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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
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"Transform the World" – US Churches Prepare for World Council of Churches' 9th Assembly October 4, 2005 – As the momentum builds in Christian communities around the globe in anticipation of the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC), which will be held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14-23 February 2006, two forthcoming church events in the US will focus on "transforming the world." US member churches will gather for their pre-assembly conference in Chicago from 10-12 October 2005. Church leaders and ecumenists from around the country will engage in theological reflection and Bible study on the theme of the WCC Assembly: God, in your grace, transform the world. Medley Urges Food Stamp Program Funding Protection October 5, 2005, VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley was among 40 interfaith leaders who recently urged Congress to protect the Food Stamp Program from funding cuts during the federal budget reconciliation process. A letter sent by the leaders in late September to all members of Congress emphasized that "the budget must reflect the best of our nation's moral values: our resolve that poor and vulnerable people not go hungry."
Organizations accepting donations for Hurricane Relief Efforts – Click for list Church Center Helps Reunited Family Start New Life October 4, 2005, BATON ROUGE, La. – Staff at a United Methodist conference center found themselves playing a role in the emotional reunion of a mother and her toddler after Hurricane Katrina. Antoinette Scott, an employee of the New Orleans Housing Authority, was forced to flee her home with two of her children when Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. The storm made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 29, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. Stars Come out for Church's Hurricane Relief Benefit October 5, 2005 Some of pop music's best-known names helped a United Methodist congregation raise nearly $35,000 for the denomination's hurricane response. Jackson Browne, k.d. lang, Dave Koz and Judith Owen were among the performers at "Songs of Strength," a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, held Sept. 25 at First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica, Calif. The concert also featured Kyle Eastwood, Keaton Simons and the Gwen Wyatt Chorale. Nearly 1,000 people packed the church's sanctuary to hear the concert. Outpouring of Synod Love, Generosity for Katrina ‘Phenomenal,' Says Official October 4, 2005 – "The unprecedented outpouring of Christian love and generosity of our people is phenomenal," said Rev. Matthew Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief/Human Care, as he summed up the Synod's response to Hurricane Katrina. "Congregations and groups all over the Synod – many of them in the area slammed by this massive storm, pastors and other church workers, the auxiliaries, organizations, volunteers in untold numbers – have stepped up to the plate to help in whatever ways they can," he said. United Methodists Assist Hurricane Evacuees at Camp Gruber October 4, 2005 – They came with their vans. For most of September, United Methodists from both the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference and Oklahoma Annual (regional) Conference assisted Hurricane Katrina evacuees housed at Camp Gruber, a National Guard training site. They took the evacuees shopping in Muskogee, about 14 miles away; arranged telephone calls; assisted with paperwork; and helped them move to temporary housing or to be with relatives. Worldwide Methodist Community Responds to Relief Effort October 7, 2005 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Louisiana native and United Methodist News Service reporter Kathy Gilbert was on assignment in Liberia when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Upon learning where she was from, the children of Reeves Memorial United Methodist Church in Monrovia presented Gilbert with a $20 donation "to help the children of Louisiana." "In a country where 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, $20 is a fortune," Gilbert said. Black-College PR Directors Share Challenges, Sense of Mission October 6, 2005, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Telling the stories of historically black, United Methodist-related colleges has always been a challenge, but communication directors who came together to strengthen connections with one another and church agencies said their sense of mission keeps them going. Larry Acker, public relations director for Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, said he left his job at another historically black college a few years ago to become tourism director for a small, historic town in Texas. "I knew in six months I'd made a mistake," Acker said, at a Sept. 