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Faith and Community Groups Joined by Senator Kennedy
to Honor MLK's Birthday with National Focus on ‘Living Wage Days' Events

December 28, 2005, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Faith and community groups will be joined by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) to honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during "Let Justice Roll Living Wage Days" worship services, rallies and other events being planned for the weekend of his birthday, January 14-16, 2006. Sponsored by the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign, "Living Wage Days" events are being organized to inspire, educate and mobilize congregations and community organizations to support and act for raising the minimum wage at the federal and state levels. "Dr. King was fully committed to low wage working people and their families. There is no better way to celebrate his birthday than to advocate for a raise in the minimum wage so that, in the words of the prophet Amos, justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream," said Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, coordinator of the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign. Senator Kennedy, who will participate in a "Living Wage Days" event at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, January 16 at the historic United First Parish Church Unitarian in Quincy, Mass., has brought to a vote a measure to increase the current federal minimum wage twice this year. Although the Fair Minimum Wage Act was defeated, Senator Kennedy plans to continue pushing his colleagues in Congress to give American workers a raise. Speaking at a press conference on this issue on Dec. 14, Senator Kennedy urged Congress to raise the minimum wage in the true spirit of Christmas. "In this the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works for a living should have to live in poverty. How can any of us in good conscience enjoy our own high standard of living, when it is built on the backs of underpaid workers? Fair wages are not just good policy – they are a moral obligation," he said standing in the shadow of the Capitol Christmas tree.

American Baptist Council Urges "Collective Voice" Against Poverty

December 28, 2005, VALLEY FORGE, PA – In this time of advent, the ABC Minister's Council urges American Baptist ministers to "raise a collective voice" against poverty," and to speak out on budget priorities. These are excerpts from news reports on recent budget measures: The House recently passed a budget-cutting measure that would save $50 billion over five years by trimming food stamp rolls, imposing new fees on Medicaid recipients, squeezing student lenders, cutting child-support enforcement funds and paring agriculture programs. House negotiators are trying to reach accord with senators who passed a more modest $35 billion bill that largely spares programs for the poor. In another recent vote, the House voted 234-197 to approve a $56 billion measure to extend capital gains and dividend tax cuts for another two years, until 2010. Under these tax cuts, the 400 taxpayers with the highest incomes – those who received a minimum of $87 million in 2000, the last year for which the government will release such data – now pay income, Medicare and Social Security taxes amounting to virtually the same percentage of their incomes as people making $50,000 to $75,000. Those earning more than $10 million a year now pay a lesser share of their income in these taxes than those making $100,000 to $200,000.

Christmas Celebrations

MECC General Secretary's Christmas Message

"Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace among those whom he favors" (Luke 2:14) In his message, Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, highlights the realities of a broken world, the grief and despondency in the people of good will everywhere, asking himself how can we rejoice and celebrate when hostility and violence, suffering and danger, fills peoples' hearts with anger and sadness. As we search for deeper meaning to our lives, we join others in their prayers for peace around the world, says MECC General Secretary, praying that every candle we light, renews in us all, awareness of God's reconciling love, so that we can be the peacemakers and standard bearers of justice.

Metropolitan Herman to Preside at Nativity, Theophany Services
at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Washington, DC

December 23, 2005, WASHINGTON, DC – His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of The Orthodox Church in America, will preside at services marking the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord at Saint Nicholas Cathedral here on Saturday and Sunday, December 24-25, 2005. On Saturday evening, December 24, Metropolitan Herman will preside at the celebration of the Nativity Vigil at 5:00 p.m. On Sunday, December 25, he will preside at the Nativity Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m. Metropolitan Herman will also preside at services for the Great Feast of the Theophany on Thursday and Friday, January 5-6, 2006. On Thursday evening, January 5, Metropolitan Herman will celebrate the Theophany Vigil at 5:00 p.m. On Friday, January 6, he will preside at the Theophany Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

General News

Schools Turn Hurricane Challenges into Ministry Opportunities

By Kim Krull When second-graders at St. Paul's Lutheran School in New Orleans wrote to Santa this year, their letters sounded different from in the past. Among their requests: Please try to keep our ceiling from falling in again. Please bring my neighbor things to put in his house because there's not much there now. Please bring more people to rebuild our city. "They are more concerned about others, not just themselves. And they are so good about welcoming our new students," said Principal Sue Schiller, referring to St. Paul's growing enrollment. "In spite of everything, it's exciting because we're touching kids and families we've never touched before." St. Paul's is just of one 21 LCMS schools in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and Florida affected by the most devastating hurricane season on record. Those schools include a total enrollment of more than 2,500 students and 150 teachers.

