Front Page

Church Leaders Oppose Federal Budget Bill

January 31, 2006 – Five mainline denomination leaders are urging members of Congress to oppose the federal budget bill because of its impact on the poor. James Winkler, chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, was among the signers of a Jan. 29 letter sent to members of the House of Representatives. The letter urges the defeat of the Budget Reconciliation Spending Reduction package for Fiscal Year 2006, scheduled to come before the House on Feb. 1.

Archbishop Demetrios of America Completes Historic Visit to the Republic of Cyprus

January 31, 2006, NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, completed a six day visit to the Republic of Cyprus on Sunday, January 29, 2006. He was invited by the President of Cyprus Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos and the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus. This was the first official visit of an Archbishop of America to the Republic of Cyprus. On Friday, January 27, Archbishop Demetrios placed a wreath on the "imprisoned graves" of those who had been executed by hanging and buried in prison during the Cypriot struggle for Independence of 1955-1959.

State of the Union Message and Response Lost Sight of People's Real Needs, Edgar Says

February 1, 2006, NEW YORK – President Bush's State of the Union message Tuesday, followed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's Democratic response, were remarkable in several ways, according to the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA. Both the President and the Governor are deeply religious men, observed the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, a United Methodist clergyman. Bush's Methodist evangelicalism is well known, and Kaine is a former missionary with a Jesuit mission in Honduras. And both men – despite their divergent viewpoints – were clearly speaking out of their faith experience, Edgar said. But neither speech entirely captured what millions of people of faith in the U.S. were hoping to hear, said Edgar, a former seminary president and six-term Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania.

Holy Land Christians Urge Hamas to Keep Teachings of Jesus in Mind

February 2, 2006, JERUSALEM – The leaders of the major Christian denominations in the Holy Land have accepted the results of the Palestinian elections in which Hamas won legislative control by a landslide, but urged the militant Islamic group to use the teachings of Jesus as a guide when it takes over the reins of the Palestinian Authority. Quoting from the Gospels, the leaders urged Palestinians worried about the Hamas victory in late January to "not let your hearts be troubled or afraid," and to "be strong and stand firm." The Christian leaders were addressing the anxieties of Palestinian Christians after the victory by Hamas, which appears on European Union and U.S. lists of terror groups, and whose charter calls for the establishment of an Islamic state in all of Israel and the Palestinian territories. Talk by some Hamas leaders of imposing strict Islamic law, or sharia, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has heightened these concerns.

Plan Would Unite 80 Million Protestants in a New World Reformed Communion

February 2, 2006, GENEVA – The leaders of two worldwide groups of Reformed churches are planning to combine them in a new global body, the World Reformed Communion, that would unite more than 80 million Protestants. "We ... believe that this new, united, Reformed body will be a blessing to the broader ecumenical movement and to the reconciliation of the world," the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), and the Rev. Douwe Visser, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC), said in a joint statement. Kirkpatrick is also stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). WARC, based in Geneva, has 75 million members in 218 churches in 107 countries; the REC, whose headquarters is in Grand Rapids, MI, has 12 million members in 40 churches in 25 countries.

Video Shows CPT Hostages
Group Blames Kidnapping on ‘Illegal' U.S. Occupation of Iraq

January 30, 2006, LOUISVILLE – A videotape of four Christian activists held hostage in Iraq brought relief and hope to their colleagues in Baghdad and in Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) offices in Chicago and Toronto. "We did see the four men alive, at least at the time of the video, which is encouraging," said Claire Evans, a spokesperson for CPT in Chicago. "We're continuing to hope for a safe release." But there also was new worry: The broadcast included renewed threats to kill the four men unless U.S. and Iraqi authorities release prisoners from Iraqi jails. The peacemakers were abducted in Baghdad on Nov. 26.

Mourning Coretta Scott King

Baptists Mourn Coretta Scott King

February 1, 2006, VALLEY FORGE, PA – American Baptist leaders today mourn the death of Coretta Scott King, a leading voice for human rights, and widow of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. King, 78, died last evening after a period of ill health. Following her husband's assassination in 1968, Mrs. King continued their commitment to biblical principles of justice and equality, serving as a spokesperson for civil rights and ministries of reconciliation. She was familiar to many American Baptists through participation in various denominational and ecumenical events.

