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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
Presiding Bishop Visits Armenia, World's 'First Christian Nation' July 19, 2005 – At the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and a small delegation of Episcopalians visited the Church in Armenia in early July. "Centered in Yerevan, the delegation's mission was to celebrate more than a century of friendly relations between the two churches, to experience the contemporary reality of the Armenian Church in the post-Soviet era, and to explore new areas of potential partnership in the Gospel for the 21st century," said Bishop Christopher Epting, the Presiding Bishop's deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations. Since the church dates from the 4th century, Armenia is recognized as the world's ‘first Christian nation.' The Presiding Bishop's visit included time with church and civic leaders, and prayer at Armenia's genocide memorial that recalls the mass killings of 1915. June 30, 2005, AUGSBURG, Germany/GENEVA – The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, has urged facing up to the ecumenical challenges consequential to Christians' shared common faith. "Through faith we are the undisputed recipients of God's promise to Abraham," he said in his sermon during the celebration of the 475th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession (Confessio Augustana), which took place on Sunday June 26 in the Evangelical Lutheran Holy Cross Church in Augsburg, Germany. Interest Increases in Worship Art That Engages All Senses July 20, 2005 – Altar design is moving away from a cross, two candles and a flower arrangement to more visually stimulating elements, according to a leading arts in ministry coordinator. Linda Clemow, with First United Methodist Church in Oneonta, N.Y., was one of two liturgical artists who led workshops at the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts convocation July 10-14 in San Francisco. Men Glean Cabbage, Bag Potatoes for Indiana's Hungry July. 21, 2005, WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Armed with knives, gloves, boxes, strong backs and bended knees, nearly 20 United Methodist men were part of system to get food to the hungry in Indiana. The men, attending the 9th National Gathering of United Methodist Men at Purdue University, July 15-17, gleaned cabbage at the 2,800-acre farm of Levi Huffman. The 20,000 pounds of cabbage collected July 15 were sent to Food Finders Inc., to be distributed to the hungry in 10 Indiana counties. Annual Conferences Hone Skills of Young Leaders July 19, 2005 – United Methodist annual conferences in the United States are taking a variety of approaches to enhancing the leadership skills of the denomination's younger members. In some of the church's annual regional meetings, United Methodist teenagers work side by side with adults to determine ministry emphases and set direction. Young people in other conferences have separate meetings in which they both grapple with spiritual issues and experience how the church makes decisions. Asiamerica Ministries Grow with New Congregations, Young Leaders July 21, 2005, LOS ANGELES – More than 200 people – including about 30 youth and young adults – who participated in this year's Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries (EAM) consultation celebrated the startup of congregations, the appointment of a youth chaplain, and a rise in the number of seminarians and ordained leaders, said the Rev. Dr. Winfred Vergara, national church missioner for Asian ministries. "We had record attendance at EAM this year and greater participation from the various ethnic convocations including Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Southeast Asian. As Church Grows, Lithuanians, Latvians Take the Pulpit July 18, 2005 – Viktorija Jablonskiene was so shocked by the sight of a woman pastor that she ran out of the first United Methodist church she visited. Nearly a decade later, she is making history as one of five Lithuanians leading churches in their own land. After that first visit to a church in the mid-1990s, Jablonskiene could not get the "lady minister" out of her mind, so she sought her out. "I told her this is Lithuania, a Catholic country, how can a woman be a priest? So she explained that in Europe and America it is normal to have woman priests," Jablonskiene says, recalling how the minister reassured her the United Methodist Church was not some kind of sect. Worship Artists Celebrate Group's 50th Year with Verve July 20, 2005, SAN FRANCISCO – From an all-star handbell choir to shouting and stomping for an encore from a vocal ensemble, the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts celebrated its 50th anniversary with style and spirit. About 700 musicians, pastors, worship leaders, artists and dancers from the United States, Canada and England gathered for the organization's biennial convocation July 10-14. A 10-member committee chaired by Kevin Bogan of Kansas worked more than two years to plan a stunning 50th anniversary convocation filled with worship services, concerts and a variety of workshops. Banner Occasions – July 21, 2005, LOUISVILLE – A patchwork of Presbyterian women's history is being celebrated this year and next, and one Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastor is using her quilting skills to stitch it all together. The Rev. Susan Barnes, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Baker City, OR, is making a quilted banner to mark the 2005-2006 PC(USA) anniversaries of women's first ordinations: as deacons in 1906, as elders in 1930 and as ministers of Word and Sacrament in 1956. Barnes was inspired to do something to celebrate the 100th, 75th and 50th anniversaries after attending a conference of the National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen. Purpose, Significance Are Keys to Life July 21, 2005, WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The man who inspired the acclaimed film "Rudy" told 2,000 United Methodist men not to give up on life – or their dreams. "The key to life is to not give up," said Rudy Ruettiger, a motivational speaker from Henderson, Nev. Speaking July 16, he instilled a "you can" attitude into the men attending the 9th National Gathering of United Methodist Men at Purdue University. "No matter how bad it is, you don't give up." July 19, 2005 – Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold invites Episcopalians to join him in prayer supporting the upcoming August 8-14 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), with which the Episcopal Church shares a relationship of full communion. The assembly, which meets every two years, will convene in Orlando, Florida, under the theme "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever." The assembly is formed of 1,018 voting members from 65 synods and 10,657 congregations serving the ELCA's more than 4.9 million members. