Front Page

United Church of Christ Leaders Respond to ‘Media Caricatures' of Congregation

March 14, 2008, CLEVELAND, OH – In the wake of misleading attacks on its mission and ministry, Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ is being lauded by United Church of Christ leaders across the nation for the integrity of its worship, the breadth of its community involvement and the depth of its commitment to social justice. "Trinity United Church of Christ is a great gift to our wider church family and to its own community in Chicago," says UCC General Minister and President John H. Thomas. "At a time when it is being subjected to caricature and attack in the media, it is critical that all of us express our gratitude and support to this remarkable congregation, to Jeremiah A. Wright for his leadership over 36 years, and to Pastor Otis Moss III, as he assumes leadership at Trinity."

Archbishop Aykazian: We Must Work to Ease Suffering

March 9, 2008, ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The President of the National Council of Churches USA told Ecumenical Advocacy Days participants that Christians have a biblical obligation to help the poor and ease suffering around the world. Archbishop Vicken Aykazian preached at conference's closing worship Sunday morning. After he spoke, delegates to the ecumenical gathering anointed one another with oil to invoke God's blessing when they take their message of peace and justice to Capitol Hill Monday.

Generals and Peace Activists Agree: There Is No Military Solution in Iraq

March 9, 2008, ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Mennonite "professor of peacebuilding" brought more than 700 religious peace advocates to their feet Saturday with a declaration that security is the result of diplomacy and development, not military intervention. Dr. Lisa Schirch, a professor at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va., told attendees at the sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference that U.S. military leaders agree with that assessment, including Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the multi-national force in Iraq.

House of Bishops Resolution on ‘Waterboarding'

March 12, 2008 – The House of Bishops, during its business session on Wednesday afternoon, March 12, approved a resolution calling for an end to waterboarding torture.

General News

Consider Justice over Charity, Mission Leader Says

March 14, 2008, STAMFORD, Conn. – The United Methodist Church needs to think less about charity and more about justice, according to the leader of the denomination's mission agency. Becoming a partner in establishing free health clinics across the United States may be one way to do that, Bishop Felton May said. He spoke during the March 10-13 spring meeting of the Board of Global Ministries, where directors also elected a new chief executive – Bishop Edward Paup – who will succeed May, the interim leader, on Sept. 1.

Kinnamon: Ecumenists Are ‘Hopeful Realists'

March 8, 2008, ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches acknowledged tonight that Christian activists who attend gatherings like Ecumenical Advocacy Days are accused of being "leftist." "But we're not leftists," the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon told a gathering of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ conferees. "We're much more radical than that." Kinnamon made the remarks during the sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days, a movement of the ecumenical community that originated with the National Council of Churches.

United Methodist Membership Down, Constituency Up

March 14, 2008 – While professing U.S. membership continues to decline in The United Methodist Church, the number of constituents is steadily increasing, according to new denominational statistics. Membership decreased by eight-tenths of a percent over a one-year period to more than 7.9 million, according to the latest statistics released by the denomination March 11. Specifically, U.S. membership was 7,931,733 in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available, according to the United Methodist General Council on Finance and Administration, which compiles data for the denomination.

New Youth Exchange Program Includes Surprise Destination

March 12, 2008 GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org) is inviting North American youth, ages 16 to 18, to apply for an international exchange experience with a matching group of Ugandan youth. The two groups – one from the developed world, the other from the third world – will embark together on a service-learning experience to an undisclosed location in Africa in July, 2009. "The Youth to Youth Exchange Program (Y2Y) will help teens on both continents better understand poverty and development," says Ruth Majawa, CRWRC-US Service Learning Manager.

Committee Publishes Documents for New Pastor Category

March 8, 2008 – The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program Committee has published foundational documents for the program, paving the way for SMP students to begin their studies as early as this fall. The committee has been meeting to design the details of the new pastoral-education program in response to Resolution 5-01B, "To Establish Specific Ministry Pastor Program," adopted by LCMS convention delegates last summer. Available SMP documents are:

History of the Polish National Catholic Church Dates Back to 1897 in Scranton

March 10, 2008, PLYMOUTH – The Polish National Catholic Church's tradition of embracing ethnic groups continues today and is evidenced in a Texas parish, said the Rev. Dr. Czeslaw Kuliczkowski. During a Mass Sunday commemorating the Polish National Catholic Church's 111th anniversary, Kuliczkowski told parishioners at the Church of the Good Shepherd about a church in Dallas, Texas, where the predominant language spoken is Spanish. To accommodate the new immigrants, liturgies are said in Spanish, English and Polish. "It has been my feeling that the more diverse we are, the stronger we are," he said.

Pan-Methodists Reassess Roles on United Methodist Boards

March 12, 2008, LOUISVILLE, KY – The African Methodist Episcopal Church has withdrawn its support of a resolution affirming full communion with the other denominations in the Pan-Methodist Commission, and it is reconsidering having representatives on United Methodist agencies. Speaking at the March 6-8 meeting of the Pan-Methodist Commission, Bishop Earl McCloud, the ecumenical officer for the AME Church, said the withdrawal was based on a series of events, primarily those that led up to the dismissal of the Rev. Larry Pickens as leader of The United Methodist Church's ecumenical agency.