Tribute to Coretta Scott King

February 1, 2006 – "An extraordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life during an extraordinary time" is how World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, describes Coretta Scott King in a tribute sent today to member churches in the USA. The widow of the US civil rights leader Martin Luther King, died yesterday, 31 January, at the age of 78. The text of Kobia's letter follows. "Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Coretta Scott King was an extraordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life during an extraordinary time. A devoted wife and mother, she was also a gifted musician, a dedicated human rights activist and leader in the movement for non-violent social change in her own right.

Kirkpatrick Says Civil-rights Leader's Widow Was a ‘Formidable Figure' in Her Own Right

February 1, 2006, LOUISVILLE – The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has issued a statement honoring the late Coretta Scott King as the keeper of her late husband's legacy of racial equality and social change. King, the widow of slain civil-rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., died on Jan. 30 at age 78. In a statement issued Feb. 1, Kirkpatrick called Coretta King a "formidable figure" in her own right and a "steady, stoic presence" in the civil rights movement. "Mrs. King understood what her husband stood for, and that he was the noble example of what humans could achieve," Kirkpatrick wrote.

United Methodists Mourn Death of Coretta Scott King

January 31, 2006 – Coretta Scott King, widow of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is being remembered by United Methodists as a strong woman of faith who "answered a hard call at a high price." King, 78, died Jan. 30 at a rehabilitation center in Mexico. She had suffered a heart attack and stroke last August and had been recovering at her home in Atlanta since September. After her stroke, King missed the annual King holiday celebration in Atlanta Jan. 16, but she did appear with her children at an awards dinner a couple of days earlier. News reports said the crowd gave her a standing ovation.

ELCA Presiding Bishop's Statement on the Life of Coretta Scott King

February 3, 2006 – It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Coretta Scott King, a human rights advocate whose life was filled with both struggle and accomplishment. She learned at an early age what it was like to live in a segregated society by walking five miles a day to attend a school in Marion, Alabama, while White students rode buses to an all-White school. She persevered, completing her education in music and became a classically trained musician. She married Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., moved with him to Montgomery, Alabama, and experienced the evils of racism while organizing the Montgomery bus boycott, the result of the actions of another civil rights pioneer, the late Rosa Parks.

MCC's Rev. Nancy Wilson: on the Death of Coretta Scott King

January 31, 2006, LOS ANGELES – The Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches has issued the following statement on the death of Coretta Scott King: Today we join with people of goodwill around the globe who mourn the passing of civil rights leader Coretta Scott King. As people of faith, we also celebrate her life and her lasting legacy on behalf of human rights and nonviolence. We say with deep conviction: Our world is a better place because of her life. And the lives of millions are better because of her life's work. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people give special honor to the commitment she brought to the civil and human rights of our communities.

General News

PPC Puts Religious Lessons Online
‘Next-generation' Adult-study Resources Are Digital, Downloadable

February 1, 2006, LOUISVILLE – Presbyterian officials have launched a Web site they describe as the "next generation" in adult Christian study resources. TheThoughtfulChristian.com offers lessons in theology and the Bible, popular culture, spirituality, Christian living and contemporary issues that can be downloaded (for a fee), printed, photocopied and emailed for use in classes and retreats and for personal study and devotion. The new site – officially called The Thoughtful Christian: Faithful Living in a Complex World – is an imprint of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), the trade-publishing arm of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

‘Eradicating Global Poverty' – A New Study Guide from the NCC

February 2, 2006, NEW YORK – If the poor will always be with us, why should we eradicate extreme poverty? Because we can, experts say. Humanity has the means to end worldwide poverty in our lifetime. The real question is, will we do it? A new study guide released today by the National Council of Churches USA, Eradicating Poverty: A Christian Study Guide on the Millennium Development Goals, tackles these and other pressing issues. The Millennium Development Goals are a set of eight goals to end extreme poverty, hunger and disease by 2015, agreed to be world leaders in 2000.

