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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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King's Message Must Be Heard Today, Civil Rights Leader Says January 12, 2007, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A civil rights leader told a gathering that racism, sexism, violence and greed have wounded the world and people still need to hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s words: "You are somebody." "At the heart of King's message was, ‘You are somebody; you are not a nothing,'" said the Rev. James Lawson, a friend of King's, civil rights justice leader and visiting professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. ELCA Presiding Bishop Joins CUIC Leaders in MLK Statement January 10, 2007, CHICAGO – In a statement for the annual observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15, several U.S. Christian church leaders urged their congregations to join other congregations in their communities to "discern ways to exercise common witness and common service as together we seek to dismantle racism and, in so doing, to be the voice and presence of God's love in the world." The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and 10 other Christian church leaders – many of them heads of communion – endorsed the statement. It was issued through Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), a relationship of 10 member churches "that have pledged to live more closely together in expressing their unity in Christ and to combat racism together," according to CUIC's Web site. United Methodist Executive Opposes Troop Surge January 12 , 2007 – On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, the top executive for the church's social justice agency has called on United Methodists to say no to more troops in Iraq and to participate in a Jan. 27 rally in Washington to end the war in Iraq. "As the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. approaches, we are reminded of his prophetic words decrying the Vietnam War," said Jim Winkler, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, in a Jan. 12 statement. "Dr. King stated that given the widespread destruction caused by that war, the people of Vietnam must have seen us as ‘strange liberators.' So, too, is the United States viewed today by the people of Iraq." NCC Joins Faith Groups in Urging Media Access, Accountability January 9, 2007, NEW YORK – National Council of Churches USA (NCC) joined with an array of faith groups including Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims in calling for more access to broadcast media outlets. "I have a fear that someday soon we may see Paris Hilton asked to comment on moral issues," said Kermit Netteberg from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and a member of the NCC Communication Commission. He was speaking to a forum of religious leaders and two members of the Federal Communications Commission in the Manhattan studios of WNET Public Television. The interfaith gathering was sponsored by the communications committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United Church of Christ (UCC), an NCC member communion. Over 1,000 Faith Leaders Urge Congress to Raise Minimum Wage January 8, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC – Let Justice Roll, a nonpartisan coalition of ninety faith and community organizations, today sent a letter to members of Congress signed by more than 1,000 Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith leaders from across the country. Anticipating House debate on minimum wage this Wednesday, Jan. 10, faith leaders urge congressional support for The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (HR 2), which would increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 from the $5.15 level set in 1997. "As people of faith, we believe there is no better way to urgently address the poverty that afflicts so many low-wage working people and their families than by raising the minimum wage," said Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, National Coordinator of Let Justice Roll and co-author of "A Just Minimum Wage: Good for Workers, Business and Our Future." January 8, 2007 – A full-page newspaper advertisement "meant to change the context" of media coverage of the Episcopal Church appears to be meeting its goal, according to the priest who wrote the ad's text. Church Offers Financial Counseling for Families January 11, 2007, PLANO, Texas – Custer Road United Methodist Church lies in the middle of one of the most prosperous areas of the country, home to high-tech companies and upscale restaurants and retailers near Dallas. But something not reflected in the Census Bureau's household-income figures is families living beyond their means. "We have a lot of people that have high salaries, but they spend more each year than what they make," said the Rev. Rick Enns, associate minister at Custer Road. January 12, 2007 – The national Children's Ministries Agency has announced the release of E-LIFE Kids – an exciting opportunity designed to help turn everyday kids into ones who not only can lead their friends and classmates to Christ, but mentor them as well. "E-LIFE Kids is not just a program, but a lifestyle," explains E-LIFE National Coordinator Marshall Bruner. "Through E-LIFE, leaders can help children realize how they can become missionaries to their schools." Suited best for upper elementary children, E-LIFE Kids was developed by the national Children's Ministries Agency with the assistance of key children's pastors from across the country. "I Have Never Typed My Name," Says Communications Trainee January 9, 2007, MUTARE, Zimbabwe – When the Rev. Margaret Mukundu, 41, sat down at the computer on opening day of a communications training exercise, she typed her name for the first time. "I have never even used a typewriter," she said. "I managed to type my own words, my own name." Twenty-nine members of the Commission on Communications, including staff from United Methodist Communications, are meeting