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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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Global Finances Can and Must Change – Here's How February 12, 2009 – As the global financial system falters, many civil society and church activists see the crisis as an opportunity to press for long-overdue, radical reforms. The first opportunity for them to do so will come in early April, when the G20 will meet in London. For once, advocates for economic justice seem not to be alone in recognizing the need for changes in global finances. Stock markets faltering around the planet and giant banks falling into bankruptcy have convinced governments of the richest countries that they have to do something, especially as the financial crisis impacts the "real" economy with massive lay-offs in companies affected by the global credit crunch and shrinking consumer markets. "But there is a fundamental difference of approach between those who try to refund financial capitalism and those who see a need for a shift of paradigm in the world's economy," says Brazilian economist Marcos Arruda from the Institute on Policy Alternatives for the Southern Cone (PACS). Early Registration Deadline for Ecumenical Advocacy Days near February 9, 2009, NEW YORK – Advocates and activists from across the United States will gather outside Washington, D.C., March 13-16 for a long weekend of policy issue discussions and advocacy training that will end with them descending upon Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers for effective climate change legislation. The early registration deadline for the event, Ecumenical Advocacy Days, is Friday, Feb. 13. Seattle Congregation Hosts Controversial Homeless Encampment February 12, 2009 – The Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless (SKCCH) is a volunteer organization that hosts an annual One Night Count, when workers tally the number of people affected by homelessness in King County, according to its website. The count contains two main components – a street count, and a shelter and transitional housing survey. "The 2008 One Night Count documented an increase in how many people are on the streets and without shelter," SKCCH's website reported. "Volunteers observed a 15 percent increase in people surviving outside in the same areas counted in 2007." United Methodists Pray for Crash Victims February 13, 2009 – United Methodists in the Buffalo, N.Y., area were among those mourning victims of the crash of Continental Flight 3407. According to the Rev. Natalie Hanson, the denomination's Niagara Frontier District Superintendent, a church family at Pendleton Center United Methodist Church in North Tonawanda, N.Y., lost a loved one on the flight. Faith Leaders Call for Humane Immigration Reform February 12, 2009, WASHINGTON – People of faith must stand up for immigrants or "the moral fiber of this country will be torn beyond repair," said United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño at the launching of a national interfaith campaign for humane immigration reform. "As people of faith, we cannot and will not stand by in silence while young people die, families are separated, individual freedoms are ignored, and the immigrant community in the U.S. is treated unjustly and inhumanely," she declared. "No more!" Carcaño, bishop of the denomination's Desert Southwest Annual (regional) Conference, joined two members of Congress and several religious leaders from diverse faiths in announcing the launch of "Prayer, Renewal and Action on Immigration" at a Feb. 11 press conference in the Capitol. February 10, 2009, LONDON – Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has told members of the Church of England's General Synod that while the Anglican Communion may be "imperfect … we unmistakably want to find a way of holding on to what we have and ‘intensifying' it." Williams' message came as part of his February 10 presidential address as the Church of England's main legislative body convened for a five-day meeting at Church House in Westminster, London. Underscoring "the significance of a climate in which every participant is guaranteed a hearing," Calvin in 3-D – Museum Celebrates Reformer's 500th Birthday with New Exhibit February 12, 2009, GENEVA – Imagine: John Calvin in 3-D. The award-winning International Museum of the Reformation (IMR) here is unveiling a new exhibit in late-April to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, one of the founding fathers of the Protestant Reformation. "A Day in the Life of John Calvin" – which runs from April 24-Oct. 31 – will feature virtual representations of Calvin's Reformation-era world. UCC Colleges and Universities among ‘U.S. News and World Reports' Best February 12, 2009 – Thirteen UCC and historically UCC-related colleges and universities have received "U.S. News and World Report's" top 100 rankings for 2009. U.S. News and World Report collects data from more than 1,400 U.S. colleges and universities and is considered one of the most reliable sources of rankings. Each school's rank within its group of peer institutions is based on the same set of measures. February 11, 2009, LOUISVILLE – The Office of the General Assembly has released biographical information on the 13 Presbyterians named yesterday (Feb. 