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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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WCC "Absolutely Condemns" Attacks on Civilians in Gaza and Israel March 3, 2008 – Absolute condemnation for the "deadly attacks on civilians by the Israeli military on Gaza and by militants firing rockets from Gaza" was expressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia today. Claiming that "the path to peace stands open but empty," he called for an end of the "incessant violations of life and of human rights" and of the "blockade that has systematically deprived Gazans of almost all their rights." Attacks across the Gaza-Israeli border have killed more then 110 Palestinians and three Israelis since the middle of last week. Jewish Representative Body Welcomes Muslim Call to Dialogue March 3, 2008, NEW YORK, NY – In an historic first, the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), that represents world Jewry to other world religions, has issued a call for dialogue between Muslims and Jews. The statement follows the recent call to peace, dialogue and understanding issued by Muslim scholars on February 25th 2008. The IJCIC statement, entitled "Seek Peace and Pursue It" addresses those voices speaking "from a stance of moderation, love of God, and respect for the dignity of all people." February 29, 2008 – The World Sikh Council – America Region (WSC-AR) is unable to attend the interreligious meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on April 17, 2008 in Washington, DC due to the refusal of the US Secret Service to accommodate the Sikh requirement of the Kirpaan. The Kirpaan is one of the five articles of faith required of all formally initiated Sikhs. The Kirpaan (literally meaning ‘bringer of mercy') represents the Sikh commitment to resist oppression and injustice, but only in a defensive posture and never to initiate confrontation. Religious Organizations Ask Bush to Stop U.S. Torture February 29, 2008, WASHINGTON – Faith leaders are urging U.S. President George W. Bush to stop U.S.-sponsored torture by signing the Intelligence Authorization Act to prohibit using torture as an interrogation tool. Letters have been sent to Bush from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the National Council of Churches. The United Methodist Church is a member of both organizations. The United Methodist Board of Church and Society, the church's social action agency, launched a campaign on Feb. 20 called "United Methodists Do Not Torture," and more than 1,000 people have signed its petition calling for Bush to sign the legislation. Catechetical Address on the Commencement of Holy and Great Lent March 9, 2008 – Bartholomew, by the Mercy of God Archbishop of Constantinople New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch to the Plenitude of the Church Grace and Peace from Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and from Us Benediction Blessing and Forgiveness: During this period of Holy and Great Lent, our Church calls us to repentance. Doubtless, as contemporary man hears this invitation to repentance, he does not feel comfortable, because he has accustomed himself to a certain way of life, and does not wish to question his own rectitude. ELCA Presiding Bishop's 2008 Easter Message March 3, 2008 – "For you have died, your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) "You have died." The words resonate because this world's violence and suffering – so pervasive, so needless, so relentless – haunt every human community and life. Where death rules, hope lies entombed in endless grief. Another death – the crucifixion of Jesus – changed everything. Caucus Says Empower Black Churches, Communities March 6, 2008, LOS ANGELES – African-American United Methodists must engage in the Wesleyan code in their own zip codes to help black churches and African-American communities. That was the message to nearly 400 participants at the Feb. 27-March 1 annual meeting of Black Methodists for Church Renewal. The gathering focused both inwardly and outwardly to examine the realities and challenges of following John Wesley's three general rules for a faithful Christian life: doing good, doing no harm and staying in love with God. March 4, 2008 – The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) are looking for a hymn and a sermon for the festivities marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformer Jean Calvin. Contributions can be sent in up to 1 April. How does Calvin sound? UN and WCC General Secretaries Forge Closer Partnership March 3, 2008 – In a wide ranging discussion at the Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC) the UN secretary general, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon and WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia found agreement for the two world bodies to work more closely on several global issues, particularly climate change. "Global warming will only be resolved through a global common response and we need your help," Ban Ki-Moon said to Kobia and several staff gathered. Luther Institute Gives Wittenberg Award to Travel Writer, Host Rick Steves March 