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Martin Luther King Jr. Inspires Church Actions for Racial and Economic Justice

January 14, 2010 – As Americans prepare to celebrate Martin Luther King Day marking the life and achievements of the influential African-American pastor who campaigned in the 1960's for an end to racial segregation in the United States, church leaders from North America and the Caribbean are gathering to plan campaigns to overcome racial and economic injustices which persist today. "Martin Luther King Jr. could see that part of racial oppression had to do with economic oppression based on skin colour," says Edith Rasell, an economist with the national offices of the United Church of Christ in the United States.

Churches Mobilize Support for Haiti Quake Victims

January 13, 2010 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed condolences and solidarity with the people of Haiti after the earthquake there and has called for prompt support in the relief efforts. The major earthquake that shook the Caribbean nation of Haiti overnight has become yet another in a series of natural disasters to hit this already vulnerable nation, the poorest in the western hemisphere. The temblor, which registered 7.3 on the Richter scale and struck the area in around the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, 12 January, around 5 p.m., caused heavy damage knocking down buildings and power lines.

CWS Welcomes U.S. Announcement of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians

January 15, 2010, NEW YORK – Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced today that Haitians will be granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States. "We are very appreciative of the efforts that the Obama administration has put forth to address the situation in Haiti, including extending Temporary Protected Status to Haitians," said Erol Kekic, Director of the Immigration and Refugee Program at Church World Service. "This will be an important component of a comprehensive U.S. humanitarian response to the current crisis in Haiti." Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, may be granted by the U.S. when requested by a foreign state that temporarily cannot handle the return of nationals due to an environmental disaster.

Montana: State's Top Court Upholds ‘Right to Die with Dignity,' Questions Remain

January 13, 2010 – The Montana Supreme Court may have ruled Montanans have a right to die with dignity, but questions remain about the future of the new law and its implementation. The court ruled that neither state law or public policy preclude doctors from prescribing lethal drugs to mentally competent, terminally-ill patients who want to end their lives. Some supporters, like Helena personal injury attorney James Hunt, a former chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Montana, described the court's Dec. 31 decision as affirming an "option for aid in dying and as compassionate Christian care-giving," not suicide. "I had a brother who died of pancreatic cancer and I watched him die, and I've watched others die," said Hunt, who filed a brief for religious leaders in support of Baxter v. Montana.

Haiti Earthquake Disaster Response

The Rev. Sam Dixon, UMCOR Leader, Dies in Haiti

January 16, 2010 – The Rev. Sam Dixon came to Haiti to make life better for the poor and afflicted. As the leader of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Dixon traveled the world assisting Indonesians whose homes were washed away by the tsunami, Africans whose crops had withered under unrelenting drought and Americans needing shelter after tornadoes destroyed their neighborhoods. So it came as a shock Jan. 16 when, after four days when hopes dimmed and were raised again with reports of his survival, church workers learned that Dixon died of injuries received after being buried in the rubble of a collapsed hotel following the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.

United Methodist Giving Tops $1 Million for Haiti

January 16, 2010 – United Methodists have raised more than $1 million for relief work in Haiti. The donations to the United Methodist Committee on Relief will support its efforts to respond to those most in need following the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake. An estimated 2 million to 3 million people need immediate assistance. In a statement, Bishop Joel Martinez of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR's parent agency, said he was thankful "for the overwhelming generosity," but encouraged further gifts.

‘I Was Certain I Was Going to Die'
Caught in Haiti Earthquake, Episcopal Church Missionaries Recount Survival

January 15, 2010 – Two Episcopal Church missionaries in Port-au-Prince say that they feared for their lives during the Jan. 12 earthquake and in its aftermath that shook the Haitian capital. When the magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit just before 5 p.m. local time, the Rev. Canon Oge Beauvoir and his wife Serrette were in their Port-au-Prince home, he told Nathan Brockman of Trinity Wall Street in a Jan. 15 telephone call. "For the first time I was certain I faced death," Beauvoir told Brockman. "I was certain we were going to die."

ELCA Raises Haiti Financial Commitment, Channels Funds Through Partners

January 15, 2010, CHICAGO – International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) increased its initial financial commitment to support relief efforts in Haiti to $600,000. The Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission, made the announcement Jan. 15, emphasizing the significance of a coordinated response by the "Lutheran family" in the United States. Following the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, the ELCA made an initial financial commitment of $250,000 to the disaster. The church said it would advance another $500,000 based on member giving. Malpica Padilla said the $600,000 commitment is based on "a strong and generous response" this week by ELCA members. The figure could soon be increased to more than $1 million, pending the continuing response of members, he said.

EPPN Urges Prayer, Giving and Advocacy for Haiti
White House Grants Temporary Protected Status to Haitian Refugees in the U.S.

January 15, 2010 – The effort to assist victims of the Haiti earthquake should be expressed through prayer, financial support and advocacy, the Episcopal Public Policy Network has urged in a policy alert issued Jan. 15. "Like hundreds of millions of Americans and other people around the world, my heart has broken as I've seen the images of the devastation brought to Haiti by this week's earthquake," said Alexander Baumgarten, director of government relations for the Episcopal Church, in the alert. "The most immediate thing that Americans can do to be helpful is to donate to organizations such as Episcopal Relief & Development that are assisting with the immediate relief, rescue and recovery effort," he told ENS. Baumgarten, who traveled to Haiti in November 2008 with a delegation led by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, said it is important to "hold all of the people of Haiti, and all those with friends and loved ones in Haiti, in your prayers."