5) to the General Assembly's Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Unions and Christian Marriage. Last summer's 218th General Assembly directed Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow to "appoint a special committee, representing the broad diversity and theological balance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to study the following ... including any policy recommendations growing out of the study. February 11, 2009, LOUISVILLE – A new documentary – John Calvin: His Life and Legacy – reexamines the life and thought of the seminal Protestant Reformer as the 500th anniversary of his birth approaches in July of this year. The documentary – subtitled in English, Korean, German, French, Dutch, and Spanish – also includes a 20-page printable study guide and a 51-page PowerPoint supplement. Lutheran Pastors Offer Hope to Church Members Facing Job Losses February 10, 2009, CHICAGO – The Rev. Tom Hansen is the interim pastor of a Minnesota congregation with numerous members losing jobs and homes. "I feel horrible for what people are going through," said Hansen, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, North Branch. "I also feel pretty helpless." Other pastors are telling similar stories across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The economy is taking a toll on church members and congregations' ability to aid them. "Everybody's dreams are dying and we don't have the resources to help them," said Hansen, adding that some laid-off members have exhausted the social service aid available to them. Presbyterian Foundation Group Announces Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program February 11, 2009, JEFFERSONVILLE, IN – The Presbyterian Foundation and its subsidiary, New Covenant Trust Company, have announced a voluntary early retirement incentive program in an effort to reduce payroll expenses and manage budgets during this challenging economy. To qualify to participate in the voluntary plan employees must be age 55 and older with at least three years of service. Those employees accepting the package would retire effective March 23, 2009. The early retirement incentive program is part of the foundation's on-going review of its operations and organizational structure. February 11, 2009, LOUISVILLE – Most Presbyterians in the United States don't know what it means to be hungry. But for one weekend a month, they can get an idea of how more than 850 million people around the world feel every day. Since October, the Presbyterian Hunger Program [www.pcusa.org/hunger] has coordinated a 40-hour fast once a month, beginning on a Friday evening and ending with Communion or a communal meal on Sunday. Each month features a different theme and country along with corresponding study materials and suggested prayers. The themes reflect factors contributing to the global food crisis. Mission Center Welcomes His Beatitude Jonah February 11, 2009, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – On Tuesday, February 10th the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) was honored by a visit from His Beatitude Jonah, Archbishop of Washington and New York Metropolitan of All America and Canada. Following a tour of the new Missionary Training and Administration Building, which will open its doors later this year, His Beatitude offered His hopeful prayers and words of encouragement to the gathered Mission Center staff. His Beatitude stated that, "the foundation and history of the Church is missions and the very essence of the Church is missions." American Indian Leaders Invited to Mark Launch of New Global Reformed Church Organization February 11, 2009 – Leaders of American Indian tribes are being invited to participate in celebrations in the United States to mark the launch of a new global church organization. The invitation comes in response to a presentation by representatives of local American Indian groups to senior Reformed church leaders gathered in Grand Rapids, Michigan last week to plan the inaugural meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) in that city in June 2010. Christian Matchmakers Help Church Members Find a Mate February 9, 2009 – People get married now at an older age than ever before and for Christians who insist on marrying one of their own, finding a suitable mate is even more challenging. Many pastors or elders are baffled and worried at why many talented and admirable young adults have such a hard time finding a suitable partner. To address this problem, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan's (PCT) Tainan Presbytery is starting a new ministry to help single, young adults. Seminaries Struggle to Prepare Clergy in Addressing Sexuality February 12, 2009 – A study released by the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing and Union Theological Seminary says United States seminaries and rabbinical schools are failing to prepare the next generation of clergy with the training they need to address sexuality issues in ministry. The study, Sex and the Seminary: Preparing Ministers for Sexual Health and Justice, reports that sexuality courses are largely absent from most seminary curricula and degree requirements. Evolution and Faith in Dialogue February 13, 2009 – Late one evening, driving home through Regina, Kentucky, the Rev. Johnnie Ross was