Click the button above to see all of our community coverage, or go straight to your community's homepage with the menu below.

Find your community Bedford County Botetourt County Franklin County New River Valley Roanoke City Roanoke Co. (North) Roanoke Co. (Southwest) Salem & Glenvar Smith Mountain Lake Vinton & E Roanoke Co.

More religion stories

• Presbyterian church celebrates 250 years
• Singing to high heaven: Green Ridge Presbyterian Church
• Religion calendar
• Call to ministry took 20-year detour
• Baptized by family

Archive

• Religion index

Can the celebration of a church's history make it seem outdated to prospective new members? Maybe, if the commemorating becomes permanent and greets people at the door, reasoned some members of Fairview United Methodist Church in Northwest Roanoke.

It recently remodeled the lobby, partly in preparation for the church's 100th anniversary on June 22.

The updated new lobby features fresh cabinetry and decor. But missing are the numerous plaques that honored generous members whose contributions were essential. "You'd see a plaque about the people who paid for the new elevator; a plaque honoring people who paid for the organ -- that type of thing," said Myrteen Heslep, a volunteer readying the church's 100th year celebration.

Not that Fairview United Methodist doesn't remain grateful. Yet some involved with the lobby renovation felt that plaques near the entrance "are things that can date you," Heslep said. "You have to be able to see things through the eyes of people coming in here for the first time."

Thus the plaques have been moved to a "history room" that has been enlarged and redecorated as part of a gradual overall renovation.

As the neighborhoods surrounding some churches change, their demographics and personalities often evolve, too. So like many congregations, Fairview United Methodist is smaller these days than when its current sanctuary was built in 1956, and when the education wing went up in 1963. Moving the plaques to a less prominent place is in part an acknowledgment that the church isn't dwelling in the past, Heslep said.

Still, if church history is what you're after, you can take the bus. That would be the Salem Parks & Recreation Department's bus tour of the Rock Churches built by the Rev. Bob Childress on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The tour on Aug. 2 will focus on the six rock-faced churches built by Childress in part to help tame the hard drinking and fighting that were widely and wildly reputed among some mountain residents in parts of Southwest Virginia in the early 20th century. Historians credit Childress, a Presbyterian, with braving the then-wild backwoods areas to bring the gospel and get churches built in the counties of Floyd, Patrick and Carroll.

The bus leaves from the Bonsack Wal-Mart on U.S. 460 at 7 a.m., Aug. 2, and will also pick up passengers at the Salem Senior Center about 7:30 a.m. A Parks & Recreation Department official said there are an estimated 54 seats on the bus. Tickets are $59, which also buys a fudge sampling at Nancy's Candy Co. in Floyd County. For more information call 375-3054.

In the world of church fundraising, walk-a-thons are right up there with bake sales and carnivals.

The Roanoke Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network is hosting its third annual walk-a-thon at 1 p.m., June 1, on the grounds of the Veterans Affairs 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.

And now a question for proactive readers: Are walk-a-thons getting a little old as fundraisers? How about writing or calling this column and list the three types of charitable efforts you're most likely to respond to? Is an old-fashioned envelope that arrives in your mail just as effective as bake sales or carnivals -- which demand more of your time in addition to your money?

Please also list the one you dislike the most.