 |
 |
 |
 |
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
|
Native American Community Rebuilds after Storms September 6, 2007, DULAC, La. – Mathilda Verrett enjoys the sounds of music amid the banging of hammers coming from her new kitchen each day. A volunteer work team from Christ Community Church in Illinois sings a cappella while installing cabinets for Verrett's home, which was flooded during Hurricane Rita in September 2005. "We'll break out into four-part harmony while we're working. It's fun," says high school senior Kevin Pittman. He has enjoyed serving storm victims in southwest Louisiana, he says. United Methodist Interns Embrace Diversity, Justice Issues September 7, 2007 – On summer weekdays, interns from all over the United States flood Capitol Hill in Washington on their way to government buildings. Once on the Hill, many of the interns head for congressional offices. But this past summer, like many others, 14 interns departed from the group and reported to the United Methodist building just across the street from the Supreme Court. These are the Ethnic Young Adult interns, selected by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society to spend two months interning at places all over the District of Columbia. They are chosen for their leadership qualities, involvement in The United Methodist Church and ethnic heritage. September 3, 2007, TRIPOLI, Libya/GENEVA – In a six-point action plan, representatives of Africa's seven faith traditions endorsed their commitment to prevent, manage, resolve and transform violent conflict in Africa, with a view to changing the continent's negative image. Meeting under the auspices of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA) in the Libyan capital Tripoli, from 27-30 August, they reiterated a common resolve to healing and reconciliation in ongoing peace processes on the continent. Dutch Dominicans Call for Laity to Celebrate Mass September 8, 2007, NETHERLANDS – The Dominican Order in the Netherlands has issued a radical recommendation that lay ministers chosen by their congregations should be allowed to celebrate the Eucharist if no ordained priests are available. In a booklet posted to all 1,300 parishes in the country, it says that the Church should drop its priest-centred model of the Mass in favour of one built around a community sharing bread and wine in prayer. "Whether they are women or men, homo- or heterosexual, married or single, makes no difference. What is important is an infectious attitude of faith," said the brochure, which has been approved by the Dutch order's leaders. Katrina Project to Memorialize Slain Virginia Tech Students September 4, 2007, NEW ORLEANS – Montreal Farve, an 80-year-old native of New Orleans, soon will live in a special house known as the "Virginia Tech House." The house was ruined by Hurricane Katrina and is being rebuilt in memory of two slain Virginia Tech students who served in New Orleans through the United Methodist Louisiana Disaster Recovery Ministry. Ryan Clark and Leslie Sherman were among the 33 Virginia Tech students who died in last spring's shooting spree on their Blacksburg, Va., campus. Symbols of Hope Endure in Post-Hurricane Rita Recovery September 6, 2007, BEAUMONT, Texas – Two large trees of hope constantly encourage the volunteer staff in the Rita Recovery office in the Wesley United Methodist Church. Two wall displays illustrate the long-term recovery work that continues after one of the costliest storms in U.S. history: Hurricane Rita, which struck the Texas-Louisiana border in September 2005. On one side is the "Tree of Recovery," where a leaf is added every time home repair work is completed. On the opposite wall is "Helping Hands," made of cut-out hand prints representing each of the volunteer teams in the rebuilding effort. September 5, 2007, NASHVILLE – Like Jesus asking the Samaritan woman at the well for a drink of water, good evangelism starts with simple conversation, according to the Rev. Martha Sadongei. "Evangelism is inviting another individual into conversation, to share what God has done in one's life," said the Arizona pastor, who preached during Sunday worship at the National Presbyterian Evangelism Conference Sept. 2. The story from the 4th chapter of John's Gospel about the Samaritan woman, who was a Gentile, and Jesus, a Jewish man, "gives us a signal about how we are to position ourselves if we are to do evangelism," especially when sharing faith across cultural boundaries, Sadongei said. Sacred Duty – Elders Called to Uphold ‘Courage and Faithfulness' of Forebearers September 3, 2007, NASHVILLE – A rousing, passionate speech on leadership and inclusiveness by former Mississippi Governor and Presbyterian elder William Winter brought the first-ever National Elders Conference's plenary sessions to a close Friday morning (Aug. 31). The more than 300 elders gathered gave Winter a standing ovation. Touching on the unofficial theme of the conference, poet Ann Weems called Winter "a deliciously dangerous elder" during a question-and-answer session following the former governor's address. Like other speakers before him, Winter remembered the church of his childhood: Bethel Presbyterian Church in Pea Ridge, MS. Worshippers Make Boat Church Their Port of Call on Sundays September 5, 2007, WARWICK, Ga. – As boaters pull up to a dock on Lake Blackshear, the Rev. Dorsia Atkinson Jr. checks a tool bag he'll use as part of his sermon and the minnow buckets that will serve as collection plates. "You come in your bathing suit, come in your T-shirt, come in your shorts, come in your flip-flops, and you're not worried about looking like someone should look to be at church," says Atkinson. He's describing the Boat Church ministry of Warwick United Methodist Church. For the past six years, he has led outdoor Boat Church services on Sunday mornings on a vacant lot beside the lake. Worshippers sit in lawn chairs by the water or listen from their boats. Old Catholics Consider Their Catholic, Ecumenical Vocation September 5, 2007 – The International Old Catholic Theologians' Conference has issued a communiqué urging Old Catholics to explore what it means to be truly catholic and ecumenical in a time of globalization. "The ecumenical vocation of the Union of Utrecht and its member churches is firstly to apply and deepen, in the context of the local