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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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Church Continues to Provide Sanctuary for Mother, Son August 23, 2006, CHICAGO – Since mid-August, Elvira Arellano and her 7-year-old son, Saul, have found sanctuary in Adalberto United Methodist Church. Arellano, lay leader of the church, has asked for sanctuary against the threat of being deported from the United States. Members of the small Hispanic congregation, located in a storefront at 2716 W. Division St. in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, have rallied around Arellano, granting her sanctuary and allowing her to live in the church while she attempts to stay in this country with her son, who is a U.S. citizen. "She asked us for sanctuary," said the Rev. Walter Coleman, Adalberto's pastor. "She's a member of our church. We love her. We prayed about it, and we believe God asked us to provide a space where the voice of the marginalized can be heard. We pray that God will continue to protect her." Remembering Katrina: Episcopalians Will Recall Katrina's Fury with Prayers – and a New House August 25, 2006 – A number of events are planned in Louisiana and Mississippi to commemorate Hurricane Katrina's passage over the Gulf Coast and her aftermath in late August and early September 2005. In the two days leading up to the anniversary, "Nurturing the Nurturers," an event for teachers and counselors, will be held in Ocean Springs, hosted by the United Methodist Churches (UMC). Grace Christian Counseling Center in Vicksburg, a partner with Holy Trinity and Christ Episcopal Churches, and First Presbyterian and Crawford Street UMC, along with the Mississippi Counseling Association, is offering this opportunity for teachers and counselors to share their stories and receive healing. Chernobyl Kids Receive Health Care Through Carolina Church August 24, 2006, CARY, NC – This year marks the 20th anniversary of an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in what was then the Soviet Union. Radioactive fallout equivalent to 150 Hiroshima atomic bomb blasts spewed for 10 days over 77,000 square miles. Most of the damage caused by the April 26, 1986, explosion was felt – and continues to be experienced – by the 10 million residents of the Republic of Belarus, which received 70 percent of the Chernobyl radiation. Gender Inequality Fuels Global AIDS Pandemic, Speakers Say August 23, 2006, TORONTO – The increasing percentage of women infected with HIV and AIDS was a major concern at the Aug. 13-18 International AIDS Conference here. "Women carry a disproportionate share of the burden of the HIV and AIDS crisis," declared retired Bishop Fritz Mutti, chairperson of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. "Unless gender inequality also is addressed, emphasis on the familiar prevention strategy of ‘ABC' (abstinence, being faithful, and condoms) will be doomed to failure." Bishop Mutti's remarks at an ecumenical pre-conference of more than 500 religious leaders were reinforced at the opening session of the six-day conference. Two Upstate New York Churches Adopt Mississippi Family August 25, 2006 – Lisa, Destin and Darrien Swanson are wearing big smiles and new school uniforms for their first day of school in Pearlington, Miss., thanks to two United Methodist churches in upstate New York. A chance meeting of three women in a New York pizza place led to the Swanson family in Mississippi being adopted by the Red Hook and Rowe United Methodist churches in Red Hook and Milan, N.Y. Cable News Network will carry a feature on the family of Denise Swanson, a single mother of four who lost everything in the Hurricane Katrina, and two United Methodist congregations. The program will be cablecast on Aug. 29, the one-year anniversary of Katrina making landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi. On 21 September, Churches Around the World Will Pray and Act for Peace August 24, 2006 – "Praying for peace is an essential part of Christian worship and, indeed, of human existence," says World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia about the International Day of Prayer for Peace, to be celebrated on 21 September 2006. On that date or the closest Sunday to it, WCC member churches worldwide are invited to pray for peace. This WCC initiative saw the light two years ago within the framework of its Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV), and was welcomed by UN secretary-general Kofi Annan. Its celebration coincides with the UN International Day of Peace. The theme for this year, "* and still we seek peace,"was chosen by churches from Latin America – the region of the DOV annual focus in 2006. Churches are being asked "to be especially mindful of the violence in Latin America, but also of the suffering children, elderly, women and men in the Middle East," and to pray for "cessation of all violence and for lasting peace," says Kobia. Will the Fundamentalists Win? A Question Revisited On May 21, 1922, from the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church here in New York City, Harry Emerson Fosdick, who later became the founding minister of this great Riverside Church of New York City, posed the question, "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?" As an eyewitness to a mean-spirited divisiveness reeking havoc in American churches, Fosdick issued a clarion call for tolerance. Remembering ancient controversy about the resurrection of Jesus and the intention of some people to silence all with whom they disagreed, Fosdick praised the counsel of a Jewish leader named Gamaliel. "Let it be," Gamaliel advised, "Wait and see what happens," he said, speaking of the resurrection, "If the resurrection