Front Page

Church World Service and Habitat for Humanity Partner to Repair Gulf Coast Homes

April 21, 2006, NEW YORK and AMERICUS, Ga. – In a groundbreaking partnership for Habitat for Humanity International, the homebuilding organization will donate more than $3 million to Church World Service to help repair the homes of 500 low-income families who were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through Habitat's "Operation Home Delivery" program, Church World Service has received a grant of $3,038,000 to support home repair projects initiated by CWS member denominations and local long-term recovery committees. The collaboration joins Church World Service's 60 years of experience in disaster relief and community organizing with Habitat's expertise in making affordable housing available.

Pastor Campaigns Against Mercury in Vaccines

April 21, 2006 – For the first two years of his life, Wesley appeared to be a normal, healthy child, smiling in baby pictures with his brother and family. By his third birthday, however, Wesley's childhood pictures changed. The life in his eyes appeared lost. His smile was no longer there. His mother could scream his name, and Wesley would not respond. The Rev. Lisa K. Sykes, a pastor in Richmond, Va., sought medical help for her son. Doctors diagnosed him with autism, then tested him for heavy metal poisoning.

Christian Unity Group Preps for 50th Anniversary in ‘07

April 21, 2006, WASHINGTON, DC – Amidst a media storm emphasizing the divisive issues among U.S. Christians, one group is deep into plans for a 2007 gathering focused on finding common ground. The Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches (NCC) will mark a half century of serious conversations among dozens of Christian denominations concentrating on their shared life and work. "Being Christian Together: The Faith and Order Experience in the United States," will be the theme of the meeting in Oberlin, Ohio.

General News

Christian Ministry Courses Online

April 20, 2006, VALLEY FORGE, PA – Bacone College, an American Baptist-related college in Muskogee, OK, will begin offering Christian Ministry courses online this coming May. The first course to be offered is Introduction to Christian Ministries which will, among other things, help students investigate opportunities for ministry as well as determine personal plans for preparation for ministry. Other courses to be offered online in the near future are: Old Testament Literature, New Testament Literature, Sociology of Christianity, Life of Christ, Life of Paul, and World Religions.

Astronaut Calls Pastor to Say He's OK on Space Station

April 19, 2006 – Astronaut Jeff Williams had barely settled into his "home away from home" on the international space station when he gave his pastor a quick phone call. Launched via a Russian Soyuz rocket March 29, Williams and cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov boarded the space station a couple of days later. The two plan to live and work there for six months as the two-man crew for Expedition 13. Williams, a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Houston, called Pastor John Kieschnick the morning of April 2, a Sunday, hoping to catch him before the 8 a.m. worship service.

Deciphering the Da Vinci Code
Biblical Scholar Ken Bailey Will Plumb Book/movie Mysteries at GA Media Lunch

April 20, 2006, LOUISVILLE – Renowned New Testament scholar Kenneth Bailey will try to separate fact from fiction in "The Da Vinci Code" phenomenon during the Media Luncheon at the 217th General Assembly on June 17 in Birmingham, AL. The luncheon is sponsored by the Pittsburgh-based Presbyterian Media Mission (PMM) and the Presbyterian Communicators Network. "We're trying to combine media literacy with Biblical literacy to unpack the book and movie that has captured many people in the culture with questions about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Leonardo Da Vinci in regards to religion, faith, and truth," said PMM Director Gregg Hartung. "Ken will speak of the origins of the Bible and Christian faith in response to the novel and movie depictions."

Membership Dips in U.S. But Increases in Other Countries

April 21, 2006, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. membership in the United Methodist Church decreased by less than 1 percent in 2004, and worship attendance experienced a similar dip, according to a report from the denomination's finance agency. The number of United Methodist members in the United States decreased by 0.81 percent, to about 8.07 million, and worship attendance was down by 0.96 percent from 2003, according to the General Council on Finance and Administration's report, The State of Our Connection. Membership has declined annually since the formation of the denomination in 1968. During the last 10-year period, the number of members churchwide decreased by 5.48 percent.

