Front Page

Building Advocacy Capacity in the International Ecumenical Community

February 4, 2010 – WACC, represented by its Director of Programmes, Lavinia Mohr, was among participants from 17 countries around the world who gathered in Geneva in January 2010 to help guide the strengthening of advocacy capacity in the international ecumenical community. The newly launched Action by Churches Together ACT Alliance and the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) co-sponsored the meeting that brought together representatives of national and international organisations.

Lutherans, Others Advocate on Migration Issues at Ecumenical Advocacy Days

February 4, 2010, WASHINGTON – More than 700 people of faith from across the country are expected to discuss migration issues and visit Capitol Hill for the eighth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice Conference, March 19-22. Founded in 2001 by the National Council of Churches USA, Ecumenical Advocacy Days is now supported by 45 communions, religious societies and groups. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a major sponsor of the event. Policy makers, expert speakers and representatives from global regions will join church leaders and grassroots activists in reflecting on the 2010 Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference theme, "A Place to Call Home: Immigrants, Refugees and Displaced Peoples."

Obama Condemns Ugandan Legislation During Disputed Prayer Breakfast
New Hampshire Bishop Participates in Call for Alternative Gatherings

February 4, 2010 – On a day when religious and political leaders in the U.S. held competing prayer breakfasts, U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned as "odious" proposed changes to Uganda's anti-homosexuality laws. The Ugandan Parliament is considering a bill proposed by one of its members, David Bahati, that would introduce the death penalty for people who violate portions of that country's existing anti-homosexuality laws. "We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are – whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda," Obama told the National Prayer Breakfast, held Feb. 4 at the Washington D.C. Hilton Hotel.

MIDDLE EAST: President Bishop Mouneer Anis Resigns from Standing Committee

February 1, 2010 – President Bishop Mouneer Anis of Jerusalem and the Middle East has resigned from the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion saying that his presence has "no value whatsoever" and that his voice is "like a useless cry in the wilderness." Anis' decision was announced in a Jan. 30 public letter he sent to the communion's primates and moderators as well as the other Standing Committee members. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, chair of the Standing Committee, expressed his regret at the decision, saying that Anis "has made an important contribution to the work of the Standing Committee, for which I am deeply grateful. I regret his decision to stand down but will continue to welcome his active engagement with the life of the communion and the challenges we face together."

Haiti Earthquake Response

CRWRC Haiti Earthquake Donations Pass $2 Million Mark

February 4, 2010 – Just three weeks after the January 12 earthquake, compassionate and creative donors across the U.S. and Canada have given more than $2.174 million to fund emergency relief efforts in Haiti through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. "There is an outpouring of concern for Haiti's people from around the world, including the faith community," says Ken Little, a senior relief manager for the agency. "Teachers are organizing rock-a-thons, chefs are donating five-course dinners, and school sports teams are hosting bake sales. The destruction of Port au Prince is massive, but our capacity for compassion is bigger."

HAITI: Communicating Solidarity

February 4, 2010 – Since the we were alerted about the 7.1 earthquake that shook Haiti January 12, we have continued to receive and disseminate news about this devastating tragedy. Mobilization to follow up the news was immediate. Each and every member of WACC-Caribe and WACC Global responded. In the beginning we wanted to learn about the well-being of the personal members of our organization, but also about the conditions of the partner communication institutions with whom WACC Global has worked for more than two decades.

Amid Wreckage in Haiti, New Birth Brings Hope

February 5, 2010, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Little Tina Rose Wome came into the world on 28 January in a makeshift clinic, fashioned from a classroom at the Anis Zunuzi Baha'i School on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. An entire team of visiting doctors and nurses was on hand for her arrival – the first birth at the school in the 30 years since its founding. The delivery was poignant in another way, too – Magdalah Wome had been pregnant three times previously but none of her other babies survived childbirth. Tina Rose is the first she has taken home – a home which now is no more than a tent pitched in front of the rubble that at one time was a house.