in Africa Jan. 4-11. The commission members traveled to Zimbabwe to explore how they and United Methodist Communications can be helpful to African communicators. Legislation Reflects Range of Young People's Concerns January 11, 2007, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Young people from around the world worked on legislation ranging from social issues to representation in The United Methodist Church during a first ever global event held Dec. 28-Jan. 1. "We got a lot accomplished for the voice of young people because a lot of good legislation came from this gathering," said Katie Zilm, a delegate from Song of Life United Methodist Church, Mesa, Ariz. The Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly was sponsored by the Division on Ministries with Young People, United Methodist Board of Discipleship. The denomination's Book of Discipline states that a global convocation of young people will meet every four years "for the purpose of celebrating the mission and vitality of young people in the United Methodist Church." January 3, 2007 – A group of Episcopal Church bishops gathered beginning January 3 at Camp Allen Conference and Retreat Center, northwest of Houston, Texas, for a three-day meeting to continue discussing the church's relationship with the rest of the Anglican Communion's provinces. According to a story in the January edition of the diocese's newspaper, Texas Bishop Don Wimberly sent a letter to the clergy of the diocese saying that his correspondence with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, following the first meeting of self-styled "Windsor Bishops" in September, "encouraged" him to hold the second gathering. The "Windsor Bishops" are a group of bishops who have said they agree that the terms of the Windsor Report provide a roadmap for a way forward in the midst of disagreements among the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion. Outreach Ministry Provides Wheels for Children, Homeless January 4, 2007, PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Retiring to Florida after Army careers, Paul and Linda Lawrence were looking for a place to "fit in" at their church. They found it by repairing bicycles for children, the homeless and others struggling without transportation. "Neither one of us knew anything about a bicycle," said Paul Lawrence. "I hardly knew what the wheel went around on." Teaching:
Revamped Episcopal Church Foundation Fellowship Partners January 10, 2007 – The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) recently announced a call for applications to its newly recreated Fellowship Partners Program. Historically, the Fellowship Partners Program provides financial support to scholars planning teaching careers in theological education. In its new state, a transformational ministry has been added to develop and nurture lay and clergy leaders and applications will be accepted from candidates throughout the Episcopal Church and the global Anglican Communion. Líderes Religiosos Del Continente Se Reunirán En Buenos Aires 9 enero 2007, QUITO, Ecuador – El Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI) tendrá su V Asamblea en Buenos Aires, Argentina del 19 al 25 de febrero próximos. Más de 600 líderes de diferentes iglesias de América Latina y el Caribe se reunirán en las instalaciones del Colegio Ward, propiedad de las iglesias Metodistas y Discípulos de Cristo, bajo la temática "La gracia de Dios nos justifica, su espíritu nos libera para la vida." El CLAI es un movimiento ecuménico que reúne 180 iglesias y organismos cristianos ubicados en 20 países de la región. La Crisis En La Iglesia Católica Polaca Continua 9 enero 2007, VARSOVIA, Polonia – La crisis que sacude a la Iglesia Católica polaca no quedó superada con la dimisión del recién nombrado arzobispo de Varsovia, Stanislaw Wielgus, momentos antes de ser investido como tal. Por el contrario. En Polonia el caso sigue levantando olas, que este lunes arrastraron al párroco de la catedral de Wawel, en Cracovia: Janusz Bielanski presentó su renuncia, después de que se hicieran públicas revelaciones similares a las que derribaron a Wielgus, en cuanto a que había sido informante de los servicios secretos en tiempos del régimen comunista. Religiosos Lamentan La Violencia, a 15 Años De Los Acuerdos De Paz 10 enero 2007, SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – En las vísperas de celebrarse el XV Aniversario de los históricos Acuerdos de Paz en El Salvador, el movimiento "Religiones por La Paz" lamentó la situación de violencia que se vive en esta nación centroamericana. "La violencia es el pan nuestro de cada día, nos desayunamos y nos vamos a la cama con violencia" dijo el Reverendo Miguel Tomas Castro de la Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel, al hacer alusión a las estadísticas de criminalidad que señalan que 12 o 13 asesinatos se comenten a diario. January 8, 2007, GENEVA – The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, will lead an interfaith delegation to North and South Sudan from 9 to 13 January 2007. The major aim of the visit is to meet with Sudan's political and religious leaders and encourage them to sustain the peace process in place since the January 2005 signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army. The four-person team comprising representatives of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA), will hold discussions with representatives of the new political leadership in Sudan's capital, Khartoum and with the Government of South Sudan in Juba. New York Market Religious Broadcast's 28-Year Run Ended January 10, 2007 NEW YORK – With the airing of The Interfaith Connection on WKTU on the last Sunday of 2006 (Dec. 31) a unique New York public service broadcast experience that began with a special Christmas feature on WNBC-FM in 1978 and morphed into a successful weekly interfaith broadcast ended. The unique New York-oriented public service broadcast experiment outlived several changes in station owners, call letters and formats in its extraordinary 28-year run. The decision to