Brethren Disaster and Mission Leaders to Go to Haiti,
First Contacts Are Received from Haitian Brethren

January 15, 2010 – A group representing the Church of the Brethren has scheduled a flight to Haiti with Mission Flights International. The group will include Ludovic St. Fleur, coordinator of the Church of the Brethren mission in Haiti and pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami, Fla.; Roy Winter, executive director of Brethren Disaster Ministries; Jeff Boshart, coordinator of the church's disaster rebuilding project in Haiti; and Klebert Exceus, consultant for the Haiti rebuilding program. The group will travel to Haiti on Monday, Jan. 18, barring unforeseen circumstances. "We will further assess the situation of the Brethren members and likely set up a base camp at the new church built in the mountains about 40 miles north of Port-au-Prince," reported Winter. He added that Brethren Disaster Ministries and the church's Material Resources program also may work with Mission Flights International to get supplies to Haiti in the short-term, until containers can be transported.

IMA World Health Team and United Methodist Staff Are Rescued.

January 15, 2010 – IMA World Health reports that three of its staff – including president Rick Santos – who were missing in Haiti are safe and not seriously hurt after having been rescued from the rubble of the Montana Hotel. The hotel collapsed in the earthquake. Also rescued from the same hotel were a United Methodist group including Sam Dixon, head of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief); Clinton Rabb, head of the United Methodist denomination's Mission Volunteers; and James Gulley, an UMCOR consultant . IMA World Health had requested prayer when it was unable to contact the three staff who had been visiting Haiti from its headquarters at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The three included Rick Santos, president of IMA World Health, along with Sarla Chand and Ann Varghese. IMA also had requested prayer for its five national staff in Haiti: Abdel Direny, Giannie Jean Baptiste, Execkiel Milar, Ambroise Sylvain, and Franck Monestime. "I am happy to pass on the good news...that Rick, Sarla, Ann, and Sam Dixon (executive director of UMCOR – the United Methodist Committee on Relief – who also was missing since the earthquake) are safe and not seriously hurt," said an e-mail note this morning from Don Parker, chair of the board of IMA World Health.

Emergency Disaster Fund Grants Go to Haiti Relief Effort

January 15, 2010 – Two grants have been given from the Church of the Brethren's Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) for the Haiti earthquake relief effort. The grants total $50,000, and had been bolstered by the more than $16,500 that already has been given through the Haiti donations page at the denominational website as of yesterday evening. An EDF grant of $25,000 has been given for Brethren Disaster Ministries and Church of the Brethren work in Haiti following the earthquake. The grant will provide for travel and support of assessment teams from the US working in Haiti; support for the Haitian Church of the Brethren members impacted in Port-au-Prince; initial response activities developed by the response team; and a grant to partner with SSID through the Dominican Church of the Brethren. An EDF grant of $25,000 has been given to the Church World Service earthquake appeal. The money will support cooperative efforts with CWS, and will help in the provision of immediate relief assistance that may include material resources, temporary shelter, food assistance, and health services.

Member of Lititz Church of the Brethren Is Still in Haiti with Mission Group

January 15, 2010 – A group of youth adults in Haiti on a mission trip with the Feed My Sheep Ministry includes Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren member Mark Risser. He is with a group of three other young men from the Lititz area, including Trevor Sell, Ty Getz, and Ben Wingard. Betsy and Bill Longenecker, also of Lititz Church of the Brethren, and their son Billy helped coordinate the mission trip. The Longeneckers for 13 years have been taking annual mission trips to Haiti through Feed My Sheep. The family was in Haiti just last week as part of a Feed My Sheep mission group that also included several others from the Lititz congregation. Their group returned to the US on Saturday, Jan. 9, before the earthquake struck. The group of young adults currently in Haiti are scheduled to return to the US next Wednesday, Jan. 20, through Port-au-Prince on Delta Airlines.

People Urged to Contribute Disaster Kits During National Day of Service
Church World Service Issues Emergency Call for Hygiene, Baby Kits

January 15, 2010, NEW YORK – As the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service on January 18 approaches, humanitarian agency Church World Service is encouraging people to respond to the day's call by contributing donations and community volunteer work dedicated to relief efforts for survivors of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. New York-headquartered CWS has issued an urgent national appeal for donations of CWS hygiene and baby care kits, asking individuals, families and religious and civic groups to join in local efforts to assemble CWS Kits for distribution to survivors of the earthquake and other global disasters. With hundreds of thousands of people homeless in Haiti following the devastating earthquake, the agency says the need for Kits is immediate. Supplies and hygiene and medical resources of all kinds still are desperately lacking in the country. "When a disaster like the earthquake in Haiti hits, we have to replenish supplies very quickly so that we can both assist survivors and also have supplies on hand to help victims of other disasters that might occur, said the Rev. John McCullough, executive director and CEO of Church World Service.

Haiti: Earthquake Wreaks Unimaginable Suffering and Devastation
"So Far No Real Help Is in Sight"

January 15, 2010, PORT-AU-PRINCE Haiti/GENEVA – "It looks like a war zone." This was how Eric Celiz, finance officer of the Caribbean/Haiti program of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for World Service (DWS) described the situation in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck on 12 January. It is said to be the most powerful quake to hit the region in 200 years, causing unimaginable suffering in this Caribbean country which is already one of the poorest in the world. "So far no real help is in sight," Celiz reported. He said streets were crowded with people fleeing their homes for fear of aftershocks that continued to rattle the earth, or whose homes have been destroyed. The magnitude of the catastrophe has left a shocked feeling of helplessness. People linger stunned before mounds of rubble with no genuine means of intervening. Others remain buried under the rubble and cry out for help, but the necessary equipment is lacking.

Lutheran Haitian Says Goodwill Needed for Haiti's Survival

January 15, 2010, CHICAGO – Haiti will need to rely on the good will and compassion of people and churches if the Caribbean nation is to survive, according to the Rev. Joseph Livenson Lauvanus, president of Eglise Lutherienne d'Haiti (Lutheran Church of Haiti). "If there is ever a time for people to help Haiti, the time is right now," Lauvanus told the News Service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "Everyone knows that Haiti is a poor country in the Western Hemisphere," said Lauvanus. He attributes the survival of Haiti to "the good will of our churches. We are thankful to have a church like the ELCA that understands the whole matter of togetherness, reinforcing what we call the ‘Communion of Saints.'"

