Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 25, 1994 TAG: 9407220020
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: from staff and wire reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Respect Life grants totaling $48,550 this year - up $2,100 from last year - have been awarded to 31 agencies dealing with the dignity of human life. The money was collected in an offering taken earlier this year in Catholic churches of the Diocese of Richmond. Groups that receive the money operate under the guidelines of the Catholic Church and must not permit abortions or other activities that the church regards as wrong for Christians. The agencies include pregnancy assistance groups, a home for runaway girls and those seeking to prevent domestic violence.
Recipients of grants include Catholic Charities of Southwestern Virginia in Roanoke, a post-abortion counseling program operated at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lexington, Citizens Against Family Violence in Martinsville and the Family Resource Center in Wytheville. Three statewide agencies, Virginians Against Domestic Violence, Prevent Child Abuse - Virginia and Volunteer Emergency Families for Children also will receive grants,
The Respect Like Offering has been taken for 19 years each January with agencies applying in May for funds.
New superintendent
The Rev. Richard L. Worden will begin his work as superintendent of the Roanoke District of Virginia Conference United Methodism on July 1. A reception to welcome him and his wife, Elizabeth, to the Roanoke and New River Valley churches is scheduled July 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. at Cave Spring Church, 4505 Hazel Drive S.W. Worden, who was pastor of South Roanoke United Methodist Church in the mid-1970s, is coming from a five-year ministry at Reveille United Methodist Church in Richmond.
Healing conference
A conference on spiritual healing led by the Rev. Rufus Womble, a leader in the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, is scheduled July 28-29 at the Phoebe Needles Conference Center near Callaway. The retreat, which is open to people of any Christian denomination, will cost $45 if registration is received by Friday, or $55 thereafter. For more information, call 483-3381. The conference is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment but has a focus of Christ's strengthening power for the whole person.
The conference center also is receiving registrations for an ongoing spiritual growth program, Pilgrims on the Way. It will include four retreats each year with the full program taking two years. Leaders will be Dr. Roy Bent, retired professor of philosophy and religion at Roanoke College; Diane Elliott, a graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Direction in Washington; the Rev. Rob Goldsmith, rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Christiansburg, and Sister Eveline Murray, pastoral coordinator of the Roman Catholic Church of the Transfiguration in Fincastle.
Registration is limited to 22 people. For details, call the Rev. Christine Payden-Travers, director of the center and a participant in the program. Those enrolling will agree to a regular program of prayer and study between the retreats.
Statement reworked
Work has begun on a second draft of a sexuality guidance statement to be considered at a Lutheran national Churchwide Assembly on Aug. 16-22, 1995, in Minneapolis. Drafting the document will be the Rev. Dr. Walter R. Bouman of Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio; the Rev. Cynthia L. Ganzkow-Wold of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Middleton, Wis. and the Rev. Eric Gritsch of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pa.
The second draft follows a much-disputed effort in 1993 to express the church's position on several issues including homosexuality. That statement has now been studied in many congregations throughout the nation, and some figures on its acceptance have been released. With 4,721 responses tallied, 40 percent of the clergy do not like the statement compared to 65 percent of laity. Clergy of mixed opinions total 31 percent compared to 21 percent of laity. Of clergy 29 percent liked the statement, with 14 percent of laity giving approval.
The first draft received widespread criticism because it was misinterpreted in many press releases and reached mass communication sources before it went to pastors of churches. Statements easing the church's historic stand on homosexual behavior also received disapproval. The 4,700 formal responses do not include many expressions of opinion obtained through two other sources.
An estimated total of 12,218 people have responded, according to the press report of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
175th anniversary
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond is preparing to celebrate its 175th anniversary in 1995. It also will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the consecration of Bishop Walter F. Sullivan. He served as an assistant to the late Bishop John J. Russell until his elevation in 1974 as bishop of the diocese. Throughout the diocese, which covers most of Virginia, anniversary Masses will be celebrated in the most historic buildings.
The Roanoke area celebration will be at St. Andrew's Church on May 4 at 4 p.m. The parish was formally established in 1890. Other Western Virginia parishes in the diocese established before 1900 are Holy Name of Mary in Bedford, 1894; St. Joseph's in Clifton Forge, 1889; and St. Patrick's in Lexington, 1874 .
Bible survey
A survey taken recently by the Atlanta Journal and Constitution newspaper reveals that two out of three Southerners believe the Bible is to be taken literally compared to 52 percent in other parts of the country. Eight out of 10 Southerners also believe in a real devil and in living angels.
The poll also found that converting people to Christ is not a priority for many Christians. On this question 52 percent of Southerners and 32 percent of Christians elsewhere saw personal evangelism as a major task of church people. Providing moral guidance for young people, worshipping and helping the needy rated higher as duties of those in churches.
by CNB