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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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Challenge Injustice and Violence to Find Unity June 7, 2011 – Wealth and property shape a "false reading" of human value, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said recently at a Protestant convention in Germany."Property and possessions have purpose in as much as they help us to live as the people God called us to be and no more," Tveit said in a Bible study at the German Protestant Kirchentag which met in Dresden 1-5 June. Every two years the Kirchentag gathers over 100,000 Christians in Germany for common worship, celebration, discussion, rededication and renewal. In Dresden there were more than 7,000 international participants at the event. African Faith Leaders Call for Action on Climate Change June 9, 2011, NAIROBI, Kenya – World leaders must set binding targets for phasing out fossil fuels and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to less than one degree centigrade as a measure of slowing down global warming, African faith leaders have said. The leaders, meeting under the auspices of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA), gathered June 7-8 at the United Nations complex in Nairobi, Kenya. They discussed how climate change will be addressed at the 17th Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Durban, South Africa, in November. "We call on you to refute the myth that action to cut emissions is too expensive, when it is cheaper than the long term costs on inaction," said the leaders in a statement on June 8, which also issued a wide range of recommendations. Scientific reports suggest climate change is the greatest threat to humanity ever, according to the leaders, with the world agreed that global warming of 2.5 degrees centigrade to 4 degrees centigrade by 2100 would be catastrophic. Message of the WCC Presidents at Pentecost 2011
June 3, 2011 – The eight presidents of the World Council of Churches, in their annual Pentecost message, write that this holy day "offers a new opportunity to each church community and to each of us" to celebrate "the advent and gift of the Holy Spirit, to renew our trust in the Spirit's power." They invite us to pray for grace to become witnesses to Christ's cross and resurrection as well as "to justice, peace and hope" in the world. In 2011, Pentecost falls on Sunday 12 June. The day occurs fifty days after Easter and marks the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower the church. The biblical description of the event appears in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Rural Texas Church Struggles with Finances June 7, 2011 – First United Methodist Church remains a respected member of the Archer City, Texas, community, but the boom times are over for both the congregation and the town. Oil revenues and the population, estimated at 1,848 in 2000, have dropped in the past several decades. The county seat now serves as a bedroom community for Wichita Falls, although it draws some tourists who visit the bookstore established by author Larry McMurtry and stroll streets seen in the movie versions of two of his novels, "The Last Picture Show" and "Texasville." At the church – whose members have included county judges, town officials and McMurtry's mother and sister – smaller contributions from seniors on fixed incomes and young families on tight budgets make it increasingly hard to meet financial obligations. 5 Ways to Improve Clergy Health June 8, 2011 – Many United Methodist pastors are on a quicker road to heaven than they should be. Compared to other professionals in the United States, United Methodist clergy are more likely to suffer from obesity and its related chronic medical conditions. Members of the Church System Task Force are concerned that such health problems are taking a toll on the mission of the church and leading some pastors to an early grave. United Methodist leaders have long realized that to increase the number of vital congregations, the denomination will need clergy in vibrant health. Church Must ‘Measure What We Treasure' June 9, 2011 – It has taken me 22-plus years of full-time ministry in The United Methodist Church to be called out and labeled as someone who is demonizing corporate America. That is exactly what happened to me at a recent meeting of the Connectional Table, where I gathered with sisters and brothers to continue a conversation on birthing a new expression of the denomination. To my dismay, our rebirthing process seems to have turned toward reinventing the general church to reflect the best practices of corporate America. That might not be a bad idea, but let us look at a snapshot of what has happened to corporate America. June 6, 2011 – Like many contemporary churches, Trinity, Buffalo was saddled with too much building and maintenance and too few resources, until the Diocese of