Church of the Brethren Virlina District Events – November 7, 2009

The word “church” should not restrict us to fellowship within only one building or location. Henry Fork Church of the Brethren is officially associated with the larger denominational Church of the Brethren (www.brethren.org). Additionally, we are blessed to be very close to our district’s (Virlina) main office, which is is Roanoke, VA. There are always events going on around the district and Virlina annouces them usually on a weekly basis. This post will be updated with the most current events and opportunities to fellowship outside Henry Fork Church of the Brethren in addition to those held at our church! Since it will be updated often, please stop by often!

DISTRICT CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

In one week, November 13 and 14, Virlina District will gather for our annual District Conference. It will be held at Green Ridge Baptist Church, 5521 Green Ridge Road, Roanoke, Virginia. The theme is “At the Name of Jesus Every Knee Should Bend!” based on the scripture passage, Philippians 2:5-11.

Registration begins at 5:00 p.m. in the foyer on the upper level and the exhibit and hospitality areas open at 5:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall on the lower level.

The Ministers and Spouses Dinner will be held at the Peters Creek Church of the Brethren, 5333 Cove Road, NW, Roanoke, Virginia at 5:00 p.m. with a meal catered by Lisa Wilson (Cloverdale) and program by David K. Shumate, 2009 Annual Conference Moderator and District Executive, (Daleville).

The all-district choir will rehearse at 5:45 p.m. at Green Ridge Baptist Church. Laura Heptintall (Roanoke, Ninth Street) is the this year’s choir director and may be contacted at (540) 556-8583 or for more information.

Worship will be begin at 7:00 p.m. with hymn sing led by Michael Huffaker (Roanoke, Williamson Road), chorister. Patrick C. Starkey (Roanoke, Ninth Street) will serve as worship leader. Four individuals will be sharing brief “Bended Knee Experiences” : Daniel D’Oleo (Roanoke, Siguiendo los pasos de Jesus), Donald Gearhart (Copper Hill), Dava Hensley (Roanoke, First) and Hannah Oakes (Eden, First). The all-district choir and the “Boyz” of Disaster will sing. The youth will do dramatizations of “Bended Knee Experiences.” The Friday evening offering will go to the Virlina District National Youth Conference Bus Trip.

Senior high youth activities will begin at 9:00 p.m. at Peters Creek Church of the Brethren, 5333 Cove Road, NW, Roanoke, Virginia and will conclude on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Contact Mary St.John at for more information.

On Saturday there will be lots of activities, “bended knee experiences,” business, fellowship, food and worship. The registration, exhibit and hospitality areas will open at 7:30 a.m.

Child care and children’s activities begin at 8:15 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. The children will take a field trip to Camp Bethel. Contact Tabitha Hartman at for more information.

Junior high youth activities begin at 8:15 a.m. (Peters Creek CoB, 5333 Cove Road, Roanoke, Virginia) and conclude at 4:30 p.m. The junior high youth, along with senior high youth, will be doing a service project at the Roanoke Rescue Mission. For more information contact Mary St.John at .

Activities for delegates begin at 8:20 a.m. with hymn sing led by Beverly Heckman and worship with Patrick C. Starkey bringing the message.

Business Sessions will be 8:50 a.m. – 12:00 noon and 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Conference officers are Patrick C. Starkey, moderator, Sharon S. Wood, moderator-elect, and Rosalie R. Wood, clerk. The business session offering will go toward District Conference expenses.

During the lunch break the District Board and Outdoor Ministries Committee will reorganize. Three Insight Sessions will be offered: 1) BBT & Investments, 2) Israel and Palestine, 3) Mission Work in Hati.

The all-district choir will rehearse at 5:30 p.m. and worship will begin with hymn sing at 6:15 p.m. Sharon S. Wood, 2010 conference moderator, (Copper Hill) will be the worship leader and Stafford Frederick (Roanoke, Summerdean) will bring a message of challenge to close the 2009 District Conference and to send us out to continue the bended knee work of/for Jesus Christ. The Saturday evening offering will go to the two Virlina District Hispanic ministries.

Everyone is invited to attend all or part of District Conference. It would be wonderful to have persons from all 91 congregations, fellowships and project represented.

