Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 17, 1993 TAG: 9304170069
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BRIEFS
Awaiting the voteThe Rev. Richard L. Hamm, regional minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tennessee, has been nominated to become general minister and president of the denomination on the national level. In his present position for three years, Hamm was educated at Butler University and the Christian Theological Seminary. He has served churches in Indiana, Kansas and Missouri.
The office of general minister has been vacant for three years. A nominee previously considered failed to gain enough votes to get the top administrative job two years ago. The general board of the church will consider Hamm's nomination this weekend. If approved, he will be presented to the biennial general assembly of the church meeting in St. Louis July 15-20. That governing body must confirm him by a two-thirds vote.
Quaker minister elected
The Rev. David Wolfe, a Quaker minister working in pastoral care for Lewis-Gale Hospital in Salem, will serve as president of the interfaith Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference for the 1993-94 year. He and other new officers will be installed May 3 at a Camp Bethel retreat.
Other leaders are the Rev. Nelson Harris, the Rev. Douglas Paysour,and the Rev. Coretha Morra, vice presidents; the Rev. David Henderson, secretary; Frances Stebbins, yearbook coordinator; the Rev. James W. Reynolds Jr., newsletter editor and George Hill, treasurer.
At its recent meeting the conference honored the Rev. Alvord M. Beardslee, a former president who is retiring soon to Connecticut. Speaking of his contributions were the Rev. Noel C. Taylor, Marty Woodward, Cindy Martin and the Rev. Charles Green. Active in the conference for 34 years, Beardslee was given a certificate referring to his efforts to help those "imprisoned by bars and by prejudice."
Memorial Day retreat
The annual Memorial Day Spiritual Retreat is scheduled at Camp Bethel May 28-31. "Anchors of Faith in Turbulent Times" will be its theme. Sponsored by Churches of the Brethren of the Virlina District, the services and recreation activities are open to the public by reservation; call 992-2940 for details.
This year's leader will be the Rev. James Myer of White Oak Church of the Brethren. He also is a part-time staff member for Brethren Revival Fellowship and was Annual Conference moderator in 1985. He will be accompanied by his wife, Faye.
The retreat will begin on a Friday at 4 p.m. and will continue through Sunday afternoon. Activities are planned for people of all ages.
Fund for salaries
CHICAGO - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is considering establishing a fund to supplement the pension contributions of pastors and other church workers employed by congregations unable to pay them average salaries.
The board of the denomination's Division for Ministry in mid-March approved the proposal of its Task Force on Low Compensated Clergy to help church workers "who are serving faithfully in locations of chronic low compensation."
The ELCA Church Council later in March recommended the establishment of the special fund pending further consultation with the Board of Pensions, the church said.
Speaks for handicapped
IRVING, Texas - Even if they are legally exempt, churches are morally responsible to make their buildings accessible to people with disabilities, a theology student told a United Methodist group.
"If my physical body cannot gain access to programs and people, then there is scarce chance that I will not feel that I, as a human person, have also been rejected," Helen R. Betenbaugh told the United Methodist Association of Physically Challenged Ministers.
Betenbaugh, who uses a wheelchair, is a student at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, according to the United Methodist News Service.
Leprosy misidentified
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - A Kansas dermatologist says he would like to see the word leprosy removed from all future Bibles.
In a recent issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dr. David L. Kaplan said Hansen's disease, the modern term for leprosy, was unknown at the time the biblical texts were written, and its later inclusion was based on mistranslations of Hebrew and Arabic texts.
"Also, the symptoms and disease progression don't match up with what we know about Hansen's disease," Kaplan said.
For example, Leviticus 13 describes seven types of skin and hair changes that occur rapidly during a few weeks, while Hansen's disease develops slowly over a period of years, the American Academy of Dermatology said in a release.