 |
 |
 |
 |
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
|
Blair Meets with NCC's Edgar, and Religious Leaders June 8, 2005 WASHINGTON – National Council of Churches USA General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, was among top religious leaders who met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair here Tuesday to discuss debt relief, alleviating poverty in Africa and the growing threat of global climate change. Mr. Blair called the meeting to encourage religious leaders to push the U.S. government to do more to address these issues. "NCC has already been working diligently to advocate for better environmental stewardship and debt relief in Africa and other countries," Edgar said. "I am glad we had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Blair to share what we are doing and to discuss how we can move forward in a positive direction to find solutions to these challenges." Immigration Reform, Workers' Rights: Arizona Diocese Sets August Summit June 3, 2005 – The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona is hosting an Aug. 19-20 summit to help empower local congregations as advocates for immigration reform and the rights of undocumented workers, Diocesan Bishop Kirk S. Smith has announced. The conference is a faith-based response to existing anti-immigration sentiment, which is often fueled by misinformation, fear and racism, said Smith, the Bishop of Arizona. Historical Interfaith Convocation Insists "Hunger No More" June 8, 2005, Washington, DC – In an unprecedented gathering, more than 1,000 people of various religious affiliations joined leaders of more than 40 faith communities for an interfaith convocation at Washington National Cathedral June 6 united in a common conviction that no one should go hungry. Hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., the event formed part of the One Table, Many Voices conference, a mobilization organized by two advocacy groups, Bread for the World and Call to Renewal, to highlight issues of domestic and international hunger and to call on President Bush and the United States Congress to commit to eradicating poverty worldwide. Addressing the "Hunger No More" convocation, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town spoke passionately about how "the plight of the hungry must not be left for heaven." US Christian Leaders Contemplate Formation of Christian Churches Together June 6, 2005 – Sixty-seven national Christian leaders from five Christian families – evangelical/Pentecostal, historic Protestant, historic racial/ethnic, Orthodox and Roman Catholic – met in their fifth and largest gathering to pray and dialogue together at the Jesuit Conference Center in Los Altos, California, from June 1ñ3, 2005. Since its initial gathering in 2001, Christian Churches Together has sought to form a fellowship of the broadest spectrum of Christian churches and traditions in the USA. The gathering at Los Altos brought together a wider, more diverse circle of Christian church leaders than at any of the previous four meetings. Thirty-one churches and national Christian organizations have already formally decided to join Christian Churches Together. Twenty additional church leaders attended as observers from denominations that are actively considering joining. June 9, 2005, REYKHOLT, Iceland/GENEVA – "Lutheran Churches in Europe – Set Free to Be a Healing Communion," is the theme of a regional Lutheran World Federation (LWF) consultation taking place, June 8-13 in Reykholt, Iceland. Over 90 bishops, superintendents, pastors, and representatives of LWF member churches from 23 European countries are participating. Rev. Dr Andreas Woehle, Area Secretary for Europe in the LWF Department for Mission and Development (DMD) said one of the key issues at the LWF European Church Leadership Consultation is: "What models of leadership are favorable to a church that has the self-understanding of being church in communion?" Faith, Religion, Modernity: a Critical Moment June 8, 2005 – The summer tranquillity of Lake Geneva contrasts sharply with the sense of urgency in the nearby Ecumenical Centre, headquarters of the World Council of Churches. The feeling is shared by the broad group of religious leaders, academic specialists and grassroots activists from virtually all the major world faith communities who have come together to reflect on a "critical moment" in interreligious dialogue. Like the proverbial blind villagers trying to describe an elephant, conference participants began the meeting by identifying different aspects of the "post-modern" challenge before them. Theological Conference to Study Roles of Pastor, Laity in Congregation June 3, 2005 – "The Congregation's Ministry and Mission: Who's in Charge Here?" will be the theme as representatives of the 35 LCMS districts gather for a