Front Page

Church World Service Calls for Reform of 30-year-old U.S. Refugee Program

March 17, 2010, NEW YORK – Church World Service marked yesterday's 30th anniversary of the U.S. Refugee Act both with words of appreciation and a call for legislative reform of the U.S. Refugee Program to meet the needs of modern-day refugees and the communities that welcome them. Accordingly, it is urging support for The Refugee Protection Act of 2010, introduced in the U.S. Senate on March 15. "When the Refugee Act was signed into law on March 17, 1980, creating the U.S. Refugee Program, it systematized procedures for the admission and resettlement of some of the most vulnerable people in the world," noted Erol Kekic, Director of the CWS Immigration and Refugee Program.

Ecumenism Is Antidote to Credibility Crisis, Anglican Peace Advocate Says

March 17, 2010 – "We need to emphasize time and again the sense of mutuality and interdependence as the basis of relationships between Christians," said Dr Jenny Plane Te Paa, convener of the Anglican Peace and Justice Network (APJN). This is especially important at a time when "denominations are increasingly worried with internal, identity-centred issues and therefore risk a credibility crisis," she added. Te Paa was speaking at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, after a meeting of the APJN members with staff of the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and the World Student Christian Federation on Monday, 15 March.

ELCA Releases Draft Social Statement on Genetics

March 18, 2010, CHICAGO – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) released March 18 a 49-page draft social statement on genetics, a framework for discussion on a variety of current topics in the field including certain advances in medicine, reproductive cloning, human embryonic stem cells, and animal and plant genetic engineering. The full text of the Draft Social Statement on Genetics, an executive summary and a question-and-answer document are on the ELCA Web site. The draft was prepared by the ELCA Task Force on Genetics, formed after the social statement was authorized by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

Presiding Bishop Renews Episcopal Church's Commitment to Refugees

March 17, 2010 – Marking the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act that reformed United States immigration law, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued a statement renewing the Episcopal Church's "commitment to remember and advocate on behalf of the uprooted, recognizing that situations of violence and war around the world will continue to force people from their native lands." In her statement, Jefferts Schori says the anniversary is a time to "celebrate the renewal of life and hope experienced by the thousands of people resettled through Episcopal Migration Ministries" and to urge Congress "to enact much needed reform of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, particularly through seeking the resources necessary to promote self-sufficiency and to integrate refugees seeking life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in our nation."

EL SALVADOR: IARCA Primate, Two Others Survive Gunfire

March 18, 2010 – The Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador March 18 publicly denounced the attempted murder of Bishop Martín Barahona and two others, according to a news release issued by the church. The incident happened in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, on March 17 when an unknown man approached and fired upon Barahona, a church musician and Francis Martínez, the bishop's driver, according to news reports. Barahona was unharmed, but Martinez was hit in the stomach and his arm was broken by one of the gunshots.

Texas United Methodists Join March

March 16, 2010, DALLAS – More than 500 United Methodist Texans plan to join in a national march for immigration reform in the nation's capital March 21. An estimated 12-million undocumented people live in the United States, and Texas has the second-largest population of immigrants in the country. In coordination with the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days, tens of thousands of people will gather for the "March for America: Change Takes Courage & Faith." The march is to urge President Obama and Congress to tackle comprehensive immigration reform this year.

General News

Counting Down to a New Campaign

March 16, 2010 – The United Church of Christ is just a month away from the viral launch of the next "God is Still Speaking" commercial called "The Language of God." The April 16 debut is a first for the UCC, relying exclusively on social networking and the church's best communicators, its own members, to spread the message. "Yes, a new Stillspeaking ad is coming," says the Rev. Felix Carrion, coordinator of the UCC's Stillspeaking Ministry, "and what makes this debut so significant is that we are counting on the moxy of our million-plus supporters to spiral this viral message around the world." "We're asking people to set aside that morning – April 16 – for unparalleled texting, Twittering, Facebooking and emailing of this new spot," he says.

Massachusetts Congregation Serves Community as ‘Mission: Possible'

March 18, 2010 – In this year's difficult economy, the leadership at United Church of Christ in Medfield (Mass.) decided it was time to let go of a long standing annual retreat over a winter weekend. Instead, church members opted for spending the better part of a Saturday rolling up their sleeves and helping out closer to home. Mission: Possible, a day-long event focused on family-friendly ways to participate in mission, started with a brief worship service to kick off the event. With 321 people participating, the entire day centered around helping eight organizations in the greater Boston area. The Rev. Phil Bauman, senior pastor, was thrilled with the huge outpouring of volunteers for Mission: Possible. "It was very intergenerational," said Bauman, who said participants spanned from age five to 80.