Western New York congregation eyed its "street view" circumstances and turned a liability into an asset. Take the parking lot, for instance. "We had rented some spaces in our parking lot and raised about $20,000 a year. But it was really beat up. It was so beat up that some of our neighbors complained about it," recalled the Rev. Cameron Miller, Trinity rector, during a recent telephone interview. "And the people renting the space complained because it had so many potholes. We started looking at it and realized it had a lot of potential." WCC General Secretary Welcomes Common Date of Pentecost June 9, 2011 – The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, has welcomed that in 2011 both eastern and western Christian traditions are marking Pentecost on the same day, and has urged a redoubling of efforts to reach a common date in the future. "Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower the church," said Tveit. "In a world divided by poverty and violence, we give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit amongst us, to strengthen us and make us one in our witness to the peace of the Christ." In 2011, Pentecost falls on Sunday 12 June. The day occurs fifty days after Easter and is seen as the feast of the church. Because the date of Easter is calculated using either the Julian calendar used by most Orthodox churches, or the Gregorian calendar, Christians of eastern and western traditions often celebrate Pentecost on different Sundays. Consejo Mundial De Iglesias Mensaje De Los Presidentes Pentecostés 2011 3 junio 2011 – La promesa de Cristo resucitado antes de su ascensión se cumplió el día de Pentecostés, revelándose en dos tipos de poder: en un estruendo "como de un viento recio" y en "lenguas como de fuego" (Hechos 2:2-3). La venida del Espíritu Santo es indescriptible y por ello el evangelista Lucas utiliza la palabra "como." Este fuerte viento renueva completamente la atmósfera; crea un nuevo clima que da lugar a un entorno vivificante de aliento y energía. Esta energía "llenó toda la casa donde estaban." Los discípulos se encontraron sumergidos, inmersos, "bautizados" por esta energía divina, tal como el Señor les había anunciado: "pero vosotros seréis bautizados con el Espíritu Santo dentro de no muchos días" (Hechos 1:5). Las "lenguas como de fuego" simbolizan el otro tipo de poder. El CMI Restituye a Brasil Documentos Sobre Abusos Cometidos Por La Dictadura Militar 10 junio 2011 – En 1979, durante la brutal dictadura que vivió el país a lo largo de dos décadas, trabajadores de las iglesias brasileñas y abogados disidentes hallaron una laguna jurídica en el sistema legal que les permitió recabar pruebas de atrocidades y otros abusos cometidos por el régimen militar. Durante seis años, subrepticiamente, se fotocopiaron documentos vitales en los que constaban los crímenes del Gobierno contra el pueblo brasileño y se enviaron de Brasilia a São Paulo y otros lugares. El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), en colaboración con dirigentes de iglesias de muchas tradiciones, prestó un apoyo decisivo a la recopilación de esta documentación, una gran parte de la cual permanece en los archivos del CMI en Ginebra, Suiza. Asamblea De La OEA En Medio De Convulsión Social Por Decreto Presidencial 8 junio 2011, SAN SALVADOR – El desarrollo de la 41ª Asamblea de la Organizaciones de Estados Americanos, OEA, que se realizó en San Salvador del 5 al 7 de junio, ha sido el escenario de concentraciones, marchas y vigilias de las redes del movimiento social e iglesias como protesta por la creación del Decreto Legislativo 743, que coarta la labor de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, sancionado por el presidente Mauricio Funes. 6 junio 2011, ROMA, Italia – La Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en Italia (CELI), reunida en sínodo en la Villa Aurelia, Roma, del 12 al 15 de mayo, aprobó un documento que permite la bendición de las parejas hetero y homosexuales en comuniones no tradicionales de vida. El documento distingue entre el acto jurídico del matrimonio y la bendición de la iglesia. Aprobada por amplia mayoría, el documento, afirma que "la homosexualidad es parte de las expresiones de la sexualidad y por lo tanto representa una condición natural." Mensaje Para Pentecostés 2011-Consejo Mundial De Iglesias 8 junio 2011, GINEBRA, Suiza – Recibiréis poder cuando haya venido sobre vosotros el Espíritu Santo (Hechos 1:8) La promesa de Cristo resucitado antes de su ascensión se cumplió el día de Pentecostés, revelándose en dos tipos de poder: en un estruendo "como de un viento recio" y en "lenguas como de fuego" (Hechos 2:2-3). La venida del Espíritu Santo es indescriptible y por ello el evangelista Lucas utiliza la palabra "como." Este fuerte viento renueva completamente la atmósfera; crea un nuevo clima que da lugar a un entorno vivificante de aliento y energía. Esta energía "llenó toda la casa donde estaban." El Secretario General Del CMI Se Congratula De La Fecha Común De Pentecostés 9 junio 2011 – El secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), el pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, se felicita de que en 2011 las tradiciones cristianas orientales y occidentales celebren Pentecostés el mismo día, y ha instado a no escatimar esfuerzos para que sea posible concertar una fecha común en el futuro. El secretario general dijo que "Pentecostés señala la venida del Espíritu Santo que da poder a la Iglesia," dijo Tveit. "En un mundo dividido por la pobreza y la violencia, damos gracias al don del Espíritu Santo entre nosotros, que nos fortalece y nos hace uno en nuestro testimonio de la paz de Cristo." 