Funeral for Ben Larson, Elca Seminarian, to Be Held Feb. 6

February 3, 2010, CHICAGO – A service of "song and prayer" for Benjamin Judd Larson will be held Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, Decorah, Iowa. Immediately following the service Larson, 25, will be buried in Phelps Cemetery, Decorah. Larson, a seminary student of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was killed in the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. The Luther College Nordic Choir will sing at the service and internment. Larson was a member of the choir while a student at Luther College, Decorah. Luther is one of 27 ELCA colleges and universities.

Haitian Episcopalians Struggle in the Present, Look to the Future
‘The Church Is the People,' Bishop Says

February 4, 2010 – There may not be a single Episcopal church standing in Port-au-Prince today but that lack of walls and roofs does not mean that the church in the Haitian capital is dead. "As the largest diocese of the Episcopal Church until now, we are physically destroyed but the church is there because the church is the people," Episcopal Diocese of Haiti Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin told Episcopal News Service Feb. 4. "Even though we have lost our buildings, the people continue to gather. The communities are there."

Lutheran Healthcare, Brooklyn, Prepares for Haitians Arriving in U.S.

January 30, 2010, CHICAGO – Staff of the Caribbean-American Family Health Center, one of several satellite clinics of Lutheran HealthCare, Brooklyn, N.Y., are preparing to provide treatment for patients arriving in the United States from Haiti – while at the same time caring for their own professional staff whose family members are either missing or have died there. Lutheran HealthCare, including its network of family health centers and Lutheran Medical Center, is a social ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

General News

Mackay Hospital Offers Healthy Cooking Tips Ahead of Chinese New Year

January 31, 2010 – With Chinese New Year holidays just around the corner, many folks are already fretting over what to cook for New Year's Eve dinner when friends and families come home. For those hesitating on whether to order take out food because it might be too oily and unhealthy, Mackay Memorial Hospital has designed New Year recipes that contain only 888 calories per individual serving. What's more, the information is available to all free of charge. According to hospital staff, this recipe book includes recipes for preparing fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, and desserts.

Multimedia Study Series on Gender Violence Launched for Lent

February 4, 2010 – Cries of Anguish; Stories of Hope – a series of online Lenten study resources on the struggle to end violence against women will be launched 15 February during a prayer service at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, which is home to a number of international church organizations including the World Council of Churches (WCC). The general secretary of the WCC, the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, will participate and WCC programme executive for Women in Church and Society, Dr Fulata Mbano Moyo, will discuss biblical texts addressing violence against women.

A Rabbi, a Baptist Minister and a Muslim Lawyer Walk into a Banquet Hall . . .

February 4, 2010 – It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it Is real. The multi-faith comedy team will be among the featured leaders opening the five day Religion Communication Congress April 7, 2010 at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Chicago. By special arrangement public tickets for the opening banquet are available from the Congress. The once a decade event has a history of drawing conventions of over 1,000 people who are professional communicators working for a wide range of faith, denominational and religion organizations.

First Songwriters Conference Planned for April

February 4, 2010 – A first-time conference for LCMS songwriters is scheduled for April 22-23 at St. John Lutheran Church, Ellisville, Mo., a suburb west of St. Louis. The LCMS Commission on Worship is host for the conference, which has "Singing the Sacraments of God" as its theme. The aim of the Lutheran Songwriters Conference is "to learn from LCMS songwriters and encourage them to develop sacramental and Scripture-based songs for use within our church body," said Rev. David Johnson, the commission's executive director.

‘Do Not Be Afraid'

February 5, 2010 – If it's not the fragile economy, it's the crime news on TV. If it's not the war or terrorism or climate change, it's E. coli, or cell phone cancer. If all that's not enough to keep you frayed and afraid, ancient Mayans and recent movies are stoking the collective fear with speculations about future ruin. A modern menu of daily dread, real or exaggerated, assaults nerves – and tests faith in divine purposes. But thinking about what scares us, and why, also invites us to reassess personal values and demystify needless fears that rob life of joy and common sense.