Board Commissions Missionaries, Deaconesses

March 14, 2008, STAMFORD, Conn. – Twenty-two new United Methodist missionaries were commissioned March 11 to serve in churches, hospitals and community centers. During its spring meeting, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries also commissioned 12 deaconesses and two home missioners. The new missionaries are lawyers, doctors, pastors and agriculturalists. They come from places as diverse as Brazil, the Philippines, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Missouri and Michigan. They fall into several categories of mission service and form the largest group of United Methodist missionaries commissioned at the same time in the last four years.

United Methodist Women Mark Iraq War Anniversary

March 11, 2008, STAMFORD, Conn. – United Methodist women across the United States are being encouraged to organize and participate in prayer services and peace vigils on March 19 to mark the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. That encouragement comes from the Women's Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, which met March 7-10 in Stamford. The division is UMW's administrative body and is led by Harriett Olson. The Iraq war and the current crisis in Kenya were among a range of concerns addressed during the meeting.

House of Bishops Consents to Deposition of Schofield;
San Joaquin Special Convention Set for March 29

March 12, 2008 – The House of Bishops on March 12 officially consented to the deposition of Bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin, sparking a range of emotions and long-awaited relief and a renewed commitment to rebuilding a strong and vital Episcopal Church in California's Central Valley. "I am very pleased that the House of Bishops has acted with integrity, following the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church (TEC)," said the Rev. Mark Hall, rector of St. Anne's Church in Stockton, where a new diocesan headquarters has been established. That process, he said, was intended for those who had "abandoned the faith and are leading others away from orthodox Christianity, as held in trust by bishops in the Anglican Communion – and which The Episcopal Church had previously upheld also."

San Joaquin Diocese Asked to Consider Jerry Lamb as Provisional Bishop
Retired Bishop of Northern California Brings Experience from Neighboring Diocese

March 12, 2008 – Bishop Jerry A. Lamb – retired bishop of Northern California and most recently interim bishop of Nevada – has been recommended by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to serve as provisional bishop of the Central California Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. Lamb can begin work in this capacity after ratification by the diocese's convention, set to meet March 29 in Lodi, California. The convention follows the House of Bishops' March 12 vote consenting to the deposition of San Joaquin's previous bishop, John-David Schofield, who is confirmed by the church-wide Title IV Review Committee to have abandoned communion of The Episcopal Church.

Ecumenical News

Dialog: ROEA and Church of Romania (Agreed Statement)

After 60 years of separation from the Patriarchate of Romania, representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America met at the Patriarchal Palace in Bucharest, on February 25-27, 2008, with representatives of the Patriarchate of Romania with the intent of seeking a historical reconciliation.

Final Report of Third Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission
Communion, Conflict and Hope: The Kuala Lumpur Report

March 11, 2008 – Since the 1998 Lambeth Conference, Anglicans have had reason to focus attention on the nature of their Communion and on questions about how the Church's unity can be sustained during times of intense disagreement. The third Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission, appointed after 1998 and chaired by Bishop Stephen Sykes, had these questions as part of its mandate and Communion, Conflict and Hope is the outcome of its deliberations. The Kuala Lumpur Report demonstrates the underlying foundations upon which Anglican identity is built – attention to the Bible, the vocation towards holiness, respect for local cultures, the gifts of discernment and diversity, mutual accountability and the development of appropriate competencies to articulate the mind of the Church.

Spanish News

El CMI Interesado En Las Acciones Ecuménicas De Los Consejos Nacionales

11 marzo 2008, BRASILIA, Brazil – El Consejo Nacional de Iglesias Cristianas del Brasil (Conic) encaminará a la reunión de la Comisión Teológica, agendada para esta capital los días 25 y 26 de marzo, el documento del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) que solicita analice la actuación del organismo nacional con vistas a la reconfiguración del movimiento ecuménico. "Los actores del movimiento social son las iglesias," define la propuesta de documento elaborada por el CMI, admitiendo que si consiguen trabajar en conjunto a nivel local y nacional "ellas pueden trazar prácticas concretas y buenas en un contexto más vasto."

Gobierno Censura, Extraterritorialmente, Sitios Web De Temas Cubanos

11 marzo 2008, NUEVA YORK – El Gobierno de EE.UU. habría censurado y eliminado de la red de redes, sitios que tenían que ver con turismo y cultura cubanas, según narra The New York Times en una historia escrita por el periodista Adam Liptak. Liptak escribe la historia de Steve Marshall, un agente de viajes inglés que vive en España y por supuesto ofrece, dentro de sus paquetes, viajes a Cuba. En octubre, cerca de 80 de sus sitios Web dejaron de funcionar por instrucciones del Departamento del Tesoro del gobierno de los EE.UU.

