ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602270071
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
42,000 clergy attend
ATLANTA - The first clergy conference sponsored by the men's ministry organization Promise Keepers brought 42,000 clergymen from all 50 states and more than a dozen foreign countries to the Georgia Dome recently.
The organization billed the meeting as the largest gathering of Christian clergy ever. Six Indian ministers walked from Cherokee, N.C., to the meeting.
Entering to a standing ovation recently, Promise Keepers founder and former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney described the clergy conference as ``a dream come true for me'' that can have impact ``for the duration of life on Earth.''
Touching on themes stressed by Promise Keepers, he told the clergymen that the church is being held in bondage by racism.
``Racism is an insidious monster,'' he said. ``You can't say you love God and not love your brother.''
New camp director
Michael E. Haubner, 29, has become the first manager of Blue Ridge Christian Camp at McCoy in Montgomery County. He and his wife, Debbie, a former Christiansburg resident, recently have been on a mission assignment in Brazil for Churches of Christ/Christian congregations. Haubner is a 1989 graduate of Kentucky Christian College. The camp serves members of conservative Christian congregations throughout Western Virginia.
Spirituality workshop
A British author and urban mission worker, Kenneth Leech, will lead a workshop, "Your Spirituality and Your Ministry," March 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton. The $20 cost includes lunch. Call 886-9132 by Friday to register. Leech is the author of "Soul Friend" and "True Prayer," books on spiritual growth.
The Victors to perform
The Victors, a Roanoke contemporary gospel group, will perform Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Shady Grove Baptist Church on Virginia 619 in Bedford County.
Lent in Martinsville
Four guest leaders will present programs for Lent at Christ Episcopal Church in Martinsville beginning Wednesday, when the speakers will be Lynwood and Anna Bowe Wells of Union, W.Va. The former members of the Martinsville parish recently returned from Russia. Their West Virginia church is linked with an Eastern Orthodox congregation there.
Other speakers will be the Rev. Rod Sinclair of Blacksburg on March 6, Andrew McThenia of Lexington on March 13 and Kenneth Branham, a Monacan Indian from Amherst County, on March 20. Branham will be accompanied by Ralph Wiegandt of Fincastle. All programs begin with worship at 7 p.m. Child care is provided.
Spiritual Adventure
Four United Methodist congregations - Burnsville, Eden, Starr-Bolar and Virginia Chapel in Bath County - are participating for Lent in a worldwide 50-day growth program known as Spiritual Adventure. Intended to combat moral confusion about many contemporary issues, Spiritual Adventure will continue through Easter. For a schedule of studies at the four rural churches, call the Rev. Bob Ford at 839-2013.
Some suicide aid OK'd
At its recent annual convention the Episcopal Diocese of Newark in northern New Jersey approved a statement that helping someone else commit suicide may be morally acceptable.
The resolution, approved by two-thirds of the 600 delegates, was the result of a year-long study by a diocesan task force. It calls suicide by a terminally ill person acceptable "when pain is persistent and/or progressive; when all other reasonable means of amelioration of pain and suffering have been exhausted; and when the decision to hasten death is a truly informed and voluntary choice free from external coercion."
According to the Episcopal News Service, at the same meeting the diocesan bishop, former Virginian John S. Spong, announced that he hopes to retire during the next year. Spong, 64, said, however, that he will remain active in combatting what he considers archaic literalism in Scripture interpretation. He has often been the target of conservative Christian critics for his stands on social issues.
Pleads guilty in theft
Ellen F. Cooke, former national treasurer of the Episcopal Church, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24 to transferring stolen money across state lines and tax evasion. Cooke has admitted stealing more than $1.5 million from the church. In U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., Cooke said she has been mentally ill and is being treated with prescription drugs for her condition. According to the Episcopal News Service, Cooke will be sentenced April 29. She could receive as much as 10 years in a federal prison with a $250,000 fine for the unauthorized transfer of church funds and another five years in prison and $100,000 fine for tax evasion. However, a prison term of about three years is likely, according to lawyers representing the church.
At Colonial Baptist
A leader in the fundamentalist Christian school and political movement, the Rev. Dr. Don Boys of Chattanooga, Tenn., will speak Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Colonial Baptist Church, 106 Hillcrest St. in Blue Ridge. Boys, 61, has traveled nationally as an evangelist and is the author of eight books. He also is a former member of the Indiana legislature and heads an agency supporting home schooling. Call 977-5683 for more information.
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