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Rev. N. J. L'Heureux, Jr., Publisher & Editor
Rev. Pedro Bravo-Guzman, Editor-in-Chief
An Ecumenical Report of Local and Global News
in God's Household
Published by the Queens Federation of Churches
ELCA Presiding Bishop Focuses on Peace, Hope for Middle East May 27, 2003, JERUSALEM - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), thanked members of the Lutheran church here for their faithfulness to God and for their efforts to promote a lasting and just peace for all people in the Middle East. The Lutherans' "steadfastness in the face of great suffering becomes God's proclamation to the world," said Hanson. "Today, you embody the risen Christ in the world," he told the combined churches of Arabic- and English-speaking members and invited guests. Hanson, who is leading an eight-member ELCA delegation here, preached May 25 during worship at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, located in the "Old City." The congregation is one of five of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine) (ELCJ). Church World Service Welcomes First Somali Bantu Refugees May 21, 2003, DENVER, CO & PHOENIX, AZ - Global humanitarian agency Church World Service and its partner agencies will welcome the first two families of Somali Bantu refugees to be resettled in the U.S. on May 22 in Denver, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona. The Bantu families' arrival marks a new chapter in the life of a people who have lived in constant oppression for almost two centuries. The two families are the first of a group of approximately 12,000 Somali Bantu that the U.S. State Department has approved for resettlement in nearly 50 U.S. cities over the next two years. May 19, 2003, PRINCETON, NJ - More than a decade has passed since the end of the Cold War, and the world has abruptly entered a new era in which religious belief can seem distressingly linked to acts of terrible violence. Assorted terrorists, sometimes acting as mobs, sometimes working alone as suicide bombers, often cite religious beliefs to try to justify murder and mayhem. On one hand, this means that religion must be regarded with the utmost seriousness in the 21st century, for the world cannot be fully understood otherwise. But should these events also impel believers of different faiths to work together for understanding and harmony? Rite of Blessing Authorized in Diocese of New Westminster May 29, 2003 – Clergy in six parishes within the Diocese of New Westminster have been authorised to perform a rite of blessing of committed same sex unions. In so doing, all provisions of the motion passed by Diocesan Synod in June, 2002, are now fulfilled. That motion (Motion 7) requested that Bishop Michael Ingham authorize a rite of blessing of homosexual couples. It was the third time the synod had by majority vote requested the rite. The bishop did not consent to the request in 1998 and 2001, but did consent last year. May 26, 2003, DENVER - The Rev. Donald A. Elliott, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, of Corinth, MS, and president of Presbyterians Pro-Life (PPL), welcomed friends and supporters to the organizations annual General Assembly dinner Sunday night. After briefly updating the diners on PPLs activities over the past year, Elliott said, We have an imperative, a call of God, to be at each General Assembly. Public Servants Honored as Women of Faith May 26, 2003, DENVER - The Annual Women of Faith Breakfast featured inspirational talks by three women who received awards for their work in Gods Realm: Government or Public Service. Smiley Recalls Dreams of Peace May 26, 2003, DENVER - Presbyterian Peacemaker Bob Smiley recalled the document that has guided and defined the denominations peacemaking efforts since 1980 in a speech given Sunday night at the Peacemaking dinner. Smiley, who served the Presbyterian Church (USA) as director of its United Nations Office for 27 years, was speaking about Peacemaking, the Believers Calling, which envisioned a resolution of conflicts between nations. Minister's Newsletter Provides 'Something to Chew On' May 20, 2003 – The Rev. Dave Wilkinson has a lot of experience in soul food - or, as he puts it, "something to chew on that is good for the soul." That's how he describes SOUND BITES, a free e-mail publication ministry he founded four years ago in memory of his son, Dustin. Five days a week, he spends typically 30 minutes selecting, formatting and distributing someone else's words "to chew on." A daily "bite" averages 60 words. Moments after he hits the computer "send" button in his office at First United Methodist Church in Green Bay, Wis., some 800 subscribers have those "bites" to chew on. Sense of Humor, Mutual Respect Keep this Marriage Strong May 29, 2003 – Betty and Charles Hurlock have been happily married since Aug. 20, 1946. "I went to Atlanta to get an education at Emory University," Charles says. "Then I met this girl. One thing led to another, and boy did I get educated!" You don't have to talk to Betty and Charles for long before you realize one secret to their long marriage: a good sense of humor. Summit Produces Call for Global Baptist Mission Agency May 27, 2003, VALLEY FORGE, Pa. - The recent "Summit on Baptist Mission in the 21st Century" produced a proposal for an international Baptist mission agency that would send and support Baptist missionaries from the two-thirds world who feel called by God to missionary work beyond their own borders but lack the financial resources to do so. That call was presented by the Rev. Dr. Denton Lotz, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, which sponsored the event held May 5-8 in Swanwick, England. One Is the Onliest