ELCA Seminary Student May Have Perished in Haiti Earthquake

January 14, 2010, CHICAGO – It is believed that Benjamin Judd Larson, a student at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, died from the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, according to the Rev. Duane H. Larson, Wartburg president. Ben Larson's wife, Renee Splichal Larson, and his cousin, Jonathan Larson, were in the same building as Ben at the time of the earthquake. Renee and Jonathan "made it out, eventually found each other, then returned to St. Joseph Guest House in the attempt to rescue Ben, to no avail," Duane Larson wrote in a Jan. 14 letter to the Wartburg community. Wartburg is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Jonathan and Renee are being evacuated to the Dominican Republic, and "we're hoping that (they) will soon travel back to the United States," Duane Larson told the ELCA News Service.

In Haiti, Milwaukee Men Are Alive; Others Continue to Wait for News of the Missing

January 14, 2010 – In some ways, the waiting and watching for two missing members of a mission trip to Haiti was over for Mary Alice Eschweiler, a board member of the Haiti Project of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. In other ways, not so much. On Jan. 14 she said she'd received word that James Tamlin and Andrew Lee, part of a group of seven current and former University of Wisconsin-Madison students on the trip, were alive. But she didn't know where they were, or if reports they were being evacuated to the Dominican Republic were true. Nor did she know the fate of some 2,000 villagers with whom the Haiti Project has shared a long-time partnership. Like thousands of others frustrated about the lack of phone calls into Haiti – and scant news coming out – there was little to do but wait and hope for good news.

Church's Response to Haitian Crisis Grows
Episcopal Relief and Development Official Due to Travel to Region

January 14, 2010 – The Episcopal Church continued Jan. 14 to respond to the devastating impact of the massive earthquake that destroyed wide swaths of Haiti. Katie Mears, Episcopal Relief and Development's program manager for USA disaster preparedness and response, soon will be traveling to the Dominican Republic, Haiti's western neighbor on the island of Hispaniola, to further assess the situation and coordinate the agency's response to this disaster, according to a news release. The magnitude 7 earthquake, whose epicenter struck 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, at 4:53 p.m. local time on Jan. 12, was immediately followed by a series of aftershocks. About a third of Haiti's approximately 9 million people live in Port-au-Prince. ERD disbursed emergency funding to the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Haiti on Jan. 13 to help them meet immediate needs such as providing shelter, food and water.

Episcopal Church, Anglican Communion Rally to Aid Haiti
Leaders Call for an ‘Immediate and Generous' Response

January 14, 2010 – From spare pocket change to thousands of dollars and additional pledges of ongoing assistance, Anglicans and Episcopalians around the globe rallied Jan. 14 to aid their sister Diocese of Haiti in the aftermath of the worst earthquake in the island nation's history. News of the Jan. 12 magnitude 7 earthquake, which destroyed most of the Episcopal Cathédrale Sainte Trinité (Holy Trinity Cathedral) complex including the residence of Bishop Jean-Zaché Duracin in the capital city Port-au-Prince, reverberated across the international religious community, evoking prayers and eliciting concern for the missing and injured, as the death toll, estimated in the thousands, continued to climb. Church leaders, from Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, urged a generous and immediate response, while acknowledging tough economic times.

Brethren Leader Calls for Time of Prayer for Haiti,
Brethren Disaster Ministries Prepares for Relief Efforts

January 14, 2010 ELGIN, IL – "In the darkest times, we can turn toward the Creator God and admit our frailty as part of this creation," said Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger in a call for the entire denomination to enter into a time of prayer for Haiti. "It is an interim step until the way is clear for us to individually take action. The call of the whole church to prayer is traditional Church of the Brethren, where together we discern what it is that God would have us do," he said. Noffsinger emphasized that prayer for Haiti in the current disaster situation "has a new element for us.... We have members of our church family we have not heard from and we don't know their wellbeing and safety. And so a part of us is at risk."

QFC Friend and AIELC Bishop Lost in Haiti

January 14, 2010, ASTORIA, NY – The Association of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Churches, is concerned for the conditions in Haiti, particularly because a member of its denomination, his family and staff are lost. With the help of several organizations that already have teams working in Haiti, including the Lutheran Orthodox Church, member of the AIELC, and our friends of the Church of Scientology, a very active search is undergoing for the whereabouts of the AIELC Bishop for the Caribbean, the Rev. Dr. Louis Marcel Pierre. He joined the AIELC ranks since 2000. He has been working with several programs he has in Haiti, including a school for children and other social services agencies. He is an old friend of the Queens Federation of Churches, as each time he visited NY, he always wanted to visit the QFC offices.

Archbishop of Canterbury's Message of Support for the Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti

January 14, 2010 – The Archbishop of Canterbury has given a message of support to the people of Haiti affected by the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake. "I am profoundly shocked and concerned to hear about the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As the news comes through, we are learning more about the tragic loss of life, injury suffered and terrible damage to the country. We stand alongside all the people in Haiti affected by this terrible disaster in prayer, thought and action as the situation unfolds. We pray for the rescue of those still trapped and look towards the rebuilding of lives and communities. I commend the swift action of the Department for International Development and the relief agencies and churches in mobilising an emergency response. In this time of catastrophic loss and destruction, I urge the public to hold the people of Haiti in their prayers, and to give generously and urgently to funding appeals set up for relief work."