4, 2008, CHICAGO – The Luther Institute, an affiliate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.), gave its Wittenberg Award to Rick Steves, travel writer and host of "Rick Steves' Europe" on public television stations. Steves and his family are members of Trinity Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Lynnwood, Wash. ELCA Seminary Professors Are 'Day 1' Preachers on Palm Sunday, Easter March 5, 2008, CHICAGO – Two seminary professors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will deliver the Palm Sunday and Easter messages on "Day 1," a nationally broadcast radio program. The Rev. David J. Lose and the Rev. Mary Hinkle Shore are on the faculty of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., one of eight ELCA seminaries. Lose, academic dean and the Marbury E. Anderson chair in biblical preaching, will be the speaker March 17, Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday, and March 30. Pew Study Raises Questions for Methodist Leaders February 29, 2008 – Mirroring most other mainline U.S. denominations, United Methodists are generally older, whiter and wealthier in a nation that is increasingly populated with young adults, people of color and families with modest incomes. The United Methodist Church also is losing more members than it's gaining, with its parishioners increasingly moving to evangelical Protestant churches or choosing not to affiliate with another religious group at all. That portrait of United Methodism was presented in a landmark study of religion in America released Feb. 25 by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Neighborhood House Assists Katrina Survivors March 7, 2008, EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Bonita Jethro was born and raised in East St. Louis and remembered Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House from her childhood. As an adult, she started a new life in New Orleans. "It was a great move for me," she said. "I was a head baker for Piccadilly Restaurant for 14 years." Then Hurricane Katrina blew in, sending Jethro back to the city of her youth. She encountered the Neighborhood House again-but this time as a ministry reaching out and assisting survivors of the hurricane. Church Remembers Evangelical United Brethren Roots March 7, 2008 – Forty years ago this spring, The United Methodist Church became The United Methodist Church. On April 23, 1968, delegates from the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren churches voted to merge their denominations at a Uniting Conference in Dallas. Four decades later, as United Methodists return to the Dallas area for the 2008 General Conference, many former EUBs remain active in ministry and have differing opinions on how best to remember the denomination of their youth. Methodists and EUBs had pursued union since the Evangelical Association and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ had merged in 1946 to form the EUB Church. ELCA Task Force Considers Topics for a Study Guide on Genetics March 3, 2008, CHICAGO – From discussing the latest in molecular biology to the use of genetically modified organisms, 18 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Task Force on Genetics met here Feb. 22-23 to share scientific and theological information as they work toward creating a study on genetics for the church. The study is expected to be available Nov. 1. The purpose of the meeting was "to continue information-gathering and provide a basic framework for what we think should be included in a study on genetics," said Janet Williams, genetic counselor, Clinical Genetics Institute, Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Utah, in an interview. Wartburg Seminary Earns Discount in Contributions to Health Plan for 2008 March 6, 2008 – Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, earned a 2 percent discount on contributions it makes to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Health Benefits Plan for its employees for 2008. Wartburg qualified for the discount when more than 75 percent of its employees and their spouses receiving ELCA primary health coverage completed the Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment, which the ELCA Board of Pensions, Minneapolis, offered as a health plan benefit. National Muslim-Christian Initiative in North America Launched March 7, 2008 – Representatives of several Muslim organizations and Christian denominations launched a National Muslim-Christian Initiative in North America at a meeting this week near Washington, D.C. The work is partially sponsored by the Interfaith Relations Commission of the National Council of Churches of Christ. Mohamed Elsanousi, director of communications and community outreach of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and the Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord, consultant for interfaith relations for the Episcopal Church, coordinated the meeting, which was convened as the result of consultations between Muslim and Christian organizations and leaders in the recent past. Carta Abierta Del CLAI Acerca Del Conflicto En Los Andes 5 marzo 2008, QUITO, Ecuador – Con el texto bíblico de Efesios 