Downtown Church Offers Spiritual Home to Homeless People

February 3, 2006, BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A decade ago, a local United Methodist church chose to come face to face with the ills of racism – a courageous step in a city that is still referred to as one of the country's most segregated. Church of the Reconciler began its ministry in 1993 as a way to bring black and white citizens together to worship. Even today, many refer to the United Methodist congregation as the only one in Birmingham that openly welcomes people of different ethnicities. The church's founding pastor, the Rev. Lawton Higgs Sr., does not view his congregation's mission as groundbreaking.

Lutheran Men in Mission Ships Thousands of Bibles to Men's Ministries

February 1, 2006, CHICAGO – Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM), the men's ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), shipped nearly 6,000 Bibles in January to the organization's representatives in the church's 65 synods, according to Doug Haugen, LMM director. Each synod will be able to use six Bibles in each of 15 congregations to start or restart men's ministries. LMM placed almost 6,000 copies of "The Master Builders Bible for Men," featuring a Men's Ministry Leaders Supplement, into the hands of six men in each of about 1,000 ELCA congregations in 2002 and 2003, Haugen said.

Gospel Has Messages for the Powerful and Powerless, Law Tells Educators

February 3, 2006, ST. LOUIS – The "cycle of gospel living" requires those with power to give it up, and those who are powerless to be empowered, keynoter Eric Law told the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) Friday in his third address to the 1,200 Christian educators gathered here. In every situation, Law said, there are those who are perceived to have more power and those who are perceived to have less. A careful reading of the Gospel stories, he said, will reveal that Jesus had distinct messages for the powerful and the powerless, and often power-shifted between the two in the stories he told. In simplified terms, he said: "The powerful are drawn to the triumph of the empty tomb, while the powerless, who suffer the greatest, are more drawn to the cross."

Lutherans to Take Part in ‘Souper Bowl of Caring'

February 1, 2006, CHICAGO – This weekend while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks meet on the field in Detroit to determine the 2006 Super Bowl champion, Lutherans will join with other churches and organizations throughout the United States and Canada to raise funds, collect canned goods and donate service hours to benefit hunger-fighting agencies and ministries. They will be participating in the "Souper Bowl of Caring," an annual event through which people attending churches, schools, retail outlets and Super Bowl parties can easily contribute money to help people in need. In many churches on Feb. 5, including those of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), youth groups will collect $1 bills in giant soup pots.

Presbyterian, Lutheran Publishers Plan New Faith-Formation Program

February 3, 2006, ST. LOUIS – Congregational Ministries Publishing (CMP), part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Congregational Ministries Division, has announced a collaboration with a Lutheran counterpart to develop a new lifelong faith formation program for congregations. According to CMP, the new program – entitled Akaloo (Greek for "to follow") – "responds to the church's need to support the faith journeys of members of all ages with a single integrated program." Akaloo is the first joint effort by CMP and Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It will be available in August.

‘Ministry of Transition' Captures Church Deployment Office Focus for Future

January 30, 2006 – At the Church Deployment Office, the Rev. Rebecca McClain, along with deployment officers across the Episcopal Church, is writing – not the next chapter – but a whole new volume in the history of deployment in the Episcopal Church. The CDO is charged with helping communities of faith, clergy and lay professionals discern their next call in ministry. Among the plotlines of this next part of the CDO's story are how to change the language of deployment, create a more open and relational system for connecting congregations and institutions with clergy and lay professionals, value people more than process, and change the belief that "technology alone will save us."

Program Seeks to Call Young People into Clergy

February 1, 2006 – A new program will partially address pastoral leadership concerns in the United Methodist Church and other denominations by cultivating young candidates for ministry vocations. The program, "Calling Congregations," will organize churches in grass-roots programs to find and support the next generation of pastoral leaders for Christian denominations. It is being launched by the Atlanta-based Fund for Theological Education with a $6 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. "Calling Congregations" will be rolled out later this year in the U.S. Midwest, with additional regions being added in 2007 and 2008.

Anglican Women's DVD Promotes Gender Balance, Equality in Communion and World

January 31, 2006 – With the soon-to-be released DVD "Shall We Gather: Anglican Women Together," Anglican women have taken another step toward making their voices heard loud and clear. "Shall We Gather: Anglican Women Together" documents the 2005 gathering of the Anglican Communion's delegates to the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW).