Time to Build Is Now, Says Laborers Spokesman

March 18, 2010 – In the 30 years that Laborers For Christ has helped LCMS congregations and organizations tackle their own construction projects and build within their budgets, Dan Baker says he has "never seen a more economical time to build than now." "Material costs are not going up. The end cost of borrowing money is about the lowest in several years," said Baker, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) vice president, Laborers For Christ. But along with those construction incentives, Baker says he also sees "a good number of congregations sitting on the fence and trying to decide whether they should build."

Counting down to a New Campaign

March 16, 2010 – The United Church of Christ is just a month away from the the viral launch of the next "God is Still Speaking" commercial called "The Language of God." The April 16 debut is a first for the UCC, relying exclusively on social networking and the church's best communicators, its own members, to spread the message. "Yes, a new Stillspeaking ad is coming," says the Rev. Felix Carrion, coordinator of the UCC's Stillspeaking Ministry, "and what makes this debut so significant is that we are counting on the moxy of our million-plus supporters to spiral this viral message around the world." "We're asking people to set aside that morning – April 16 – for unparalleled texting, Twittering, Facebooking and emailing of this new spot," he says.

Offering of Letters Strives to Take Bite out of Hunger

March 11, 2010 – Following efforts of previous years, members of more than 50 UCC congregations are again picking up their pens and putting their compassion onto paper, urging their Congressional representatives to help Bread for the World alleviate hunger in the United States. Working through churches, campuses and other organizations, Bread for the World invites groups nationwide to take up an Offering of Letters to Congress on issues crucial to hungry people. During church services, worshipers write letters supporting hunger-fighting legislation.

House of Bishops to Discuss Same-Gender Relationships, Hold Elections
Annual Spring Texas Gathering a Time of Reflection, Respite

March 16, 2010 – A discussion of same-gender relationships will be on the agenda when more than 115 bishops of the Episcopal Church gather March 19-24 for their spring retreat meeting in Camp Allen, Texas. Bishop Henry Parsley of the Diocese of Alabama, who chairs the House of Bishops' Theology Committee, said two major papers will be presented from the study "Same Sex Relationships in the Life of the Church." "One paper represents the church's traditional view and the other a proposal to revise the tradition, and there's a response to each paper," Parsley said in a March 16 telephone interview from his Birmingham office.

California Farm Project Grows Organic Vegetables, Future Leaders, Abundance
Episcopal Service Corps Aim to Revitalize Ministry, Change Lives

March 19, 2010 – Erynn Smith spends the bulk of her days in Ventura County, California's fertile farmland, helping to plant, water, weed, harvest, wash, pack and deliver as many as 85 boxes of snow peas, chard, peppers and other organic vegetables to community subscribers and local farmers markets. Other times with sponge in hand, she introduces students – from preschool through college – to environmental sustainability and life at the Abundant Table Farm Project (ATFP), a ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles and a member agency of the Episcopal Service Corps. She explains that "the earth is like a sponge and it sucks up everything we put in it. When we farm organically we want to make sure we don't use materials that damage it."

Groups Discuss Clergy Job Guarantees

March 17, 2010, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A United Methodist commission charged with developing ways to improve clergy effectiveness is considering recommending the elimination of guaranteed appointments. In a joint meeting with the Committee on Faith and Order this week, members of the Ministry Study Commission raised concerns about the practice of promising some clergy lifetime jobs. "We decided that the system of guaranteed appointments has created mediocrity, an expectation that clergy will have a job no matter how effective they are and that churches will get a pastor even if they are not functioning in a healthy way or participating in living missionally," said the Rev. Amy Gearhart, an elder in the Missouri Annual (regional) Conference and a commission member.

Small Youth Group Makes Big Impact

March 19, 2010 – It doesn't take long to call roll for the United Methodist Youth Fellowship at West Guthrie United Methodist Church. On a busy day, the group claims four members. But that small group is having a huge impact on the life of the church and community in Guthrie, Okla., through a ministry of service that would rival a church of any size. Since forming in 2007, the group has undertaken a wide variety of service projects, from raising funds for several charities to helping elderly members with cleaning and chores.

