 19, 2008The summer recruitment of children begins soonThat tradition of summer in churches, vacation Bible school, is soon to start and churches will be competing with each other for recruits. Many congregations in Roanoke are already handing out flyers and promoting their schools via Web site. Recruiting dozens of kids is a crucial strategy in furthering the growth of church youth programs--and thus the church itself. As Myron Atkinson, pastor of Penn Forest Worship Center said, VBS "helps us to reach out to the community and our church has grown as a result of it." Atkinson's church will hold VBS from June 16 to 20. Most of the schools run a week or more. The ante on getting the VBS formula right is rising. Rising food costs are making snacks more expensive and fees for educational religious materials are up too. Ordering too many coloring books or interactive CDs is a more egregious miscalculation than in years past. If your church is trying something new this year in VBS curriculum, please let us know at Focus on Faith. May 16, 2008Hay, yes hay, needed by churchVinton Baptist Church needs about 15 to 20 bales of hay to use as decorations during vacation Bible school. But the hay is proving tough to come by because there's a widespread shortage due to drought. Hay prices are up and supply is down. If you have bales of hay to loan--they'll give it back--call Stacey Wiseman at 890-0992. May 15, 2008There is still time brother--for at least one more projectA banner waving in the wind at the end of the 1959 movie version of Nevil Shute's doomsday novel, "On the Beach," proclaims, "There is still time brother." That was presumably meant to convey an urgency about preparing one's soul for admission to heaven. A deadline for donations is implied on the Web site of First Baptist Church, Roanoke's largest congregation, where a new fundraising campaign called Future Generations Now is aimed at a new $4.6 million Student Ministry and Events Center. The Web site states that the new facility will benefit the church's youth "for many years to come" with multimedia equipment, a cafe and meeting rooms. But how many years do we have left? Maybe not many, the Web site goes on to imply. While urging parishoners to "give sacrificially," the Web site later states, "We have the privilege to be a part of growing His Kingdom in these last days." Does anyone think the apparent reference to the end times prophesy in the Book of Revelation might be seen as a bit of a contradiction to the theme of preparing an earthly state-of-the-art facility for future generations? Apparently, as Shute might say, "There is still time brother" to build and get ample use out of a recreational center for future generations. Your thoughts? May 13, 2008Acts 2 Ministries: in financial trouble, seeks donationsIn today's Roanoke Times and on Roanoke.com we published the story of Acts 2 Ministries, an outreach program for urban teens that's in financial trouble. You can donate directly to Acts 2 via this Web site: www.acts2ministry.org. The Focus on Faith column doesn't recommend donations or support for any specific church or charity. On such matters we merely act as a community alert to point out needs where they are said to exist. May 12, 2008World War II vet's church funds his return journeyJoseph Comer's congregation at Northminster Presbyterian Church is sending the World War II veteran back to Europe to visit the sites where he campaigned 64 years ago. Starting Tuesday, May 13, Comer will journey to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. He hasn't been there since he was an Army paratrooper. He'll return home May 23. There was one snag in organizing Comer's trip. He had a bit of trouble getting a passport because his birth certificate couldn't be found. He didn't need either document in 1944. May 8, 2008A Roanoke outreach program has many needsIt's hard to imagine less fidgeting in the pews of any church than you could see among the 65 teenagers sitting in the Wednesday night service at Acts 2 Ministry, a nondemominational Christian outreach program in downtown Roanoke. Quiet teens? Some shushed each other when occasional whispers surfaced. These are inner-city kids who meet Acts 2 staffers at their high schools and middle schools before deciding to show up at 406 Luck St. There's a connection going on here that anyone who has volunteered in outreach programs will tell you is hard to make with teens. Acts 2 has many needs to fulfill its programs, including more equipment for its computer lab, where youths are helped with their homework. Used machines in good working order are ok. A digital camera is needed too. And if you can drive a van to pick up kids after school on occasion and transport them downtown, you're a valuable asset at Acts 2. For more information call Lee Pusha, executive director, at 345-2495. May 5, 2008You might want to check out God TubeHeard about God Tube? It's an increasingly popular Web site drawing with newsy faith-related info you might find worth a look. http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-hoping-for-ungodly-returns-christian-video-sharing-site-godtube-gets-30/ What works in raising money for charityBake sales and carnivals are mainstays in the world of church fund-raising. Walk-a-thons are pretty dependable too, the long windup to get ready for them by soliciting sponsors ahead of time notwithstanding. The Roanoke Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network is hosting its third annual walk-a-thon on Sunday, June 1, at 1 p.m., on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salem. Individuals or teams of walkers are welcome to collect donations from sponsors. Proceeds will support IHN, which helps families secure employment and housing, among other things. For more information call IHN volunteer Meredith Roller at 343-9982. Continue reading "What works in raising money for charity" » May 1, 2008Lots of options on the National Day of PrayerThere are plenty of places you're welcome for services today at noon, when the 57th National Day of Prayer will be observed. In downtown Roanoke there will be a gathering at Lee Plaza, led by the Rev. Edward Burton, pastor of Sweet Union Baptist Church. Services are also scheduled in the Fincastle Library parking lot, the Buchanan Fire Department parking lot, Bonsak Baptist Church and Parkway Wesleyan Church on Route 460 northeast of Roanoke. All services on non-denominational. |
About this blog
Focus on Faith is the Roanoke Times' blog focusing on religion and matters of faith in the region and beyond. Faith and spirituality reporter Rob Johnson will be making regular updates to the blog. And please join in! You can share your comments, stories, links and ideas here, too. .....Advertisement.....
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