second Model Theological Conference Aug. 23-25 at the Marriott Camelback Inn, Phoenix. Districts have been invited to send three to five representatives, including the district president, a pastor, a commissioned minister, and a layperson. The representatives will serve as planning committees to organize similar conferences in their home districts. On a Role – Pastor's Retreat Experience: a Case of Mistaken Identity June 10, 2005, WA SNOWBIRD, UT – COOL. The word aptly describes my mood as I arrived at the Snowbird Resort in Utah for the National Pastors Retreat. COOL. The temperature was in the upper 50s; we were at 8,000 feet. It had been unseasonably hot (in the 90s) when I'd left Seattle, so it was refreshing and invigorating to step out of the airport shuttle and breathe in the brisk mountain air. COOL. The event opened with a jazz vespers service featuring the hip stylings of Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet and the smooth vocals of Warren Cooper. It was a splendid way to begin to put the cares of parish ministry aside and "come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile." Thousands of Lutherans to Celebrate Global Mission in Fargo June 7, 2005, CHICAGO – Cass County, North Dakota, is "one of the largest refugee resettlement sites in the United States in the past 10 years." To celebrate that diversity and learn more about building global relationships, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will gather at the ELCA Global Mission Event (GME) July 14-17 at North Dakota State University and the FargoDome, Fargo, N.D. Thousands of Lutherans are expected to reflect on the 2005 GME theme, "Gathered by God's Grace for the Sake of the World" in Fargo and August 25-28 at the Baltimore Convention Center at the Wyndham Hotel in Baltimore. WCC General Secretary Samuel Kobia to Meet Benedict XVI June 10, 2005 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia will meet Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday, 16 June. The encounter, which includes a private audience, is the first meeting between the two since they took up their current positions. A press conference is scheduled at 12:30 the same day, after the meeting. The audience with the newly elected pope will be the climax of a 13-16 June visit to the Vatican which also includes meetings with the heads of four pontifical councils, a courtesy call to the Vatican state secretary, and visits to other Roman Catholic bodies and sites. The WCC delegation will also be spending an afternoon as guests of the WCC member churches in Italy. Religious Leaders Look to Recast Interreligious Dialogue "In Humility and Hope" June 10, 2005 – Representatives of the world's main faith communities have proposed reshaping the approach to global interreligious dialogue to face threats posed by the current world context more effectively. "Recasting interreligious dialogue as a practice of humility and hope offers a way of building greater trust," concluded participants in an international conference on a "critical moment in interreligious dialogue" convened by the Geneva-based World Council of Churches, 7-9 June 2005. "Together may we seize this critical moment and help transform its perils into a pilgrimage of faith that will guide us to a more just, compassionate and peaceful future," agreed the over-130 representatives from ten of the world's religious traditions involved in the event. June 10, 2005, GENEVA – The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, has described the German Protestant Church Convention (DEKT) "Kirchentag" as a gift to the wider, universal church. In an interview with Lutheran World Information (LWI), Noko said worldwide understanding of the convention as "our Kirchentag," would be an important signal in a globalized world. The biennial convention of Christian lay movements, held in Germany, represents a unique possibility for participating organizations, including churches, to present their message to the public, Noko said. From Strangers to Neighbours: Interreligious Conference Links Dialogue to Action June 8, 2005 – Interreligious dialogue needs to move beyond academic exchange to engage with local communities, some of which are hostile to the notion of dialogue, according to senior faith leaders speaking in Geneva today. Representatives of virtually all the major world faith communities explored the connections between dialogue and action on the second day of an international conference on a "critical moment in interreligious dialogue" hosted by the World Council of Churches, 7-9 June 2005. "We should move from a dialogue of strangers to a dialogue of neighbours," suggested Rev. Valson Thampu, (Church of North India) a leader in the social justice movement. Dialogue More than Talk, Muslim Scholar Says June 10, 2005, GENEVA – Interfaith dialogue that