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Rev. N. J. L'Heureux, Jr., Publisher & Editor
Rev. Pedro Bravo-Guzman, Editor-in-Chief
An Ecumenical Report of Local and Global News
in God's Household
Published by the Queens Federation of Churches
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October 13, 2010 – At the CCIA meeting in Durrës, Albania. From left to right: WCC general secretary Olav Fykse Tveit, CCIA moderator Kjell Magne Bondevik, International Affairs programme director Mathews George Chunakara. At the 50th meeting since its foundation in 1946, the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) decided to refocus, establishing four thematic working groups, in order better to respond to the needs of the member churches. PBS's Calm and Evenhanded ‘God in America' October 11, 2010 – "God in America," a three-night joint production from "Frontline" and "American Experience" that begins Monday night, blends two subjects that most folks avoid in polite company – religion and politics. It compellingly presents an American history that has been alternately ruined and elevated by faith. Even though the title suggests a subject that is far too broad, the series is commendably evenhanded and sober, as one would expect. If there were urgent-care centers for people who've flipped their lids watching too much Fox News or MSNBC, the nurses there would strap these frantic citizens to gurneys and administer "God in America" via a nice, slow IV drip, like a powerful PBS antibiotic. Clergy Couple Offers Hope to Migrants October 15, 2010, TULARE COUNTY, Calif. – In northern California, grape pickers work from sunup to sundown during the harvest. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees. When they are not working in the vineyard, they labor in the vegetable field. Work is arduous, and living conditions are poor. Marcelo and Corazón Escarzaga, both ordained in Mexico, find their mission in rural churches near the vineyards. They minister in Tulare County, the poorest in California. "It is a very rich experience for any pastor who wants to contextualize it, who wants to work with the field workers and pass through this experience," says Corazón. Children's Disaster Services Offers Volunteer Training Workshops October 15, 2010, ELGIN, IL – Children's Disaster Services is offering volunteer training workshops in Los Altos in northern California on Oct. 29-30, and in Englewood, Ohio, on Nov. 12-13. The northern California workshop will be held at Los Altos United Methodist Church (655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos), organized by local coordinators Janice Maggiora or Patricia Parfett, 650-383-9322. . Leadership Role a Perfect Fit for Native American UCC Member in Rhode Island October 12, 2010 – The Rev. Nicole Grant Yonkman figures 45 years is long enough. Lifting up Paulette Littlejohn for her long-standing membership in and service to Beneficent Congregational UCC in Providence, R.I., Yonkman's strong sentiment is succinct. "It's high time she got some recognition for what she does in the church." Yonkman and her husband, the Rev. Todd Grant Yonkman – co-ministers at Beneficent for the past 16 months – proudly presided over the Native American Ministries worship service Sept. 26 at which five members of Littlejohn's family were baptized. Inaugural Widening the Welcome Conference Is ‘Strong Affirmation' of Disabilities Ministries October 11, 2010 – A groundbreaking conference built on years of ministry focusing on disabilities, mental illnesses and other brain disorders, "Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for All" was presented by the UCC Mental Illness Network and UCC Disabilities Ministries Sept. 23-25 in St. Louis. "People came from Maine to Hawaii," said the Rev. Alan Johnson, retired UCC pastor and chair of the UCC Mental Illness Network. "It was a strong affirmation of this frontier of ministry in the UCC building on all the hard work that has been done in the past." ELCA Presiding Bishop Announces New Churchwide Organization Design for 2011 October 11, 2010, CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took action Oct. 8 to affirm the concept for a new design of the ELCA churchwide organization in 2011, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, in an Oct. 11 announcement to churchwide staff. The council authorized the officers of the churchwide organization to take the necessary personnel actions and to implement the new design beginning Feb. 1, 2011, the start of the next fiscal year. SOUTH CAROLINA: Convention Approves ‘Protective' Resolutions October 15, 2010 – Participants in the Diocese of South Carolina's re-convened convention on Oct. 15 approved six resolutions that the diocese said represent "an essential element of how we protect the diocese from any attempt at unconstitutional intrusions into our corporate life in South Carolina." But not all the resolutions passed without dissension. "It's clear that these resolutions are an implicit intent to separate from the