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Visit United States in January 2006 July 20, 2005, NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America has announced that His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and specifically the Metropolis of Atlanta, headed by Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, on January 4-8, 2006. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is the spiritual leader of over 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, will preside over the centennial Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs, FL, and will also commemorate the centennial of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs during a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy. Rioting Is Order of the Day – July 19, 2005, DUBLIN – During July, the sound of marching drummers and flutes in Northern Ireland towns is music to the ears of some residents and a detestable provocation to others. People from the Roman Catholic community in Ardoyne, north of Belfast, attacked police on July 12 with grenades, gasoline bombs and other weapons to express fury over marches organized by the Orange Order, a Protestant group that holds parades across Northern Ireland. Similar riots have taken place in years past when the Orange Order sponsored marches. In July, marching men wearing bowler hats, white gloves and orange sashes can invoke the ire of the Catholic community in the British-administered part of Ireland. Concilio Nacional Evangélico Saluda Ley De Reparaciones a Víctimas De Violencia Armada 21 julio 2005, LIMA, Peru – El Concilio Nacional Evangélico del Perú (CONEP) saludó la ley aprobada el miércoles por el Congreso que crea el Plan Integral de Reparaciones para las víctimas de la violencia política, (PIR) propuesto por la Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación. En un pronunciamiento dado hoy los evangélicos expresan su satisfacción por la medida, a la que califican como "un paso muy importante en el proceso de resarcimiento a quienes sufrieron el atropello a su dignidad humana." Iglesia Luterana Nicaragüense Celebra 15 Años De Trabajo Por Los Más Pobres 21 julio 2005, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – La iglesia luterana inició el miércoles los actos celebratorios por sus 15 años de trabajo en Nicaragua marcados por una vocación ecuménica y una intensa labor social y evangelizadora al lado de los más pobres. La obispa Victoria Cortez, principal dirigente de la iglesia luterana Fe y Esperanza (ILFE) y vicepresidenta de la Federación Luterana Mundial en representación de América Latina, sostuvo que la misión de su iglesia apunta a "mitigar el dolor y la desesperación de la población sufriente" del país, caracterizado por la pobreza y vulnerabilidad. Cruzada Nacional En Demanda De Justicia Para Niña Violada 18 julio 2005, HUANUCO, Peru – Yuri Peso Cajaleón, una niña peruana de 8 años, fue violada y asesinada en diciembre del año 2003 y hoy sus familiares y organizaciones de defensa de los derechos humanos, como la Asociación Evangélica Paz y Esperanza, han emprendido una cruzada nacional en demanda de justicia. "Su sangre derramada en el cuarto, en las gradas y en el lugar donde la arrojaron, clama hoy justicia, para que nunca más la vida de un niño o niña se extinga en las manos de enfermos y criminales depravados sexuales," afirma Loida Carriel, responsable del Area de Incidencia y Comunicaciones de Paz y Esperanza. July 22, 2005, LOMÉ, Togo/GENEVA – An inter-faith peace mission to Togo has called on the country's religious communities to join forces to promote a "healing process" to overcome a political crisis that began this year, but whose root causes go back much further. "Our assessment is that working together will strengthen the hope and willingness we sensed on our visit that people are ready to move forward," the delegation leader, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, told a news conference in Lomé, July 21. July 18, 2005 – "I believe citizen action is our only hope," crisis advisor John Prendergast told those gathered at Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) World Refugee Day commemoration held June 27 at the Episcopal Church Center in New York. Prendergast, who is special advisor to the president of the International Crisis Group, and Bishop Catherine Waynick of Indianapolis were the featured speakers for the event held under the theme "Portraits of Suffering and Courage: Lifting up Sudan." Food Security Is UMCOR Priority in Sudan July 18, 2005, NEW YORK – Concentrating on food security, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is assisting both displaced people and local communities in the Sudan. In April, UMCOR directors approved a start-up budget of more than $1 million for the work in Sudan. The focus is on the distribution of non-food items, agriculture work and promoting small-scale farming in Southern Darfur. The agency also is helping manage the El Ferdous IDP (internally displaced persons) camp, according to Jane Ohuma, UMCOR's head of mission in Sudan. Prominent Ethicist Pens "Moral Creed for All Christians" July 22, 2005 MINNEAPOLIS – The fiery core of Christianity is rekindled by Daniel C. Maguire in his latest book, A Moral Creed for All Christians. He urges that Christianity's real relevance for the renewal of American public life lies not in the myopic morality of the Christian Right nor in any particular program of the Left but in the enduring relevance of Jesus and biblical Christianity. He explains Christianity's indispensable moral conviction about God's care, rapport with the earth, the nature of ownership, the bond between justice and peace, the nature of enmity, the illogic of militarism, and the creative potential of the human species. Includes questions for group discussion.
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