Oasis House Offers Peace for Women

February 3, 2010, DAYTON, Ohio – In local parlance, North Dixie Drive in Dayton, Ohio, is known as the "Dixie Strip." Home to a seedy assortment of businesses including adult bookstores and strip joints with names such as Sharkey's Lounge and the Gentleman's Club, it's also the unlikely location of a courageous United Methodist outreach ministry designed to help young women forsake drugs, stripping and prostitution for more meaningful lives. The five Dixie Strip clubs employ about 400 dancers, who usually perform topless and sometimes in the nude.

A Church Without Walls

February 4, 2010, CHICAGO, IL – There is a familiar saying, "If you build it, they will come." Though the adage refers to a ball field in the movie Field of Dreams, one could argue the same words apply when it comes to building churches. Put up the walls, install the stained glass, open the doors…and they will come. However, two Chicago pastors are taking a different approach to starting a new congregation. Instead of beginning with bricks and mortar, they are starting with hearts and souls. For several months, United Methodist elders Trey Hall, 34, and Christian Coon, 41, have been at work throughout Chicago, building relationships that will be the foundation of the Urban Village Church.

Ecumenical News

Two New Scholarship Endowments for Bossey

February 4, 2010 – The endowment of two new scholarship funds geared towards facilitating studies at the Ecumenical Institute of the World Council of Churches (WCC) was celebrated at the graduation ceremony for the 61st session of the institute's Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies, on 3 February. The Bishop Vinton R. Anderson Ecumenical Leadership Scholarship Fund was created to provide support for African Methodist Episcopal students attending the Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies. The fund was initiated by Bishop Anderson of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the USA.

Pope to Visit UK; Urges Church to Accept Anglicans

February 1, 2010, VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI confirmed Monday he would visit Britain later this year, a trip that has grown fraught following his move to welcome into the Roman Catholic Church groups of Anglicans upset over the ordination of gays and women. No dates were announced. Officials at both the Vatican and in Britain say the visit is planned for September. It will the first papal visit to Britain since Pope John Paul II visited in 1982. Benedict confirmed his plans in a speech to visiting British bishops, saying he hoped the trip would "strengthen and confirm" the faith of Catholics across the country. He urged the bishops to help disaffected Anglicans who want to convert to Catholicism. "I am convinced that, if given a warm and openhearted welcome, such groups will be a blessing for the entire Church," he said.

ELCA Presiding Bishop, Delegation Meet Archbishop of Canterbury

February 4, 2010, LONDON – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson met with Dr. Rowan D. Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a private hour-long meeting Feb. 4 at Lambeth Palace here. After the meeting Hanson said the two discussed strengthening Anglican-Lutheran relationships, challenges each leader faces within his own communions, the proposed "Anglican Covenant" to deepen internal church relationships, global environmental issues, Christian-Muslim relationships, and mutual concern for conflicts in places such as Sudan and the Middle East.

Editorial Page

Editorial: Before You Cast the First Stone ...

January 31, 2010 – The recent earthquake in Haiti left its capital in tatters and the number of injured people and dead bodies were astronomical. As Haiti awaited aid from other countries, we were flabbergasted to hear one U.S. pastor comment that Haitians deserved this tragedy because they had made a pact with the devil in the early days of the republic. People often use phrases such as "god-forsaken" or "he had it coming" to describe places or people they dislike or find contemptible. Such phrases not only mask apathy, they could be construed as a curse on someone else. Oftentimes, they merely reveal one's own false sense of superiority and self-righteousness.

Spanish News

Iglesia Metodista De Chile Con Nuevo Obispo

1 febrero 2010, CHILE – Cerca de 200 delegados y delegadas de la Iglesia Metodista de Chile, reunidos en Asamblea del 20 al 24 de enero en el fundo El Vergel en Angol, eligieron el nuevo obispo, cargo que recayó en el presbítero Mario Martínez Tapia. Mario Martinez Tapia es pastor en Iglesia Metodista Providencia, en Santiago, habiendo ejercido como pastor en la Iglesia de Iquique y como Capellán del Colegio Inglés. El nuevo obispo electo, con palabras emocionadas, agradeció el apoyo y expresó que asumía el cargo con mucha humildad. "Asumo con humildad y gratitud, acompañado de mis hermanos laicos y pastores, pero a su vez con temor y preocupación.

