ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 25, 1996 TAG: 9605290050
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
Catholic clergy changes
Several pastors of Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Richmond will begin new assignments effective June 3. Bishop Walter F. Sullivan said both assistant priests at St. Andrew's Church in Roanoke, the Rev. James Fosnot and the Rev. Peter Tran, will be moved. Fosnot will become pastor of St. Catherine's Church at Clarksville and Good Shepherd Church at South Hill. Tran goes from service as an assistant at the Roanoke parish to a similar position at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newport News.
The Rev. Robert Cummins, assistant at Our Lady of Nazareth in Roanoke, is moving to Star of the Sea Church in Virginia Beach, where he also will be parochial vicar, an assistant.
The Rev. J.M. Biber moves from several years as pastor of St. Patrick Church in Lexington to pastor of St. John Neumann at Powhatan; his assignment is effective Aug. 23. The Rev. Alan Lipscomb, who has been an assistant at St. Edward's Church at Bon Air, will succeed Biber in Lexington.
Sullivan also announced the assignment of a Chinese seminarian, Tao Bosco Xu, to St. Mary's Church in Blacksburg.
Newly ordained priests usually are rotated for about five years as parochial vicars, the church's term for assistants, before receiving their own parish. A six-year assignment of a pastor to a parish is customary.
Bishop candidate election
New United Methodist bishops for the Virginia and Holston conferences will be elected at a meeting of clergy and lay delegates of the Southeastern Jurisdiction on July 16-19 at Lake Junaluska, N.C. They will succeed Bishop Thomas B. Stockton of Virginia and Bishop Clay Lee of Holston. Elections for Methodist bishops occur every four years following the national quadrennial convention. Each of the episcopal areas - 50 in the United States and Puerto Rico and 17 in Europe, Africa and the Philippines - has put the name of a pastor in nomination, but those elected generally will not return to their home conference as spiritual and administrative leaders.
Nominee from the Virginia Conference is Ray W. Chamberlain Jr., superintendent of the Richmond District. The corresponding Holston nominee is Charles Lippse, pastor of First Broad United Methodist Church in Kingsport, Tenn.
Methodist conference
The Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church will meet this year in Virginia Beach from June 13-16. Announcement of pastoral assignments, which are made annually, come at the end of the meeting. Although clergy usually serve a church for several years, they are eligible for rotation each June. They will begin their new assignments June 25.
Promise Keepers training
A Promise Keepers training seminar for Christian men is scheduled June 15 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rivermont Presbyterian Church, 2424 Rivermont Ave., Lynchburg. Clinton Rogers, southwestern regional coordinator, said the seminar is especially for men who wish to promote the national program in their churches. Call (804) 846-3441 for more information.
Methodist church rally
Rekindling the Flame, a rally to promote evangelism among United Methodists, is scheduled June 2 at 3 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in Staunton. The Rev. Byron Wilkinson will speak at the informal service in praise and renewal style.
Abuse survivors' retreat
A retreat for survivors of sexual abuse is scheduled June 7-9 at Shalom House, a Roman Catholic center in Hanover County north of Richmond. For registration information, call Cathy Cawley at (804) 883-6149.
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