call it off was made known by Rob Miller, WKTU's recently-appointed Program Director. WKTU is one of six Clear Channel Radio stations in New York Metro. Tri-State Media Ministry, Inc. (TRIMM), an ecumenical agency for public service religious media projects in the New York market, was the cooperating community partner with the stations in the production and presentation of the program for its entire run. Church of the Brethren Leader Responds to Iraq Speech January 12, 2007 The general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, Stanley J. Noffsinger, has made a response to President Bush's speech about the Iraq war. Following is the response: "As Christians, we are called to continually give witness to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who called us to love our enemies. Last summer, in July 2006, the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference made a resolution about the war in Iraq that is even more applicable today." Convoy of Hope Delivers Food to Powerless Nebraska Town January 12, 2007 – Images of the holiday blizzards that struck parts of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska have faded from the news, but many residents remain without power. In response to a request from area partners, Convoy of Hope headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, sent a truckload of relief supplies to the town of Holdrege, Nebraska, Thursday morning. Holdrege may be without power for another four to six weeks, leaving approximately 8,000 residents unable to work or buy necessary supplies, though they face the additional burden of spending large sums of money on fuel for generators. Presiding Bishop Responds to President Bush's Speech on Iraq January 12, 2007 – Noting that "the road to peace goes through Jerusalem, not Baghdad," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has responded to President George Bush's January 10 speech on Iraq and related U.S. military activity. Delegates Chosen for United Nations Commission on the Status of Women January 10, 2007 – More than 80 Anglican women from across the United States and around the world have been selected to participate in the 51st United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), announced the Rev. Margaret Rose, director of the Episcopal Church's Office of Women's Ministries. The Anglican delegation is the largest non-governmental delegation to the UNCSW, which will meet February 26 through March 9, 2007 at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. "This delegation's essential work is the empowerment of women in the church and in their own countries," said Rose. Lutherans Begin 2007 Rebuilding Communities after Natural Disasters January 10, 2007, CHICAGO – Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have started 2007 helping to rebuild communities overseas affected by natural disasters. Through ELCA International Disaster Response, Lutherans have sent $300,000 to support a tsunami rehabilitation program in Indonesia, $50,000 to help fund typhoon-relief operations in the Philippines, and $100,000 for flood relief in Kenya and Somalia. Church World Service (CWS) continues to organize recovery operations in Indonesia after a Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake in the Indian Ocean produced a tsunami that left some 170,000 people dead or missing in northern Sumatra. Now
We Can Run to the Terrace January 10, 2007, CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu, India/GENEVA – "So many people lost their lives to the tsunami, hence we can't say the tsunami is good. But just as it has taken so much from us, it has also given us a lot. Even in our dreams we could not have imagined houses like this," remarks Revathi Balasubhramaniam, a resident of Nadukuppam village,Villupuram district, in India's southeastern state of Tamil Nadu. Two years on, several other survivors of the December 2004 tidal wave that devastated Southeast Asia's coastline including several villages in Tamil Nadu express similar sentiments. Bishop of Connor Elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland January 10, 2007 – The Rt Revd Alan Harper, Bishop of Connor has been elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland by the House of Bishops of the Church of Ireland. Making the announcement in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin said: "It gives me great personal delight to make this announcement, as I look forward, as indeed do all the Bishops, to working in partnership with Alan and under his leadership. Bishop Harper is a man of deep faith, great ability and pastoral insight and I am certain that he is the person that we were guided by the Holy Spirit to elect to this office." Three Episcopal Communicators Transition in Work; One Receives Diocesan Honor January 8, 2007 – Episcopal Communicators Robert Brown, Gordon Thomas, and Anne McConney have made transitions in their work and Eugene H. Willard was recently honored by his diocese. Brown, communications director for the Diocese of Missouri and editor of Interim, completed his tenure on December 22, 2006. Recommendations from a consulting firm hired to audit diocesan communications resulted in the discontinuance of Interim. Brown's successor, Sandra Coburn, whose career in communications spans more than 20 years, joined the diocese on December 18. Reclaiming the "L" Word in Your Congregation January 11, 2007, MINNEAPOLIS – Kelly Fryer's book Reclaiming the L Word introduced one congregation's journey through renewal and helped readers see and interpret guiding principles employed by that congregation as illustrative of and rooted in Lutheran theology. Now Dave Daubert, in his newly released book, Living Lutheran: Renewing Your Congregation, provides a practical how-to guide that will enable church leaders to help individual congregations walk through the process for themselves. Creative and informative, the book provides a straightforward approach that helps congregations reclaim Lutheran tradition for the 21st century.
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