LCMS World Relief to Assist Haitians; Mission Teams, Missionary OK

January 14, 2010 – As estimates of the loss of life and destruction in Haiti emerged following Tuesday's magnitude 7.0 earthquake, LCMS World Relief and Human Care (WR-HC) began responding, while members of LCMS congregations prayed for the safety of their mission teams who were in the Caribbean nation at the time of the quake. "The unfolding drama in Haiti calls for unlimited mercy on the part of the people of the LCMS. The needs are urgent and overwhelming right now," said Rev. Glenn F. Merritt, WR-HC director of disaster response. "I appeal to God's people to respond as generously as possible during this most difficult time." Haitians piled bodies along the devastated streets of their capital, Port-au-Prince, on Wednesday after the strongest earthquake to hit the nation in more than 200 years crushed thousands of structures, from schools and shacks to the National Palace and the U.N. peacekeeping headquarters.

Haiti Earthquake Appeal

January 13, 2010 – The United Church of Christ has launched an emergency appeal for Haiti after a major earthquake struck the country. Thousands of people are feared dead and countless have been left homeless. Donate Now to Provide Emergency Relief In Haiti The United Church of Christ has launched an emergency appeal for Haiti after a major earthquake struck the country. Thousands of people are feared dead and countless have been left homeless. The quake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, struck 10 miles southwest of the capital just before 5pm local time yesterday, January 12.

Archbishop Issues Encyclical Calling for
Prayers and Help for the Earthquake Victims in Haiti

January 13, 2010, NEW YORK – With great sadness, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios received the tragic news of the devastating destruction and the loss of human lives in Haiti following the earthquake in that country yesterday, January 12, 2010. "Our thoughts and prayers are now with the people of Haiti," said Archbishop Demetrios who immediately issued an encyclical calling upon the faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to pray for the safety, health and well being of all the people of Haiti and in particular the Greek Orthodox faithful there. In his encyclical to the parishes of the Archdiocese, (see full text attached) the Archbishop also calls for all parishes "to conduct a special collection on Sunday, January 17 as a response of compassion to the needs of the people of Haiti." There are two Greek Orthodox parishes in Haiti under the Metropolis of Mexico.

Initial CWS Emergency Appeal: Haiti Earthquake

January 13, 2010 The global humanitarian community, including Church World Service, has begun responding to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday (Jan. 12). Much of the capital was reduced to rubble, and at this early stage estimates of casualties and damage are not known, though thousands are believed to have perished. The Haitian president, René Préval, described the death toll as unimaginable. The International Red Cross has estimated that more than 3 million people have been affected. In calling for a major international effort to assist Haitians, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called the situation "a major humanitarian emergency and that a major relief effort will be required." CWS Response CWS is issuing this initial appeal with additional revisions planned in coming days.

CRWRC Responds to Urgent Needs from Haiti Earthquake

January 13, 2010 – As survivors clear rubble, search for loved ones, and mourn their losses since yesterday's massive earthquake in Haiti, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is providing support and preparing plans for long-term aid. "The earthquake that hit the capital city, where both CRWRC and Christian Reformed World Missions personnel are stationed, was severe," CRWRC Director, Ida Kaastra Mutoigo reported this morning. "But we have confirmed that all Christian Reformed staff are safe." CRWRC staff in on the ground in Haiti are now gearing up to aid to their neighbors in need. CRWRC has been working in Haiti for more than 30 years. By partnering with local churches and community organizations, CRWRC empowers Haitian community leaders to no longer see themselves as victims of poverty, but with gifts and resources to serve others. In this new time of crisis, these local partners are now leading their communities in responding to the most urgent needs.

Concerns Mount for Missing UMCOR Workers
Massive Earthquake Struck about 10 Miles from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 12.

January 13, 2009 – United Methodists throughout the world are saying prayers; donating time, talent and money; and planning relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people even as the church worries about the fate of some of its mission workers in the devastated nation. In the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude quake Jan. 12, church officials on Jan. 13 were still waiting to hear from three executives of the Board of Global Ministries who were in Haiti. Sam Dixon, top executive of the United Methodist Committee on Relief; Clinton Rabb, head of Mission Volunteers; and James Gulley, an UMCOR consultant, were on the island on a mission-related trip. No one has been able to reach the three men since the earthquake occurred and communications with Haiti have been difficult, officials said. "We've heard conflicting reports," said the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, an UMCOR executive. "We've heard they were in a car on the way to the airport. We've heard they were at the Hotel Montana having dinner. We don't have any confirmation about what their whereabouts were when the earthquake hit. We're still hoping and praying we hear from them soon."

LWF World Service Director Calls for Substantial International Response to Haiti Earthquake
Caribbean Country Already Ranked among the World's Poorest Nations

January 13, 2010, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti/GENEVA – The director of the Department for World Service (DWS) at the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Rev. Eberhard Hitzler, has called for an immediate, substantial emergency response following the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The 7.0 magnitude quake which struck on Tuesday 12 January at 16:53 local time (22:53 CET), lasting over one minute, is the most powerful in 200 years in the Caribbean state, according to media reports. The quake's epicenter was only 15 kilometers southwest of the capital Port-au-Prince. DWS personnel report that large numbers of buildings in capital were toppled and many people are feared dead. Numerous aftershocks followed the earthquake. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our staff and the people of Haiti," said Hitzler. "At the moment, we first have to reestablish contact with our staff in Haiti."

Missionaries Spent a Terrifying Night

January 13, 2010 – Missionaries Howard and Ruth Van Dam spent Tuesday night experiencing one terrifying aftershock after another in the wake of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti late on Tuesday. The Van Dams, who serve with Christian Reformed Church World Missions, joined with their neighbors in the street to try to get some rest, because the earthquake severely damaged their home. The earthquake centered on the capital of Port-au-Prince, where the Van Dams live. The area is home to about three million people. "The people in the ravine beside our house were praising and singing to God all night long. Still this morning we feel aftershocks but just slight ones," the Van Dams wrote to CRWM the morning after the quake. It was reported today, Wednesday, that all North American staff serving with Christian Reformed World Missions, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) and Back to God Ministries International were spared from physical harm. The CRC does not yet have full information about the status of the Haitian personnel serving with partner organizations.