Japan Baptist Union Helps Victims of Katrina

April 20, 2006, VALLEY FORGE, PA – As a tangible expression of their solidarity, the Japan Baptist Union (JBU) donated $15,585 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts of ABCUSA. In a letter to International Ministries soon after the hurricane hit, Rev. Kazuo Oya of JBU said, "The news of [the] devastating Hurricane Katrina was a shock to us," and added, "Many people in our churches want to do something to help." "Disasters have a way of breaching cultural boundaries that can otherwise divide people, such as language and customs. JBU's show of support demonstrates – once again – how barriers to unity dissipate in the face of Christian concern for a neighbor, no matter how many miles separate them," said Ken George, National Ministries' national coordinator for Intercultural Ministries, Direct Human Services.

Commentary: Interfaith Work Is a Risk Worth Taking

April 17, 2006 – After he organized a districtwide mission presentation on Islam, the Rev. Doug Smith heard from many appreciative audience members, who said the evening helped them understand more about what ordinary Muslims believe. Smith, who serves four Methodist churches near the northwest England city of Bolton, invited his friend and hospital chaplain colleague, Moulana Faruk Ail, to talk to the group about how Muslims practice their faith in everyday ways. Smith and Ali hoped the event would help people build on the religious similarities as well as appreciate the differences between Islam and Christianity.

Elisabeth von Trapp Continues Traditions of Singing, Charity

April 17, 2006 – Elisabeth Von Trapp often says, "If you fill the (concert) hall with people, I'll fill it with the ‘sound of music.'" After all, the sound of music is a family tradition for Von Trapp. She is the granddaughter of Capt. Georg Von Trapp and daughter of Werner, known as "Kurt" in the "Sound of Music" movie and musical about the Von Trapp Family Singers. Music isn't the only tradition Von Trapp continues. She also keeps alive the Von Trapp tradition of raising money for relief efforts.

Operation Care Packages Brightens Lives of Marines

April 20, 2006 – It's the little things that make a big difference for soldiers at Camp Fallujah – like a care package of Doublemint gum that arrived just in time for St. Patrick's Day from some United Methodist church members "back home." Top of the wish list for April? Microwave popcorn. United Methodist Chaplain Ron Newhouse coordinates "Operation Marine Care Packages" from his tent at Camp Fallujah to help young Marines, sailors and soldiers deal with the "sparse amenities" at the camp in Iraq.

Native American Teens Learn Facts about HIV, AIDS

April 20, 2006 – Most weekends you'll find 14-year-old Janyse Collins hanging out with her friends or chatting online about almost anything. But this weekend, Janyse and her friends are tackling a subject matter that doesn't normally pop up on their computer screen: AIDS. "I haven't heard of too many people I know who have AIDS," Janyse says, "but I think it's a serious problem for our people." Janyse's people are Native Americans, and HIV/AIDS is becoming a serious problem in her community. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Native Americans have the third-highest infection rate of any U.S. population. Native Americans face some unique challenges when it comes to fighting the disease, including a high poverty rate, a young population, limited access to HIV testing and treatment, and the misconception that AIDS is a "white man's" disease.

Missioner for Black Ministries Leads First Piney Woods Religious Symposium

April 19, 2006 – On April 6, the students of the Piney Woods School, near Jackson, Mississippi, participated in the inaugural Piney Woods Religious Symposium, led by the Rev. Canon Angela S. Ifill, missioner for Black Ministries for the Episcopal Church. In cooperation with the administration and faculty of the school, Ifill and seven other Episcopal clergy and lay leaders, including the Rt. Rev. Theodore A. Daniels, Bishop of the Virgin Islands, facilitated panel and small group discussions for students in grades 9-12. According to Ifill, the focus of the program is to give the students an opportunity to interact with the clergy and lay leaders on the challenges facing young adults in the world, and to present ordained ministry and lay leadership as possible career paths for the next generation.