Ecumenical News

Church Unity Movement May Have Found ‘A New Way Forward'

March 11, 2010 – The difficult road to unity that began with the formation of the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) in 1962, and seemed to some observers on the verge of collapse just two years ago, appears to be back on track after a summit meeting of the heads of 11 denominations Feb. 17 in Baltimore. The United Church of Christ was one of the founding members of COCU and its successor, Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC). It was represented in Baltimore by General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey Black and the UCC's ecumenical officer, the Rev. Lydia Veliko. The CUIC project – which aims to establish a relationship of full communion among the 11 denominations – seemed in danger when two historically African American denominations, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion and African Methodist Episcopal churches, withdrew from the partnership in 2008 in protest over its failure to follow up seriously on a 1999 "Call to Christian Commitment and Action to Combat Racism."

Canadian Anglican Church Move Toward Rome
Part of ‘Worldwide Movement,' Says Bishop

March 16, 2010, VANCOUVER, Canada – On March 12, leaders of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) in Canada sent a letter to the Holy Father formally requesting to become unified with the Catholic Church. This initiative, says a leading bishop, is what he believes to be part of a "worldwide movement." Bishop Peter Wilkinson of the TAC Diocese of British Columbia, who authored the March 12 letter, discussed Pope Benedict XVI's publication of the Apostolic Constitution "Anglicanorum coetibus" with CNA in a phone interview on Monday.

Significance of Reconciliation Action Toward Anabaptists Affirmed at LWF Regional Gathering – Implications for Society and Families

March 17, 2010, BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA – For Mennonites, looking back on the history of the Reformation "is very painful," Rev. Sven Oppegaard told a consultation of European Lutheran churches being held from 13 to 17 March in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Mennonites claim the heritage of 16th century Anabaptists, who were condemned and persecuted by Lutherans and others during this period. Addressing participants in the five-day Lutheran World Federation (LWF) European region pre-assembly consultation, Oppegaard, who was assistant general secretary for ecumenical affairs at the LWF from 1997 to 2006, explained the significance of a 2009 LWF Council statement on the reconciliation process with Anabaptists.

Unity Will Only Come from God, Pope Says to Lutherans

March 15, 2010, ROME, Italy – "Unity is a gift that can be given to us only by God" the Holy Father told the Lutheran Community of Rome this weekend. The Pope made this the focus of his homily to the community, highlighting common elements between Lutherans and Catholics but also expressing sadness for the Churches' continued disunity. Commemorating Pope John Paul II's visit to the same Church in 1983, which marked 500 years since the birth of Martin Luther, Pope Benedict XVI gave a sermon at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rome on Sunday afternoon. He was welcomed by the Lutheran community of Rome's pastor, Jens-Martin Kruse.

United Kingdom: Archbishop of Canterbury Welcomes Papal Visit Set for September

March 16, 2010 – Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams on March 16 welcomed the official announcement that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is to visit the United Kingdom in September at the invitation of Her Majesty The Queen. "The pope's visit will be an opportunity to cement ties not only between the Holy See and the United Kingdom but also the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian churches in Scotland, England and Wales," he said. "I look forward particularly to welcoming Pope Benedict to Lambeth Palace on behalf of the Church of England."

Spanish News

La Biblia Escrita Por Gente De Toda La Argentina, Fue Presentada En Buenos Aires

15 marzo 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – El jueves 11 de marzo se llevó a cabo en el Salón Dorado del Edificio de Prensa del Ministerio de Cultura de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires el acto de presentación del proyecto "Pueblos del Mundo Escriben la Biblia." El encuentro fue convocado por la Embajada de Israel en Buenos Aires en conjunto con el Bille Vallery Society de Israel, entidad impulsora de la iniciativa. El proyecto consiste en la escritura manuscrita en hojas especiales de la Biblia completa (Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento) para luego ser envidado al Museo de la Biblia en el Valle de la Biblia en Jerusalén.

Atentan Contra El Obispo Primado De La Iglesia Anglicana

18 marzo 2010, SAN SALVADOR – La Iglesia Episcopal de El Salvador denuncia ante la población en general y comunidad internacional, el atentado a muerte que ha sufrido el Obispo Martín Barahona y dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores. La noche de este miércoles, el Obispo Martín Barahona junto a dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores fueron víctimas de la violencia que tiene aprisionado este país; un hombre desconocido, sin mediar palabras les disparó. Los impactos alcanzaron al motorista del religioso, Francis Martínez, quien se encuentra hospitalizado. Mientras que el Obispo, gracias a Dios resultó ileso.