28 meeting of public relations staff organized by the Black College Fund and United Methodist Communications. "It was the difference between filling rooms at bed and breakfasts and helping kids graduate from college." ELCA Bishops Told Finances ‘Favorable,' Disaster Gifts Top $11 Million October 5, 2005, CHICAGO – Overall financial results for the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were generally favorable compared with projections for the first seven months of the 2005 fiscal year, said Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer. In addition gifts to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response for relief and recovery from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita totaled $11 million through Sept. 30, she said. Jackson-Skelton made the comments in a report to the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The conference is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary. Foundation Triples its Matching Scholarship Program October 6, 2005, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The United Methodist Church's popular matching scholarship program for college students is being expanded to a triple dollars concept next fall. The denomination's "Double Your Dollars for Scholars," administered by the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation in Nashville, matches $1,000 for local churches raising $1,000 for a member of their congregation enrolled or planning to enroll in a United Methodist-related college, university or seminary. Beginning with the 2006-07 academic year, the foundation, in cooperation with United Methodist colleges and universities, will expand the program to include a Triple Your Dollars for Scholars concept. Lutherans Set Example for Gift Giving with a Purpose October 4, 2005 CHICAGO – Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have set a creative example for gift giving with a purpose. Through "ELCA Good Gifts," Lutherans can honor a family or friend's anniversary, birthday or other special occasion with a gift that also supports the vital and varied ministries of the church. "ELCA Good Gifts: The Giving Catalog of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" is a 2005-2007 catalog featuring exclusive gift ideas designed to support a particular ministry of the church. A $10 gift can support a child for one month at a church-based after school program; a $1,000 gift provides training in quality control and organic production for 100 fair- trade coffee farmers in Nicaragua. Men's Agency Seeks Mentors for Kids of Incarcerated Parents Oct. 3, 2005, NASHVILLE – Several regional conferences of the United Methodist Church will begin recruiting men and women to serve as mentors of children of incarcerated parents. That is one result of a decision by the Commission on United Methodist Men to accept Big Brothers Big Sisters as an affiliate organization. Meeting Sept. 16-18, the 23-member commission was told that over 2.5 million children nationwide face a 70 percent probability of following a parent to prison at some point. That percentage can be lowered if people of faith mentor the children. United Methodist HIV/AIDS Camp Offers Hope October 7, 2005 – Doug Finnell used to lie in bed waiting to die. He has been HIV-positive for 16 years, but two years ago, he attended his first United Methodist camp for HIV/AIDS patients. Spending about a week at Suttle Lake Camp and Retreat Center near Sisters, Ore., changed everything. "I'm around people I can open up to, and they have helped me to truly find my voice," says Finnell, of Portland, Ore. WACC Decides on New Directions and Relocation October 7, 2005 – Significant and far-reaching changes were made by WACC's Central Committee at a meeting held 1-6 October 2005 near the East Sussex town of Brighton. The former Central Committee, WACC's governing body, will be replaced by a Board of Directors comprising its President, Treasurer, General Secretary and 16 elected representatives from its eight regions. Internally, the Regional Development Sector will merge with the Global Studies Programme to form a single unit. This will pave the way for integrated global and regional programmes of studies, training, activities and resources on many communications issues. Church Doesn't Fully Understand Black Colleges' Mission, Leaders Say October 4, 2005, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Black colleges have often been misunderstood as recipients of mission, when in fact they provide ministry and mission to the United Methodist Church and to society, according to presidents of some of the denomination's schools. The presidents of the historically black United Methodist colleges focused their Sept. 27 meeting on the lack of understanding across the church regarding their schools. "There are many people who do not understand the mission of the church's historically black colleges and universities, which is to provide an affordable, education to