CHURCHES MAKING THEIR NAMES KNOWN IN EASTERN EUROPE.(Religion)

Byline: Georege W. Cornell Associated Press

Denizens of Western churches are marching in. They're entering the once forbidden atheist territory of Eastern Europe, providing preachers, teachers, equipment, building funds and Bibles.

Lifting of most restrictions on religion in the Soviet Union and collapse of communist regimes in satellite countries have thrown open the doors to the West's missionary enterprises.

"It's a tremendous opportunity," says the Rev. John D. Erickson, chairman of the United Bible Societies, aiming for $58 million to send 30 million Bibles to that region. About 1.7 million copies went there last year.

"The barriers to God's word are now down."

Erickson, also general secretary of the American Bible Society, the U.S. branch and major budgetary source of 110-nation …