Number May 19, 2003, PITTSBURGH - In a religiously diverse world, what does it mean to confess faith in the singular God revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit? "We believe in one God" was the topic of a four-day convocation sponsored by the Office of Theology and Worship (OTW) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) - the last of three theological symposiums exploring central tenets of the Nicene Creed. May 26, 2003, DENVER – The General Assembly Committee on Church Polity (CCP) voted 46-10 to recommend that the Assembly eliminate a provision in its standing rules on the enforcement of judicial commission orders, because it seems inconsistent with language in the PC(USA) constitution. That was one of two items on the committees agenda having to do with clarifying the Assemblys role in cases in which Presbyterian individuals or congregations defy constitutional provisions. National Issues Committee Discusses Family Paper May 26, 2003, DENVER - The General Assembly Committee on National Issues held an open hearing Monday on a controversial policy paper about the changing nature of families in U.S. society. The paper, Living Faithfully with Families in Transition, developed by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP), is expected to spark debate during the Assembly. It documents the changing structure of family life which now includes single-parent households, children raised by grandparents or other non-parent relatives and domestic partnerships other than marriage, for example and discusses how various kinds of families (and the church) can raise children faithfully and responsibly in a variety of family circumstances. Same Chapter, Different
Verse - May 19, 2003, LOUISVILLE - The Virginia lawyer who has accused more than 20 Presbyterian ministers of failing to uphold the so-called "fidelity/chastity" provision of The Book of Order has charged a North Carolina pastor with heresy on doctrinal grounds. Paul Rolf Jensen filed the complaint against the Rev. W. Robert Martin III, a member of Western North Carolina Presbytery who is transferring to the Presbytery of San Jose in California, where he has been called to be pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. Luncheon Speakers Praise Christian Educators May 26, 2003, DENVER - Presbyterian Christian educators enthusiastically received former Moderator Fahed Abu-Akel and Prof. Grace Yuell when they jointly addressed the annual General Assembly luncheon of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) on Monday. Yuell, a professor of Christian education at Presbyterian College and author of this years Assembly Bible study, introduced the theme, The Connection between Mission and Education, with the image of two women, many years ago, riding horseback through Appalachia with Bibles attached to their belts, taking the gospel to children as mission extension workers. Committee Approves Peace Measures May 26, 2003, DENVER - The General Assembly Peacemaking Committee has voted to recommend approval of Overture 3-04, from Mission Presbytery in Texas, on U.S. fulfillment of nuclear non-proliferation commitments. Episcopalians: Colorado Conference Explores 'What Makes Us Human?' May 23, 2003 – Scientists, philosophers, and theologians challenged assumptions and explored possibilities together at What Makes Us Human? Engaging Faith and Science, a conference jointly sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and the University of Colorado, held May 15-16, 2003. The conference featured as keynote speakers the Rev. Dr. John Polkinghorne and Dr. Norman Pace, who stimulated a wide-ranging conversation with panelists and participants. Church Finance Agency Seeks New Level of Efficiency May 23, 2003, NORCROSS, Ga. - Efficiency and streamlining have become bywords as the United Methodist Church's financial agency works on the denomination's budget proposal for 2005-08. The weak U.S. economy and decreasing contributions have added to the challenge of that task. Meeting May 19-22, the General Council on Finance and Administration stressed the importance of finding new ways to help the church fulfill its mission while spending less on administration. Besides working on the budget for the denomination's next four-year period of work, the GCFA also discussed a step it's considering to cut costs: consolidating operations to Nashville, Tenn. Orthodox Participation in WCC: Meeting to Propose next Steps May 28, 2003 – The Steering Committee of a Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of Churches (WCC) will meet - in the place where Orthodox challenges to the Council first came to light five years ago - to oversee the implementation of its 2002 recommendations. ELCA, Reform Judaism Leaders Meet in Dialogue May 20, 2003, CHICAGO - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), joined with other ELCA leaders here May 12 for an informal dialogue with leaders representing the Commission on Interreligious Affairs of Reform Judaism. After the day-long dialogue at the ELCA churchwide office, the leaders agreed to meet for more discussions over a two-year period, said the Rev. Franklin Sherman, associate for interfaith relations, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs, Allentown, Pa. A committee to followup on the dialogue was named, Sherman said. Pastoral Letter from the Primates of the Anglican Communion May 27, 2003 – The Primates of the Anglican Communion send this pastoral letter to all bishops, clergy and people of our churches, with the desire that it be read or distributed at public worship