deserving African-American students," said Trudie K. Reed, president of Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Fla. October 4, 2005 – It was the Latin American Churches that first suggested divine grace as a theme for the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches. In the following article, a Latin American theologian reflects on what it means to pray "God in your grace, transform the world" in Latin America today. Paradoxically, when we speak of God's grace we must also speak of sin. And in Latin America, talking about sin not only involves the personal dimension but above all, its social dimension: injustice, violence, wars. In Latin America, it is not possible to reflect on God's grace without thinking about the disgraceful situation faced by millions across the region on a daily basis: economic, social, cultural and spiritual misery. Consensus: a Colourful Farewell to Majority Rule October 6, 2005 – With blue and orange cards in their hands, delegates at the 9th World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly gathered in Porto Alegre next February will wave goodbye to old-style parliamentary majority votes. Does the Council's future lie in consensus decision-making? As the WCC has decided to make its decisions by consensus from now on, ‘indicator cards' are one of the methods that will be introduced at the 9th Assembly, where delegates will decide about the direction and focus of the WCC's life and work for the next eight years. What does this mean for the WCC's ability to act? Queens Figures Prominent at Rights Forum October 5, 2005, NEW YORK – Two figures from Queens were prominent at a recent seminar at the Church of Scientology New York, put on by Youth for Human Rights International. Rev. N.J. L'Heureux, Jr., Executive Director of the Queens Federation, talked about the historical role Queens served in the history of religious freedom in the US, with the Flushing Remonstrance being the site of the first declaration of freedom of belief, not just for the persons making the statement, but for all people. Athina Krikeli, well known Greek film maker and international media correspondent, now working out of Astoria, visibly moved her audience, telling the group of youth and adults of the courage required for human rights reporting, when the safety of your subjects is even more important than the reportage. Dirigente Evangélico Colombiano Gana Premio Hacedores De Paz En Acción 2005 5 octubre 2005, BOGOTÁ, Colombia – El Centro Tanenbaum para Entendimiento Interreligioso, de Nueva York, otorgó el Premio Hacedores de Paz en Acción 2005 al abogado y pastor evangélico Ricardo Esquivia, directivo de la Comisión de Restauración Vida y Paz del Consejo Evangélico de Colombia (CEDECOL). El galardón le fue conferido en mérito a su compromiso personal excepcional en el servicio de la paz, reconciliación y derechos humanos, según informó el jurado calificador. Consenso: Un Colorido Adiós Al Gobierno De La Mayoría 6 octubre 2005 – Con tarjetas azules o naranjas en sus manos, los delegados a la IX Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), que se reunirá en Porto Alegre el próximo febrero, dirán adiós a las votaciones mayoritarias de estilo parlamentario. ¿Está el futuro del Consejo en las decisiones por consenso? El CMI ha decidido tomar desde ahora sus decisiones por consenso, y las coloridas "tarjetas indicadoras" son uno de los métodos que se introducirán en la IX Asamblea, en la que los delegados decidirán la dirección de la vida y la labor del Consejo en los próximos ocho años. Ex Religiosa Que Pide El Cierre De Escuela De Las Américas No Teme Ser Arrestada 4 octubre 2005, Raleigh – Gail Phares, impulsora del movimiento Acción Permanente por la Paz y directora del Grupo Interreligioso sobre Centroamérica, de Carolina del Norte, anunció que no teme ser arrestada en noviembre próximo cuando se movilice a la Escuela de Las Americas, en Fort Benning, Georgia, en demanda de su cierre definitivo. "Hay momentos en la vida cuando una persona no puede ser pasiva y estar callada ante el sufrimiento de otros, sin importar las consecuencias," señaló la ex hermana Maryknoll. Grupo Religioso Crea Disturbios En Iglesias Cubanas 3 octubre 2005, LA HABANA, Cuba – Un grupo de personas que se identifican como miembros del movimiento Creciendo en Gracia, ha irrumpido en algunos templos de esta capital en los últimos días, gritando y ofendiendo a los presentes com improperios y frases agresivas tales como "lo que ustedes predican es pura mentira." La noticia fue conocida la pasada semana en el programa televisivo La Mesa Redonda, dedicado en esa ocación al análisis de las declaraciones del tele-evangelista Pat Robertson y a través de una carta de alerta enviada a todos los evangélicos del país por la pastora Rhode González Zorrilla, presidenta del Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC). Gracia Divina Y Dignidad Humana 4 octubre 2005 – Fueron las iglesias latinoamericanas las que