Wilderness and Wild Landscapes:
NCC Eco-Justice Focus in 2006

December 19, 2005, WASHINGTON – Wilderness is one of earth's most precious and most threatened assets, and the call to preserve it will be among the National Council of Churches USA Eco-Justice Program's top issues for 2006. The NCC Public Lands Stewardship Initiative has announced plans to focus on "Wilderness and Wild Landscapes" for its second year and conduct activities that are based on the importance of wilderness in Christianity and other faith traditions. "Wilderness was central to the spiritual journeys of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad and in the creation stories of many cultures," said the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, NCC General Secretary. "Today public lands are important to many of us as a venue for peaceful reflection and reconnecting with the Creator." "Wild lands are also the connective tissue that holds together the glorious web of life by providing space for wildlife and undisturbed natural cycles," said Christine Hoekenga, NCC Lands Specialist. "But God's gift of wilderness is increasingly threatened by our swelling cities, growing highways, and increasing demand for resources like oil, gas, timber, and minerals. In light of this, we are called to remember and celebrate our Biblical heritage and examine our modern relationships to wilderness."

Ecumenical News

Third Dialogue Encounter of Russian and Oriental Orthodox Churches in Antelias-Lebanon

Russian and Oriental Orthodox Churches' representatives met from December 12-16, 2005, in the Catholicossate of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Antelias. Study documents were presented by both families about the last 4 Ecumenical Councils which followed the third Council held in Ephesus, the decisions of which were not recognized by the Oriental Churches as they contradicted previously established agreements between the two families, in 1989 in Amba Bishoy Monastery-Egypt and in 1990 in the Orthodox Center in Switzerland. The study documents aimed at facilitating the acceptance of the conclusions of the theological dialogue between the two Orthodox families by other churches that, to date, have not sent the agreements of their respective Sacred Councils. Russian Orthodox representatives relayed H.H. Patriarch Alexis' invitation to H.H. Pope Shenouda III to visit Russia in 2006. The representatives of the two families agreed to meet again early 2007, either in Damascus or in Moscow.

World Council of Churches – Agenda: January 2006

December 22, 2005 – International Ecumenical Seminar on UN Reform – 11-13 January, New York, United States The WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) is bringing together about 20 key experts on UN-related issues from member churches and partners for a three-day seminar on UN Reform. The seminar, to be held at the UN Church Center in New York, will discuss the content of a proposed WCC 9th Assembly statement on this topic, and will include a 12 January public plenary at which the president of the UN General Assembly, Jan Eliasson, will be a panellist. The draft of the proposed statement will be presented a month later to the Public Issues Committee of the WCC 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The UN Reform agenda includes four areas: the Security Council; creation of a human rights council; a peace-building commission; and reform of the UN secretariat.

Spanish News

Enero De 2006

22 diciembre 2005 – Seminario ecuménico internacional sobre reforma de las Naciones Unidas
11 al 13 de enero, Nueva York, Estados Unidos – La Comisión de las Iglesias para Asuntos Internacionales del CMI reunirá a unos 20 expertos de las iglesias en un seminario sobre la reforma de las Naciones Unidas. Como parte del mismo, un plenario público contará con la presencia de Jan Eliasson, presidente de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas, entre otros panelistas. El seminario discutirá una propuesta de declaración de la IX Asamblea del CMI sobre este tema, que será presentada un mes mas tarde al Comité de Asunto Públicos de la Asamblea reunida en Porto Alegre, Brasil. Los temas relacionados a la reforma de las Naciones Unidas incluyen cuatro áreas: el Consejo de Seguridad, la creación de un consejo sobre derechos humanos, una comisión para la construcción de la paz, y las reformas al Secretariado General..