Leonardo Boff Tras El Escudo De Lutero

14 marzo 2008, SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – El conocido teólogo brasileño, Leonardo Boff, el lunes 10 de marzo, en San José, Costa Rica, la conferencia "Ética y Desarrollo Sostenible" en el marco de la celebración del vigésimo quinto aniversario de la Iglesia Luterana Costarricense. "Estoy aquí," dijo Boff en tono reposado, "gracias a que mi antiguo profesor de teología, el papa Benedicto XVI, expresó su inconformidad con una invitación que me había hecho la Universidad de Munich, en Alemania, para enseñar uno de sus cursos."

Horrendo Asesinato De Pastor Evangélico En Pereira

14 marzo 2008, PEREIRA, Colombia – Consternados quedaron los feligreses de la Iglesia Cristiana "Vida para Colombia," que llegaron a primera hora de este domingo para cumplir con sus obligaciones de culto dominical, cuando se encontraron con la macabra sorpresa de su pastor asesinado, hecho que alteró su tranquilidad y disposición espiritual. La prensa local informó que dentro de la casa, ubicada en la carrera sexta entre calles 13 y 14, que servía además de centro de reuniones para los cultos, encontraron muerto a Duberney García Carmona, de 42 años de edad, quien era el pastor y orientador espiritual de esta congregación cristiana.

Obispo En Desacuerdo Con Proyecto De Ley Sobre Divorcios

13 marzo 2008, LIMA, Perú – El obispo emérito de Chimbote, monseñor Luis Bambarén, manifestó su oposición a un proyecto de Ley dictaminado en la Comisión de Justicia y Derechos Humanos del Poder Legislativo, el cual permite a las notarías de abogados realizar los trámites de divorcios, acto únicamente permitido al Poder Judicial. En este proyecto se incluyó la propuesta de la parlamentaria de Alianza Parlamentaria (AP), Rosario Sasieta, quien planteó que también se brinde esta facultad a las municipalidades distritales.

Oposición De Jerarquía Católica No Impide Triunfo De Zapatero

10 marzo 2008, SUIZA – La oposición de la jerarquía de la poderosa iglesia católica no impidió al candidato del Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE), José Rodríguez Zapatero, alzarse con una victoria en las elecciones legislativas de este domingo. Manuel Quintero Ginebra, 10 de marzo (ALC).- En una comparición ante sus seguidores luego de conocerse los resultados de la votación, Zapatero destacó la "victoria clara" del PSOE y dijo que, con ella, los españoles "han decidido abrir una nueva etapa sin crispación." El PSOE obtuvo un 43,70 por ciento de los votos, lo que supone 169 escaños en el Congreso, cinco más que en las anteriores legislativas.

Movimiento Ecuménico De Mujeres Celebra Día Mundial De Oración

10 marzo 2008, SAN SALVADOR – El Movimiento Ecuménico de Mujeres de El Salvador celebró en el marco del Día Internacional de las Mujeres el Día Mundial de Oración dedicado este año a Guyana. La celebración realizada en el Centro Luterano John Joxen incluyó el reconocimiento a mujeres destacadas en diversos aspectos de la vida nacional de El Salvador que ofrendaron su vida en la causa de la paz y la justicia. El lema "La sabiduría de Dios brinda un nuevo entendimiento," escogido por el Comité Ecuménico del Día Mundial de La Oración de Guyana, fue el corazón de esta celebración que logró la participación de mujeres y hombres de distintas instituciones y organizaciones del país.

National News

ELCA Synod Bishop Issues Statement after Arrest of Former Treasurer

March 14, 2008, CHICAGO – The Rev. B. Penrose Hoover, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Lower Susquehanna Synod, Harrisburg, Pa., shared his sadness in a pastoral letter March 13 regarding events surrounding the charges and arrest of Barry R. Herr, the synod's former treasurer. Herr, 61, was arrested March 13 and charged with misappropriation of church funds. The charges stemmed from months of investigation by the synod and the Lower Paxton Township Police Department into the misappropriation of endowment funds for which Herr was responsible. It was estimated that those funds were in excess of $1 million and that wrongdoing began in 1991.

Religious Activists Attend Advocacy ‘Boot Camp'

March 13, 2008, WASHINGTON – More than 700 people participated in a four-day "boot camp" for religious activism culminating with a day on Capitol Hill to advocate for "true security" around the world. The sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days, held March 7-10, provided hands-on training for speaking with U.S. lawmakers on justice issues ranging from the war in Iraq to rebuilding the Gulf Coast in the United States. A movement of the ecumenical Christian community, Ecumenical Advocacy Days is designed to mobilize and strengthen Christian voices to advocate on U.S. domestic and international policy issues.

International News

In Ecuador, Episcopal Relief and Development Responds to Floods

March 14, 2008 – Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is providing emergency assistance to communities in Ecuador affected by severe flooding. Torrential rains have been pounding the country since the beginning of January, causing massive flooding and devastating mudslides. More than 3.5 million people have been impacted by the destruction. A state of emergency that was initially declared in nine provinces was recently extended to cover the entire country.