Wait on the Lord Conference Set for Orlando

April 20, 2006, VALLEY FORGE, PA – The Wait On The Lord Conference in Orlando, FL is still in progress but is already being heralded as a resounding success. Heralded as a "Spiritual Oasis" by ABCUSA General Secretary, Roy Medley, the conference is designed for ministers and lay ministers to foster Christian spiritual formation and rejuvenation. On Monday, April 17th, approximately 275 attendees, including pastors, chaplains, and pastoral counselors, descended on the Rosen Centre Hotel for four days of worship, workshops, preaching, lectures, bible studies, and small groups. Dr. John Kinney, a former Dean of the School of Theology at Virginia Union and current pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Beaversdam, VA, is the keynote speaker at the conference and a distinguished systematic theologian, academician, and administrator.

Ecumenical News

British Methodists, Muslims, Seek Understanding

April 17, 2006, BOLTON, England – The Rev. Doug Smith is grateful for the time his Muslim neighbors and colleagues devoted to him when he worked as an attorney for a Texas-based oil company. "I spent hours chatting to them about Islam and Christianity and learned to appreciate the Islamic faith," recalls Smith, who now leads four Methodist churches near Bolton in northwest England. In late March, Smith invited Moulana Faruk Ali to speak about Islam at a districtwide Methodist mission event. He and Ali both serve as chaplains at the Bolton Royal Infirmary, where Smith says Ali has been "waging peace" by making people feel better for the past 17 years.

New Dynamics of Church Reform Debate in Central Germany
Central German Church Federation Aims at Merger in 2009

April 17, 2006, EISENACH/MAGDEBURG, Germany/GENEVA – It came as a surprise: a few weeks after the constitutional commission of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Central Germany (EKM – Foederation Evangelischer Kirchen in Mitteldeutschland) started its work in January this year, the joint church board of the Evangelical Church of the Province of Saxony and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia already announced its proposed plan mid February. From 2009 onward the two sections of the church will merge – with one bishop and one head office for the nearly 1 million Protestant Christians across Sonneberg (Thuringia) and Salzwedel (Church of the Province of Saxony).

United Methodists, Muslims, Form Pact in Northern Illinois

April 20, 2006, CHICAGO – United Methodists and Muslims in Northern Illinois have officially created a covenant relationship between the two faith groups. More than 100 leaders of the greater Chicago Islamic community and the United Methodist Northern Illinois Conference celebrated that covenant at an April 6 interfaith banquet at the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park. United Methodist Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and Abdul Malik Mujahid, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, signed a "Declaration of Relationship" committing the two groups to "a relationship grounded in our mutual love for God and dedication to the ethical core of our faiths."

Spanish News

Evangelio De Judas Es Documento Apócrifo Sin Importancia Afirma Fraternidad Ecuménica

17 abril 2006, SANTIAGO, Chile – El "Evangelio de Judas," que replantea el papel del apóstol Judas Iscariote en los últimos días de Jesús, es un documento sin importancia y constituye uno de los tantos apócrifos aparecidos en los siglos que siguieron a la muerte de Jesús, dijo la Fraternidad Ecuménica de Chile. La organización religiosa respaldó su tesis en el hecho que sólo se ha encontrado un manuscrito "porque pocos tuvieron interés en copiarlo y difundirlo," en contraste con otros documentos, como la obra de Homero, de la que se conocen más de 640 manuscritos, y del Nuevo Testamento, del que se conservan más de 6.000.

Lutero Fue Un Precursor De Las Teorías De La Comunicación, Dice Profesor

20 abril 2006, VITÓRIA, Brasil – Defensor incansable del estudio de lenguas, promotor de la educación y construcción de universidades y bibliotecas, el reformador protestante Martín Lutero puede ser considerado un precursor de teorías de la comunicación, en un período en que aún se creía que la tierra era plana. La tesis fue expuesta por el periodista y profesor de la Universidad Luterana de Brasil (ULBRA), Astomiro Romais, en una conferencia presentada sobre "Lutero y las Teorías de la Comunicación" en la 59a.

