Front Page

Peacemaking Team Planning White House Prayer and Fast
Group Will Mark Epiphany by Calling for End of Iraq Occupation

January 4, 2005, LOUISVILLE – About a half-dozen members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPTs) will pray and fast outside the White House for three days to celebrate Epiphany (Jan. 6) and urge churches to demand an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The team has requested a meeting with President George W. Bush. CPT, a pacifist human-rights organization, has documented prisoner abuse in Iraq and communicated its concerns to the media when the Abu Ghraib scandal broke. The group attracted more attention six weeks ago when four of its members were taken captive in Baghdad by a previously unknown group that calls itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. The kidnappers threatened to execute their hostages, but let their deadline pass without incident. So far there has been no further information about the whereabouts or condition of the hostages.

Progressive Christians to "Challenge Disparity" During National Lobby Days
Registration Opens for March 10-13, 2006 Gathering in Nation's Capital
for Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice

December 21, 2005, WASHINGTON – Registration has opened for the fourth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice, which will be held here in the nation's capital, March 11-13, 2006. More than 1,000 Christians are expected to participate in this event making this the largest national gathering of U.S. grassroots progressive religious activists. Participants will focus on a broad spectrum of international and domestic policies and develop strategies and tactics to advocate for building a just global community that nurtures peace, alleviates poverty, and protects the integrity of God's creation. In addition, the participants will meet with their representatives in Congress to communicate their concerns about domestic and foreign policies that they do not believe reflect Christian principles. Of particular concern this year are the increasing numbers of people living in poverty in the U.S. and abroad and the importance of pursuing sensible and peaceful solutions to conflicts as well as the need for aid, debt and trade policies that benefit impoverished people worldwide.

NCC General Secretary Calls for Code of Congressional Ethics

January 4, 2006, NEW YORK – Lobbyist Jack Abramoff's decision to cooperate with federal investigators in what is being called Washington's biggest ethics scandal in recent memory has sent tremors throughout the capital. None of this is surprising, said the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, but it could have been avoided if Congress had adopted "a universally accepted and enforceable code of ethics." The Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar called on religious leaders – including those on the religious right – to demand Congress to begin working on those ethical guidelines now. Edgar called on Dr. James Dobson to join in such a call Sunday night (Jan. 8) when he addresses millions of his followers on the Justice Sunday III broadcast.

General News

Natural Disasters, Assembly Decisions among Top 2005 ELCA Stories

January 4, 2006, CHICAGO – Catastrophic natural disasters in the United States and South Asia and much-anticipated decisions made by voting members at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly were among the top news stories in 2005 involving the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The top stories were determined by the ELCA News Service, ELCA Communication Services. Staff include John R. Brooks, director, Melissa Ramirez Cooper, associate director, and Frank F. Imhoff, associate director.

Court: Episcopal Parish Cannot Secede

January 5, 2006 – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected a Philadelphia parish's attempt to quit the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, but ruled that the parish – not the diocese – holds title to its assets. In a decision released last week, the high court affirmed two lower court rulings that St. James the Less parish in East Falls cannot leave the diocese unilaterally. But the Supreme Court also reversed portions of the decisions of the lower courts and said that St. James' antebellum church buildings and other assets belong to the parish, which holds them "in trust" for the diocese. Attorney Valerie Munson, who argued the case for St. James, said Tuesday that much of the case was narrowly decided and had implications only for the parish. The court noted that the parish's founding charter of 1846 made clear that it was a part of the diocese and the National Episcopal Church, the predecessor of the Episcopal Church USA.

Epiphany: Listening, Learning to Mark New Series

January 6, 2006 – Recalling the Magi bringing gifts from distant lands and across diverse cultures, today's Feast of the Epiphany marks the opening of a new series of Episcopal News Service articles reflecting facets of listening and learning around the worldwide Anglican Communion. Shaping this series is the sense of discovery and new realization inherent in the concept of "epiphany" – also the name of the liturgical season into which the Church Year enters today and continues through February 28, before Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, March 1. Highlights of the series will include reports leading up to the Anglican Women's Empowerment meetings in New York February 24th to March 8th in conjunction with the 50th anniversary session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Anglicans Flock to Church for Christmas

January 5, 2006 – Churches from around the Anglican Communion reported record attendance at their Christmas services. Carol Services and the traditional Midnight Mass found churches with standing room only, with some places having to turn people away for safety reasons. This was in contrast to news that some mega-churches denominations were closing on Christmas. The traditional all-night queue at Kings College Chapel of Our Lady and St Nicholas, Cambridge, was again evident as hundreds tried to get into the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols, which is broadcast world-over each December 24th. This is likely the most widely broadcast Christian worship service in the world. The Revd Paul Lillie, writing from Jerusalem said, "People were very faithful this year, as they have always been. The Jerusalem Episcopalians braved checkpoints, rainy weather, and brisk winds in order to greet the Holy Child of Bethlehem with their usual warmth and generous spirit. Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were full despite the difficult conditions here."

Brethren Clergywomen ‘Nourish the Soul' at Retreat

January 5, 2006, ELGIN, IL – More than 60 Church of the Brethren clergywomen gathered in south-central Wisconsin Nov. 14-17 for a retreat on the theme, "Nourishing the Soul." The event was sponsored by the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board and attracted licensed and ordained ministers from across the US. The group included women of all ages, students at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., active pastors, denominational and district staff, retirees – and a baby. Liz Bidgood-Enders, a member of the planning committee, brought her infant daughter along.