Updated: Haiti Struck by Devastating Earthquake; Diocese Suffers Heavy Damage
Prayers, Support Urged for Western Hemisphere's Poorest Nation

January 13, 2010 – Episcopal Church leaders are urging prayers and support for Haiti as the largest earthquake ever to hit the island nation has caused widespread devastation amid fears that thousands may have perished in the disaster. Four people were killed by the earthquake during an Episcopal church service in Trouin, about 23 miles southwest of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, the Rev. Lauren Stanley, an Episcopal Church missionary in Haiti who was home in Virginia at the time of the earthquake, told ENS. The earthquake destroyed Cathédrale Sainte Trinité (Holy Trinity Cathedral), the diocesan cathedral in Port-au-Prince. Lisa, the daughter of General Convention Deputy Helena Mbele-Mbong and her husband Samuel, was killed in the earthquake. Lisa did not survive the collapse of the human-rights section of the building that housed the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince where she worked as a human rights officer. Mbele-Mbong, a member of Emmanuel Church in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, said in an emailed statement that Nady, their daughter's son, was safe and with her U.N. colleagues.

ELCA Seminary President Reports Students' Status Unclear in Haiti

January 13, 2010, CHICAGO – At least one student, perhaps two, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Wartburg Theological Seminary are unaccounted for in Haiti, following a severe earthquake that struck Jan.12, according to the Rev. Duane H. Larson, Wartburg president. Wartburg, Dubuque, Iowa, is one of eight ELCA seminaries. The quake caused considerable property and structural damage, and knocked out power and communication systems. One estimate suggested more than 100,000 people may have died. In an e-mail sent to students, faculty and others the evening of Jan. 13, Larson reported "we do not know" the whereabouts of Jonathan Larson and Ben Larson. Ben and Jonathan are senior students and cousins, studying for master of divinity degrees. However, according to an unconfirmed Jan. 13 blog report, Jonathan Larson and Renee Splichal Larson, Ben's spouse and a student at Wartburg, are reported safe at St. Joseph's Boys Home or possibly, the U.S. Embassy. A fourth Wartburg student, Sara Thomson, an intern at Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, Littleton, Colo., was safe in Jacmel, Haiti, Duane Larson reported.

ELCA International Disaster Response Commits Funds to Haiti Relief

January 13, 2010, CHICAGO – International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) announced it will immediately commit $250,000 to support response efforts to the earthquake in Haiti. It will also advance another $500,000 in anticipation of additional gifts from ELCA members. ELCA members can contribute gifts online. A severe earthquake, the strongest in 200 years, struck Haiti the afternoon of Jan. 12. The quake struck the area around the capital of Port-au-Prince, causing heavy damage, knocking down buildings and power lines. The number of casualities was not immediately known.

Lutheran Leader of WCC Expresses Condolences, Solidarity with Haiti

January 13, 2010, CHICAGO – The Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) expressed condolences and solidarity with the people of Haiti, and called for prompt support in the relief efforts, after the Jan. 12 earthquake. The major earthquake that shook the Caribbean nation of Haiti is another in a series of natural disasters to hit this already vulnerable nation, the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. The quake, which registered 7.3 on the Richter scale and struck the area in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince, caused heavy damage, knocking down buildings and power lines. It was reported to be the strongest earthquake in the country in 200 years.

Church World Service Responding to Devastating Haiti Quake
Agency Assessing Needs, Persisting to Reach All Partners Across Affected Region

January 12, 2010, NEW YORK – In the still-chaotic aftermath of the 7.0 earthquake that struck Port au Prince, Haiti, today, humanitarian agency Church World Service reports it is sending initial funding to its local partners in the country and is prepared to provide CWS Kits and CWS Blankets to people in need. "We're continuing to assess the situation," said the agency's Emergency Response Director Donna Derr. "CWS staff here in the U.S. and in the region are attempting to contact our long-time partners in Haiti, Service Chrstien d́Haiti, Christian Aid SKDE, and the Ecumenical Foundation for Peace and Justice." Derr said preliminary information they've received indicate that EFPJÂ's House of Hope day school in Port au Prince, which CWS supports, is damaged. "Some EFPJ staff are trying to determine the well-being of the children and other staff members, but we just don't know yet. The communications are still very difficult, very spotty."

General News

Medical Trust Work on Denominational Health Plan Underway
Church-wide Plan to Be Built on Diocesan Choice

January 12, 2010 – Against the backdrop of the health-care reform debate across the United States, the Episcopal Church has begun changing the way it provides employee healthcare benefits. The General Convention in July (via Resolution A177) gave the Episcopal Church Medical Trust, an affiliate of the Church Pension Fund (CPF), three years to implement the new program. Dioceses, congregations (including cathedrals, parishes and missions) as well as other official church agencies are required by the resolution and the canonical changes it included to provide benefits to all clergy and lay employees who work 1,500 hours (30 hours a week) or more per year in the church's domestic dioceses (including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands).

Waldorf College Sold, No Longer Affiliated with ELCA

January 13, 2010, CHICAGO – Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa, was sold Jan. 8 to Mayes Education, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Southern University (CSU). With its new for-profit status, Waldorf is no longer affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Based in Orange Beach, Ala., CSU is a for-profit institution and one of the nation's first online universities. The sale was prompted by a financial crisis at Waldorf. In April the Waldorf Lutheran College Association – the college's governing body – approved a series of resolutions that moved the school closer to a possible sale to CSU.

Ecumenical News

Congregation for the Faith, Priority to Christian Unity

January 15, 2010, VATICAN CITY – Participants in the annual plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the president of which is Cardinal William Joseph Levada, were received this morning by the Holy Father. In his address to them he highlighted the fact that their dicastery "participates in the ministry of unity" which is primarily entrusted to the Pope through his "commitment to doctrinal fidelity. "Unity," he added, "is first and foremost unity of faith, upheld by the sacred tradition of which Peter's Successor is the primary custodian and defender. ... This is an indispensable service upon which depends the effectiveness of the Church's evangelising activity unto the end of time. "The Bishop of Rome," the Pope explained, "must constantly proclaim that ... Jesus is Lord." The Roman Pontiff's "potestas docendi" requires "obedience to the faith, so that the Truth that is Christ may continue to shine forth in all its grandeur, ... and that there may be a single flock gathered around a single Shepherd."