RESERVATIONS FOR CONFERENCE MEALS HAVE CEASED
Persons who reserved lunch and/or dinner may pick up their meal tickets at the meal ticket table in the foyer at Green Ridge Baptist. If you did not reserve lunch or dinner, there are a many restaurants within seven miles of Green Ridge Baptist. A restaurant location map will be available at the registration tables.

USED SUNDAY SCHOOL OR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
If your congregation has curriculum which is no longer used or needed, please bring it to District Conference. These items will be delivered to Equipping the Saints in Weyers Cave, Virginia who distribute Christian educational material all over the world to be used by others.

If anyone has any Gather Round curriculum to spare, the Eden, First Church would like to have it. Please contact us at .

GIFT OF THE HEART KITS
In October, approximate 650 lbs of kits were delivered to New Windsor Service Center in New Windsor, Maryland. If your congregation has clean-up, hygiene, school or other kits ready, please bring them to District Conference. We receive kits at the District Resource Center until we have a van/truck load and then deliver them to New Windsor.

LAKE SIDE NEEDS TREES
In the near future, the Lake Side Church will start landscaping for their “beautification corridor” of Bedford County. Congregations, Sunday School classes, and individuals may adopt tree(s) or shrub(s) for the property by donating $75 or $25, respectively. If you have a green thumb, or just like to dig in the dirt – we will also need volunteers to plant a whopping 35 large trees, and 100 smaller shrubs on the property. Contact Dave Heckman at: (540) 521-6548 OR email .

Follow the progress at Facebook – search Lake Side Church of the Brethren and become a fan! As we complete the various phases of building, we will continue to need volunteers and will send updates to keep you posted on areas that you can help. The Lake Side Church is a new church development of the Virlina District!

GOSPEL SING AT BOONES CHAPEL
There will be a Gospel Singing on November 29 at 6:00 p.m. at Boones Chapel Church of the Brethren featuring “The Church Sisters”. Sarah and Savannah Church are 13 year old twins from Ringgold, Va. They began singing publicly in March 2007 after winning the WAKG Rising Star talent competition. They have opened shows for country music recording artist, Ty Herndon, Russ Taff of the Gaither Gospel Group and Christian Bluegrass group The Isaacs. They have also appeared on stage with acclaimed bluegrass artist, Rhonda Vincent at the 2009 SPBGMA Awards in Nashville, TN. They are so grateful to God for the special gift He has given them and they fully understand that placing God first in their hearts is the only reason they are able to share their amazing talent with everyone.

The Boones Chapel Church is located on Circle Creek Road in Penhook, Virginia. We invite everyone to come and be blessed! Refreshments will follow in the Fellowship Hall. For more information or directions, contact Rhonda at .

WAYNE PENNINGTON TO UNDERGO SURGERY
R. Wayne Pennington, pastor of the Hopewell Church of the Brethren in Prince George County, Virginia, will undergo bone fusion surgery on Tuesday, November 10th. He will be totally incapacitated for about three months. You may encourage him at 5400 Mica Drive, Prince George, Virginia 23875-2332.

ELBERT LEE NAFF, SR. RECOVERING
Elbert Lee Naff, Senior underwent hip replacement surgery on Thursday, November 5th. Everything went well and he anticipates returning home tomorrow. Encouragement may be sent to him at 5090 Old Pike Road, Pilot, Virginia 24138-1600.

DON FLORY, FORMER CHRISTIANSBURG PASTOR
Donald R. Flory, aged 74, of Findlay, Ohio died on Monday, September 21, 2009. He was born in Batavia, IL on October 25, 1934, the son of the late Ralph and Luella (Stuttle) Flory. Donald married Leah (Mounce) Flory in Oaklyn, NJ, on September 23, 1967. She survives in Findlay. Donald is survived by a son, two daughters, a brother, a sister and eight grandchildren.

Donald was a graduate of Manchester College and Bethany Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the Church of the Brethren at the Brookpark Church in Ohio on November 16, 1958. He served as pastors for congregations in Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, Maryland and Illinois. His service in Virlina was at Christiansburg from 1979 until 1984. Don was an active member of the Fostoria Lake Plains Barbershop Chorus. Funeral services were held in Findlay on September 27, 2009.