THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 10, 1995              TAG: 9511100449
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY ESTHER DISKIN, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

LEADER SAYS VIRGINIA BAPTIST RECONCILIATION FAILS SHE SAYS IT'S TIME THE LARGER GROUP MOVED ON WITH ITS GOSPEL COMMISSION.

The president of the Virginia Baptist General Association said Thursday the reconciliation between conservatives and moderates appears to have failed, and the organization must move ahead and focus on spreading the gospel.

``We have wasted too much time, too much energy in this controversy,'' said Margaret Wayland, in an interview on the first day of the association's annual meeting. ``We have to forget all the hurt and move on.''

Conservatives have started meeting separately, and this week voted to hire an executive director to lead their group, called Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.

Conservatives disagree with moderates over the literal interpretation of the Bible, and want to make stronger public statements about the sinfulness of homosexuality and abortion.

Several conservative churches boycotted the moderate-controlled association meeting, and attendance was low, though an official count was not released.

Wayland, whose tenure as president ends today, said she has tried to reach out to conservative leaders and asked several to serve on association committees. Some turned her down, she said.

An association committee set up to mend the rift between conservatives and moderates met a few times and disbanded without accomplishing its purpose.

``One of my goals was to work with all people, all Baptists,'' she said. ``It's something I've tried to do. We have not excluded any person because of where they stood.''

Wayland, of Danville, said divisions can sometimes coexist with growth in church life. She pointed out that this year, for the first time since 1979, the association will not fall short of its budget for promoting Baptist education, missions and charities.

The association on Thursday approved a $15.4 million budget for 1996. Delegates debated and deleted an amendment to cease giving money to any educational institution that served alcohol, an item aimed at the Baptist-founded University of Richmond, which has a pub on campus. In 1996, the association is scheduled to give $1.8 million to educational institutions, including $290,000 to the University of Richmond. ILLUSTRATION: HUY NGUYEN photo, The Virginian-Pilot

Outgoing President Margaret Wayland told the Virginia Baptist

General Association Thursday that it had met its budget.

KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION by CNB