Ecumenical News

Transforming the World Together

Janaury 31, 2006 – The first Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in the 21st century "will mark the beginning of a new phase in the search for Christian unity," says WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in the following article, in which he reflects on his hopes for the WCC's 9th Assembly, to take place in Porto Alegre from 14-23 February. WCC assemblies have been landmark events in the life of the ecumenical movement for almost 60 years, gathering together a unique and comprehensive spectrum of Christians and churches. I hope that this Assembly, being the first one in the 21st century, will mark the beginning of a new phase in the search for Christian unity, and will be characterized by its vision of a new culture and forms for the modern ecumenical movement.

Spanish News

Transformar El Mundo Juntos

31 enero 2006 – La primera Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) del siglo XXI "marcará el comienzo de una nueva etapa en la búsqueda de la unidad de los cristianos," sostiene el secretario general del CMI, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, en el siguiente artículo, donde reflexiona sobre sus expectativas en relación con la IX Asamblea del Consejo, que tendrá lugar en Porto Alegre del 14 al 23 de febrero. Las asambleas del CMI han marcado hitos en la vida del movimiento ecuménico durante casi 60 años, congregando a un singular y amplio espectro de cristianos e iglesias.

Pastor Luterano Dice Que Los Crímenes De La Deuda Externa No Pueden Quedar Impunes

31 enero 2006, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Alrededor de la deuda externa se han cometido y se continúan cometiendo muchos crímenes: fraudes, corrupción, usura, depredación ambiental, sometimiento a la esclavitud, infanticidio y muerte, sostuvo el pastor luterano argentino Ángel F. Furlan, que advirtió que estos crímenes "no pueden quedar impunes." Dijo que una investigación seria de la deuda permite concluir que los verdaderos acreedores "somos nosotros, los pueblos, y que los culpables del genocidio de la deuda, deben pagar en lugar de reclamar."

Capellán De Palacio La Moneda Fue Elegido Obispo De La Iglesia Metodista

1 febrero 2006, SANTIAGO, Chile – El capellán evangélico del Palacio de Gobierno de Chile, Neftalí Aravena Bravo, es ahora el nuevo obispo de la Iglesia Metodista. Cerca de 170 delegados reunidos en la casa de espiritualidad "Loyola," en esta ciudad, lo eligieron el martes con un 61 por ciento de los votos. Neftalí Aravena reemplaza en el cargo al obispo Pedro Grandón Seguel de 53 años de edad, que fue ovacionado por los asistentes cuando entregó a la asamblea su informe final e hizo un llamado a vivir de mejor manera la relación con otros organismos y denominaciones.

Presidente Lula Confirma Presencia En La Asamblea Del Consejo Mundial De Iglesias

1 febrero 2006, BRASILIA, Brasil – La Secretaría de la Presidencia de la República confirmó este miércoles la presencia del presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva en la IX Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), el viernes 17 de febrero, cuando hablará ante más de cuatro mil delegados, observadores y periodistas de 347 iglesias protestantes, ortodoxas y anglicanas de 120 países del mundo. La confirmación de la presencia del presidente Lula en la Asamblea fue comunicada al nuevo secretario general del Consejo Nacional de Iglesias Cristianas de Brasil (CONIC), reverendo Western Clay Peixoto, que asumió el cargo hoy, en Brasília.

Nelson Castro Destaca Participación Evangélica En La Sociedad

30 enero 2006, QUITO, Ecuador – Luego de muchos años de resistirse a la política, algunos líderes cristianos ecuatorianos están incursionando en el escenario político porque "la política puede ser teórica, pero la ética protestante tiene que estar allí, en la práctica," dijo el pastor Nelson Castro, presidente de la Confraternidad Evangélica Ecuatoriana (CEE). "Nuestra recomendación básica a todo evangélico es la participación política de éste en su comunidad," declaró.

Iglesias Evangélicas Reforzarán Apoyo a Jóvenes Que Abandonan Pandillas

3 febrero 2006, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Otorgar mayor atención a los jóvenes que desertan de las pandillas y quedan expuestos al acoso policial y de los jefes de las bandas juveniles, acordó un grupo de pastores evangélicos al cabo de la reunión que sostuvo con la Policía y con jóvenes rescatados de la violencia. El pastor bautista Marcelino Basset aseguró que las iglesias evangélicas tienen los recursos necesarios para apoyar a los jóvenes. Dijo que sólo en Managua cuenta con más de 10 emisoras evangélicas para educar y contrarrestar la violencia.