Spanish News

Aparato Militar Y Policial Restringe Ilegalmente Oración Por La Paz Y La Justicia En Honduras

11 enero 2010, TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Una misión ecuménica de caracter humanitario, solicitó el pasado viernes sostener una reunión con el presidente constitucional de Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya Rosales y sus acompañantes, en la embajada de Brasil, para verificar su estado de salud y realizar una oración por la paz y la justicia hondureña; sin embargo, su petición fue rechazada por el aparato policial y militar del Estado. La entrevista con el mandatario Zelaya se programó el 6 de enero a través de una solicitud de permiso que realizó el coordinador del Observatorio de Derechos Humanos del Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI), Leonel Casco al comisionado de policía Silvio Inestroza, quien trabaja en la oficina de crisis de casa de gobierno.

Decreto Presidencial Causa Tormenta Política
E Iglesia Católica Dice Que Creará Más Confrontación

12 enero 2010, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – "Ese decreto presidencial, emitido el 9 de enero, que prorroga en sus cargos a los magistrados del Consejo Supremo Electoral (CSE), la Corte Suprema de Justicia y algunos controladores y procuradores para la defensa de los Derechos Humanos, resulta un elemento de desorden social y de mayor confrontación." Lo anterior fue comentado por el padre Rolando Álvarez, vocero de la curia arzobispal de esta capital, luego de concluir su misa del pasado domingo. Agregó que "nos queda rezar y ayunar, porque dice el Evangelio que hay demonios que solamente con la oración y el ayuno pueden ser espulsados y la sociedad debe defender sus derechos en las calles."

Solidaridad Cubana Con La Tragedia Del Hermano País

14 enero 2010, LA HABANA, Cuba – El presidente del Consejo de |Iglesias de Cuba (CIC), reverendo Marcial Miguel Hernández, espresó: "Estamos conmovidos profundamente por la tragedia de Haití y hemos pedido a las iglesias cubanas que nos unamos en una cadena de oración por ese pueblo hermano. En ese sentido también escribió el doctor Reinerio Arce Valentín, rector del Seminario Evangélico de Teología de Matanzas. "Desde aquí les enviamos a los cristianos y las cristianas de allí nuestra más profunda muestra de dolor y de solidaridad ante tragedia de tal magnitud y rogamos a Dios porque, en medio de panorama de tanta desolación ponga un signo de esperanza" dijo el máximo representante del CIC.

Celebran Encuentro De Mujeres Anglicanas Ordenadas De Centroamérica

12 enero 2010, SAN SALVADOR – Con el fin de intercambiar experiencias y desafíos para la década que se inicia, se celebró el Primer Encuentro de Mujeres Ordenadas Anglicanas de la Región Central de América, que concluyó ayer en esta capital. Esta primera cita aunó a mujeres diáconos, sacerdotes y seminaristas, la cual tuvo como espacio espiritual el tiempo de la Epifanía bajo el lema de "Mujeres ordenadas enpoderadas por Dios," y en el cual se reflexionó en torno a la misión de la Iglesia en la región y sobre su rol como pastoras. En Centroamérica se estima que haya más de una decena de mujeres ordenadas.

El CMI Expresa Solidaridad Con Las Iglesias Atacadas En Malasia

14 enero 2010 – En una carta de solidaridad a las iglesias de Malasia con fecha del 13 de enero, el secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, expresó una profunda preocupación y tristeza por los recientes ataques contra edificios de las iglesias tras una controversia sobre el derecho de los cristianos a utilizar el término "Alá" para referirse a Dios. La controversia "generada por un pequeño grupo de musulmanes" del país es "muy preocupante," dijo Tveit, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que "los cristianos de países de mayoría musulmana de todas partes del mundo, incluido en su país vecino Indonesia, han utilizado durante siglos la palabra ‘Alá' para designar a Dios." Tveit indicó que esperaba que "tanto el gobierno como la sociedad civil tomen medidas inmediatas para resolver el conflicto a fin de evitar nuevas hostilidades y una escalada de la violencia."

Haití: Iglesias Movilizan Apoyo a Víctimas De Terremoto

13 enero 2010 – El secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, ha expresado sus condolencias y solidaridad al pueblo de Haití después del terremoto que ha padecido el país, y ha pedido que se preste rápido apoyo a los esfuerzos de socorro. El fuerte terremoto que golpeó ayer al estado caribeño de Haití ha sido una más en la serie de catástrofes naturales que azotan a esta nación ya vulnerable, la más pobre del hemisferio occidental. El temblor, de violencia 7,3 en la escala Richter, que afectó a la zona en torno a la capital Port-au-Prince el martes 12 de enero hacia las 5 de la tarde, causó graves daños y derribó edificios y líneas de electricidad.

CLAI Se Prepara Para Enviar Ayuda a Haití En Una Segunda Etapa

15 enero 2010, QUITO, Ecuador – El CLAI, a través de su Secretario General, reverendo Nilton Giese, informó que se encuentran coordinando un diálogo con la Mesa Nacional de República Dominicana y con otros organismos ecuménicos acerca de la acción de las iglesias en la segunda etapa de la ayuda humanitaria a Haití. "Por el momento hay muchas iniciativas, pero el tiempo corre más rápido que la ayuda. Hay muchas dificultades para hacer llegar los recursos a las víctimas," dice Giese. Desde la secretaria general del CLAI consideran que en esta primera etapa es conveniente que llegue la ayuda internacional y en una segunda etapa llegue el aporte de las iglesias, cuando toda la ayuda internacional se haya ido.