Presidente Lagos Instituye Día Nacional De Las Iglesias Evangélicas

27 diciembre 2005, SANTIAGO, Chile – El Mandatario firmó ayer en La Moneda, frente a centenares de fieles y pastores protestantes, el decreto que instituye el 31 de octubre como Día Nacional de las Iglesias Evangélicas. "Declarar este día nacional, es una manera de relevar la significación histórica y social de estas expresiones de la fe cristiana en Chile," afirmó. Durante la ceremonia, el Jefe de Estado destacó el compromiso de su administración por estimular la libertad de culto en el país. "Hemos procurado atender todas aquellas cuestiones que podrían dificultar el ejercicio de la libertad religiosa para las entidades eclesiásticas, particularmente las evangélicas," aseveró. El Presidente de la República, Ricardo Lagos, señaló que la firma del decreto que instituye el 31 de octubre como Día Nacional de las Iglesias Evangélicas representa "una forma de agradecer el aporte que estas iglesias han realizado en forma permanente y sostenida a nuestra historia, a la conformación de una patria más fraterna, solidaria y humana."

"¡Nunca Más Sin Nosotros!" Afirma Red Vinculada a Iglesias Evangélicas Tras Triunfo De Evo Morales

20 diciembre 2005, LA PAZ, Bolivia –"!Nunca más sin nosotros!" es el lema acuñado por la Red UMA VIDA que trabaja con las iglesias evangélicas metodista, luterana y presbiteriana y algunas organizaciones de la sociedad civil bolivianas, tras el triunfo del líder cocalero Evo Morales que el domingo ultimo ganó la presidencia con una votación que superó los resultados de los procesos electorales de los últimos 30 años. Los 180 años de una esquizofrénica "cultura política" boliviana, murieron el 18 de diciembre, afirma Jubenal Quispe, dirigente de la Red. "La Bolivia profunda indígena, negada por la burguesía alienada, contra todo pronóstico, resurgió del "anonimato político," precisó Quispe en un artículo difundido por la Red UMA VIDA el lunes.

Religión Y Política Es Una Combinación Peligrosa, Advierte Periodista

23 diciembre 2005, LIMA, Perú – "Religión y Política es una combinación explosiva que se debe evitar," advierte el director del diario Peru.21, Augusto Alvarez Rodrich, en una nota editorial publicada este viernes. El comentario editorial surge tras la confirmación de la inclusión del expresidente de la Asociación Judía del Perú, Isaac Mekler, en la lista de candidatos al Congreso en las filas del Partido Nacionalista Peruano que encabeza el comandante Ollanta Humala.

Ni Los Stones Ni U2, Esta Vez Jesucristo Fué Pasión De Multitudes. Dante Gebel En River MO-NU-MEN-TAL

17 diciembre 2005 – El sábado 17 de diciembre se llevó a cabo el último «Súper Clásico de la Juventud» con Dante Gebel en el estadio mundialista River Plate. Las instalaciones del «Monumental» (uno de los estadios más grandes de Argentina) se vieron colmadas horas antes del comienzo del espectáculo, que debido a que el estadio estaba repleto, decidieron adelantar el show a las 19:45 (que inicialmente estaba previsto para las 21:00). Luego que la banda estable entonara algunas canciones conocidas, Dante apareció en lo alto del escenario a los pocos minutos, luego de una breve presentación musical.

International News

Tsunami Relief Central to Churches' Mission One Year On
ERD Works with Partners for Change and Growth

December 26, 2005 – Committed to rebuilding communities and responding to individuals' and families' basic needs, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has partnered with churches throughout Asia this past year to help millions of people whose lives have been affected by the December 26, 2004, tsunami. Triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake, the tsunami pounded coasts along India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand and, although the official death toll is still unclear, the giant wave claimed more than 220,000 lives, conservative estimates suggest. During the past year, ERD, under the new presidency of Robert Radtke, has worked with partners to assist impacted communities through emergency aid, housing projects, trauma counseling, microfinance and provisions for the renovation and repair of school buildings. Fishing rehabilitation has also been a major priority for restoring local economies and workers' livelihoods.