Episcopal Church, although the diocesan leadership all state that they have no such intention," Rob Wendt, senior warden of Grace Church, Charleston, and a lay member of the diocesan convention, told ENS following the vote. ELCA Deeply Committed to Revitalizing Congregations October 11, 2010, CHICAGO – Cindy Redman was baptized, confirmed and married at Christ Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Md., and so were her children. So the reality of the 102-year-old church closing its doors is "just too sad to think about," said Redman. She and the other 137 members of Christ Lutheran are working hard to prevent that reality from happening. Christ Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with declining membership, diminishing worship attendance and dwindling funds. "But, we believe that we can turn these trends around," said Redman. Changing Politics of Hunger ‘Holy Obligation' Says ELCA Pastor, Advocate October 14, 2010, DES MOINES, Iowa – God is calling on people of faith to change the "politics of hunger" by convincing members of the U.S. Congress to adopt legislation that will reduce domestic and global hunger and poverty, said the Rev. David Beckmann in a news conference here. Tonight Beckmann, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), economist and president of Bread for the World, Washington, D.C., and Jo Luck, chief executive officer of Heifer International, Little Rock, Ark., will be awarded the 2010 World Food Prize here in a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol. Immigration Reform: Binational Gay Couples Fear They'll Be Left out October 12, 2010 – When the District of Columbia legalized gay marriage earlier this year, Erwin de Leon and the Rev. John Beddingfield tied the knot "knowing full well it's very limited," de Leon said during a recent telephone interview. The federal government doesn't recognize gay marriage. So when his visa expires next year de Leon, 44, a doctoral student from the Philippines, cannot start the process of becoming a citizen, an option available to spouses of heterosexual U.S. citizens. Delegates at the First World Conference on Faith and Order in Lausanne, 1927 October 14, 2010 – Tuesday 19 October 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the Faith and Order movement. "Faith and Order" seeks Christian unity through theological dialogue among representatives of various churches. The beginnings of Faith and Order are closely linked to the World Missionary Conference of June 1910 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The focus of the Edinburgh Conference was cooperation in global Christian mission. Questions around church-dividing issues and controversial points of doctrine were intentionally avoided during public discussions in Edinburgh, yet they were in the minds of many who attended. Iglesia Debe Responder Ante Emergencias, Afirma Sector Religioso 14 octubre 2010, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Ante un desastre natural o provocado, como el que sufre Nicaragua por las inundaciones causadas por las lluvias, pastores aseguran que la Iglesia debe ser la primera en mostrar su solidaridad con los más débiles. El pastor de la Iglesia Menonita, Nicolás Sequeira, dijo que su denominación gestiona ayuda ante la Central Menonita de los Estados Unidos, a fin de ayudar a los miles de damnificados en parte del Pacífico y la costa caribeña norte. El Consejo de Iglesias Evangélicas Pro-Alianza Denominacional (CEPAD), mantiene una campaña entre su membrecía para recaudar fondos con la misma finalidad. Participantes En La Primera Conferencia Mundial De Fe Y Constitución En Lausana En 1927 15 octubre 2010 – El martes 19 de octubre de 2010 marca el centenario del movimiento de Fe y Constitución. "Fe y Constitución" busca la unidad cristiana a través del diálogo entre los representantes de distintas iglesias. Los inicios de Fe y Constitución están estrechamente vinculados a la Conferencia Misionera Mundial que se celebró en junio de 1910 en Edimburgo, Escocia. La Reverenda Karin Achtelstetter Instalada Como Secretaria General De WACC 12 octubre 2010, TORONTO, Canadá – La reverenda Karin Achtelstetter, fue instalada como Secretaria General de la Asociación Mundial para la Comunicación Cristiana (WACC), el martes 5 de octubre, durante la reunión anual del comité ejecutivo celebrada en Toronto, Canadá. Se constituye en la primera mujer en ocupar ese cargo. October 14, 2010 – If America was founded on religious freedom, New York City has stood as a beacon of hope for religious communities across the world. Yet, many New Yorkers are concerned that dissident voices could disrupt the interdependence that brings religious communities together because of the issue surrounding Park51. In response, Religious Freedom USA was founded, which is a network of religious leaders in support of religious freedom, no matter where or who in America. October 15, 2010 – Spurred by changes in technology and the maritime industry, the Seamen's Church Institute is charting a