Church at the level of parish communities, that which has been theologically clarified and achieved together with the Anglican and Orthodox Churches," the theologians said. The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches in full communion with the Anglican Communion. Iglesias Luteranas De Latinoamérica Realizan Consulta Sobre Agua En El Salvador 6 septiembre 2007, SAN SALVADOR – Con el lema "Mover las Aguas," la Federación Luterana Mundial y sus departamentos Misión y Desarrollo y la Oficina de la MEIS, Ginebra, realizan en El Salvador del 4 al 8 de septiembre la Consulta Latinoamérica del mismo nombre. La consulta tiene como objetivo hacer una reflexión conjunta a la luz de la fe, sobre los desafíos de la Iglesia en el mundo para el abordaje y manejo las crisis y demandas del agua, como un elemento de la creación de Dios. Se Inicia Curso Sobre Historia Del Cristianismo En Universidad De La Habana 5 septiembre 2007, LA HABANA, Cuba – En el antiguo salón-comedor, devenido en aula, de la que fuera residencia del llamado "padre de la antropología" en Cuba, Don Fernando Ortiz (1881-1969), donde funcionan actualmente los departamentos de Historia de la Facultad de Filosofía e Historia de la Universidad de La Habana, y sede de la Fundación Don Fernando Ortiz, se inició este martes un curso sobre "Introducción a la Historia del Cristianismo," dentro de la Maestría en Historia General. Religiones Por La Paz Realiza Encuentros En Buenos Aires 7 septiembre 2007, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – La Conferencia Mundial de Religiones por la Paz (WCRP) viene desarrollando una serie de encuentros, en la ciudad de Buenos Aires, desde el 3 hasta el 10 de septiembre. Los días 3 y 4, se desarrolló el Encuentro de la Red Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Mujeres de Fe, cita en la que participaron mujeres que ejercen cargos de liderazgo en sus respectivas comunidades de fe. Entre tanto, el 5 y 6 del presente se está desarrollando el Foro Tripartito Latinoamericano de Cooperación para el Desarrollo, donde, además de la presencia de algunos de los principales referentes de comunidades religiosas, se encuentran representantes de algunos gobiernos de la región, y de instituciones vinculadas a la lucha contra la pobreza y el desarrollo sostenible. Luego, el 7 de septiembre se realizará el Consejo Latinoamericano y Caribeño de Líderes Religiosos, donde intervendrán representantes de las diferentes confesiones en todo el continente. Daños En Templos, Casas Y Obras Tras El Paso De Félix 6 septiembre 2007, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Hasta las 1 PM del miércoles, hora local de Managua, se contabilizaban 21 muertes confirmadas oficialmente, más datos extraoficiales que manejan medios de información. El gobierno confirmó que hay centenares de desaparecidos por el paso del huracán Félix. Las iglesias Moravas, Bautistas y la radio oficial de Consejo de Iglesias Evangélicas Pro Alianza Denominacional (Cepad), llamaron al pueblo a donar alimentos, medicamentos o dinero para la ayuda a los miles de damnificados. El presidente Daniel Ortega llegó ayer a Puerto Cabeza y quedó impresionado al encontrarse con un panorama desolador; las primeras evaluaciones indican que son 50 mil los afectados en mayor y menor grado, mientras las casas destruida ascienden a más de 10 mil. September 5, 2007, WASHINGTON – The National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW) held its annual leadership event July 25-29 at American University in Washington D.C. This year's theme, "Speaking Truth to Power," drew 35 young women from private and public universities nationwide. Many issues pertinent to the upcoming 2008 election influenced the conference. To teach about the connection between faith and politics, the leadership event planning team organized a different plenary speaker each night and a visit to the PC(USA)'s Washington, D.C. office. Pacific Christians Need to Be Assertive, WCC President Says September 5, 2007 – As people from "a region which has experienced, and is experiencing, the effects of all the major issues that have affected the world," Pacific representatives need to be assertive "in bringing Pacific perspectives and experience into international forums," said the World Council of Churches (WCC) president from the Pacific region, Mr John Taroanui Doom, addressing participants at the 9th assembly of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC). Doom delivered the keynote speech of the PCC assembly, which takes place from 2-8 September in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and focused it on the "Pacific identity" issue. He called on the 200 delegates from 25 churches and seven national councils of churches attending the gathering at the Kanana Fou Theological Seminary to change the attitude and mindset which makes Pacific people feel "junior or inexperienced." Among the "major issues" affecting the Pacific region and the world, Doom mentioned "colonialism, migration problems, the downside of tourism, issues of democracy and good governance, the ravages of climate change and its long term effects, [and] the geo-political tensions played out in our region by larger nations." September 4, 2007, MINNEAPOLIS – No issue has so daunted American life and history as that of race. Fifty years after the accomplishments of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, we are confronted with continued crises over racial injustice, but are also being given new opportunities to complete the task of eliminating racism in United States' society. Joseph Barndt's powerful, personal, yet practical work in Understanding and Dismantling Racism: The Twenty-First Century Challenge to White America reframes race and racism in a new way for a new century and offers tested ways to address it. How a Simple Meal Became the Lord's Supper September 7, 2007, MINNEAPOLIS – Given for You: Reflections on the Meaning of the Lord's Supper by Rev. Dr. Louis Accola is now available in the Lutheran Voices series from Augsburg Fortress. Given for You provides an eleven-point summary of key teachings and understandings of the Lord's Supper. An inspiring, uplifting, and transforming book, Given for You is an eloquent call for true communion among all Christians around this simple meal given by Jesus for the Church and for the sake of the world. |
