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Wanted: music ministers.

There are four part-time openings for musicians with leadership skills advertised in the May issue of the Roanoke Valley Baptist Association's bulletin.

"I'm a little disappointed that we had these other churches come looking" for music ministers "at the same time," said the Rev. Don Pegram, pastor at Haran Baptist Church in Southwest Roanoke County.

Competition for music ministers is fierce, he said. "We just lost ours. He went somewhere else for more money."

Some of the ads specify that candidates be "bi-vocational," which merely reinforces that the positions are part time; in other words, an additional job may be needed to make ends meet.

Part-time music ministers in the Roanoke area are typically paid in the range of $150 for Sunday-only appearances at services, or up to $15,000 or so a year for working 15 to 20 hours a week.

The longer hours generally include leading choir practice and multiple Sunday services.

Such higher-end pay usually requires the candidate to be proficient on the piano, organ and electric keyboard -- and they should have experience in both teaching the choir the finer points of making hymns come alive and leading them in front of the congregation.

A seasonal duty is looming for part-time music ministers: helping provide music at vacation Bible school worship. So applicants will want to be well aware of how many hours are expected for that.

Besides the lure of more money, music ministers may also be tempted to change churches for a common workplace rationale, Pegram said. "Maybe they don't feel appreciated."

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There's a hay shortage in much of the nation, and now it's affecting Vinton Baptist Church.

"Our vacation Bible school theme this year is 'State Fair,' '' said Stacey Wiseman, volunteer director of the summer school's decorating committee.

The theme is farming oriented, and Wiseman plans to place 15 to 20 square bales of hay near the sanctuary entrance, among other places. But right now she only has two bales.

"I know there's a hay shortage and it's expensive. But we're going to return the hay after Bible school is over," she said.

Drought has driven hay prices up sharply of late. Square bales of hay are currently selling for up to $25 apiece, about triple the price last fall, she said.

Vinton Baptist is expecting 300 to 350 children, ages 3 to 12, for Bible school, which is scheduled for June 23-27.

Wiseman said the church can pick up and return volunteered hay. But she doesn't want it before June 20.

She explained, "We just don't have anywhere to store it for very long."

Want to help? Call Wiseman at 890-0992.

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Maybe you don't want to commit your children to a whole week of vacation Bible school but you want to do something special that's faith-related this summer. Well, here's a day trip to consider.

Salem Parks and Recreation is sponsoring a bus trip to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., on June 14.

The price is $79 for the bus trip. Included is a sightseeing luncheon cruise on Lake Norman's Catawba Riverboat.

For more information call 375-3054.

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Comment about religion-related issues at the "Focus on Faith" blog on roanoke.com.