Ataque a Templo Evangélico En Oberá

19 marzo 2010, ARGENTINA – La Iglesia Evangélica del Río de la Plata (IERP) en Oberá, Misiones, en la Mesopotamia argentina, sufrió el pasado 16 de marzo un ataque en su templo. El o los delincuentes, no se llevaron objetos de valor pero sí orinaron y defecaron a metros del altar. El pastor Eugenio Albrecht, a cargo del segundo cargo pastoral de esa parroquia, envió una narración de los hechos, que compartimos. El pastor Juan Abelardo Schvindt, Secretario General de la IERP, informó del hecho a la Directora de Cultos de Argentina, Andrea de Vita y al Secretario de Culto, Embajador Guillermo Oliveri.

Consternacion Y Solidaridad De La Iglesia Luterana
De Baviera Por Atentado Al Obispo Barahona

19 marzo 2010, ALEMANIA – Con mucha preocupación ha sido recibida por la Iglesia Luterana de Baviera en Alemania, la noticia del atentado contra el obispo Martin Barahona y dos de sus cercanos colaboradores. Debido a la fuerte relación que la Iglesia Luterana de Baviera mantiene con la Iglesia Luterana en El Salvador y con el mundo ecuménico de ese país, la a del atentado a muerte que sufrió el obispo anglicano la noche del pasado miércoles ha generado grandes preocupaciones. Hacemos un llamado a que se esclarezca lo más pronto posible este lamentable hecho, ya que viene a oscurecer el proceso deomocrático de El Salvador y a generar consternación debido a la labor profética que las iglesias históricas de aquel país realizan, expresó el reverendo Wolfgang Doebrich, director de la Fundación Döbrich Stiftung y ex representante de la Iglesia de Barviera para Centroamérica.

Tras Un Largo Conflicto, El Destacado Biblista Argentino
Ariel Álvarez Valdés Abandona El Sacerdocio

17 marzo 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Debemos recordar el planteo que dio origen a esta lastimosa decisión. En agosto del 2008, a poco de asumir como obispo de Santiago del Estero, monseñor Polti prohibió al presbítero Dr. Ariel Álvarez Valdés que continuase ejerciendo su apostolado de dar a conocer la Palabra de Dios en forma sencilla y creíble, difundiendo de ese modo los nuevos e importantísimos logros alcanzados por la teología bíblica. Norberto H. Calvo- El Pregonero Cristiano Curiosamente, este obispo, proveniente del Opus Dei, argumentó que las enseñanzas del Padre Álvarez Valdés producían "perplejidad" en sus lectores y oyentes.

Celebración De La Primera Cumbre De Dirigentes Religiosos
Sobre El VIH Con Fuerte Presencia Del CMI

18 marzo 2010 – La primera cumbre de dirigentes religiosos de alto nivel sobre el VIH y el SIDA tendrá lugar en Den Dolder, los Países Bajos, del 22 al 23 de marzo de 2010, con el propósito de promover una mayor participación de los líderes religiosos de las diversas religiones del mundo en la respuesta mundial a la pandemia. El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) estará representado en la cumbre por dos de sus presidentes -Su Santidad Abune Paulos, patriarca de la Iglesia Ortodoxa Tewahedo de Etiopía y la pastora Dra. Ofelia Ortega Suárez, de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada en Cuba-, así como por su secretario general, pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit.

Dios Es Dios De Las Sorpresas, Afirman Teólogos En Encuentro Centroamericano

16 marzo 2010, CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA – "Dios es Dios de las sorpresas," constituyó el eje central de las presentaciones de cuatro conferencias dictadas por teólogos de Sociedades Bíblicas y el Seminario Teológico Centroamericano, durante los días 11 y 12 de marzo, en esta ciudad y en Quetzaltenango, distante a 200 kilómetros de esta capital. Narratología y contexto cultural e histórico en el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento fueron las especialidades impartidas por los doctores Edesio Sánchez y Guidoberto Mahecha, ambos de Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas.

Iglesias Históricas Salvadoreñas Estrechan Lazos Con Sus Pares De Cuba

19 marzo 2010, SAN SALVADOR – Una nueva era ha comenzado para las Iglesias de Cuba y de El Salvador, así lo anunció el Diputado y religioso cubano Raúl Suárez durante su visita a este país, en ocasión de conmemorarse el XXX aniversario del martirio de monseñor Romero. "Tenemos que desintoxicar las mentes de los líderes de las iglesias en El Salvador respecto a la idea que les han vendido sobre nosotros, debemos realizar intercambios para que vean como las iglesias en Cuba han ido creciendo," dijo Suárez en reunión con representantes de las iglesias históricas.