Continente Latinoamericano Sufre Cambio Civilizatorio

2 febrero 2010, PORTO ALEGRE, Brasil – Los pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes están promoviendo un radical cambio civilizatorio en el continente latinoamericano al concebir la naturaleza en cuanto sujeto de derecho y al promover un desarrollo democráticamente sustentable, afirmó el sociólogo Boaventura de Sousa Santos durante el panel realizado el miércoles 27 de enero, en el 4º Seminario de Políticas Sociales. Promovido por la Facultad EST, entre otras entidades y organizaciones de la sociedad civil, el evento fue realizado en el marco de las celebraciones por los 10 años de historia del Foro Social Mundial (FSM) que, en 2010, ocurre de forma descentralizada en la región metropolitana de Puerto Alegre.

Iglesias Salvadoreñas Representan a Sector Ecuménico En Diálogo Nacional

2 febrero 2010, SAN SALVADOR – La Secretaría de Inclusión Social inauguró, la semana pasada, el Diálogo Nacional para la Formulación de la Política de Juventud, el cual se realizará en 144 municipios de este país y donde se abordarán temas de interés para el desarrollo de cada sector juvenil. Este intercambio es un esfuerzo que realiza esa secretaría, a través de la Dirección de Juventud, en coordinación de redes juveniles, agencias cooperantes y organismos estatales e internacionales, como la Organización Iberoamericana de Juventud (OIJ) y el Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA), entre otras.

Jesuita Egipcio Escribe a Benedicto XVI Afirmando Que La Iglesia De Roma Está En Crisis

3 febrero 2010, ARGENTINA – Medios eclesiales de todo el mundo circulan, esta semana, el texto de una misiva que enviara el jesuita egipcio más destacado en el ámbito religioso e intelectual, Henri Boulad, lanzando un SOS para la Iglesia de hoy, en una carta dirigida, expresamente, al papa Benedicto XVI. En la misma, Boulad (78) dice: "Me atrevo dirigirme a usted, pues mi corazón sangra al ver el abismo en el que se está precipitando nuestra Iglesia. Sabrá disculpar mi franquesa filial, inspirada a la vez por ‘la libertad de los hijos de Dios,' a la que nos invita San Pablo, y por mi amor apasionado por la Iglesia.

Foro ACT Promueve Campaña Para Haití. Cruz Roja Y Microfinancieras Apoyan

1 febrero 2010, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – EL Foro de Acción Conjunta de las Iglesias (ACT-Nicaragua), bajo la coordinación del doctor Francisco Gutiérrez de Accion Médica Cristiana (AMC), convocó a una semana de oración por la tragedia de Haití, que acabó de concluir en esta capital, y llamó a las iglesias y ministerios cristianos, y a la sociedad toda, a respaldar la campaña.

Observatorio Ecumenico De DDHH: Blanqueo De Cara; Detrás, La Misma Dirigencia

1 febrero 2010, TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Las nuevas autoridades que tomaron posesión en los diferentes cargos de la administración pública de inmediato han expresado que reciben un país en total bancarrota. Desde ya predicen que se tendrán que hacer grandes sacrificios para ordenar las finanzas y volver a la ruta del desarrollo. Lo que no aclaran es quién va a responder por tal bancarrota, a quién se le va a demandar por los recursos dilapidados, quién se hará responsable por el terrible empobrecimiento del pueblo hondureño, quién será juzgado por los muertos, las torturados, los golpeados y abusados durante esos siete meses de dictadura empresarial, político-militar y religiosa.