pulled over by a police officer. He examined his identification, noting, "Father Ross?" The officer, a Baptist preacher, had seen the bumper art of the Christian fish kissing the Darwin amphibian on Ross's car and demanded an explanation. At 2:30 a.m., they were still talking. The compatibility of evolution and Christian faith originally was a huge challenge for him, said Ross, rector of Saint Raphael's Church in Lexington, Ky. Church of England Inches Closer to Approving Women Bishops February 11, 2009, LONDON – The long and arduous road towards accepting women bishops in the Church of England became an inch shorter February 11 as the General Synod passed a motion to send a draft measure on the matter to a revision committee that will spend the next 12 months reworking the legislation. The draft measure has two principal objectives: "to give the General Synod power to make provision by canon allowing women to be consecrated as bishops; and to set out the legal framework for the arrangements to be made for parishes which, on grounds of theological conviction, feel unable to receive the ministry of women." Dioceses Send Resolutions to General Convention February 6, 2009 – Six months before General Convention, it is already clear that dioceses want the triennial gathering to tackle a range of issues including same-gender relationships, criteria for consenting to episcopal consecrations, the environment, the economy, financing theological education and liturgical change. In the run-up to the convention, which will take place July 8-17 in Anaheim, Calif., two issues in the debate over homosexuality have seen the most reaction from diocesan conventions. February 6, 2009 – The leader of the effort to form a new Anglican entity in North America said February 6, through a spokesman, that he is "certainly open to mediated conversations" called for by the primates of the Anglican Communion, but added that his organization "will need to see what exactly is being proposed and what ground rules can be agreed on before committing further." Primates Communiqué, Windsor Report Are ‘Study in Contrasts,' February 10, 2009 – Bonnie Anderson, president of the Episcopal Church's House of Deputies, said in a statement February 9 that the recent communiqué from the Anglican Communion's Primates meeting stands in contrast to a report from the Windsor Continuation Group released the same day. Anderson said that the primates' message "adopted both a new tone and a broader set of theological concerns" that was markedly different from previous communiqué which she said often set "deadlines, made veiled threats and attempted unwelcome incursions into the affairs of the Anglican Consultative Council and member churches." In England, Anglican Covenant Debate Reveals Mixed Expectations February 12, 2009 – Members of the Church of England's General Synod have signaled their overall support for an Anglican covenant but remain divided on how much authority or influence it should marshal in the communion's 38 provinces. Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali of the Diocese of Rochester told the church's main legislative body February 12 that the covenant "is one way of ensuring that the common life of the communion is healthy and effective." In the past, the Anglican Communion "has been held together by a common history, similar … ways of worship and the so-called ‘bonds of affection,'" he said. "In a rapidly globalizing world and a fast-developing communion, these are no longer enough." Editorial: the Purpose of Aboriginal Churches February 9, 2009 – The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) chose 2008 as the Aboriginal Missions Year. Looking back on this past year of aboriginal missions, we can see that many miracles took place across churches in Taiwan. Churches brought hope to aboriginal communities that were once considered "close-minded," "backward," or "uncivilized." Aboriginal communities were grew spiritually, educationally, and as a community filled with hope. Their growth is a testimony that churches have a purpose among indigenous communities and their existence is a positive contribution to indigenous people by helping them get past thinking in terms of a tribe into thinking as an ethnic group. Activistas Denuncian Persecución a Católicas Por El Derecho a Decidir 12 febrero 2009, BRASIL – La organización no gubernamental Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir es objeto de la persecución y de intento de criminalizar a sus integrantes. La denuncia fue hecha durante el Foro Social Mundial. "Uno de nuestras compañeras ha recibido un denuncia, acusada de incitar al aborto y facilitar la delincuencia, pero estamos esperando la posición del Ministerio Público Federal de nuestra solicitud de no facilitar la información," explicó la activista Dulce Xavier. Conflicto En Medio Oriente. Forman Comité De Solidaridad Con El Pueblo Palestino 11 febrero 2009, MANAGUA – El Centro de Estudios Internacionales, CEI, y la Casa Giordano Bruno promovieron un encuentro en solidaridad con el pueblo Palestino, donde el teólogo Alberto Araica expuso el tema Fundamentalismos y Conflictos en Medio Oriente y el embajador palestino Walid Ibrahim trabajó sobre el sufrimiento de su pueblo por los ataques de los militares israelíes. Araica lamentó que muchas iglesias evangélicas justifiquen la agresión de Israel contra Palestina por falta de conocimientos históricos y de los grandes intereses geopolíticos de Estados Unidos y Gran Bretaña. Las Financias Mundiales Pueden Y Deben Cambiar – He Aquí Cómo 12 febrero 2009 – Al fallar el sistema financiero mundial, muchos activistas de la sociedad civil y las iglesias ven la crisis actual como una oportunidad para presionar por reformas radicales pendientes desde hace tiempo. La primera oportunidad para hacerlo será la reunión del G20 en Londres, a comienzos de abril. Por una vez, los defensores de la justicia económica parecen no estar solos al reconocer la necesidad de cambios en las finanzas mundiales. Encuentro Juvenil Elabora Agenda Ecuménica Estudiantil 10 febrero 2009, BELEM, Brasil – Organizaciones ecuménicas juveniles y estudiantiles se reunieron en Belém do Pará, durante el Foro Social Mundial con la idea de compartir experiencias y trabajos e instaurar una agenda ecuménica juvenil y estudiantil latinoamericana. El encuentro fue llevado a cabo en la Iglesia Episcopal de Belém y la Iglesia Evangélica de Confesión Luterana de Brasil. En donde se trabajó en torno a dos talleres: Fe y Política y Derechos Humanos y Violencia, teniéndose en cuenta además instancias de intercambios en lo respectivo a agenda, planes anuales, e incidencia. Pastores Luteranos Recuperan Su Libertad 9 febrero 2009, CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA – Con una audiencia realizada en horas de la mañana del 6 de febrero, en el Juzgado de Primera Instancia Penal de Zacapa, concluyó la persecución penal que pesaba sobre los pastores luteranos José Pilar Alvarez Cabrera, Néstor Eduardo Alvarez Cabrera y Rubén de Jesús Aldana Guzmán, al declarar el Juez falta de méritos en las acusaciones que se les imputaba, por el caso de la Montaña de las Granadillas. Lucha Indígena Por Autonomía. Lucha Histórica Por La Vida 11 febrero 2009, SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – Líderes de los pueblos Indígenas de Coto Brus, Conte Burica y Abrojo Montezuma estuvieron de visita en la ciudad capital con el propósito de exigir una respuesta concreta por parte del gobierno al proyecto de ley "Autonomía de los Pueblos Indígenas de Costa Rica." La ILCO acompaña a estas comunidades y rescata la historia de un artista nacional indígena. Como parte del acompañamiento que la Iglesia Luterana Costarricense (ILCO) ofrece a estas poblaciones, se dio el asesoramiento legal y la estadía en el albergue, un espacio de historias de lucha y esperanzas. Institute Condemns Charges and Upcoming Trial Against Bahá'í Leaders in Iran February 12, 2009, WASHINGTON, DC – After Iran arrested all seven national Bahá'í leaders almost a year ago, it is now expected to put them on trial in revolutionary court next week. The charges against the seven, who are being held at Iran's infamous Evin Prison, include "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic." "The charges, particularly of espionage, are absurd," said Institute President Joseph K. Grieboski. Institute Hails European Court Decision in Favor of Missionary Deported from Russia February 12, 2009, WASHINGTON, DC – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy welcomes today's decision by the European Court on Human Rights in favor of Patrick Francis Nolan, a Unification missionary who was denied entry into Russia for religious reasons in 2002. The Court found the Russian government had violated several provisions in the European Convention on Human Rights in barring Nolan. The Court voted unanimously that Russia had contravened Article 9, which guarantees an individual's freedom of thought and religion. Institute Applauds Rejection of Kazakh Draft Religion Law February 12, 2009, WASHINGTON, DC – Kazakhstan's Constitutional Council today ruled that an onerous draft religion law under consideration for months is unconstitutional, a pronouncement that follows intensive advocacy against the bill by the Institute on Religion and Public Policy and other groups. Despite recent moves by the Kazakh government against minority religious groups, the rejection of the draft law represents a tremendous step towards respecting religious freedom in the country. The draft law contained several draconian restrictions on religious communities. Institute Sends Religious Freedom Policy Recommendations to Obama February 12, 2009, WASHINGTON, DC – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy today sent more than a dozen policy proposals to President Barack Obama on ways to strengthen and promote religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy. The recommendations largely deal with ways to improve the implementation of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. For example, according to the intent and scope of the law, the Institute recommends appointing a religious freedom advisor to the National Security Council. Ohio Lutherans Keep Hope Alive in Depressed Economy February 13, 2009, CHICAGO – John Bacher learned two things from his dad: paint and wallpaper. Bacher runs the northeast Ohio store his dad opened 45 years ago. His father profited from the steel industry boon that thrived in Trumbull County until the 1970s. General Motors also opened a plant and grew to become the county's largest employer. The father's good fortune is now a test