10 junio 2011, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ – Un promedio de dos a cuatro sacerdotes se ordenan por año en Panamá, según reportes de la Iglesia católica, dados a conocer, recientemente. El miedo a un cambio radical de vida, el celibato y los ocho años de estudios que exige la carrera, son motivos, que han esgrimidos los aspirantes y jóvenes, como suficientes para que el número de candidatos a párroco sea limitado en el país. En 2010, tres sacerdotes fueron ordenados en el Seminario Mayor San José, ubicado en la en la ciudad capital de Panamá, en una nación que tiene 3 millones y medio de habitantes, y un 75 por ciento de ellos profesan la fe católica. Art vs. Drugs, Communication Exhibition Celebrates UN Day Against Drugs June 13, 2011 – Two organizations pitting art against drugs will share the spotlight June 23rd, in a celebration of the UN Day Against Drugs. They agreed on a key point – give young people the truth about drugs, and they will make wise decisions on their own. The Thomas Murphy Clubhouse is part of the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club (www.madisonsquare.org/) and their exhibition of photographs, in collaboration with photographer Robert Northway, uses the red plastic cups that too many kids drink beer from, as a central prop for their personal rejection of the alcoholic subculture. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World (www.drugfreeworld.org), perhaps the largest non-governmental anti-drug program in the world, uses edgy public service announcements, booklets and videos to inform kids about the truth about drugs, again so they make their own decisions. Park Avenue Christian Church Dually Aligns with UCC June 7, 2011 – A symbolic culmination of its long history of affiliation and cooperation with the United Church of Christ, the 400-member Park Avenue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in New York City has dually aligned with the UCC. "Park Avenue is the first church of its size to be dually aligned with the Disciples," says the Rev. Rita Root, UCC New York Conference Interim Minister. "For this to happen in New York City and to have it be the historic Park Avenue – it's really exciting." The congregation's decision was announced May 7 at the New York Metropolitan Association spring meeting. "It's especially exciting for it to be Park Avenue because of its historic commitment to justice, as well as its history within New York City," adds Root. WASHINGTON, D.C.: Episcopal Parish Hopes to Join Roman Catholic Church June 6, 2011 – A June 6 diocesan press release said Saint Luke's is the first church in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to take this step through a new structure called an ordinariate, approved by Pope Benedict XVI. "The transition is being made with the prayerful support of Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Catholic Archbishop of Washington," the release said. The landing page of St. Luke's website is headlined "We are Ordinariate Bound!" Anglican Alliance: Food Campaign Targets G20 Agriculture Ministers June 8, 2011 – The Anglican Alliance launches a food campaign targeting G20 and African governments in the run-up to this month's meetings on the global food crisis. Support for women farmers will be a focal point for the campaign which will also call for action to control speculation, improve market access for developing country farmers, and increase spending on agriculture. The Alliance, the initiative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, brings together development, relief and advocacy across the Anglican Communion: the third biggest grouping of churches with a presence in over 160 countries, including 13 of the G20 countries. This month G20 agriculture ministers are due to meet to consider the food crisis, and the Alliance will be targeting ministers in the countries in which Anglicans have a presence. Oxford School Faced with Repairs as Churches Celebrate Mackay 110th Anniversary June 5, 2011 – Churches from Taipei Presbytery commemorated the 110th anniversary of Rev. George L. Mackay's passing on May 29, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. inside the chapel of Aletheia University near