HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 638 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 9, 2007 Celebrating the life of the Reverend Dr. Rufus J. Womble. ---------- Patron-- O'Bannon ----------

WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Rufus J. Womble of Richmond, a beloved priest and minister of healing at All Saints Episcopal Church, died on November 15, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Rufus Womble was born and raised in North Carolina, where he attended school, participated in sports, and taught and coached at the high school level; and

WHEREAS, called to the ministry, Rufus Womble attended Virginia Theological Seminary, received a master’s degree in 1940, was ordained to the diaconate on June 16, 1940, and became a priest in 1941; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Womble was a priest at St. Mark’s Church in Roxboro and at Christ Church in Milton, both in North Carolina; served his country during World War II as a chaplain; and moved to Richmond, where he was rector of the Church of the Epiphany from 1945 to 1958; and

WHEREAS, in 1958, Dr. Womble was called to Christ Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, as rector, where he served until 1980 and until his passing as rector emeritus; during this time, he ministered on a daily television show, which lasted for more than 20 years; and

WHEREAS, by age 39, Dr. Womble was diagnosed with crippling arthritis and could not walk; after he himself was healed, he became dedicated to the ministry of healing; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Womble became a chaplain of the International Order of Saint Luke the Physician (OSL) and served as head of the OSL and its 7,000 worldwide members from 1978 to 1983; and

WHEREAS, after retirement, Dr. Womble became associate priest at All Saints Episcopal Church in Richmond, where he served as priest in charge of the church's healing ministry for more than 25 years; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Womble continued to serve as Warden Emeritus of the OSL, conducting more than 650 healing missions in 38 states and 10 foreign countries; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Womble wrote Wilt Thou Be Made Whole, which has sold more than 25,000 copies, and 11 other booklets on healing, which have sold more than 200,000 copies; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the passing of a beloved priest and minister of healing and fine Virginian, the Reverend Dr. Rufus J. Womble; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Dr. Rufus J. Womble and the parishioners of All Saints Episcopal Church as an expression of the respect in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly.