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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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October 9, 2009, GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) welcomes the award of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to United States President Barack Hussein Obama, a person who has inspired hope and demonstrated deep understanding of global leadership amid unprecedented crises worldwide. Obama "has helped generate a tidal wave of hope around the world. He has acknowledged that the fundamental aspirations of nations and peoples are shared aspirations, and has affirmed the importance of international cooperation in achieving them," said LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko. Families First, CWS Tells Senate Immigration Committee October 8, 2009, WASHINGTON, DC – At a U.S. Senate hearing today, global humanitarian agency Church World Service called for immigration reform that prioritizes family unity and provides a pathway to legal status and eventual earned citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Church World Service "urges members of Congress to take into account the voices of people of faith" who support these reforms, said CWS Immigration and Refugee Program Director Erol Kekic in his written submission to the hearing. October 6, 2009 – On Earth Peace, the peace education, action, and witness agency of the Church of the Brethren, organized 128 Church of the Brethren congregations and other groups in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria to participate in the International Day of Prayer for Peace on or around Sept. 21. Many churches prayed about local economic conditions, immigration issues, or religious tolerance, while others prayed for relief from local violence involving gangs or guns. Still others prayed for peace in Iraq and Afghanistan. LCMS President to ELCA Bishops: Don't Implement Assembly Decisions October 6, 2009, CHICAGO – "It would be a blessing" if certain actions taken by voting members of the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were not implemented, said the president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick. Kieschnick included the comment in an Oct. 1 letter to the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body of the ELCA consisting of the church's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary. The conference met here Oct. 1-6. Kieschnick wrote to the ELCA bishops about an assembly action which directed the ELCA to change policy to make it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers. EPPN Urges Advocacy to End Workplace Discrimination October 6, 2009 – The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) is urging individuals to join advocates throughout the United States in calling on Congress to end workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. "Many Americans do not realize that under current federal law, it is entirely legal to fire, hire, demote, promote, and make all other employment decisions based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity and expression regardless of workplace performance," an October 6 EPPN alert said. 3 Traditions Celebrate Historic Agreement, Spirit of Unity October 2, 2009, CHICAGO – In joyful embraces, spirit-filled hymns and common prayer, Methodists, Catholics and Lutherans marked the end of centuries of division over a central doctrine of faith by vowing to move toward greater unity. The celebration of an historic agreement on justification by faith, or how individuals are forgiven and brought into a right relationship with God, began with a colorful opening procession in which robed leaders of the three historic Christian traditions walked side by side. The professions of unity continued through a rousing finale, as hundreds gathered Oct. 1 in Chicago's oldest church building for a service of thanksgiving and sang together with fervor, "We are marching in the light of God." ELCA Presiding Bishop Comments on Assembly Responses, Finances October 5, 2009, CHICAGO – It's a "rocky time" in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) largely because of responses to decisions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly and economic stresses, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. Hanson made his comments to the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body of the church. The conference includes the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary. The conference is meeting here Oct. 1-6. Much of Hanson's report focused on the assembly's actions on human sexuality and varied responses to those actions throughout the ELCA. In August the churchwide assembly adopted a social statement on human sexuality. The assembly also adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies, including a change to make it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers. UCC Dedicates New ‘Sing! Prayer and Praise' Songbook October 8, 2009 – Celebrating the culmination of four years of work, the UCC's national staff dedicated the denomination's new expansive-language "Sing! Prayer and Praise" song book at its fall all-staff day in Cleveland. The morning service marked the beginning of a day of volunteering at work sites throughout the city as a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the UCC national setting's 1989 move to Cleveland. "We send it into the world!" said the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president, as he presided over a litany of dedication for the song book with about 200 staff members crowded into the first-floor Amistad Chapel. UCC Staff Gives Back to Cleveland October 7, 2009 – UCC national staff from Cleveland and other U.S. locations joined together Tuesday (October 6) for a day of service in and around the denomination's home city. Launching the beginning of a year-long celebration of two decades as its host, the "20 Years in Cleveland All-Staff Community Service Day" was the second annual all-staff community day. Nearly 200 employees spread out over nine locations in the Cleveland metropolitan area to help with food distribution, waterfront cleanup efforts, sorting medical supplies and other community programs. ELCA Bishops Discuss Drafts of Possible Ministry Policies Revisions October 6, 2009, CHICAGO – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reviewed and discussed drafts of possible revisions to ELCA ministry policies during their Oct. 1-6 meeting here. As a result of their discussions, the bishops requested they have another opportunity to review updated revisions, likely to mean that final action on new policy language will not occur before April 2010. The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary. RCCongress 2010 Involves Church of the Brethren in Sponsorship, Leadership October 6, 2009, ELGIN, IL – RCCongress 2010, a Religion Communication Congress held once every 10 years and scheduled for April 7-10 next year in Chicago, Ill., is involving the Church of the Brethren in sponsorship and leadership. "Embracing change, communicating faith in today's world" is the theme for the Congress, which will include plenary speakers, workshops, roundtable discussions, interest groups, and a "Resource Plaza" or exhibit hall. The Church of the Brethren is one of the cooperating organizations for this interfaith event, which is expected to bring together more than 1,200 religious communication professionals. Joy Fm to Acquire KFUO-FM ‘CLASSIC99' October 7, 2009 – The Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod has approved the acquisition of KFUO-FM "CLASSIC99" by Joy FM for $18 million, plus interest scheduled over 10 years, for a total of $26 million. Under the acquisition agreement, the Synod will sell the KFUO-FM license and the associated equipment. The sale is not final until approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). KFUO-FM will continue to play classical music at the 99.1 FM frequency until the final closing of the sale. Joy FM is a non-commercial, listener-supported station offering Christian music programming. ELCA Bishops Told of Possible Changes in Domestic, Global Relationships October 7, 2009, CHICAGO – Since the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the church's global mission personnel have been reaching out to partner Lutheran churches worldwide. While some churches have expressed disagreement with a significant decision of the assembly, only one church to date has said it will change its relationship with the 4.6-million member ELCA. In August the churchwide assembly adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies to make it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers. The assembly also adopted a social statement on human sexuality. Students Cook up Learning at St. Philip's Academy October 9, 2009, NEWARK – Students donned aprons over their school uniforms and went to work Thursday evening, October 8, in the new teaching kitchen at St. Philip's Academy, an Episcopal school in Newark, New Jersey. Part of the school's EcoSpaces program, the new facility will provide a place for learning about sustainable food systems and the science involved in nutrition and food preparation. "I'm glad we have a space for scientific experiments involving food and chemistry. I'm looking forward to that," commented Addae Williams, an eighth grader. WYOMING: Presiding Bishop Tours Diocese's New ‘Green' Headquarters October 5, 2009 – While delegates to the Diocese of Wyoming's convention registered October 1 in the soon-to-be-opened diocesan center in Casper, the Presiding Bishop and diocesan staff toured the work in progress. Convention-goers were also given plastic hard hats and encouraged to tour the facilities, according to John Masters, executive director of the Foundation for the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. "I hope they will be intrigued enough to return for a tour of the finished project," says Masters, who looks forward to it being "a warm and welcoming space." Diocese Offers to Release, Not Depose, Clergy October 5, 2009, PITTSBURGH – The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh said October 5 it will release diocesan priests from their ministerial ties to the Episcopal Church so that they can become licensed in any entity they choose. A news release from the diocese said the decision affects approximately 100 priests and deacons it said have not been active in the Episcopal Church since October 2008 when a majority of members of the diocese and its leadership voted to leave the Episcopal Church and align with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. The clergy are being given two weeks to respond. Top Evangelist Gives Glory, Credit to God October 5, 2009, CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Average attendance at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Coral, Fla., was 488 when the Rev. Jorge Acevedo was appointed senior pastor in 1996. By 2008, it had risen to 2,388 congregants spread among three campuses. The growth is a key reason Acevedo was recognized by The Foundation for Evangelism as the 2009 Distinguished Evangelist of The United Methodist Church. Acevedo, however, gives glory and honor to God. Advice Columnist Stands on Her Faith October 8, 2009 – Amy Dickinson has been blessed with many "incidents" in her life. All those incidents—good and bad—have led her to be the columnist chosen to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Ann Landers. She was hired by the Chicago Tribune in 2003, and has been writing the daily "Ask Amy" column for the past six years. She also is a regular correspondent for National Public Radio, has written a memoir and became a newlywed last August at age 48. ELCA and ELCJHL Bishops Deepen Conversations among Christians and Muslims October 9, 2009, WASHINGTON – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, were among 1,000 people who attended the fourth major Muslim-Christian dialogue conference here Oct. 7-8. "It has been both the challenge and the hope for this conference that common words would lead to common deeds," said Hanson. "We have heard stories of places where particular Muslims and Christians are deepening their understanding of one another in dialogue that leads to engagement in their communities." The discussion was an extension of a 2007 document, "A Common Word Between Us and You," from 138 Muslim scholars to Christian leaders, calling for Christians and Muslims to work together for peace. Faith and Order Today: Mary Tanner on Miracles of the Ecumenical Movement October 9, 2009 – "We must find a way to build on what we have achieved, or else it will evaporate," warned Mary Tanner, a former moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission. Suggesting that she might be considered a "grandmother of Faith and Order," Tanner reviewed highlights of the quest for unity since the early 1900s, and she recalled an exhortation from the most recent World Conference on Faith and Order in 1993: "There is no turning back from either the goal of visible unity or from the single ecumenical movement that unites concerns for the unity of the Church and concern for the engagement in the struggles of the world." One Foot in the Past and One in the Future October 7, 2009 – Because unity is finally a gift of God, "it demands a profound sense of humility and not any prideful insistence." With this call to the "never-ending search" for unity of the church, which "is also an ever-unfolding journey," Patriarch Bartholomew I opened the 7-14 October meeting of the Faith and Order Plenary Commission, in Kolympari, Crete, Greece. In his opening address to the 152 theologians attending the event, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, a former member of Faith and Order, also highlighted the importance of a double conversion, namely turning both "toward the past and the future." "It is crucial that we learn from the early Fathers and Mothers of the Church," and "from those who – in each generation – maintained the integrity and intensity of the Apostolic faith." Editorial: the Power of a Citizen's Resolve October 4, 2009 – When the results of Penghu's referendum on September 26 were released and we learned that 56% of voters had voted against opening casinos in Penghu, we must agree with Penghu Anti-Gambling Alliance Convener Lin Chang-hsing and say that this is Penghu people's victory. Despite President Ma Ying-jeou's support for legalizing casinos to boost Penghu's struggling economy and regardless of the Legislative Yuan's passage of the Offshore Islands Development Act, Penghu residents used their ballots to tell the Ma administration they didn't want casinos. The result of this referendum not only inspired churches and anti-gambling organizations, but also created a proud precedent of citizens participating in the law-making process. Juan Calvino Tendrá Su Primer Monumento En Cuba 8 octubre 2009, LA HABANA, Cuba – Ya se encuentra en el país un busto de Juan Calvino, el cual se espera sea develado aquí, el próximo 31, como parte de las actividades programadas por el año de su jubileo, a cargo de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada de Cuba (IPRC). Lo anterior fue confirmado por la reverenda Dora Arce Valentín, directora del departamento de Programa y Misión de la IPRC, quien expresó que la escultura se encuentra, en estos momentos, en la oficina del doctor Eusebio Leal, Historiador de la Ciudad, a fin de decidir en qué zona del Centro Histórico de la capital será ubicada. No Hay Atajos En El Camino a La Unidad Cristiana 9 octubre 2009 – En una época acostumbrada a resultados instantáneos o casi, el camino que conduce a superar las divisiones entre las iglesias cristianas puede parecer largo y escabroso. "El trabajo por la unidad de los cristianos mediante el diálogo teológico no puede entenderse más que dentro de un contexto que se mida en décadas," dice John Gibaut, un sacerdote anglicano canadiense que es director de la Comisión Fe y Constitución del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI). Ecología Y Diálogo Interreligioso, Tarea Común De Iglesias En Busca De Unidad 7 octubre 2009, GRECIA – Preservar el medio ambiente y fomentar la comprensión entre religiones y pueblos son tareas inmediatas y comunes de las iglesias comprometidas en la búsqueda de la unidad cristiana, dijo el Patriarca Ecuménico Bartolomé I al inaugurar hoy en Creta la reunión plenaria de la Comisión Fe y Constitución del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI). "Como comunidades por separado somos ‘leños frágiles,'" afirmó Bartolomé ante unos 150 teólogos y teólogas provenientes de la mayoría de las familias confesionales del cristianismo mundial reunidos del 7 al 13 de octubre en la Academia Ortodoxa de Creta, Grecia. La Palabra De Dios Requiere Una Nueva Lectura Según El Teólogo Alberto Araica 6 octubre 2009, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – "La vigencia de la Palabra de Dios hoy, en un mundo convulsionado social, económica, política y culturalmente, ha de reconstruirse desde una lectura alternativa y con un espíritu dispuesto a la experiencia," declaró el doctor Alberto Araica, durante un conversatorio por el Día Nacional de la Biblia, aquí, el pasado 30 de septiembre. El encuentro, celebrado en la Casa Giordano Bruno de esta capital, sesionó bajo el tema "La vigencia de la Palabra de Dios en un mundo globalizado." Obra De Teatro Sobre Calvino En República Dominicana 8 octubre 2009, MÉXICO – Según informa Diario Libre, en su edición digital los días 16 y 17 de octubre próximos se presentará la obra De las tinieblas a la luz, como "un tributo a la memoria" del reformador francés Juan Calvino, en el salón La Fiesta del hotel Jaragua, por los 500 años de su nacimiento. Serán cuatro funciones que romperán, según la nota, con la tradición de ese recinto. De las tinieblas a la luz es una obra de corte histórico que se ubica en las primeras décadas del siglo XVI, "en la Francia de Francisco I, donde el joven Juan Calvino abría su mente a las premisas humanistas que luego le servirían de base para cuestionar todos los dogmas y tradiciones aceptados de su época." Ecología Y Diálogo Interreligioso, Tarea Común De Iglesias En Busca De Unidad 7 octubre 2009 – Preservar el medio ambiente y fomentar la comprensión entre religiones y pueblos son tareas inmediatas y comunes de las iglesias comprometidas en la búsqueda de la unidad cristiana, dijo el Patriarca Ecuménico Bartolomé I al inaugurar hoy en Creta la reunión plenaria de la Comisión Fe y Constitución del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI). "Como comunidades por separado somos ‘leños frágiles,'" afirmó Bartolomé ante unos 150 teólogos y teólogas provenientes de la mayoría de las familias confesionales del cristianismo mundial reunidos del 7 al 13 de octubre en la Academia Ortodoxa de Creta, Grecia. La Unidad Cristiana En Contexto Y Perspectiva Ortodoxos 9 octubre 2009, GRECIA – "La búsqueda de la unidad entre los cristianos es tan costosa, lenta y dolorosa," dice el metropolitano Gennadios de Sassima, del Patriarcado Ecuménico de Constantinopla. Sin embargo, agrega, "por la gracia de Dios hay esperanza." Vicemoderador del Comité Central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Gennadios habla desde una experiencia de años en el movimiento ecuménico, en el que comenzó a participar como joven steward en la Asamblea del CMI en Uppsala en 1968. Judge Says Diocesan Property Belongs to the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Pittsburgh October 6, 2009, PITTSBURGH – A judge ruled October 6 that the organization headed by former Bishop Robert Duncan that left the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Pittsburgh in 2008 cannot continue to hold any diocesan assets. On October 4, 2008 a majority of the delegates to the diocese's 143rd annual convention voted to approve a resolution by which the diocese purported to leave the Episcopal Church. The leaders of the diocese who departed have said that they remain in charge of an entity they call the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican) that is now part of the Argentina-based Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. And they say that in that capacity they control all the assets that were held by the diocese when they left. The court, however, ruled that all diocesan assets must be held by the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh that is recognized by the Episcopal Church. Workshop Explores the Global Economy October 9, 2009, NEW YORK – The current global economic crisis presents opportunity for discussion and reflection, and begs questions. "In the last 10 years, global wealth has doubled, but 60 countries have become poorer," said Sister Marie Elena Dio. "So where is the money coming from and where is the money going?" That was only one of the challenging questions discussed earlier this week during Global Economics/Local Realities, a three-day workshop co-sponsored by the Partnership for Global Justice (PGJ) and Trinity Wall Street. The workshop featured a range of speakers, including economists, a United Nations representative, and a nun who has, by choice, been homeless in New York City for the past five years. St. Philip's Church, Harlem, Marks 200th Anniversary October 5, 2009, NEW YORK – On Christmas Eve 1947 Veronica Henry walked into St. Philip's Episcopal Church on West 134th Street in Harlem for the first time for midnight mass. Originally from the West Indies and new to New York, Henry was looking for a church home when a friend brought her to St. Philip's, she said. Sixty-one years later, Henry, a regular longtime member, was among more than 300 gathered October 4 to celebrate the Feast of St. Philip, deacon and evangelist, St. Philip's Church's Bicentennial Homecoming Sunday, and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's visitation. ‘Little Church with Big Heart' Catches Yankees' Pitch October 9, 2009, NEW YORK – It is a story as old as the Gospel parable of the rich man's banquet and as new as the $1.5 billion sports palace where the New York Yankees are making another run at the World Series. Through a partnership with a small United Methodist church and an antipoverty think tank, the latest incarnation of Yankee Stadium – complete with 51 luxury suites, $2,500 box seats, a members-only restaurant, martini bar and a concierge to assist with theater tickets or restaurant reservations – also is catering to the hungry. The uneaten hot dogs, hamburgers, sushi and other food from game days are being packaged up and sent for immediate distribution to neighborhood feeding centers, such as one six blocks away at 166th Street near Woodycrest Avenue. Christians Begin to Rebuild Their Lives in Orissa October 7, 2009 – Christian villagers are rebuilding their lives and relationships more than a year after being attacked by a group of Hindu extremists in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. A World Council of Churches (WCC) Living Letters team travelled recently to Kandhamal, Orissa in solidarity with the victims of the violence that broke out following the murder of the hard-line Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, 23 August 2008. The team of eight representatives from churches around the world visited one of the remaining Christian-supported relief camps in the Kandhamal region. LWR Awarded $1.49 Million from USAID for Malaria Work in Mali October 8, 2009 – Lutheran World Relief (LWR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), received a $1.49 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to extend the reach of malaria control in Mali, according to an Oct. 7 LWR news release. "Lutheran World Relief is pleased to partner with USAID in the fight against malaria in Mali, the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the country. With this grant, we can broaden our malaria control efforts in Mali, reaching even more people at risk," said Alissa Karg, LWR's deputy regional director for Africa. October 9, 2009, NAIROBI, Kenya/GENEVA – Setting the tone for a consultation on climate change, food security and poverty in Africa, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Vice President for the region said, "it cannot be business as usual," as recurring crises continue to hurt the continent. "We cannot continue to mediate on this, we must take action," Bishop Dr Zephania Kameeta from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN), told a press conference at the opening of the 6-10 October LWF regional consultation. Archbishop Demetrios Appoints Bishop Andonios of Phasiane New Chancellor October 7, 2009, NEW YORK – Archbishop Demetrios of America, in consultation with the Holy Eparchial Synod, has appointed His Grace, Bishop Andonios of Phasiane to be the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, effective October 1, 2009. On the occasion of this appointment, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America offered the following remarks: "We are very glad to have His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane as the new Chancellor of the Archdiocese. In all the positions that he has held within the Archdiocese, as a lay theologian, a deacon, a presbyter and a Bishop, His Grace has served with remarkable zeal and diligence." |