Terremoto En Haití: En Medio De La Desesperación Muchos Oraron Y Cantaron

13 enero 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Según un despacho de prensa de la AP, fechado ayer en esta capital, ante las sacudidas del sismo de 7 grados de magnitud en la escala de Ritcher, "La gente se abalanzó a las calles y se reunió en grupos de oración improvisados, mientras los remezones se sentían en el país caribeño." Se afirma que en las plaza públicas miles de personas cantaban himnos religiosos, agarradas de las manos, mientras la mayoría corría despavorida rogando por ayuda médica sin apenas servicios de emergencia, ya que los hospitales resultaban insuficientes para dar respuesta a la magnitud de la catástrofe, habiéndose varios de ellos, desmoronado.

Tragedia En Haití: Ayuda Internacional En Camino

13 enero 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – El país más pobre del continente sufre hoy su tragedia más profunda. Afectado por un fuerte terremoto el martes 12 de enero, a las 5:48 de la tarde, de una magnitud de 7.0, sufre graves daños en la infraestructura y continua la búsqueda de heridos, desaparecidos y fallecidos bajo los escombros. La Cruz Roja estima que hasta tres millones de personas, un tercio de la población nacional, habrían sido afectadas por el terremoto Conmoción en la comunidad internacional. El presidente dominicano Leonel Fernández, llamó a la comunidad internacional a acudir en ayuda de la vecina Haití.

El CMI Expresa Solidaridad Con Las Iglesias Atacadas En Malasia

14 enero 2010, GINEBRA, Suiza – En una carta de solidaridad a las iglesias de Malasia con fecha del 13 de enero, el secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, expresó una profunda preocupación y tristeza por los recientes ataques contra edificios de las iglesias tras una controversia sobre el derecho de los cristianos a utilizar el término "Alá" para referirse a Dios. La controversia "generada por un pequeño grupo de musulmanes" del país es "muy preocupante," dijo Tveit, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que "los cristianos de países de mayoría musulmana de todas partes del mundo, incluido en su país vecino Indonesia, han utilizado durante siglos la palabra ‘Alá' para designar a Dios."

Religious Liberty News

National Religious and Civil Liberties Leaders Issue Joint Statement in Washington
Diverse Leaders Outline Current Law on the Role of Religion in Public Life

January 12, 2010, WASHINGTON, DC – As the role of religion in public life continues to spark intense political debate and high-profile court cases, a group of diverse leaders from religious and secular organizations has issued the most comprehensive joint statement of current law to date on legal issues dividing church and state. Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Christian leaders from the evangelical, mainline and Catholic traditions joined with civil liberties leaders to draft Religious Expression in American Public Life: A Joint Statement of Current Law, released Tuesday at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C.

National News

Archdiocese Statement on Case of Orphaned Children

January 12, 2010, NEW YORK – In recent days, misleading statements distributed in the press on the case of two orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose relatives in the United States approached the Saint Basil Academy for assistance, require that the Archdiocese of America set forth the following factual information. In June of 2009 Saint Basil Academy in Garrison New York, received an inquiry as to whether the institution could be of assistance in bringing these two children to the United States and accept them into the Academy family. The relatives of the two children were advised that under present US immigration law, the Academy, as a residential facility and no longer a school, could not legally sponsor the children to come to the United States. The family was also advised to consider options only available to them that would allow the children to enter the U.S.

International News

Baha'i International Community Rejects Allegations
That Arrested Baha'is Had Weapons in Homes

January 9, 2010, GENEVA – The Baha'i International Community today categorically rejected new allegations by the Iranian government that arms and ammunition were found in the homes of Baha'is who were arrested in Tehran last Sunday. "This is nothing less than a blatant lie," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "Baha'is are by the most basic principles of their faith committed to absolute nonviolence, and any charge that there might have been weapons or ‘live rounds' in their homes is simply and completely unbelievable. "Without doubt, these are baseless fabrications devised by the government to further create an atmosphere of prejudice and hatred against the Iranian Baha'i community. For more than a century Baha'is have suffered all manner of persecution in Iran and have not resorted to armed violence, and everyone knows this. Unfortunately, the Iranian government is once again resorting to outright falsehoods to justify its nefarious intentions against the Baha'i community.

LWF Calls for Urgent International Support to Sudan's Peace Process
Donors Urged to Increase Emergency Funding amid Deteriorating Humanitarian Situation

January 11, 2010, GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is calling for urgent action from the international community in supporting the effective implementation of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005, and in preventing recurrence of conflict in the country. In a statement released today coinciding with the CPA's fifth anniversary on 9 January, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko pointed out that the people of South Sudan were yet to see any "peace dividend in terms of improved security or development, and their confidence in the peace process has been badly undermined." The CPA, signed between the Government of the Republic of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement / Sudan People's Liberation Army granted a six-year interim period of administrative autonomy to South Sudan, which would be followed by a referendum in January 2011 to decide whether South Sudan should become an independent country.

WCC Expresses Solidarity with Churches under Attack in Malaysia

January 13, 2010 – In a 13 January solidarity letter to the churches in Malaysia, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed deep concern and profound sorrow about recent attacks against church buildings in the country following a controversy over the right of Christians to use the term "Allah" to refer to God. Thecontroversy "generated by a small sector of Muslims" in the country is "very disturbing," Tveit said, especially as "Christians in majority Muslim countries all over the world, including [Malaysia's] neighbouring country Indonesia, have used the word ‘Allah' for God for centuries." Tveit expressed hope that "immediate action" is taken "by both the government and civil society to resolve the conflict, in order to avoid renewed hostilities and escalation of violence." He also found it heartening that "numerous Islamic organizations and leaders have publicly condemned these wanton acts of a small group of people." Several church buildings have recently been attacked in Malaysia following a High Court ruling last month allowing non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" to refer to God.