does not deal with the harsh realities of life but only with platitudes can only fail, a well-known European Muslim scholar told a large multi-faith gathering hosted in Geneva by the World Council of Churches (WCC). "It is easy here to trust one another ... but in our daily life it is not," Tariq Ramadan, a lecturer and scholar in Islamic studies, told about 125 Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other religious leaders. Last year, the University of Notre Dame in the United States, a Roman Catholic institution, invited Ramadan to teach Islamic philosophy and ethics at its Kroc Institute for Peace Studies. But shortly before he was to start, the U.S. government, without elaboration, revoked his visa on the basis of national security. "We can assess the present situation as a critical moment for all religious communities," Ramadan said on the final day of the June 7-9 Geneva conference. "There is a great deal of mistrust and suspicion on both sides. Christian-Muslim relations often start from a perspective of competition, as both proclaim a universal message." Religious Leaders Urge Congress to Declare That June 8, 2005, NEW YORK – Three religious leaders who led a peace movement to avert war in Iraq are asking Congress to declare officially that the U.S. occupation will end. "Such a declaration requires no timetable," the leaders declared in an op-ed piece sent to U.S. media. "It simply establishes that the official policy of our nation is to eventually depart from Iraq." The authors of the statement are Bob Edgar, NCC General Secretary, Joe Volk, Executive Director, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and Jim Winkler, General Secretary, Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church. The U.S. must not abandon the Iraqi people, the leaders said. But "the United States military has been occupying Iraq and effectively controlling the political situation for more than two years. In May the Congress voted final approval for tens of billions of dollars to fund the Iraq war and occupation. Military leaders tell us that U.S. troops will be needed in Iraq for years to come. We believe there is a way to change this dynamic, to shift the discussion from troop strength and weapons to how the U.S. may responsibly withdraw." Organizaciones Latinoamericanas Critican Posición De Brasil Sobre Bioseguridad 7 jun 2005, MONTREAL, Canadá – Organizaciones de la sociedad civil de América Latina, que participan en las reuniones de las Partes del Protocolo de Cartagena, pidieron a Brasil que cese de bloquear el régimen de bioseguridad. Brasil y Nueva Zelanda fueron los dos únicos países del mundo que se opusieron a la adopción de reglas claras para la identificación en las exportaciones de alimentos y de otros productos transgénicos, que estaban siendo acordadas en la Reunión de las Partes del Protocolo de Cartagena sobre Bioseguridad, celebrada la semana pasada en Montreal, Canadá. Líderes Protestantes Levantaron Huelga De Hambre 10 jun 2005, LA PAZ, Bolivia – Los líderes de las iglesias evangélicas que el jueves decidieron declarararse en huelga de hambre en protesta por la represión policial, que costó la vida de un minero y dejó dos heridos en la marcha hacia la ciudad de Sucre, levantaron esta mañana la medida tras la proclamación de Eduardo Rodríguez como presidente de la República. El pastor Luis Pérez Alanoca, presidente de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Independiente, dijo telefónicamente a ALC que los líderes tomaron la decisión para contribuir a la distensión del clima político en el país y para dar tiempo al nuevo presidente a tomar posesión del cargo. Pastores Proponen Someter a Referendo Las Reformas Constitucionales 9 jun 2005, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – El Consejo Nacional de Pastores Evangélicos (CNPEN) propuso a los poderes del Estado someter a referendo las reformas constitucionales, como un mecanismo para superar la crisis que enfrenta al gobierno de Enrique Bolaños con la Asamblea Nacional. "Les pedimos que recuerden que la soberanía nacional reside en el pueblo y que es necesario recurrir a los mecanismos de consulta popular para evitar que el conflicto entre poderes se agudice," dijeron los pastores Mario Espinoza y Pablo Sovalbarro, presidente y secretario general del CNPEN, en conferencia de prensa realizada el martes último (7 de junio). AACC General Secretary Addresses Current Situation in Zimbabwe June 10, 2005 – The General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala has expressed concerns over the current events taking place in Zimbabwe. He said that information from member Churches, International Media and the Civil Society groups indicates that more than 20,000 families in Hatcliff and other areas in Zimbabwe have been made homeless. Furthermore, police report indicates