Benedicto XVI Pide a Luteranos Orar Por La Unidad

15 marzo 2010, EL VATICANO – Durante una visita realizada por Benedicto XVI a la Iglesia Luterana Evangélica de Roma ayer, afirmó que la unidad no puede ser hecha por los seres humanos, sino solo puede ser obra de Dios, en tanto "hemos dividido el único camino en muchos caminos," expresó el Pontífice. Dijo que el hecho de que una representación de la Iglesia católica y la luterana hayan podido escuchar juntas la palabra de Dios, da la posibilidad de tener un testimonio único, como cristianos y cristianas. Mientras, su visita era calificada por los pastores evangélicos como un "hermoso signo para el ecumenismo."

Religious Liberty News

CONNECTICUT: Judge Says Groton Church Property Belongs to Diocese, Episcopal Church

March 18, 2010 – A state superior court judge ruled March 15 that the real and personal property of Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church in Groton, Connecticut, is held in trust for the Diocese of Connecticut and the Episcopal Church. Judge Barry Stevens granted a request for such a ruling from the diocese and the Episcopal Church in a lawsuit against the former rector and vestry members of the parish, which is named for the first Episcopal bishop and Groton native Samuel Seabury (1729-1796). Former rector the Rev. Ronald S. Gauss and some former members of the parish, including then-vestry members, affiliated with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) in November 2007. Gauss has since refused to relinquish control of the church property, including the keys to the buildings and parish records.

New York Metro News

March 25 Celebration at the Archdiocesan Cathedral

March 18, 2010, NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America will celebrate on March 25, 2010 the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the 189th Anniversary of the start of the Greek War for Independence of 1821. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of Holy Trinity, followed by a Doxology service in commemoration of the day. Orthros will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. followed by the Doxology Service. A ceremony and reception will be offered at the adjacent Cathedral Center, immediately following the church services.

National News

Tsunami Scare Fails to Halt Hawaii Church's Rededication

March 15, 2010, Punctuated by disaster warning sirens the morning of Feb. 27, 2010, the blowing of the conch shell at Kalahikiola Congregational UCC signaled the start of the rededication celebration. "The tsunami has brought back some emotions and feelings of when the earthquake happened," said Ron Hester, former moderator and one of the leaders of the rebuilding effort. "It's a celebration, but it reminds me that there are people that are hurting even during this occasion ... It helps me remain respectful." The Oct. 15, 2006, 6.7 magnitude earthquake destroyed part of the building, rendering the 150-year old sanctuary unsafe for use.

ELCA Bishops Voice Concern, Affirmation for New Social Statement Time Line

March 15, 2010, ITASCA, Ill. – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed the time line for a new social statement on genetics at the conclusion of their meeting here March 5-9. The discussion occurred following an earlier closed session March 5 on this week's release of a draft social statement. The draft, prepared by the ELCA Task Force on Genetics, will be released to the church and to the public on March 18, guided by ELCA policies. The social statement, planned for action by the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, was requested by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

North Dakota, Minnesota Lutherans Prepare for Possible Floods

March 19, 2010, CHICAGO – Multitudes of volunteers worked for days to prepare for possible flooding along the Red River in the Fargo, N.D.-Moorhead, Minn., area. The river is expected to crest at 38 feet March 21, some 20 feet above flood stage. They're not the only ones at work, as communities along several rivers in North Dakota are also preparing for possible floods, the result of the annual snow melt. Lutherans and others are working to prevent or limit floods in small communities along Beaver Creek and the James River, said Bonnie Turner, Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota and director, Lutheran Disaster Response North Dakota.

Liberian Lutheran Addresses Members of Congress

March 17, 2010 WASHINGTON – Leymah Gbowee, a Lutheran from Liberia, spoke to members of Congress here on March 15 about the prevention of violence against women and girls. Gbowee is the executive director of the Women Peace and Security Network Africa. She also organizes collaborative peace-building initiatives for a network of women peace builders from Liberia. During March 1 -12 she participated in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York and was an attendee at the Women in the World summit on March 12. "It's important to be here in Washington, D.C., because a lot of decisions that (have a global) impact start from the United States," said Gbowee.