Evangélicos Critican Efectos Devastadores De Tratados De Libre Comercio

31 enero 2006, CARACAS, Venezuela – Líderes evangélicos que participaron en el Foro Social Mundial celebrado en Caracas del 24 al 29, lanzaron duras críticas contra los Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC) impulsados por el gobierno estadounidense en diversos países de la región, por sus efectos devastadores contra los campesinos y por el desmontaje de los marcos jurídicos latinoamericanos.

IX Asamblea Del CMI Será Comienzo De Una Nueva Etapa Del Movimiento Ecuménico

1 febrero 2006, GINEBRA, Suiza – La IX Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) que tendrá lugar en Porto Alegre, Brasil, del 14 al 23 de febrero, "marcará el comienzo de una nueva etapa en la búsqueda de la unidad de los cristianos," sostuvo el pastor Samuel Kobia, secretario general del organismo internacional. "Dios, en tu gracia, transforma el mundo," el tema de la Asamblea, nos recuerda que Dios, en Cristo, ha ofrecido reconciliación y nueva vida a la humanidad y a la creación toda.

National News

Disaster Child Care Releases 2005 Figures, Announces 2006 Trainings

February 2, 2006, ELGIN, IL – Disaster Child Care (DCC) coordinator Helen Stonesifer has released year-end figures for the program, which is part of Church of the Brethren Emergency Response. DCC trains volunteers to set up special child care centers in disaster locations to care for young children that have been affected by disaster. The 2005 statistics "are quite impressive," Stonesifer said, reporting that 148 volunteers served 1,372 days in 20 childcare centers, making 3,152 childcare contacts in the aftermath of four natural and human-caused disasters.

Lutherans Join 2006 ‘March for Life'

February 2, 2006 – Wet conditions from intermittent rain and a new parade route didn't dampen the spirits of an estimated 100,000-plus people – including several dozen under the Lutherans For Life (LFL) banner – who gathered for this year's "March for Life" Jan. 23 in Washington, D.C. Dennis Di Mauro, president of LFL's Northern Virginia chapter, said the weather "and a confusing new starting point and route" for the organizing rally and march may have discouraged some, but "spirits of the marchers were energized by the experience," which included remarks via phone from President George W. Bush. "As always, it was great to see so many people from all walks of life advocating life."

International News

European Christians Are Committed to Respect Muslims

February 3, 2006 – The Venerable Colin Williams, General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) has issued the following statement regarding the controversy around the publication, in Denmark and other countries, of cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Mohammed: The Conference of European Churches, whose membership includes the Church of Denmark and the Church of Norway, entirely supports the statements issued by those two churches regarding the published cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

Indonesian Church Leaders: ‘Door Has Opened'

February 3, 2006 – Three Indonesian church leaders who are involved in confessional Lutheran renewal say at least one blessing has emerged from the tsunami that devastated their country just about a year ago. "People (in Indonesia) see that Christians care and want to help them," said Rev. Mangisi Simorangkir, bishop of the 400,000-member Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI), one of 14 Indonesian synods with Lutheran affiliations in that heavily Muslim country. "A door has opened."

Global Anglican Conference on Mission Announced for 2007 in Cape Town

February 2, 2006 – The Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Rev. Njongonkulu Ndungane, has drawn together a number of representatives from the worldwide Anglican Communion to form a steering committee for a major global Anglican Conference to be held in South Africa in March 2007. The committee has been working together this week to discuss structure, vision, objectives and outcomes. The working title for the conference is ‘Towards Effective Anglican Mission (TEAM): An International Conference on Prophetic Witness, Social Development and HIV/AIDS.'

New Bishop Meets with United Methodist Churches in Eurasia

January 31, 2006 – In the year since his election as the new bishop for the United Methodist Church's Eurasia Area, Hans Vaxby has established a goal of visiting every district. Vaxby has met with pastors and church leaders in five districts so far, conducting sessions "for teaching, inspiration and consultation," according to a Jan. 27 report. The Eurasia Area includes the Russia Annual (regional) Conference and four provisional conferences. Spiritual formation has been an emphasis. "The strength in our leadership comes from inside," he said.