Taipei. The memorial service for Mackay was scheduled just a few days ahead of Mackay Day, a special holiday celebrated in Tamsui on June 2nd of every year. Taipei Synod Moderator Lin Hsin-ming preached a sermon titled "Though dead, he still speaks" and encouraged Christians in Taiwan to model Mackay's passion for evangelism. Lin underscored that Mackay's life embodied the renowned Presbyterian motto "rather burn out than rust out" and he truly surrendered his life, time, possessions, and energy to God for God's kingdom. Conservative ‘Temple Police' Growing in Influence, Report Says June 5, 2011 – The influence of a "militant minority" conservative Catholics, dubbed the "temple police," is experiencing a resurgence in the Australian church, said a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. Father Hal Ranger, an associate pastor at St Patrick's Cathedral in Toowoomba, Queensland, said most of the diocese was still hurt by the loss of their bishop, William Morris – whose early retirement was blamed on the often-anonymous upholders of orthodoxy. ‘'It's pretty much what the Scribes and Pharisees were doing to Jesus,'‘ he said. ‘'They were saying ‘here is the law book ... you have just cured a person on the Sabbath day, and the book says you shouldn't.'" In the Sydney suburb of Newtown, three or four times this year, groups of up to 50 Catholics have gathered to pray outside St Joseph's parish during its gay-friendly Mass. Current Violence in Sudan Threatens Independent South Sudan June 10, 2011 – Escalating violence against civilians in Sudan's disputed South Kordofan State is leading to major humanitarian catastrophe with an estimated 300,000 people besieged, cut off from relief aid, and unable to escape fighting, according to a number of aid agencies and witnesses in the region. Up to 40,000 people have fled recent fighting between Sudanese government troops and members of the former southern rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), in Kadugli, the capital of Sudan's oil-producing state of South Kordofan, the United Nations has said. "The violence and displacement of people now taking place is a potential threat to the peaceful transition and independence of South Sudan," WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said Friday. "We call on those involved to end the violence immediately and for those countries involved in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement which led to the January referendum to place pressure on both sides to resolve this situation." WCC Repatriates Documents on Abuses by Brazilian Military Dictatorship June 9, 2011 – During a two-decade period of brutal dictatorship, in 1979, Brazilian church workers and dissenting lawyers found a loophole in the legal system allowing them to gather evidence of atrocities and other abuses committed by the military regime. For the next six years, vital information recording the government's crimes against the Brazilian people was surreptitiously photocopied and sent from Brasilia to São Paulo and beyond. The World Council of Churches (WCC), in cooperation with church leaders of many traditions, was a key supporter of gathering this documentation. Much of the material remains in the WCC archives in Geneva, Switzerland. June 6, 2011 – The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America announced today that it has appointed Rev. Joel Boot to be the denomination's interim executive director. The appointment is effective immediately for a term of two years. The board will ask Synod 2011 to ratify the appointment when it meets, starting later this week. Boot, the pastor of Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church in Jenison, Mich., informed his congregation on Sunday morning that he is accepting the nomination to be the CRC's interim leader. "I assure you that this was not an easy decision, for I love (Ridgewood CRC) and it is where I want to be," he told the congregation. "But I believe God has other plans." June 10, 2011 – The following is excerpted from the Archbishop Desmond Tutu's new book, ‘God Is Not A Christian: And Other Provocations.' This talk also comes from a forum in Britain, where Tutu addressed leaders of different faiths during a mission to the city of Birmingham in 1989. They tell the story of a drunk who crossed the street and accosted a pedestrian, asking him, "I shay, which ish the other shide of the shtreet?" The pedestrian, somewhat nonplussed, replied, "That side, of course!" The drunk said, "Shtrange. When I wash on that shide, they shaid it wash thish shide." Where the other side of the street is depends on where we are. Our perspective differs with our context, the things that have helped to form us; and religion is one of the most potent of these formative influences, helping to determine how and what we apprehend of reality and how we operate in our own specific context.
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