Obispo Presidente De La ELCA Encabezará Delegación En Visita a Líderes De La Iglesia Mundial

2 febrero 2010, CHICAGO, Estados Unidos – Una delegación oficial de la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América (ELCA, por sus siglas en inglés) compuesta por clérigos y líderes laicos, viajará por Europa entre el 3 y el 17 de febrero para visitar a los líderes de la iglesia cristiana en el mundo y a su personal clave con base en Londres, Estambul, Roma y Ginebra. El Viaje Ecuménico del 2010, encabezado por el Revdo. Mark S. Hanson, obispo presidente de la ELCA y presidente de la Federación Luterana Mundial (FLM) forma parte de la declaración de compromiso ecuménico de la iglesia, adoptada por la Asamblea General de 1991.

Dos Nuevas Dotaciones De Becas Para Instituto De Bossey

4 febrero 2010 – La dotación de dos nuevos fondos para becas destinadas a facilitar los estudios en el Instituto Ecuménico del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) fue motivo de celebración en la ceremonia de graduación de la 61ª sesión del Ciclo Académico de Estudios Ecuménicos del Instituto, celebrada el 3 de febrero. El Fondo Obispo Vinton R. Anderson de Becas para Liderazgo Ecuménico fue creado para proporcionar apoyo a los estudiantes de la Iglesia Metodista Episcopal Africana que asisten al Ciclo Académico de Estudios Ecuménicos.

Religious Liberty News

PITTSBURGH: Judge Orders Property Returned to Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh

February 1, 2010 – A judge has told the organization headed by former bishop Robert Duncan that claims to have withdrawn from the Episcopal Church in 2008 that it must turn over control of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's assets. In a Jan. 29 order County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph M. James accepted as accurate an inventory of diocesan property submitted by a "special master" he had appointed earlier and told Duncan's organization it must transfer the assets. The inventory includes $22 million in cash, cash equivalents, receivables, and investments including about $2.5 million in pooled parish investments and real estate and other real property. "The diocese plans to quickly make arrangements so that all parishes may again have access to their investment funds that were frozen by financial institutions during the legal proceedings," according to a news release from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.

International News

Fighting Against HIV-AIDS Stigma

February 4, 2010 – In Ghana, the fear of being known as someone with HIV or AIDS is one reason why social support systems and drug programs have failed to work in the past, but one organization's tireless efforts against the stigma associated with the condition are now paying off. Christian Council of Ghana's (CCG) in collaboration with WACC and DFID (UK's Department For International Development), are committed to eradicate the stigma, says a senior official with the organization. "Dying alone is painful, but passing on in with respect and dignity is welcome. We want to break major barriers in access to treatment and support," says Joyce Larko Steiner, the Programme Manager of CCG.

Prestigious Exhibition Presents "New Garden"

February 2, 2010, BRISBANE, Australia – Traditional Pacific island bark cloth stenciled with designs depicting a vision of a "New Garden" was one of the artworks commissioned for a prestigious exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery. The sixth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art – APT6 – is now well into its four-month run and features works by some of the best-known artists of the Pacific region. Prominent New Zealand artist Robin White was invited to participate, with organizers mentioning a possible collaboration with a tapa artist from Fiji.

Baha'is Condemn Lack of Due Process at Trial in Iran

January 31, 2010, NEW YORK– The Baha'i International Community has issued a statement condemning the trial of 16 individuals in Iran yesterday as a "violation of all internationally accepted standards of legal due process." The statement highlights the lack of proper legal representation for the defendants and the use of unreliable "confessions" in the trial. One of the 16 on trial is a Baha'i. "The use of coerced ‘confessions' and the denial of adequate legal representation reflect the Iranian authorities' growing assault on human rights," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations. The complete statement follows:

Local Church's Character Education Camp Draws More than 500 Students

January 31, 2010 – With so many families having fewer children nowadays, many Sunday schools or kindergartens are closing due to dwindling enrollments. Churches that were once filled with the sound of children's laughter now face the challenge of transforming children's ministries if they want to reach out to the next generation. Changhua Presbyterian Church is an old, established church located in the heart of Changhua city. The church began a Saturday children's day camp a few years ago and the number of children registering for the camp increases steadily with every passing year.