Church World Service Rallies for Bigger, Better International Response to Genocide in Darfur

February 3, 2006, WASHINGTON, DC – Church World Service has joined the call to the United States government for stronger United States and United Nations action to stop the genocide in Darfur, the Sudan, and to do more to protect people suffering under the deteriorating conditions in the Northeast African nation. The global humanitarian vowed to keep up the pressure by reissuing its call to action when activists bring the campaign to New York City on Feb. 8.

UMCOR's Farm Program in Sudan Is ‘People-Driven'

February 2, 2006, KHARTOUM, Sudan – On an August morning, Jane Ohuma points to a large map of Sudan in the Khartoum office of United Methodist Committee on Relief. Ohuma's arm sweeps from west to east as she explains to a visitor the plight of displaced people out in Darfur, seven hundred miles from the capital city. She is head of mission for UMCOR's operations in Sudan, which began in February 2005.

World Methodist Conference Set for July in South Korea

January 30, 2006 LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Methodists from the far corners of the earth will come together July 20-24 in Seoul, South Korea, for the 19th World Methodist Conference. "All Methodists worldwide have been invited to join with their Korean Methodist brothers and sisters in attending this momentous event and in praying with the Korean Methodists for peace in their land and for the reunification of the Korean peninsula," said the Rev. George Freeman, top staff executive of the World Methodist Council.

Middle East News

Jerusalem's Christian Leaders Issue Statement on Palestinian Election

February 1, 2006 – The Rt. Rev Riah Abu El-Assal, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, joined 12 Christian leaders in Jerusalem in congratulating the Palestinian people "for their democratic performance in the recent parliamentary elections," a January 31 statement said. The group, which includes Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches of Jerusalem, also prayed for "all those who will govern in this difficult period" that they may be committed to "justice and peace."

Hamas Victory No Cause for Panic, Bishop Tells Holy Land Christians

January 30, 2006, JERUSALEM – The Lutheran bishop of the Holy Land, Munib Younan, has urged Christians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip not to panic over the militant Islamic group Hamas' victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections. Christians in Palestine have been unsettled by Hamas' sweeping victory. The group's charter calls for the establishment of an Islamic state in all of Israel and the Palestinian territories.

LWF Welcomes Palestinian Election Results, Urges Commitment to Peace Efforts with Israel

January 31, 2006, GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) welcomes the results of the recent democratic Palestinian elections, and urges the victorious party Hamas to honor its responsibility for sound leadership toward all Palestinian people and commit itself to peace efforts with Israel. "For the sake of the Palestinian people and the future State of Palestine, Hamas must transform itself in its policies and approaches concerning the State of Israel, and commit itself to dialogue and negotiations," LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko says in a statement issued today.

People in the News

Family, Pastors Remember Fallen Marine

January 31, 2006 – Before Lt. Ryan McGlothlin became a war hero – before President Bush lifted him up in a recent speech – he was an Eagle Scout who installed the attic floor at Lebanon (Va.) Memorial United Methodist Church. McGlothlin, 26, died Nov.16 during intense fighting near Iraq's border with Syria. Since then, the story of the Marine from Lebanon, Va., has appeared in newspapers and TV news programs all over the country. McGlothlin's parents have not only conversed with the president's speechwriting team, they've been interviewed by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and quoted in the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle. Ruth McGlothlin and Don McGlothlin are proud that their youngest son has received so much worthy attention. But as any parent would understand, the limelight pales when compared to the sacrifice that was made.

Reviews

New Bonhoeffer Gift Book Released by Augsburg Fortress

February 3, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – In celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Augsburg Fortress is happy to announce the release of Wondrously Sheltered, a beautiful four-color gift book that features intimate theological reflections by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Shelter, love, happiness, nearness, freedom, friendship and peace-these are core themes and concerns of our lives. Wondrously Sheltered addresses these themes with selected, easily accessible texts written by the great thinker, pastor, and resister, while accompanying photographs evoke inspiration and reflection. Wondrously Sheltered makes a great gift book and a perfect volume for introducing people to Bonhoeffer's thoughts on faith and life.