that over 30 thousand road side vendors have so far been arrested. Their business premises have been destroyed under the clean-up operation ordered by the Government of Zimbabwe. Evangelical Women in Solidarity with Rape Victim June 2, 2005, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Evangelical women expressed their solidarity with Romina Tejerina, a young woman in jail since August 2002 and who is currently being tried in Jujuy, a province in northern Argentina. Tejerina is accused of second-degree murder for having killed her child who resulted from rape. "Our greatest wish is that God gives you His peace and that you can feel at this time that you are in the palm of His hand," said the letter that Pastor Margarita Lais Tourn, coordinator of the Women's Forum of member Churches of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) in Argentine sent Wednesday to the young woman. Evangelical Presidential Candidate Harshly Critical of Politicians June 2, 2005, LIMA, Peru – Pastor Humberto Lay, a likely presidential candidate in 2006 for the National Restoration Movement, was harshly critical of the government of President Alejandro Toledo and politicians that led the country over the past 40 years. "These governments seem like they have agreed upon a systematic plan to destroy the country, each one complementing what the previous one did," said Lay. "Today we are in the midst of a generalized crisis with a dangerous social pressure that could produce a social explosion and lead to anarchy or another extremist or dictatorial adventure." Catholic Church Loses Faithful and Political Influence May 30, 2005, SÃO PAULO, Brazil – In recent years the Catholic Church has not only lost thousands of faithful but also its capacity for political influence and its prerogative to speak in the name of the masses, affirmed Sociologist Reginaldo Prandi in a note published in the influential daily Folha of Sao Paulo. "Today the Catholic cathedrals compete in Brazil, with the cathedrals of the believers in terms of visibility and importance," said Prandi, professor at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) and author of the book "Segredos Guardados" (Guarded Secrets) whose central theme is Candomble. ANDEB Calls for Joint Solution to Problems in the Country May 30, 2005, LA PAZ, Bolivia – In the midst of a tense environment due to grassroots mobilizations and rumors of a conspiracy to overthrow the government, the National Association of Evangelicals of Bolivia (ANDEB) called on authorities and the people to seek dialogue and a joint solution to the crisis in the country. The body representing Evangelical Churches called on governors, political and social leaders to return their eyes to God and to give preference to faith in Jesus Christ in their actions and to work according to that faith, to give signs of generosity that will make it possible to find solutions to their problems. ELCA Bishops Address Middle East Hopes, Concerns June 8, 2005, CHICAGO – The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) thanked U.S. President George W. Bush for his recent public statements supporting the "Road Map" to Middle East peace and said Bush's May 26 meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was "an encouraging sign" of the Administration's effort to bring about peace in the region. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson wrote to Bush the day after the White House meeting with Abbas. Hanson is also president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), a global communion of churches representing 66 million Lutherans worldwide. Jihad or Crusade? Resolving Christian-Muslim Tensions June 9, 2005 – From Baghdad to Bosnia, media images in recent years have reinforced prophecies of a conflict of civilizations emerging along religious faultlines. References to both jihad and crusade have reappeared in public discourse, and in some societies particular faith groups are regarded with suspicion. It can sometimes seem as though Christians and Muslims are condemned to collide. Despite these widespread perceptions, there are Muslim and Christian leaders and thinkers who refuse the inevitability of confrontation. These voices, some of which were heard during a major interreligious conference hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva in early June, offer an alternative vision. June 9, 2005 – When the Rev. Canon Daniel Caballero retires on August 31, he will conclude a fruitful and far-reaching ministry. Those who have known him will certainly testify that for Caballero, retirement will be just another beginning. "We would never have thought that he would ever retire," said Rev. IsaÌas Rodrìguez, Hispanic missioner in the Diocese of Atlanta. Rodriguez portrayed Caballero's ministry as apostolic, "He has been an indefatigable traveler."
|
