Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502140010
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: B-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF & WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The role of black Americans in church life will be celebrated in services Sunday and on Feb. 19 at Ferrum College in Franklin County. Both will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Vaughn Chapel. The life and work of Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the early 19th century, will be highlighted on Sunday by the Rev. P.A. Harmon, college chaplain.
On Feb. 19 the service will recognize the ministries of several black women, Jerena Lee, Amanda Berry Smith and Julia A.J. Foote. Call 365-4286.
Buena Vista day care
Stone Church of the Brethren in Buena Vista will begin a day-care center ministry March 6. Directed by Carolyn Shumaker, it will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. At the Care Bear Day Care center, according to Shumaker, social skills, and "noncompetitive play in a Christian context" will be emphasized along with a variety of learning activities. Enrollment is open to children ages 2 1/2 to 5. The center is in compliance with the city and state codes for a religious-exempt facility. Call 261-6946 or 261-7464.
Religion lecture
Religious history will be the topic for a public lecture Feb. 23 at Roanoke College.
Ann Ramsey, assistant professor of history at the University of Texas-Austin, will speaking on "Religious history in a post-modern age: Models of historical development and the fate of the Catholic Reformation."
Ramsey is the daughter of the late D. Woodson Ramsey Jr., a 1928 graduate of Roanoke College and long-time member of its board of trustees.
The lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Sutton Student Center Ballroom. There is no charge.
Faith & Values channel
Customers of Cox Cable Roanoke now have the option of viewing the Faith & Values channel.
Faith and Values, which has been available to Salem cable subscribers for some time, is a combination of programming from VISN an interfaith, ecumenical programming service and ACTS, which is owned and operated by the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission. VISN's 60 member organizations are as diverse as the Mormons, Methodists, Episcopalians, Jews, Baptists and Unitarians.
VISN provides two-thirds of the channel's programming and ACTS one-third.
In addition to traditional broadcasts of worship services, the Faith and Values Channel broadcasts documentary series such as "Elie Wiesel Presents Great Figures of the Bible," "Searching for Community, with M. Scott Peck," and "A World of Ideas with Bill Moyers." There also is speciality music and children's programming each week.
Seminary on probation
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the largest theolgical seminary in the world and a showpiece for the Southern Baptist Convention, is showing some signs of distress in the wake of a conservative shift in control.
The seminary has been placed on probation by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, a professional agency that accredits most of the theological schools in the country.
The probation was apparently the result of problems the agency found in its investigation of the firing of former seminary president Russell Dilday. The probation, which may be appealed, according to seminary officials, is not as serious a sanction as revocation of accredition.
It can lead, however, to difficulties in drawing students. In fact, the Forth Worth, Texas-based school, registered 6 percent fewer students for the spring term this year than last year. That was a drop of 197 students, to a total of 3,117.
At the same time, the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond - begun four years ago as an alternative to Southern Baptist Convention seminaries - has been granted "candidate" status by the theological accrediting agency. Full accreditation is expected after a period of self-study by the seminary.
Bible replaced beer
MERRIMACK, N.H. - Question: What medical problem did the biblical figure Samson suffer from?
Answer: fallen arches.
That and other Bible trivia questions, plus more serious religious fare, were on the menu recently at an unusual Super Bowl party - a family style one without beer held in a church basement.
One of the largest Super Bowl parties in Merrimack featured the Bible instead of beer.
``OK, it's Bible trivia time,'' the Rev. William Balson told the crowd of about 75 during one of the many commercials.
Balson, of Grace Baptist Church, wore a coach's whistle and T-shirt that said, ``Super Bowl Party staff.''
At the half, Balson played a video of Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White and other pro players discussing their religion.
Leader concerned
NEW ELLENTON, S.C. - More Southern Baptist churches are being built in South Carolina, but they are drawing fewer members, a church leader says.
Carlisle Driggers, Southern Baptist state executive director, said that only 30 percent of the convention's 1,850 churches are maintaining or increasing their memberships.
Driggers said memberships are eroding because of divided congregations.
``Let us all move forward with our eyes on the prize,'' he said. ``We have a determination in our churches to grow.''
Driggers and other church officials were in New Ellenton dedicating the new Corinth Baptist Church. It is one of the churches that has continued to grow during the past five years, Driggers said. The church has 500 members.
Foster homes urged
SALT LAKE CITY - Mormon leaders are urging church members to consider Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt's plea for citizens to provide foster care for needy children.
In a recent statement, the faith's governing First Presidency said such children, regardless of religious affiliation, ``need the care of kind, loving parents who will soothe, comfort and provide a safe environment for them.''
In his State of the State address, Leavitt appealed to ``good people to do what government can't do and that's be a family to a child who isn't safe going home.''
The address by Leavitt, a Mormon, came 31/2 months after a similar appeal by Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor to President Howard W. Hunter in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Hinckley, next in line to be church president, told a churchwide audience in October that it is the responsibility of Christians and ``men and women of good will everywhere to reach out to ease the plight of suffering children, to lift them from the rut of despair in which they walk. ...''
In their statement last month, Hunter, Hinckley and second counselor Thomas S. Monson expressed confidence that church members ``in a position to help, once they understand the need, will respond to the governor's plea and be anxious and willing to assist.''
by CNB