on the Feast of Pentecost, 2003. Lutheran Ecumenical Representatives Meet in Savannah May 27, 2003, SAVANNAH, Ga. - Members of the Lutheran Ecumenical Representatives Network (LERN) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) held their annual meeting here May 12-15, during the National Workshop on Christian Unity. A leading topic of the meeting was how agreements the ELCA has reached with other church bodies can be "lived out" in the ELCA's 10,766 congregations and other ministry settings. Congregations of the ELCA are organized into 65 synods, each headed by a bishop. Each bishop names one representative to LERN, which is coordinated through the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs. Faithworks and Spring Harvest Offer Award for Best UK Churches' Community Project May 23, 2003 – Faithworks and Spring Harvest in the UK are to award £10,000 to a project that is inspired by Christian faith and is demonstrating best practice in community development. The Faithworks Award 2003 will consist of a development grant from the Spring Harvest Charitable Trust and ongoing strategic support and resources from Faithworks Consultancy. European Anglicans Set Common Goals at Madrid Consultation May 20, 2003 – Steps toward greater co-operation of the four Anglican jurisdictions were evident at the 16-18 May 2003 Partners in Mission consultation held in Spain. Building upon the progress to common mission and witness already experienced in parts of Europe, the group, complete with representatives of ecumenical partners and the wider Anglican Communion, set common goals in areas of theological education, engaging with youth and calling for a rotating presidency of the four diocesan bishops. Participacisn ortodoxa en el CMI: evalzan progresos y proponen prsximos pasos 28 de mayo de 2003 – El Comiti Directivo de la Comisisn Especial sobre la Participacisn Ortodoxa en el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) se reunira - en el mismo lugar donde fue planteado el desafmo ortodoxo cinco aqos atras - para supervisar la implementacisn de sus recomendaciones del aqo pasado. Bishop of Minnesota Joins Lawsuit Challenging State's New 'Concealed' Handguns May 23, 2003 – Bishop James L. Jelinek of the Diocese of Minnesota has joined a lawsuit that seeks to challenge the constitutionality of a recently enacted Minnesota statute permitting concealed handguns in various places, including the parking lots of church buildings. According to the new law, called the Minnesota Citizens' Personal Protection Act of 2003, concealed weapons can be banned inside church buildings but only by the posting of signs and verbal notification. It is to become effective 30 days after enactment, May 28, 2003. Episcopal Church Applauds New Global Initiatives in Congress May 23, 2003 – The Episcopal Church's advocates on global issues celebrated a double legislative victory this week as the U.S. Congress passed legislation to authorize a $15 billion program to combat global AIDS and to direct the Bush Administration to negotiate deeper debt relief for the world's poorest countries. On May 16, the United States Senate unanimously passed the global AIDS bill, H.R. 1298, "The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS Act of 2003." The legislation tracks closely a plan outlined by President Bush in his State of the Union speech to address the AIDS crisis in Africa and the Caribbean. Thousands Flee Fighting in Congo's Ituri Province May 21, 2003, GENEVA - People continue to flee the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province in terror, escaping either eastward to Uganda or south to Beni. The BBC reports that a UN mission in DR Congo says that it has found the bodies of more than 230 people killed during recent clashes between rival militias in the regional capital, Bunia. Pacific Islanders Say U.S. Should Apologize for Testing May 20, 2003 – A delegation of United Methodist leaders joined with Marshall Islands residents in calling for the U.S. government to apologize for the nuclear testing that it performed on the islands 49 years ago - testing that is believed to have caused widespread health problems for the people there. The delegation and residents of the Pacific islands also emphasized the need for the government to provide better health care for the affected residents. World Health Assembly: Economic Programmes Sometimes Prevent Health for All May 22, 2003 – Some recent economic programmes have endangered people's health, especially the health of poor people, and are one of the most significant barriers to 'Health For All'. This is what civil society speakers said at a symposium organized on 20 May 2003 - the second day of the 56th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Archbishop of Canterbury Arrives in Brazil; Anglican Leaders Meet in Gramado May 20, 2003 – The chief archbishops of the Anglican Communion have arrived in Southern Brazil for their regular 'Primates Meeting,' hosted by the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brasil. This is Archbishop Rowan Williams' first meeting as Archbishop of Canterbury, but he is no stranger to the Primates. He has attended the last three meetings as Archbishop of Wales. Other Archbishops of Canterbury have paid pastoral visits to Brazil, the first was the visit of Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1974, then Archbishop Robert Runcie in 1990 and Archbishop Carey in 1999. 'Suffering