of faith for his Lutheran son. The county leads Ohio in unemployment. Thousands of people are losing jobs and homes. Brethren Disaster Ministries Takes Part in Ecumenical Blitz Build in New Orleans February 12, 2009, ELGIN, IL – Brethren Disaster Ministries is taking part in an ecumenical "blitz build" in New Orleans on April 20-May 16. The project is in partnership with Church World Service (CWS) and nine other denominations, to build and repair a minimum of 12 homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in the Little Woods neighborhood of New Orleans. Brethren Disaster Ministries is a program of the Church of the Brethren. A grant of $25,000 from the church's Emergency Disaster Fund has been given to the project. Domestic Hunger Matching Grant Program Raises $117,000 February 12, 2009, ELGIN, IL – Two Church of the Brethren funds are requesting second allocations for a new "Domestic Hunger Matching Grant" program following a report that the original grant amount of $50,000 has been completely disbursed – and applications from congregations are still coming in. The money allocated for matching grants has been fully expended to the first 121 congregations that applied. These congregations themselves have contributed $67,000 to local food programs across the country. Lutheran Rural Ministry Conference Focuses on ‘Renewable Energy' March 1-3 February 9, 2009, CHICAGO – Finding renewable energy through shared ministries is the topic of the 2009 Rural Ministry Conference March 1-3 in Dubuque, Iowa. Held annually, the conference examines issues and themes relevant to the well-being of rural communities and the ministries of rural churches. "By shared ministries I mean any and all of the possible ways that congregations and ministry leaders can better serve the mission of the gospel by doing together what cannot be done alone," said the Rev. Paul Baglyos. UCC Church Leaders Shocked at Treatment of Local Pastor by Oklahoma Legislators February 12, 2009, CLEVELAND, OH – United Church of Christ leaders on Thursday (Feb. 12) expressed outrage at the perceived discriminatory treatment of a local UCC pastor by the Oklahoma State House of Representatives. In what legislators are calling a first, one-fifth of the Oklahoma House voted Feb. 11 to strike from the record a prayer offered on the chamber floor by the Rev. Scott H. Jones, pastor of Cathedral of Hope UCC-Oklahoma City. February 11, 2009, GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) assures the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) of the prayers and accompaniment of the global communion following the tragic loss of lives and livelihoods in recent bushfires across the southeastern state of Victoria. In a letter addressed to LCA President Rev. Michael P. Semmler, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko points out that the scale of the current fires and the tragic toll of lives has shocked the country as a whole and drawn the sympathy of the world. More than 180 people are known to have died, and the figures could rise, according to Noko's letter. Armenia-Georgia Study Tour Is Sponsored By February 12, 2009, ELGIN, IL – A study tour to Armenia and Georgia jointly sponsored by the Church of the Brethren and Heifer International takes place Sept. 17-Oct. 1. Tour hosts are Jan West Schrock, a senior advisor for Heifer International and a former director of Brethren Volunteer Service, and Kathleen Campanella, director of Partner and Public Relations at the Brethren Service Center. "Our trip is an exciting opportunity to experience Heifer's approach to development," Schrock said. Fifty Years Ago, Landmark Gatherings Lifted Baha'i World February 10, 2009, FRANKFURT, Germany – A historic Baha'i conference in Frankfurt last weekend brought to mind an earlier gathering in the same city a half century earlier – one that was also a milestone in Baha'i history. Last weekend's event in Frankfurt was one of the current series of 41 conferences around the globe marking the half-way point of a five-year effort involving establishment of community-building activities in tens of thousands of neighborhoods and villages. Haiti Hurricane Response by Church of the Brethren Is Underway February 12, 2009, ELGIN, IL – A comprehensive Church of the Brethren response to the hurricanes that swept over Haiti last fall is underway. Through a grant of $100,000 from the church's Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF), Brethren Disaster Ministries is developing new initiatives that promise to help relieve suffering and improve the lives of many Haitians. "Prior to the storms, Haiti already was the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Since the hurricanes, 10 percent of the population in the impacted area has been forced to beg for a living," said Brethren Disaster Ministries coordinator Jane Yount. Aspects of the multi-faceted response include: Global Ministries Joins Coalition Calling for Action in Philippines February 9, 2009 – Religious and labor rights organizations have joined in an appeal to the U.S. Congress, asking for swift action to deter further violence and civil rights violations in the Philippines. Expressing outrage at "killings and abductions of church leaders, members of trade unions, and other political and social activists" in the Philippines, representatives