World Reacts to the Trial of the Seven Baha'i Leaders

January 13, 2010, GENEVA – Iran's decision to begin the trial yesterday of seven Baha'i leaders has triggered a strong international reaction, including a call by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi for their immediate release and ultimate acquittal. "If justice is to be carried out and an impartial judge should investigate the charges leveled against my clients, no other verdict can be reached save that of acquittal," said Mrs. Ebadi, in comments posted on WashingtonTV, a Web-based news service in the United States. Mrs. Ebadi, who is one of the lawyers for the seven, said she had carefully read the dossier of charges against them and "found in it no cause or evidence to sustain the criminal charges upheld by the prosecutor." Others also expressed concerns about the fairness of the trial, calling for it to be open and held in accordance with international legal standards. Governments and prominent individuals in the European Union, the United States, Brazil, India, and Canada issued strong statements of concern.

Trial of Seven Baha'i Leaders under Way in Tehran

January 12, 2010, GENEVA – The trial of seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders began today in Iran. Initial reports indicate that the trial is marked by numerous violations of legal due process. "We understand that no observers were allowed in the court," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "We find this completely outrageous, given that these seven have been held purely because of their religious beliefs, in total contradiction to any human rights standards. "We understand that even the lawyers had to argue their way inside the court – lawyers who in any case had virtually no access to the accused for nearly two years. "At the same time, the prisoners' interrogators from the Ministry of Intelligence and a film crew were seen going in, raising questions about the nature of the trial," she said.

England: Former Anglican Leader Sparks Row with Comments on Migrants

January 15, 2010 – A former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord (George) Carey, is at the center of a religious and political debate after writing a newspaper article in which he urged limits on immigration to Britain and said migrants needed to recognize the country's Christian heritage. "The sheer numbers of migrants from within Europe and elsewhere put the resources of Britain under enormous pressure, but also threaten the very ethos or DNA of our nation," Carey wrote in an article published in The Times newspaper on January 7. In the article, Carey said he welcomed "the contribution of both economic migrants and asylum seekers to our lively cosmopolitan culture." However, failure to reduce the number of migrants, he warned, "could be seriously damaging to the future harmony of our society."

Episcopal Church Helps to Train Leaders in Liberia

January 14, 2010 – Bahnavileh Jones, 26, returned to Liberia from Ghana in 2002, toward the end of the war-torn country's 15-year civil war, making his way to the Episcopal-affiliated Cuttington University in Suakoko, Bong County, where he volunteered on the farm. Eventually, the university awarded Jones a scholarship, and in May 2008 he graduated with a bachelor's degree in rural development and agriculture; he now works for the university's agricultural extension program. It is Jones's dream, he said, to continue higher learning.

Archbishops Issue Urgent Plea for Peace in Sudan

January 12, 2010 – Drawing attention to Sudan's faltering peace process, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Episcopal Church of Sudan Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul met with U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown Jan. 11 to underscore the urgency for the international community to take action to ensure that the country doesn't plunge back into civil war. The meeting with Brown was supported by the Sudan365 campaign, a year of advocacy for Sudan that is being organized by a coalition of advocacy groups and human rights organizations. The campaign organized a Jan. 9 demonstration when hundreds of activists gathered outside Brown's residence at 10 Downing Street in London to call on the U.K. government urgently to increase their diplomatic engagement on Sudan. In advance of their meeting with Brown, Williams and Deng were joined on Jan. 11 by Diocese of Salisbury Bishop David Stancliffe for a press conference at Lambeth Palace to draw attention to the challenges threatening Sudan five years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Middle East News

ELCJHL Bishop Decries Violence, Declares Solidarity with Grieving Christians in Egypt

January 11, 2010, BEIRUT – ELCJHL Bishop Munib A. Younan today announced his support and prayers for His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and his church in the wake of killings in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, last week. On Jan. 6, the eve of their Christmas celebration, six Coptic Christians, as well as one Muslim security officer, were killed at a church in Nag Hammadi. At least seven other people were injured. "We are horrified and denounce this violent act, that instead of our people our Christian Copts celebrating Christmas and the feast of incarnation, they had to celebrate the feast of the cross," Younan said. "The attack is horrifying and puts fear in the hearts of Christians in Egypt." Younan encouraged Egyptian Christians to not be fearful but to rest in the hope of the resurrection and "remain steadfast with their witness to the Gospel, for the church always carries its cross even in times of joy." Younan sent letters of condolence to Pope Shenouda, as well as to Dr. Anba Abrahim, the Coptic archbishop of Jerusalem, last Friday.

Middle East Protestants Work Together in Troubled Region

January 13, 2010 – Christian unity in the Middle East is an oasis of hope in the midst of difficult circumstances says a senior Protestant leader. In an address to church leaders from the region, Setri Nyomi, General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), praised cooperative efforts to minister to victims of violence and economic deprivation. "While the tendency in the face of difficult circumstances is for Christians to yield to fragmentation and division, you have remained together," Nyomi told delegates to the 6th General Assembly of the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC) held in Harissa, Lebanon earlier this week. The FMEEC is an association of Protestant churches working to promote leadership training, run church-related schools and support programmes for women in churches from Sudan to Iran. Protestant Christians who represent 0.5 per cent of the region's population play a significant role in education (secondary schools, colleges and seminaries), medical services and publishing, despite their small numbers.

FMEEC Votes to Support the Ordination of Women

January 12, 2010, HARISSA, Lebanon – Ordaining women as pastors to serve Middle Eastern churches took one step closer to becoming reality today. Delegates at the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC) voted unanimously to adopt a statement in support of this change. The statement was drafted on the spot in response to a report by the fellowship's theology committee, which found no biblical or theological reasons to oppose female ordination. The vote occurred at the Sixth General Assembly of the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches. FMEEC is an association of evangelical (Anglican, Lutheran and Reformed) churches of the Middle East.