4,3, el Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI) inicia una Carta Abierta sobre el conflicto entre Ecuador y Colombia. El Consejo declara su sorpresa ante este conflicto entre países hermanos. El Ecuador denuncia una lesión a su soberanía por doble partida: la presencia de guerrilleros de las FARC y la acción militar ordenada por el Gobierno de Colombia en territorio ecuatoriano. El CMI "Condena Absolutamente" Los Ataques a Personas Civiles En Gaza E Israel 4 marzo 2008 – El secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, expresó el lunes la absoluta condena de los "ataques mortales a civiles realizados por los militares israelíes en Gaza y por militantes que lanzan cohetes desde Gaza." Alegando que el "camino para la paz está abierto, pero vacío," exigió que se ponga fin a las "incesantes violaciones del derecho a la vida y los derechos humanos," así como al "bloqueo que ha privado sistemáticamente de casi todos sus derechos a los habitantes de Gaza." 5 marzo 2008, QUITO, Ecuador – El Consejo Permanente de la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA) no se pone de acuerdo en torno al conflicto abierto entre Colombia y Ecuador. Luego de 10 horas de reunión pospusieron para hoy una resolución por el desacuerdo en la descripción de lo ocurrido el sábado cuando el Ejército y la Policía colombianas atacaron un campamento de la guerrilla de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) situado en territorio ecuatoriano. El CLAI Nunca Se Cerró Al Diálogo, Dice Felipe Adolf 6 marzo 2008, QUITO, Ecuador – El CLAI nunca se cerró al diálogo, pero tampoco confundió lo personal con lo institucional, señaló aquí el pastor luterano Felipe Adolf, primer vicepresidente del Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias, reaccionando a un artículo del teólogo bautista colombiano Harold Segura publicado en Lupa Protestante de España. Segura es responsable de Relaciones Eclesiásticas de Visión Mundial en América Latina. 4 marzo 2008 – En una conversación sobre un amplio temario que tuvo lugar en el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) con sede en Ginebra, el Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas, Excmo. Sr. Ban Ki-Moon, y el secretario general del CMI, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, acordaron que las dos organizaciones mundiales deben trabajar en colaboración más estrecha con respecto a varios problemas mundiales, especialmente el cambio climático. 3 marzo 2008, GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Líderes de las iglesias reformadas del Caribe y Norte América han hecho un llamado para el levantamiento del embargo económico que mantiene los Estados Unidos en contra de Cuba, por el bien de la justicia y las relaciones justas. El Consejo de Área del Caribe y Norte América, CACNA, (por sus siglas en inglés) de la Alianza Mundial de Iglesias Reformadas (ARM), WARC (siglas en inglés), se reunió en Georgetown, Guyana del 25 al 28 de febrero, con el lema "Rompiendo las Cadenas." 3 marzo 2008, GEORGETOWN, Guyana – El material con el que se celebrará el Día Mundial de Oración (DMO) el próximo viernes 7 de marzo, fue preparado por Mujeres Cristianas de Guyana, uno de los países donde el DMO se celebra desde hace 81 años. Son mujeres de un país en el norte de América Latina, uno de los pocos territorios donde no se habla ni castellano ni portugués sino inglés como idioma oficial. Como ex-colonia británica Guyana alcanzó su independencia en 1966, de manera que la historia del DMO en Guyana es mucho más larga que su historia como nación independiente. Los Secretarios De La ONU Y El CMI Intensifican La Colaboración 5 marzo 2008, GINEBRA, Suiza – En una conversación sobre un amplio temario que tuvo lugar en el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) con sede en Ginebra, el Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas, Excmo. Sr. Ban Ki-Moon, y el secretario general del CMI, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, acordaron que las dos organizaciones mundiales deben trabajar en colaboración más estrecha con respecto a varios problemas mundiales, especialmente el cambio climático. Camino Cristiano Firma Alianza Política Con El Partido Liberal 4 marzo 2008, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – El directorio del Partido Camino Cristiano Nicaragüense, PCCN, autorizó a su presidente Guillermo Osorno, a firmar una alianza con el Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC, para participar unidos en las elecciones municipales a realizarse en noviembre de este año. Esta es la primera alianza entre dos partidos que están ansiosos del poder que pueden dar las 153 alcaldías del país. CMI Reafirma Apoyo Al CLAI En Transición 7 marzo 2008, GINEBRA, Suiza – El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias, por voz de su secretario general, el Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, reafirmó su compromiso "de seguir acompañando el ministerio que el Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI) viene desarrollando durante estas tres décadas." El CMI "Condena Absolutamente" Los Ataques a Civiles En Gaza E Israel 4 marzo 2008, GINEBRA, Suiza – El secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, expresó el lunes la absoluta condena de los "ataques mortales a civiles realizados por los militares israelíes en Gaza y por militantes que lanzan cohetes desde Gaza." Alegando que el "camino para la paz está abierto, pero vacío," exigió que se ponga fin a las "incesantes violaciones del derecho a la vida y los derechos humanos," así como al "bloqueo que ha privado sistemáticamente de casi todos sus derechos a los habitantes de Gaza." Institute Gives Cautious Welcome to Cuba's Move to Recognize Human Rights March 2, 2008, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy commends Cuba for signing two important human rights covenants, but cautions that much more needs to be done to improve the country's overall human rights record. Cuba's new president, Raul Castro, signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Feb. 28. "Cuba has taken an important step by recognizing the importance of joining the international community by ratifying these important human rights treaties," said Institute President Joseph K. Grieboski. Institute Urges Bush to Discuss Religious Freedom Restrictions in Jordan March 8, 2008, WASHINGTON, DC – In light of King Abdullah II of Jordan's visit to the White House tomorrow, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy has urged President Bush to press the King on recent religious freedom violations in his kingdom. In the last year, Jordan has deported at least 27 foreign evangelical Christians and their families for "illegal" missionary activities. Through restrictive registration laws, Jordan allows only four traditional churches the right to proselytize. CRWRC Welcomes Compromise Bipartisan HIV/AIDS Bill March 6, 2008 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As a member of the AERDO HIV/AIDS Alliance (AHA), the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee supports the AHA's approval of the bipartisan HIV/AIDS compromise approved by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on February 27, 2008. The Committee's approval of the bill provides renewed bilateral momentum toward the passage of legislation that will continue the impact of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). ELCA Responds to Floods in Namibia March 3, 2008 – Cooper International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $50,000 Feb. 18 in response to flooding in eastern and northern Namibia. The funds were sent to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia in support of the church's flood relief work. The flooding in Namibia "is not front-page news" outside of the African country, "but some northern parts of Namibia have been hit with the worst flooding in 50 years," said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international leadership development, ELCA Global Mission. Filipino Church Leaders Criticize Alleged Corruption March 4, 2008 – Allegations of a corrupt business deal that would have garnered millions of dollars in payoffs to Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and her husband have United Methodist leaders declaring that now is the time to "exorcise this evil spirit." United Methodist Bishop Solito Toquero said allegations of "graft and corruption" have caused the country's leaders to lose their credibility to govern. Since Arroyo took office in 2001, Toquero and United Methodist Bishop Leo Soriano, along with other religious leaders, have spoken out against government corruption and the ongoing violence against church workers and social justice advocates in the Philippines. Church Leaders Ask Condoleezza Rice to Address Gaza Crisis February 29, 2008 – Dear Secretary Rice, As you prepare to return to the Middle East, we – the leaders of U.S. Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches and church-related organizations that make up Churches for Middle East Peace – are writing to ask you to take urgent action to address the still unresolved Gaza crisis. The continuing violence and suffering experienced by Palestinians and Israelis is hindering progress on the peace process and also create conditions that pose a particular threat to the small Christian community in Gaza. As people of faith, we are greatly concerned by the situation of civilians caught in the conflict. Holy Land Lutheran Bishop Responds to Jerusalem Shooting, Gaza Violence March 7, 2008, CHICAGO – The Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Holy Land and Jordan, offered "sincere condolences to all who are mourning the loss of loved ones" in the wake of a March 6 shooting incident at a rabbinical seminary in Jerusalem that left eight people dead, and after the violence that has killed at least 120 people in Gaza this past week. LWF Leaders Pay Tribute to Ecumenist William Lazareth March 4, 2008, GENEVA – Leaders of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have paid tribute to the ecumenical legacy of Rev. Dr William H. Lazareth, former bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), who died from illness on 23 February, aged 79. "A most eloquent voice in witness to the gospel is now silent," said LWF President and ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson. |
