Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 18, 1993 TAG: 9312180053
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: staff & wire reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He will be honored at a farewell reception Jan. 9 at 3:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Lynchburg.
Magnuson has been in his present job since 1989 when Presbyterian administrative areas were realigned following the national merger of northern and southern branches of the church. For several years before the merger he had administered work in Blue Ridge Presbytery in the Lynchburg/Martinsville areas. Blue Ridge and the old Roanoke Valley/New River Valley region known as Fincastle Presbytery joined to form Presbytery of the Peaks.
New TV name
The VISN/ACTS channel, a TV channel available to viewers in Salem and several other Virginia areas, though not on Roanoke's Cox Cable, will change its name to Faith & Values Channel effective Jan. 1.
Nelson Price, president and executive of VISN/ACTS, said the current name "has historic value and been convenient internally but has not served the viewer well." The name was adopted 15 months ago when the old VISN channel merged with a Southern Baptist ACTS project, which could not sustain itself financially. Price said the new name will help viewers find the channel in the future when 500 or more channels will be available.
The channel's programs cover a wide variety of topics, but they may not specifically denigrate any other faiths and the solicitation of donations is limited.
Anglican Catholics?
Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales have invited British clergy and even whole parishes to become Catholics if they are unhappy with the recent decision of the British church to ordain women. The Catholic bishops say bringing conservative Anglicans into their church will strengthen Catholicism in the British Isles.
Cardinal Basil Hume, a Catholic leader, said 156 Anglican priests have approached Catholic bishops for information about acceptance. Many are married.
The bishops said they are pursuing "with sympathy" the open question of married Anglican priests seeking Roman Catholic status. The Catholic church does not permit women to be ordained or male priests to be married. Full membership in the Catholic church will be required of any who seek acceptance of their holy orders, the bishops' statement said.
AIDS adoptions sought
United Methodist Family Services based in Richmond is seeking families willing to adopt children whose parents have died of AIDS.
The agency estimates that it will need 30 adoptive families to meet the needs of single children and sibling groups over the next two years in the Tidewater area alone. Some of the children have contracted the virus before birth and may be expected to die of it, but others should remain healthy, according to LaRonica Jennings of the Richmond office of the agency.
For more information, call her at 804-353-4461.
Music camp money
Scholarship aid is available for high school students of any faith who want to attend a national summer music camp. Tuition and transportation help is available with some grants being contingent on the student raising part of the money. The camp will be held June 19 to July 17 at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Minn. For more information, call John Lunde, director of financial aid for Lutheran Summer Music, at 402-474-7177.
Christmas music
Boones Mill Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has scheduled its Christmas music program Sunday at 11 a.m. when the Adult Choir will present "Rejoice Believers." Children will present "Christmas Around the World" at 6 p.m.
Those attending are requested to bring a kitchen or nursery article to stock the new church, recently occupied on Virginia 919. A candlelight service on Christmas Eve will begin at 7 p.m.
Outdoor nativity
An outdoor nativity scene will be presented tonight from 5:30 to 9 at Mount Carmel Christian Church on Virginia 80 at Meadowview. Live animals and the music of several church choirs will be part of the presentation. A tent nearby will provide shelter and a place for refreshments.
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