and the message about it are merely the results of human ingenuity, the whole movement will falter and ultimately fail. However, if the resurrection movement is, indeed, an initiative of God, no one will be able to stop it and all who try will find themselves opposing God." Fosdick pleaded for such care-filled, appreciative-of-truth tolerance among his contemporaries. Estudioso De La Religión Dice Que L Cooperación Marca El Nuevo Momento Ecuménico 23 agosto 2006, LONDRINA, Brasil – El movimiento ecuménico en Brasil vive un nuevo momento, caracterizado por la articulación y la cooperación. Iglesias y organismos comienzan a trabajar en conjunto, principalmente a través de redes, forzadas por la coyuntura del país, que exige posiciones y acciones concretas de intervención. Esta evaluación del coordinador del "mapeo" y diagnóstico del movimiento ecuménico en Brasil, el cientista de la religión Darli Alves de Souza, aparece en un informe preparado para el Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI). El organismo ecuménico va a revisar su misión, directrices, y líneas de acción en la V Asamblea General, a realizarse en Buenos Aires, del 19 al 25 de febrero de 2007. Líderes Evangélicos Piden Revisión De Concordato Con Vaticano 25 agosto 2006, SANTO DOMINGO, República Dominicana – La revisión del Concordato que el estado dominicano mantiene con el Vaticano, en tanto "discriminatorio, irritante, anacrónico y parcializado con la religión católica," demandó el jueves un grupo de líderes evangélicos, tras advertir que no se trata de conseguir ventajas para sus iglesias, sino establecer un trato igualitario. Los reverendos Reynaldo Franco Aquino, presidente del Consejo Dominicano de Unidad Evangélica (CODUE); Rafael Montalvo, de la Confraternidad Evangélica (CONEDO), Alejandro Figueroa, de la Iglesia Evangélica Dominicana, y Luis Alberto Reyes, de la Iglesia Jesucristo Fuente de Amor, se pronunciaron en ese sentido durante una reunión con los medios de comunicación del Grupo Corripio. El 21 De Septiembre, Las Iglesias Del CMI Orarán Por La Paz Y Actuarán En Pos De Ella 24 agosto 2006 – "Orar por la paz es una parte esencial del culto cristiano y, ciertamente, de la existencia humana," dice el pastor Dr. Samuel Kobia, secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), sobre el Día Internacional de Oración por la Paz, que se celebrará el 21 de septiembre de 2006. Las iglesias miembros del CMI en todo el mundo están invitadas a orar por la paz en esa fecha o el domingo más próximo a ella. Esta iniciativa del CMI tomó forma hace dos años dentro del marco del Decenio para Superar la Violencia (DSV), y fue bienvenida por el secretario general de la ONU Kofi Annan. Su celebración coincide con el Día Internacional de la Paz de la ONU. El lema de este año, "Š y todavía buscamos la paz," fue propuesto por las iglesias de Latinoamérica -la región elegida como foco del DSV durante 2006. Creciente Anhelo De Comunión, No Agenda Minimalista Entrevista Con Walter Altmann 22 agosto 2006 – La belleza de la visión ecuménica y el entusiasmo que engendra; el escándalo de la división entre los cristianos; el sueño de iglesias que se dejen renovar para experimentar la unidad de la familia cristiana -éstos son algunos de los temas sobre los que habla en esta entrevista el recientemente elegido moderador del comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI). En la IX Asamblea celebrada en Porto Alegre en febrero pasado, usted fue elegido moderador del comité central, el más alto cargo electivo en el CMI. Muchas iglesias miembros quisieran saber más de usted. Antiguos Ejemplares De La Biblia Se Exhibirán En Expobiblia 2006 24 agosto 2006, LIMA, Perú – Algunos ejemplares de la Biblia únicos por su antigüedad, una Biblia solar y otra digital con animaciones en multimedia, monedas alusivas y otras curiosidades, se exhibirán en el museo itinerante de la Biblia que este año se instalará en el céntrico Parque de la Exposición de esta ciudad del 15 de septiembre hasta el 1 de octubre. Éste es un evento de servicio a la iglesia y a la comunidad en general, que estimula el crecimiento espiritual a través de la distribución y difusión de la Biblia, asegura Pablo Gutiérrez, de la Sociedad Bíblica Peruana. August 25, 2006, NEW YORK – With war and attendant human right violations dominating the daily news, a summit at the United Nations on Friday (August 25) presented human rights education as a practical route to world peace. Celebrities, human rights heroes, and artists participated alongside grassroots reformers from 40 countries around the world. "Imagine how different this world would appear if member nations had implemented real human rights education from the late 1940s," said Tim Bowles, Executive Director of Youth for Human Rights International, who opened the event in front of 500 attendees in Conference Room One at United Nations headquarters. "We would not care to imagine how our global civilization might appear if we fail now to take effective action on teaching human rights universally to our next generation," he continued. Secret Iran Letter Ordering "Monitoring" of Baha'is Made Public August 24, 2006, NEW YORK – The text of a secret letter from Iranian military headquarters instructing commanders of various state intelligence services, police units, and the Revolutionary Guard to "identify" and "monitor" Baha'is has now been obtained and made available to the public. The letter, dated 29 October 2005 and signed by the Chairman of Command Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, first came to public attention in March when its existence was announced by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ms. Asma Jahangir.. Church Plays Significant Role in Katrina Response August 25, 2006 – A year ago, Hurricane