primero sugirieron la gracia divina como tema de la IX Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias. Una teóloga latinoamericana reflexiona en el siguiente artículo sobre qué significa orar hoy en América Latina "Dios, en tu gracia, transforma el mundo." Hablar de gracia supone, paradójicamente, hablar de pecado. Y en América Latina, hablar de pecado significa tomar en cuenta no sólo su dimensión personal, sino y sobre todo su dimensión social: injusticias, violencia, guerras. Católicos Amenazan Con Linchar a Evangélicos De San Nicolás Si No Se Van Del Pueblo 5 octubre 2005, PACHUCA, HIDALGO, México – La Dirección General de Asociaciones Religiosas de la Secretaría de Gobernación ordenó a la Subsecretaría de Gobierno que intermedie en la comunidad de San Nicolás, ubicada en el municipio de Ixmiquilpán, a unos 270 kilómetros al norte de México DF, para evitar que los católicos cumplan sus amenazas de linchamiento contra un grupo de evangélicos. El titular de Normatividad de Gobernación, Francisco Javier Fernández Perroni, pidió a Francisco González Vargas, subsecretario de Gobierno, respetar los derechos y garantías constitucionales de los miembros de la Iglesia Bethel. Concilio Evangélico Convoca Semana De Oración Y Solidaridad Con El Perú 7 octubre 2005, LIMA, Peru – El Concilio Nacional Evangélico (CONEP) convocó a la celebración de la Semana de Oración y Solidaridad con el Perú para los días 7 al 13 de noviembre próximo, como acción comunitaria de sus miembros y testimonio público de solidaridad con el país, según informó su presidente, el pastor Rafael Goto Silva. El líder evangélico aseguró que ésta es, "una de las formas como se expresa el sentido de identificación y compromiso de los cristianos evangélicos con su ciudadanía temporal." Iglesia Morava Auxilia a Etnia Misquita Por Pérdida De Cosechas 7 octubre 2005, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Una delegación de religiosos y organismos no gubernamentales llevó ayuda a las localidades rurales de las riberas del río Coco, en el Atlántico Norte, donde unos 40 mil misquitos sufren hambre por la pérdida de sus cosechas a causa de una plaga de ratas y gusanos. El reverendo Steadman Bent, superintendente de la Iglesia Morava, que encabeza la comisión, dijo que la iglesia evangélica del Pacto de Suecia prometió enviar ayuda y que un empresario donó una suma considerable de dinero para apoyar a las familias. Nuevo Caso De Intolerancia Religiosa En Ixmiquilpán 4 octubre 2005, PACHUCA, ESTADO DE HIDALGO, México – Pablo Beltrán, delegado del barrio de San Nicolás, del municipio de Ixmiquilpan, anunció que la comunidad cerrará los caminos que llevan al predio donde un grupo de evangélicos pretende construir un templo y aseguró que el terreno será confiscado y repartido entre familian que tienen pocas tierras. La advertencia se produjo al término de una asamblea extraordinaria de los pobladores católicos, donde se acordó dar un plazo de 30 días a los evangélicos para que se vayan de la localidad y suscribieron un memorial que les prohíbe construir un templo dentro de la comunidad, ubicada a unos 250 kilómetros al norte de la capital mexicana. George Tenet to Be Toastmaster of Archon Banquet Honoring Mikhail Gorbachev October 22 October 4, 2005, NEW YORK – George J. Tenet, former Director of Central Intelligence, will serve as toastmaster at the annual banquet of the Order of St. Andrew, at 7:00 p.m., October 22 at the New York Hilton honoring the former president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev. President Gorbachev will be the recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award, established in 1986 honoring Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 1948. He was universally acknowledged as a visionary leader of Orthodoxy who worked for peace among Churches and people throughout his life. October 5, 2005 – A new Anglican Church Centre is to be built in the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. The initiative has arisen from the generosity of the country's Ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who has ensured an allocation of land for churches and church communities in Doha, the country's rapidly-developing capital. Embarking on the first such construction of church premises in the country since the seventh century, the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf has drawn up plans for a development on the site. London-based architect Tom Hornsby's design has at its heart a church to be known as the Church of the Epiphany for the worshipping community. WCC Network on Uprooted Peoples Speaks out on Detention of Asylum Seekers and Migrants October 5, 2005 – Deep concern about "the increasing use of detention to restrict and deter cross-border movement by asylum seekers and other migrants" prompted the World Council of Churches' (WCC) Global Ecumenical Network on Uprooted Peoples (GEN) to circulate a statement on this issue at a meeting in Geneva this week