Armed Robbery During Worship Service Jolts Congregation

January 6, 2006, By Melissa Lauber WASHINGTON – An armed gunman interrupted the evening service on New Year's Day at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Bel Air, Md., shocking the congregation as he robbed them of an undisclosed amount of cash and valuables. Most disturbing to the congregation was the intruder's use of three children present to gather up the wallets and purses. "He had to be desperate to be waving a gun at children," said the Rev. Craig McLaughlin, the church's pastor. "That was evil. I was thinking of the Scripture passage, ‘The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.' Evil will not stop people from serving God."

Trinity Institute Explores ‘The Anatomy of Reconciliation' January 30 - February 1
Annual Event Examines Ways to Move from Violence to Healing

January 6, 2006, NEW YORK – Deep divisions in the United States and the world over issues of personal and cultural values, a growing chasm between the wealthy and the dispossessed, and the clash of religious traditions are the backdrop for this year's Trinity Institute conference. "The Anatomy of Reconciliation – from violence to healing" is set to run from January 30 through February 1 at Trinity Church on Broadway at Wall Street in New York City. The conference "will explore freshly the meaning of reconciliation under these pressing circumstances," according to information on Trinity Church's website.

Pizza, Conscientious Objection Bring Youth Together in Denver

January 5, 2006, ELGIN, IL – On Dec. 2-3, 2005, a group of 25 students and eight sponsors gathered in Denver, Colo., to discuss peacemaking and conscientious objection to military service. Male and female youth from Church of the Brethren and Mennonite congregations in the Colorado communities of Denver, Colorado Springs, Arvada, Lakewood, Fort Collins, and Littleton gathered for an event called "Pizza and Justice: Considering Conscientious Objection." Peacemakers packets were available for youth to consider filling out to document their beliefs. Erin Durban of the American Friends Service Committee described current requirements for military registration, prompting questions and discussion about the potential for a military draft. The draft was simulated by a lottery system: those whose birthdays were randomly assigned lower numbers were given clean-up chores.

User-Friendly Books on Religion Are Sacred Texts for ‘Dummies,' ‘Idiots'

January 5, 2006, OXFORD, Ohio – User-friendly books with such titles as Spirituality For Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jesus are becoming best-sellers in the United States. "Many people ... see spirituality as a tool to be understood and used in life," said Mary Kupiec Cayton, a professor of history and American studies at Miami University in Oxford, OH. "These guides can help bring people up to speed on subjects where they have little prior knowledge." The books are known for their distinctive, colorful packaging – the "Dummies" series is in yellow and black, the "Idiot's guides" in bright orange and white – and for their simple, straightforward explanations. There are volumes about sacred texts, major religions, personal devotions and figures including Jesus, Buddha and Pope John Paul II. The series also take up such subjects as car repair, home design, computer programming and history.

Ecumenical News

Patriarch Celebrates 100th Epiphany in Tarpon Springs

January 6, 2006, TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. – Two years and thousands of hours of work by parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral came to fruition January 6 with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Epiphany celebration in the community coinciding with the first visit of an Ecumenical Patriarch. On his third day in Tarpon Springs, Patriarch Bartholomew officiated at events associated with the feast day, including the archierarchical Divine Liturgy, the Water Blessing Service that immediately followed, and the traditional diving for the cross in nearby Spring Bayou. From there, the Patriarch, Archbishop Demetrios and other hierarchs and priests proceeded to the heart of what is known as "Greek Town" the area around Dodecanese Avenue that includes the sponge docks, where he viewed several groups of accomplished Greek dancers. The day's events ended in the evening with the Centennial Epiphany Reception held in Tampa

National News

United Methodist Bishops Asked to Advocate for Immigrants

January 6, 2006, NEW YORK – United Methodist bishops are being urged to help lead the denomination in understanding issues related to immigration reform. A Jan. 3 letter addressed to each U.S. bishop notes that while it is generally recognized that the U.S. immigration system needs to be fixed, "the question is how it is to be fixed – and if this is to be in a manner consonant with the tenets of our church as well as with the security and economic needs of the nation and also its basic values." The letter is signed by Bishop Joel Martinez, president of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, and Bishop Edward Paup, president of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Co-signers are the Rev. R. Randy Day and the Rev. Paul Dirdak, chief executives, respectively, of the board and UMCOR.

International News

Taliban Comeback in Afghanistan Stirs Alarm among Rights Advocates

January 3, 2006, NEW YORK – The appointment of a religious-affairs official of Afghanistan's former Taliban regime to the country's new parliament is prompting concern among international human rights advocates. "There's a growing feeling of an opportunity lost," Sam Zarifi, Asia research director for Human Rights Watch, a New York-based human rights organization, said recently after a three-week visit to Afghanistan. Zarifi's visit coincided with the convening on Dec. 19 of Afghanistan's first democratically elected parliament since the ouster of the Taliban in a United States-led military campaign in late 2001. He said the appointment of Arsala Rahmani, a high-ranking official of the Taliban religious-affairs ministry, to the parliament's upper house is contributing to a feeling of "real pessimism" among human-rights groups in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

‘Stop the Killing' in Philippines, United Methodists Say

Jan. 6, 2006, MANILA, Philippines – A United Methodist delegation on human rights in the Philippines called upon President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to take a more aggressive role to stop the killing of clergy, laity, journalists and human rights workers who work with the poor. Noting that "extrajudicial" murders had increased in the past year in the country, Bishop John Hopkins, head of the delegation, told a Jan. 6 news conference in Manila, "The killing must stop." Hopkins said the delegation heard deeply moving first-hand testimony from more than 20 victims and surviving family members from many parts of the Philippines, who described the pain and suffering exacted through murders targeting religious and community workers.