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25-Jan-96

96043                   Notes about People 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
     The Rev. John E. Rickard was elected executive presbyter for North 
Alabama Presbytery on Jan. 18.  Service in his new position was scheduled 
to begin Feb. 1 and he will be installed at the presbytery's winter 
meeting, Feb. 17, in Huntsville. 
     Rickard has been serving as interim executive for the Presbytery of 
the James and was previously interim executive for Tropical Florida 
Presbytery.  He succeeds the Rev. Houston Hodges, who retired last spring. 
 
                              # # # 
 
     The Rev. Cecilio Arrastia, a Cuban-born Presbyterian who was 
considered one of the outstanding preachers and evangelists in Latin 
America and among the Hispanic community in the United States, died Dec. 24 
in Pompano Beach, Fla. 
     Arrastia was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, in 1922.  He graduated from 
the International Evangelical Theological Seminary of Rio Piedras, Puerto 
Rico, and McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.  Ordained in 1946, he 
served as a pastor and radio evangelist throughout Latin America before 
coming to the United States, where he served as associate for Latino 
mission development in the Program Agency of the former United Presbyterian 
Church in the U.S.A.  Following reunion he served in the Evangelism and 
Church Development Ministry Unit until his retirement in 1988. 
     Arrastia is survived by his wife, Palmira, and two sons, Maritza and 
Javier. 
 
                              # # # 
 
     David Weadon, director of music and lecturer in church music at 
Princeton Theological Seminary, died Dec. 30 of complications from AIDS. 
Weadon was buried in North Carolina Jan. 6. Memorial services have been 
scheduled Jan. 31 in Miller Chapel at the seminary and Feb. 10 in the 
Princeton University Chapel. 
 
                             # # # 
                                 
     The Rev. Al Sandalow, pastor of Pennfield Presbyterian Church in 
Battle Creek, Mich., will host a gathering of Presbyterian ministers who 
attend the Feb. 13-15 Clergy Conference for Men in Atlanta sponsored by 
Promise Keepers.  The gathering will be Feb. 14 at North Avenue 
Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.  More information is available from 
Sandalow at (616) 965-0818. 
 
                              # # # 
 
     James A. Hamilton, a United Methodist layperson, has retired after 37 
years with the National Council of Churches (NCC), including an 18-month 
stint as general secretary from July 1989 through March 1991. 
     Hamilton directed the NCC's Washington office beginning in 1968 and 
also served as deputy to three NCC general secretaries -- Claire Randall, 
Arie Brouwer and the current general secretary, Joan Brown Campbell. 
 
                              # # # 
 
     Richard Willette, husband of San Francisco Presbytery executive 
presbyter the Rev. Jan Willette, died Jan. 21.  Willette had suffered a 
massive stroke the previous week from which he never regained 
consciousness. 

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