Katrina and other mighty storms swept across the Gulf Coast region, doing unprecedented damage to families, communities and congregations in five states and Central America. Massive recovery efforts continue and will do so for many years. This work involves government, business, civic and community groups, and churches and other religious institutions. The United Methodist Church has played a significant role in Katrina relief and rehabilitation since the first rescue teams were on the scene. Assistance is both direct and financial. Individual members, congregations, annual conferences, and national and international agencies are represented in the ongoing ministries of restoration. United Methodists Take Look at Hunger in NCC Documentary August 24, 2006, NEW YORK – Several United Methodist leaders figure prominently in a powerful TV documentary, "Hunger No More: Faces Behind the Facts," presented by the National Council of Churches. The program takes an unflinching look at the persistent problem of hunger in the 21st century and offers solutions. It is available to NBC television network affiliates beginning Sept. 10. United Methodists contributing their expertise in the program are the Rev. John McCullough, executive director of Church World Service; George McGovern, former senator and Democratic presidential candidate; Ken Horne, chief executive of the Society of St. Andrew; June Kim, executive secretary for world hunger of the United Methodist Committee on Relief; and the Rev. Bob Edgar, the NCC's chief executive. Lutheran Leaders must Be Involved in Response to HIV and AIDS August 25, 2006, TORONTO – The Global Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Campaign against HIV/AIDS began its first phase in 2002 "to promote churches getting more involved with HIV and AIDS activities, especially in regions of Africa and Asia," said Dr. Sheila Shyamprasad, the HIV and AIDS consultant to the LWF Department for Mission and Development. She said one of the key lessons learned was that Lutheran leadership – bishops, lay leaders, leaders of women's, men's and youth groups – must be involved for the church's activities to be effective. The first phase of the campaign ended in July 2006, focusing on education and prevention, Shyamprasad said. International Pressure Needed to Implement Sudan Peace August 22, 2006, PROVINCE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE SUDAN – Sudanese Church leaders have decried the slow implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in January 2005. Grave concern has been expressed at the prevalence of violent conflicts and ethnic clashes in many parts of Southern Sudan, and at the lack of development and services to the people. More than eighteen months after peace was signed, critical elements of the agreement have yet to be implemented. Among these are the determining of North/South boundaries and the boundary to the disputed area of Abyei, and the repealing of important laws affecting human rights which are contrary to the peace agreement. NCC Prayer Site for Mideast Peace Proves Popular August 22, 2006, NEW YORK CITY – While nations parse words and actions around a Middle East cease-fire, people of many faiths have been drawing on a new resource to focus the power of prayer on a "holy land" that birthed three major world religions. As the region was wracked with senseless violence and bloodshed, people of faith quickly turned to seasonofprayer.org as part of their agenda for waging peace. The website seasonofprayer.org has seen more than 88,000 hits since it was launched two weeks ago. The project is a ministry of the National Council of Churches USA's Interfaith Relations program and Religions for Peace-USA. Interreligious Group Proposes Steps Toward Peace August 18, 2006 – Four steps toward lasting peace in the Middle East has been proposed by the Board of the Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR) this week. The short- and -long-term steps proposed are: immediate humanitarian relief for civilian populations affected together with rebuilding of civilian infrastructure; a negotiated return of prisoners now being held by rival sides; an encouragement to religious leaders of the region to take a lead in resolving outstanding disputes; and an invitation to spiritual communities world-wide to address "the fissures and tensions in the inter-religious movement that have developed as a result of this conflict." Greater Communion,
Not Minimalist Agenda August 22, 2006 – The newly-elected moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee speaks in this interview about the beauty of the ecumenical vision and the enthusiasm it engenders, the scandal of divisions between Christians, and his dream of churches which allow themselves to be renewed so as to experience the unity of the Christian family. At the 9th Assembly, you were elected as the moderator of the WCC central committee, which is the highest elected position in the WCC. Many member churches would like to know more about you. Please tell us something about your personal and church background and life. Be Still . . . and Know That I Am God August 23, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – Be Still . . . And Know that I am God is a new daily devotional based on selected reflections written over a three-year period by the Harry "Gus" Keiser whose challenging, thought-provoking, and personal reflections invite the reader to pause, be still, and know the presence of God. Begun as a daily discipline of quiet time, each day includes a Scripture reading, the author's reflection, and a concluding prayer. An inspiring resource for both teens and adults, each page also contains a space for writing personal reflections.
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