Mustard Seed Mission Plans Banquet for Morakot Victims Ahead of Chinese New Year

January 31, 2010 – Mustard Seed Mission will head to Divine Tree Village (Shenmutsun), a remote village in Hsinyi County near Nantou area, to host Chinese New Year celebrations from February 5 to 7. The village was one of the worst hit areas of last year's Typhoon Morakot because of mudslides. After the typhoon, more than 400 families or 900 people were practically cut off from the rest of the country. Most of the residents in Shenmutsun are single parent families or seniors who live alone, and more than half of the residents are unemployed.

Lutherans in Great Britain Represent Variety of European, African Cultures

February 4, 2010, LONDON – The Rev. Timothy Dearhamer describes the congregation he serves here "as an example of what the Lutheran Church aspires to be – multicultural and multiracial." Dearhamer, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastor from Oklahoma, said regular worshipers at St. Anne's Lutheran Church include more than 30 nationalities, not unusual for Lutheran congregations in Great Britain. Dearhamer is completing his first year as senior pastor of St. Anne's, a congregation of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain.

ELCA Joins in Lutheran Malaria Initiative Startup in Southern Africa

February 2, 2010, CHICAGO – Lutherans in southern Africa and staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jan. 11-15, to plan efforts to help prevent and control malaria, and to discuss building organizational capacity to meet the challenge. The meeting was the first of a series of regional gatherings to plan for work in the "Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI)." The LMI is made possible in part through a partnership with the United Nations Foundation. The LMI is a partnership among the ELCA, Lutheran World Relief and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Middle East News

Fifth National Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands

February 4, 2010, NEW YORK – The National Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is pleased to announce its 5th National Young Adult Pilgrimage. This year's Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands will take place from May 15-24, 2010. Once again, the pilgrimage will be led by His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas, the Director of Church, Society and Culture for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Young Adults will have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of our Lord, re-tracing and re-living His life and ministry. The Pilgrimage will depart from New York and travel to Tel Aviv, where we will visit Jerusalem, Nazareth, Cana, Mount of Olives, the Sea of Galilee and Gethsemane.

People in the News

Rev. Allen MacLean Dies – QFC President in 1999-2000

February 4, 2010, QUEENS, NY – The Rev. Allen D. MacLean, past president of the Queens Federation of Churches, died January 30 after a 7-week hospitalization. He was 74. Allen MacLean retired from Victoria Congregational Church in Briarwood, Queens, in 1998 after a 15-year pastorate. He served as the Associate Minister at Central Congregational Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was ordained on October 2, 1960, and at Point Lookout Community Church (1962-67) on Long Island, Bethlehem United Church of Christ (1967-75) and Parkville United Church of Christ (1975-83), both in Brooklyn.

ELCA Synod Bishop H. Julian Gordy to Preach on ‘Day 1,' Feb. 14

February 4, 2010, CHICAGO – The Rev. H. Julian Gordy, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Southeastern Synod, Atlanta, will preach Feb. 14 on "Day 1," a nationally broadcast radio program. Gordy will reflect on Luke 9: 28-36, the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. In his sermon Gordy will explore the relationship of faith and science. He said science and faith can be compatible because science tells "the how of things but not the why." The job of science is to remove the mystery from the world, he said, adding that the job of faith is to show the mystery and holiness of God hiding everywhere.

Reviews

Mom's Choice Awards Recognizes Two Judson Press Titles

February 4, 2010, VALLEY FORGE, PA – The Mom's Choice Awards has named "Raising Boys to Be Like Jesus" and "Mothering Heights: A Novel Approach for Christian Mothers" among the best in family-friendly media, products and services. Author Sharon Norris Elliott's "Raising Boys to Be Like Jesus" is a Gold recipient in the Parenting – General category. "Mothering Heights," by Keitha Smith and Susan Brereton, is a Silver recipient in the Adult Books – Inspirational/Motivational category. Both books are 2009 Judson Press releases.