Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 21, 1995 TAG: 9510230091
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Virginia Council of Churches, an ecumenical agency based in Richmond, is seeking church sponsors for refugees from the African nation of the Sudan. Sponsors commit to a minimum of three months to help the refugees become self-sufficient. Help is expected to include pickup at the airport, temporary housing, food, clothing, a health exam and a job appropriate to the individual's skills. Two Western Virginia denominations, the Episcopal and the Church of the Brethren, have special contacts with the Christian communities of the war-torn southern Sudan. For more information, call the Rev. Joe Roberson at (804) 321-3305.
150th anniversary
St. John's Episcopal Church in Wytheville will mark its 150th anniversary Oct. 29 with the dedication of a memorial garden and columbarium for placement of cremated ashes. Bishop A. Heath Light will officiate at the service at 3:30 p.m. A reception will follow.
Festival of Faith
The Rev. Greg Reynolds, a 1975 graduate of Martinsville High School who now is pastor of Penn Forest Wesleyan Church in Roanoke County, will preach for Festival of Faith revival services Thursday through Oct. 29 at Clearview Wesleyan Church in Martinsville. His wife, Becky, will be song leader. Worship during the week will start at 7 p.m. On Sunday the 10:45 a.m. service will feature Blacksburg musicians Jim and Violet Long. The Sunday night service will start at 6.
Mission study tour
The Society of St. Andrew, a Christian service community in Bedford County, will sponsor a mission study tour to China and Hong Kong in the spring of 1996. The specific dates have not been set. The tour will be led by Kenneth Horne and Ray Buchanan, directors of the society who recently returned from the Far East countries. Call (800) 333-4597.
Spiritual healing
Ann Marie Hancock, a former Richmond television personality who many believe has the gift of healing, will be in Roanoke's St. Elias Catholic Church on Wednesday for ``An Evening of Prayer for Healing.''
She will be accompanied by Abbot Benedict McDermott of Mary Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond.
Hancock's devotion to Mary, the mother of Christ, led her to visit Medjugorje, in what is now Bosnia, in 1987. The villiage is reputed to be the site of a visitation by Mary to a group of young people.
Hancock later wrote a testimony and guidebook on the site called ``Be a Light: Miracles at Medjugorje.''
In 1992, she made a trip to Conyers, Ga., where a woman named Nancy Fowler has been relaying messages she says come from Mary and Jesus to huge throngs who gather there on the 13th of each month.
After that trip, people began reporting physical and spiritual healing as a result of Hancock's prayers for them. She now travels extensively leading prayer sessions similar to the one planned for Roanoke.
The service will begin at 7 p.m. at the church, 4730 Cove Road N.W. An offering will be taken to help defray expenses of the trip.
Christian evangelist
Nationally traveled and recorded Christian evangelist Scott Olson of Jamestown, N.Y., will perform Sunday at 7 p.m. at First Wesleyan Church, 3706 Peters Creek Road N.W. An offering will be taken.
Vocal recital
Lt. Col. D.C. Washington, on active duty with the United States Army, will present a vocal recital Sunday at 7 p.m. at Oakland Baptist Church. Washington was the featured soloist in a nationally televised World War II memorial service in Hawaii. The church is located at 3623 Roundhill Ave. N.W.
Church tours
Six historic Lynchburg churches will be toured Nov. 19 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. in a fund-raising event for the Women's Resource Center of Central Virginia. They include Centenary United Methodist, Court Street Baptist, First Baptist, First Unitarian, Holy Trinity Lutheran and St. George Greek Orthodox. The advance tickets of $10 include a tea at the Lutheran church. Call (804) 847-0258 for details.
Unity statement
United Methodists and Jews may come closer together in their understanding of God's place in history if a new statement drafted by the Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns is adopted by the 1996 General Conference of Methodism. The statement, which would replace one of 1972, notes that both groups share a major part of the Bible and are committed to human justice, compassion, peace and prayer. The statement reflects the view that while Jesus Christ holds a more exalted position among Methodists, God has manifested his power and love through the Jewish people for more than 5,000 years and they have continued to live in faith despite many unbearable times when persecuted.
Healing retreat
On Nov. 3 and 4 the Roanoke Chapter of the Order of St. Luke the Physician will sponsor an overnight retreat at Bonsack United Methodist Church on Bonsack Road. It will be led by the Rev. Rufus Womble, a retired Episcopal clergyman from Richmond who experienced a spiritual healing more than 40 years ago and has since led many conferences and written on the subject. Friday night's program will start at 7:30 with Saturday lecture at 9:45 a.m. and a healing service at 1:15 p.m.
by CNB