Synod Council Denies Florida Congregation's Request to Leave ELCA

March 15, 2010, CHICAGO – The synod council of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) declined a request from a Fort Pierce, Fla., congregation to terminate its membership in the denomination after the congregation successfully completed two votes to leave as required by the ELCA Constitution. The decision was a rare instance in which required synod council approval was denied. David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, said he was not aware of another instance in which a congregation's request to terminate its relationship with the ELCA since the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly had been denied. St. Peter Lutheran Church, Fort Pierce, was founded in the former Lutheran Church in America (LCA).

International News

Delegates from European Lutheran Churches Demand Food Justice
Call to Help People Retain Personal Dignity

March 19, 2010, BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA – Lutherans from across Europe have called for political, economic and ecological action to establish food justice. In a final message from a preparatory consultation for the July 2010 Eleventh Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), delegates from LWF member churches in Europe pointed out that people suffer from lack of access to sufficiently nutritious food "due to unjust systems and structures." The 13-17 March consultation in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, was attended by 67 delegates, stewards and advisers from 35 LWF European member churches alongside representatives of national committees, church networks, church-related agencies and LWF staff.

First-Ever Summit of Religious Leaders on HIV with Strong WCC Presence

March 18, 2010 – The first-ever Summit of High Level Religious Leaders on HIV and AIDS will be held in Den Dolder, Netherlands, from 22-23 March 2010. It aims to generate greater involvement from religious leaders of many of the world's faiths in the global response to the pandemic. The World Council of Churches (WCC) will be represented at the summit by two of its presidents – Abune Paulos, patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Rev. Dr. Ofelia Ortega Suárez of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba – as well as by its general secretary, the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

European Lutheran Churches Start Preparatory Consultation for LWF Assembly
General Secretary Noko: "Europe Should Become More Hospitable"

March 14, 2010, BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA – "Europe is a superpower, at least in terms of its economic power. What does that mean for the Lutheran churches, what potential do they have within this European space?" The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko raised these questions in his opening address to the European preparatory consultation for the July 2010 LWF Eleventh Assembly. The pre-assembly meeting takes place, 13 – 17 March, in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Noko said these questions should also be discussed at the Eleventh Assembly in of which the theme is "Give Us Today Our Daily Bread."

Earthquake Raises Doubts about Quality of Permanent Housing Units

March 21, 2010, When permanent housing units were being built in Pinlin Township, Tzu-Chi Buddhist organization claimed that all construction materials used to build "Da-Ai permanent housing units" were imported, earthquake-resistant and high-quality materials. To investigate whether Tzu-Chi's claims would hold, PCT Rukai District and some village leaders went to work on March 11, exactly one week after a 6.4- magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan. They visited permanent housing units in Pinlin and discovered cracks along the walls of many houses.

Prior to LWF Assembly: Criticism of European Lifestyle
Romanian Pastor Doerr Calls for "Structural Lobbying" to Care for Creation

March 15, 2010, BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA– In Christian tradition, justice is not just a matter of distributing material resources. The creator God enables justice, "by endowing us and all creatures with good gifts, especially the gift of life." Lutheran pastor Kilian Doerr, from Sibiu/Hermannstadt (Romania), emphasized this in his 14 March keynote address to the European region preparatory consultation for the July 2010 LWF Eleventh Assembly. Christians have the task "to take people with them into the yearning that sustains us as Christians and on the way to offer them some of the manna that we, too, have received," Doerr told participants in the 13 to 17 March LWF pre-assembly consultation taking place in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Slovak Bishop Klatik Underscores Church Responsibility Towards the Hungry
Call to Preserve Christian Heritage

March 15, 2010, BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA – Bishop Dr Milos Klatik of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic (ECAC-SR) has reminded churches of their responsibility in securing food for the hungry. "The shocking fact that millions of children and adults are undernourished calls us Christians to take responsibility for our brothers and sisters and to do everything we can to change the situation so that those who are hungry today will tomorrow have their daily bread, basic food, drinking water and health," said Klatik, in his 14 March sermon to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) European region pre-assembly consultation.

Effort to Rebuild Port-au-Prince Cathedral Gets a Guide

March 18, 2010, A coordinated plan to rebuild the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti's world-famous Cathédrale Sainte Trinité (Holy Trinity Cathedral) in Port-au-Prince is getting underway. Haiti Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin has asked Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe Bishop Pierre Whalon to guide what is expected to be a multi-step, multi-year and multi-million-dollar effort. It is hoped that the cathedral project can be a model of the sort of cooperation that Haiti has said it wants to promote among its partners as the numerically largest diocese of the Episcopal Church develops and implements its plan to rebuild following the devastating magnitude-7 earthquake of Jan. 12.