of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees' (UNHCR) Executive Committee. "Churches are concerned that the global trend towards criminalizing refugees, asylum seekers and migrants through tightened borders and increased detention results in decreased security for uprooted people and heightened vulnerability to exploitation, by smugglers and human traffickers along their journeys and by unscrupulous employers in the host country," the GEN statement says. Opera Singer Forges Relationship with Africa University October 5, 2005, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Deeply moved by the story of Africa University's founding and growth, concert singer Simon Estes decided not only to make a financial gift to the school but to become an advocate for it. With more than 1,200 students from 21 African countries, "Africa University is truly the work of God in spite of the obstacles put before you," Estes said, at the 5th Annual Richard E. "Dick" Reeves Legacy Society Dinner Sept. 30. The dinner, named in memory of a key supporter of the school, was held on the eve of the Africa University Development Committee's meeting in Nashville. MECC Organizes "Amman Process" Network Meeting October 4, 2005 – The "Amman Process" network, initiated in 1996 between the MECC, Southern European churches, the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) to exchange information and experiences on refugee and migration issues around the Mediterranean, held its annual meeting in Amman, Jordan from September 15-18, 2005. Representatives of churches, church-related and ecumenical networks from Europe and the Middle East, CCME, UNHCR and the WCC/Middle East desk met to discuss common refugee and migration issues, from their regional perspectives and to evaluate their collaboration. Israel/ Palestine: Report Recommends Corporate Engagement, Positive Investment October 3, 2005 – The Social Responsibility in Investments (SRI) committee issued a report to the Executive Council October 3, recommending "corporate engagement" and "positive investment" practices when dealing with companies in which the Episcopal Church owns assets and shares. The report follows a year's deliberations during which the SRI committee engaged in research and study, dialogue with many groups and individuals, visited Israel and the Palestinian territories, and observed actions from other churches and denominations dealing with similar issues. October 4, 2005 – MECC/ACT has launched a new appeal (MEIQ/51) to assist Iraqi refugees in the Ruweished camp in Jordan, with food and non-food items. Upon the request of the MECC, the Presbyterian Disaster Program of PCUSA has facilitated the assessment of the psycho-social needs of refugees, in view of establishing a special program which will be implemented in coordination with other organizations working in the camp. In Iraq, The MECC/IIRP program is working through the churches, focusing on training workshops and income generating projects, to help and empower Iraqi Christians to remain in Iraq. MECC/IIRP, with the support of DanChurchAid, is helping in the rehabilitation of church-related health and educational institutions. MECC News and Concerns from Gaza October 4, 2005 – MECC/DSPR Gaza Area Secretary, Constantine Dabbagh shares with us news and concerns about the Israeli evacuation from the Gaza Strip. Constantine notes the people's joy after 38 years of "awful and terrible occupation." "This unilateral disengagement plan has succeeded in creating euphoria within the International Community with the claims that the Gaza Strip will come under the control of the Palestinian National Authority." What has really happened is "merely a redeployment of the Israeli forces imposing total siege and control of airspace, sea and borders. Judson Press Resource Is ‘Best Books 2005' Finalist October 5, 2005, VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – God and Evolution: A Faith-Based Understanding by David Wilcox has been named a finalist in the Religion category of the "Best Books 2005 Awards." Published by Judson Press in 2004, God and Evolution brings together biblical faith and responsible science for readers seeking a resolution to the sometimes disorienting rhetoric of today's political and theological debates. Where the Christian Right Goes Wrong October 4, 2005, MINNEAPOLIS – Many in the United States find the political ascendancy of right-wing Christianity alarming and disturbing. In his new book, Religion, Politics, and the Christian Right, Princeton theologian Mark Lewis Taylor provides an astute analysis of how after 9/11, Christian nationalists have forged an imperial America that subverts what most U.S. citizens and most Christians hold dear about their democratic life. Even as he exposes the dangers of the Christian right, Taylor also retrieves and highlights an authentic democratic spirit that U.S. citizens can nurture and develop in public life.
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