Obispos Católicos Protestan Contra MTV Por Sátira Sobre El Papa

18 abril 2006, BERLÍN, Alemana – "Popetown," una serie de dibujos animados para la televisión que narra la historia de un papa excéntrico y un cardenal corrupto y criminal que venden a los huérfanos para que sean esclavizados, viene tensando las relaciones entre obispos y grupos católicos alemanes y la productora privada estadounidense MTV. Pese a las protestas de los católicos alemanes y a la censura que impidió su propalación en el Reino Unido e Italia, Marie-Blanche Stoessinger, portavoz de MTV en Alemania, declaró a la agencia EFE el sábado, que la cadena musical seguirá adelante con sus planes de estrenar el próximo 3 de mayo "Popetown" (La ciudad del papa).

Cristianos Argentinos Y Uruguayos Piden Diálogo Para Resolver Conflicto De Plantas De Celulosa

17 abril 2006, MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – La necesidad de privilegiar el diálogo y la información veraz, fue acordada por diversas iglesias cristianas de Uruguay y Argentina, ante el conflicto generado por la instalación de plantas de pulpa de celulosa de las trasnacionales Ence y Botnia, en la zona fronteriza de Fray Bentos. El pasado 11 de marzo, los gobiernos de Argentina y Uruguay acordaron que se paralicen las obras de las plantas de celulosa por un lapso de 90 días, para iniciar un diálogo que resuelva el conflicto.

International News

Darfur Observer Shares Horrors of Modern Genocide

April 18, 2006, FORT WAYNE, Ind. – From September 2004 to February 2005, Brian Steidle was an eyewitness to genocide. Steidle, a former U.S. Marine, served as an observer with the African Union to monitor the unsteady peace treaty in the Sudan and the situation of Darfur, an area the size of Texas located in western Sudan. "We were there to monitor a cease-fire that was nonexistent," he said.

Middle East News

Schoolgirls Stoned by Israeli Settlers
Crowd of Young Men Attacks Attacks Group of Students, Accompaniers in Hebron

April 21, 2006, JERUSALEM – A group of Jewish settlers attacked five foreign activists, including members of two church-sponsored monitoring teams, who were escorting Palestinian girls from a school in the divided West Bank city of Hebron, team members said. Shouting "We will kill you!," about 15 young Jewish settlers threw stones and kicked the foreign activists, who sustained minor injuries, mostly bruises, according to a spokesperson for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI).

Reviews

The Job of a Lifetime Is Not Just about Jobs Says Career Expert

April 20, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – "Imprisoned by a job you hate? You hold in your hands a GET OUT OF JAIL FREE card!" says David Murrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church. Professional responsibilities and career are not just about jobs, but about one's whole spirituality and the meaning and purpose of one's life, says Ed Klodt in The Jonah Factor®, an indispensable guide to vocation planning. Workplace dissatisfaction is rising rapidly across America. A recent study shows that more than 50 percent of employees nationwide don't like their jobs.

Before the Written Gospel There Was – What?

April 19, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – Previous thinking regarding "oral tradition" imagined a one-way process of transmission, handing down the fairly intact textual chunks that would constitute what we know as the end result, the written Gospels. That picture – and the implicit understanding of the Gospel writers as "editors" – has changed. The ground-breaking essays gathered in the newly-released volume, Performing the Gospel, present new insights into the fluidity of story in a cultural context of oral performance; into the power of cultural memory to transmit and shape community; and into the dramatically new picture of Mark's Gospel that emerges from the results.

Reconciliation: A New Strategy for America's Criminal Justice System

April 18, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – Quakers founded America's first "penitentiary" in the 1790s. Now, with more than forty years of working with prisoners, parolees, alternatives to incarceration, and victims of crime, the American Friends Services Committee, a Quaker-sponsored organization, offers a major policy review in Beyond Prisons by Laura Magnani and Harmon L. Wray. Beyond Prisons is a strong indictment of the current system that traces the history and features of our penal system, offers strong ethical and moral assessments of it, and lays out a whole new paradigm of criminal justice based on restorative or transformative justice and reconciliation.