Christ Tells Best the Story' May 19, 2003, LOUISVILLE - Sometimes people don't know what to make of Mitri Raheb. He's an Arab Palestinian Lutheran Christian pacifist pastor and educator from Bethlehem with a German education and a Vatican passport and an office in the River City headquarters building of the Presbyterian Church (USA). "Whenever I introduce myself, people are shocked, or confused, to meet at Arab Palestinian Christian ... who is not a recent convert, but a person whose roots go back to the first missionary, Jesus Christ himself," Raheb said recently. "In fact, our (Palestinian) forefathers were the ones to export the gospel so successfully. ... "For many people, this is a view of history they are not used to, because they think Arab is only a Muslim. But I always tell them: The gospel was already proclaimed in the Arabic language at Pentecost." Lack of Security Threatens Citizens, Relief Groups in Iraq May 23, 2003, BAGHDAD - Dr. Abdul Heelo and his staff have no idea why a U.S. Abrams tank crashed through the wall of the Al Rashid psychiatric hospital during the fall of Baghdad. They are sure, however, of what happened afterward. A large group of looters, taking advantage of opportunities provided by the fighting, poured in through the gap left by the tank. They raped 10 female patients, stole equipment and destroyed much of the building and its records, leaving the hospital incapable of providing care. The violence at the Al Rashid hospital is just one example of how Iraqi society is breaking down in the post-Saddam power vacuum. In the streets, markets, hospitals and places of worship, everyone asks: When will the Americans bring security? End Occupation for Middle East Peace, Says Catholic Patriarch May 23, 2003, JERUSALEM - The only way to begin to develop a lasting peace for all people in the Middle East is for the State of Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, areas inhabited by Palestinians, said His Beatitude Michael Sabbah, Latin Catholic Patriarch for the region. Sabbah made the comment in a one-hour meeting May 23 with the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Hanson is leading an eight-member ELCA delegation in a visit to the Holy Land. The visit is being coordinated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine), led by the Rev. Munib A. Younan, the Lutheran bishop in Jerusalem. United Nations Must Assume Full Authority in Rebuilding Iraq May 21, 2003 – The Anglican Consultative Council, representative of a worldwide Anglican Communion of 70 million people in 164 countries, reaffirms its full confidence in the authority of the United Nations and the Secretary General to rebuild Iraq in the interests of the Iraqi people and in accordance with international law. It believes that Peace with Justice in Iraq can only be achieved through multilateral cooperation under the sole authority of the United Nations as the truly impartial and representative body of all member states. It therefore calls on all governments to cooperate fully in making sure that the United Nations is given full authority to administer and monitor the rebuilding of Iraq in a way that will maximize benefits to the Iraqi people. May 28, 2003, AMMAN, Jordan - Representatives of each of Iraqs major religious groups - including Shi'ite, Sunni, and Christian leaders - today rejected violence and called for common action to build a just society in Iraq. The meeting, titled Rejecting Violence and Promoting Peace with Justice, was convened by the World Conference on Religion and Peace, and hosted by its Moderator, His Royal Highness Prince El-Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. This was the first time representatives of all Iraqi religions met since Saddam Hussein took power. U.S. Help Needed in Jerusalem Tax Case, Presiding Bishop Told May 23, 2003, JERUSALEM - Help is needed from members of the U.S. Congress to contact U.S. State Department and Israeli government officials urging them to advise the State of Israel to drop a court case that would enable them to collect an employer's tax from Augusta Victoria Hospital, said Craig Kippels, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) representative here. The hospital, located on the Mount of Olives in occupied East Jerusalem, has been operated by the LWF for more than 50 years. Spring Episcopal Elections Include Church's First Gen-X Bishop May 19, 2003 – According to the definition used by Gathering the neXt Generation, the Rev. Johncy Itty, elected ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon on May 17, will be the Episcopal Church's first Generation X bishop. Born in Bhopal, India, in 1963, Itty falls squarely within the 1961-1981 time frame that defines Gen Xers. Currently he is canon residentiary of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York. He served as social justice officer on the staff at the Episcopal Church Center 1998-2000 and as human rights officer in the office of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations 1995-98. Pastor Becomes U.S. Citizen after 43 Years May 26, 2003, DENVER - When he talks, it is obvious that the Rev. J. Barrie Shepherd was not born in the United States. This retired Presbyterian minister is known around the church for his widely published poetry and for his delightful Scottish brogue. What many of his church friends may not know is that Shepherd, who has lived in the United States for 43 years, did not become a U.S. citizen until moved to do so by the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. Shepherd left Scotland and came to the United States for graduate study in 1960. His wife, Mhairi, joined him a year later. They raised four daughters together. He served as a pastor. They considered this country their home, but on paper they remained citizens of Great Britain.
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