new course in its ministry to the world's mariners. SCI is selling its six-story Water Street building in Manhattan, New York, and relocating two of its flagship programs – the Center for Seafarers' Rights, which provides legal services for seafarers around the globe, and the Christmas at Sea "Knitting Room," the assembly point for 17,000 knitted gifts collected annually for mariners – into its newly renovated International Seafarers' Center in Port Newark, New Jersey. Search for ELCA's James Nelson Suspended at Midnight Oct. 12 October 12, 2010, CHICAGO – The search for 31-year old James Nelson will be suspended at midnight Oct. 12. Nelson, an employee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) churchwide organization, was reported missing Oct. 8 when he did not return from a five-day, 25-mile solo hike on Colorado's Mount Holy Cross. "We are deeply saddened that James Nelson has not been found, yet we are grateful for the search and rescue personnel who worked for days to try to locate James," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. "Many described James as a well-liked and dedicated employee," said Hanson. As an experienced hiker and backpacker, "he shared with many of us his excitement about hiking on Mount Holy Cross. In our sadness during these days of searching for him, we know that he was doing what he loved." Recent Nobel Peace Prize Affirms Respect for Human Dignity WCC Says October 14, 2010 – In a message concerning the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, World Council of Churches general secretary, said the prize this year shows a strong message of support to all those around the world who are struggling for freedom, development and the dignity of all human beings. Tveit's message follows: "It is heartening that Liu Xiaobo has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010. I consider this recognition of Liu Xiaobo to be an affirmation and acknowledgement of growing respect for human dignity and freedom around the world. Sudan Delegation Meets with UN Secretary General, ‘Raises Alarm' October 13, 2010 – An ecumenical delegation of Sudanese religious leaders met with U.N. officials and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Oct. 11 to express its fear of what might happen if the Jan. 9 referendum in which south Sudan is expected to vote for independence from the north is not carried out as planned. "We told him we came to raise an alarm to the United Nations," said Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul of the Episcopal Church of Sudan during a press conference held at the Church Center for the United Nations, following a day of U.N. meetings. ELCA Church Council Commits to 'ELCA Malaria Campaign' October 10, 2010, CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took action Oct. 8 to "focus the commitment of the ELCA to address malaria through a rebranded and prioritized" ELCA Malaria Campaign. It also called on church members to learn about malaria and other diseases intensified by poverty, and asked members to "prayerfully support" the church's commitment to contain and prevent malaria in Africa. The council acted on the malaria proposal during a special conference call meeting Oct. 8. Much of the same meeting was held in executive session to discuss a separate topic, a comprehensive plan for a new design of the churchwide organization to be announced Oct. 11. Ecumenical Sanctions Imposed on Southern Cone Province October 14, 2010 – The Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, has written to Bishop Tito Zavala of Chile informing him that his membership on the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) has been withdrawn and inviting him instead to serve as a consultant to that body. The decision, announced Oct. 14 by the Anglican Communion Office, was made because the primate of the Argentina-based Province of the Southern Cone, under whose jurisdiction Zavala's diocese falls, failed to respond to Kearon's request for clarification about his involvement in cross-border interventions. Praying for Peace in Sudan: Delegation Leads Candlelight Vigil October 12, 2010 – Standing beneath the words of Isaiah 2:4 – "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" – ecumenical religious leaders from Sudan Oct. 12 led a candlelight vigil for peace in their war-torn country. About 20 people gathered at the Isaiah Wall in Ralph Bunche Park on First Avenue opposite United Nations headquarters in New York for the vigil. The religious leaders are in the United States on an awareness and advocacy campaign in advance of the Jan. 9 referendum in which south Sudan is expected to vote for independence from the north. Chilean Methodists, UMCOR Sign Agreement October 14, 2010, STAMFORD, Conn. – When a massive earthquake struck Chile on Feb. 27, Juan Salazar and his fellow Methodists were ready to respond. Four months earlier, a group from the Methodist Church of Chile had received disaster preparedness training from the United Methodist Committee on Relief. |
