RESTORATION CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will serve on a special panel during the annual Rural Restoration Conference in Sikeston this weekend.

She will be part of a four-member panel that will discuss issues pertaining to farm and private land use and other timely problems related to agriculture.

Emerson also will deliver the keynote address Monday.

It is the fourth year for the conference at Sikeston. It will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Best Western Coach House Inn.

Other members of the panel are Ida Hurley of Charleston, Tom Blount from a Louisiana farm family and Dave Ealy, an Indiana farmer.

Peter Myers, a former U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture who currently serves as president of Adopt A Farm Family of America, a sponsor of the conference, will serve as moderator at the panel discussion. The farm panel will present its program Monday at about 1 p.m.

Other conference speakers include Ron Eberhard, a business and estate planning representative from Grove City, Ohio, and Chris Kirk of Life Action Ministries in Buchanan, Mich.

Eberhard, president of Business and Estate Planning Services, is a motivational speaker and humorist. He will address the opening session of the conference Saturday.

Kirk, a native Missourian, will address the Monday evening session and will participate in some of the workshops

"In past years the conference started on a Sunday," said Mary Myers, who is helping coordinate the conference. "Hopefully, the Saturday start will allow more farmers to attend," she said.

The purpose of the conference is to provide farmers with marketing and spiritual help.

Workshops provide marketing information, economic outlooks for agriculture and other planning for farmers.

The conference started in Memphis, Tenn. President Clinton, then governor of Arkansas, and Tim LaHaye, whose wife, Beverly, founded the Concerned Women For America group, were keynote speakers at the first conference.

A number of speakers have been lined up for the event. They include Sid Love, marketing analyst of Kansas City; Chuck Grant and Burt Grant, licensed investment brokers with A.G. Edwards; Carroll Montgomery of Dexter, founder of Christian Agriculture Stewardship Institute; Vernelle Rasmussen of Louisiana; Ron and Joyce Abney of Illinois; Carrie Bareis; Jonathan Maloyed of Indiana; children's evangelists Jim and Teresa Calvin; Diane Stephens and Tina Scott, Missouri musicians; and Jay Phenicie of Sikeston.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Saturday

9 a.m. -- Registration.

9:30 a.m. -- Welcome by Peter Myers, ADOPT president, and opening session featuring speaker Ron Eberhard. Topic, "How to Meet Challenges for Families Farming Together."

Noon -- Lunch buffet, welcome to area pastors to join special session, by the Rev. Larry Arnold, Rural Restoration Conference chairman. Speaker is Chris Kirk of Life Action Ministries, Buchanan, Mich.

2:15 p.m. -- Workshops: "Crusade for Your Town," conducted by Kirk; Commodity Market Tools, Jay Phenicie; Commodity Price Projection, Sid Love; natural bread making demonstration, Vernelle Rasmussen.

4 -- Workshops: "Braying in the Harvest," Patti Blount; Commodity Market Tools, Phenicie; Commodity Price Projection, Love; natural bread making demonstration, Rasmussen.

5:30 -- Prayer, dinner buffet.

6:45 -- Assemble in hotel lobby to travel to church service.

7:15 -- Church service at Miner Baptist Church with Tanner Street Singers and speaker Brad Miller, Missouri representative for "Focus on the Family."

Sunday

7:30 a.m. -- Prayer session.

8:15 -- Breakfast buffet.

9:30 -- Opening service, praise and worship.

10:45 -- Opening service, speaker Dorothy Terry, discussing "Who's Minding the Family."

Noon -- Prayer and lunch buffet.

Free afternoon, but everyone is invited to attend ADOPT's committee and board meetings.

5 p.m. -- Meet in hotel lobby to travel to church service at Trinity Gospel Church. Speaker will be Kirk.

8:30 -- Snacks and fellowship.

Monday

6:15 a.m. -- Prayer session.

7 -- Breakfast buffet.

8:15 -- Welcome and worship with speaker Penny Lea, topic "Truth for Youths."

9:30 -- Workshops: "12 Steps of Godly Leader," Kirk; retirement planning, Bart and Chuck Grant; "Year 2000 & Property Rights Issues," Dave Ealy; Continued conversations with Penny Lea.

10:35 -- Workshops: "Breaking the Generational Cycle," Ida Hurley; retirement planning, the grants; Year 2000 and Property Rights, Ealy.

Noon, Lunch buffet.

1 p.m. -- Group singing, Dianne Stephens and Carrie Bareis, followed by the Farm Reactor Panel, featuring U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and farmers Ida Hurley, Tom Blunty and Dave Ealy, with Peter Myers moderator.

6 p.m.: Evening services and dinner buffet.