from the UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Global Ministries have joined with 236 leaders from interfaith, academic, citizen and non-governmental organizations urging the Obama administration and Congress to implement policies that will ensure human rights are maintained in the region. Anglican Communion Joins Prayers for Zimbabwe on Ash Wednesday February 12, 2009 – The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Canon Kenneth Kearon writes: ‘I want to bring to your attention the request of the Primates and Moderators of the Anglican Communion, at their recent meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, that Anglican Churches world-wide observe 25th February, Ash Wednesday, as a day of prayer and solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. Jailed Iranian Baha'is Should Be Released, Not Put on Trial, Says BIC February 12, 2009, GENEVA – Reports that seven imprisoned Baha'is have been accused of espionage and other crimes and that their case will be referred to the Revolutionary Court next week are deeply concerning, potentially marking a new and dangerous stage in Iran's persecution of Baha'is, said the Baha'i International Community today. "The accusations are false, and the government knows this," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Lives of Service: Profiles of Seven Imprisoned Baha'is February 12, 2009, GENEVA – The following are a series of short biographical profiles of the seven Baha'i leaders currently being held in Evin prison in Iran. Six were arrested in their homes in Tehran on 14 May 2008. A seventh had been arrested earlier, on 5 March 2008, while visiting Mashhad. As the profiles will show, all have served Iranian society and also the Baha'i community extensively. As well, like most Iranian Baha'is, they have all experienced varying degrees of persecution since the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979. SUDAN: ERD Assists Victims of Brutal LRA Attacks February 11, 2009 – Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is partnering with the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and its development arm, the Sudanese Development and Relief Agency (SUDRA), to provide emergency assistance to five of the dioceses most impacted by the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the brutality of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel organization which has destroyed villages and caused massive displacement in southern Sudan. The recent LRA attacks have included murder, child abductions and torture. Presiding Bishop Joins Call for Review of U.S. Policy on Landmines and Cluster Munitions February 10, 2009 – Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has joined with leaders of 67 national organizations in calling on President Barack Obama to reconsider United States opposition to global treaties prohibiting the use, transfer and production of landmines and cluster munitions. In a letter, delivered on February 10, the leaders called on the president to launch a review of the past administration's decisions to "stand outside of" two international treaties: the Convention on Cluster Munitions, completed and signed by 95 countries in December 2008, and the Mine Ban Treaty, signed by all but 39 countries in the world in March 1999. February 12, 2009, LOUISVILLE – The Office of the General Assembly has released biographical information on the nine-member special committee charged by the 218th General Assembly (2008) to prepare a "a comprehensive study, with recommendations, that is focused on Israel/Palestine within the complex context of the Middle East." Membership of the committee – which was selected by Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow and his two immediate predecessors, the Rev. Joan Gray and Elder Rick Ufford-Chase – was announced by Reyes-Chow last week. Birds of a Feather – Iraqi Pastor Makes History as First Transfer to the PC(USA) February 11, 2009, LOUISVILLE – At 33 years old, Jonah Salim feels like he's finally found his way home. Salim made history Feb. 3 when he became the first Iraqi pastor to have a transfer of record to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). But his story started long before then. As a child growing up in Mosul, Iraq, Salim witnessed the realities of war firsthand. At that time, the Iran-Iraq War was waging, and Salim recalled not understanding the reason for his mother's fear or why she made him hide under staircases when Iranian planes flew overhead. Fort Worth: Wantland Denies Having Renounced His Orders February 13, 2009 – In a statement posted online, retired Diocese of Eau Claire Bishop William Wantland denies having told Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori that he wanted to renounce his orders. On January 15, Jefferts Schori said that Wantland had written to her November 15 to say that he had "canonically affiliated" with the Argentina-based Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. She said that Wantland declared in his letter that he was no longer a member of the Episcopal Church. Jefferts Schori said that Wantland, who was serving as an assisting bishop in the Diocese of Fort Worth, sent his letter as a result of the Diocese of Fort Worth's attempt on November 15 to realign with the province of the Southern Cone. |
