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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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September 6, 2011, NEW YORK – Church World Service is appealing to congregations throughout the nation for donations of 10,000 Emergency Clean-up Buckets for distribution to people affected by Hurricane Irene, from North Carolina to New England. More than 2,300 buckets and other supplies already are on their way from CWS to food banks and other organizations helping people in need. The Rev. Bert Marshall, CWS regional director for New England, points out that many of the people in communities that now are receiving CWS relief supplies have been among the most generous donors of Emergency Clean-up Buckets and other supplies in the past. "Some of these buckets, people might even recognize coming back," says Marshall. Rethinking Theology for HIV Response September 6, 2011 – For churches in Africa, the Old Testament has historically occupied a prominent place in theological thinking. "Our theology is constructed with the image of God in the Old Testament," reflects Charles Klagba, theological consultant for the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA). "It is for that reason the reaction of many churches on this continent to the epidemic is very much influenced by the belief that illness is a punishment for individual sins," he says. "This theology is very vivid in the Old Testament. This interpretation has reinforced the stigma and hindered the ministry of the church to be competent." Deconstructing this theology and giving birth to an alternative approach that can give hope to people have been at the centre of Klagba's encounters with theologians, pastors and church leaders. September 7, 2011, GENEVA – In a statement marking the tenth anniversary of the horrific attacks on the United States that took place on 11 September 2001, the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Martin Junge said that the LWF joined many others in continuing to mourn the numerous victims of this catastrophe that shook the world, and to pray for all those who still suffered the traumas of that day. Junge prefaced his remarks with words from the Letter to the Romans (Rom 12:21), which is also this year's watchword: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!" "A decade later, I grieve at how many negative things were triggered by those events and at how many innocent people have suffered," the general secretary said in his statement. Orthodox Leaders Assess Christian Presence in the Middle East September 7, 2011 – At the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, leaders from five historic centres of Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean region met in early September to discuss matters of regional and global concern. In addition to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Orthodox churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Cyprus were represented. Chief among issues under discussion were the path toward peace in the Middle East and the situation of minority Christian communities during a time of turmoil. Other important topics included the preservation of the earth's endangered eco-systems and possibilities for fostering inter-religious dialogue. The meeting adopted a proposal for "an encounter of religious leaders in the region, where a form of Mediterranean Charter would be drafted and proclaimed." WCC General Secretary Honours 9/11 Victims and Stresses a Culture of Peace September 7, 2011 – Remembering the thousands of people killed in the coordinated assault on 11 September 2001 in the United States of America, and its unfortunate consequences in Afghanistan and Iraq, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit sends out a message honouring the victims, and promoting a culture of peace. "On behalf of the council, I assure all those who have been affected by violence and inhumanity – in the United States and throughout the world – of continuing prayer and solidarity on the part of the fellowship of churches we constitute," says Tveit stressing that "Terrorism in all its forms – whether committed by individuals, groups or states – is to be condemned." New York Cop-Turned-Chaplain Recalls 9/11 September 8, 2011 – In a book I wrote for police officers after Sept. 11, 2001, "Beyond the Badge: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Cops and Their Families," there is a passage that summarizes my experience at ground zero: I could have been an astronaut standing on the dusty surface of the moon, but it was actually the most expensive piece of real estate in the entire world. My feet rested on the powdery top landing of a subway entrance in the Wall Street District of New York City. Let Anniversary of September 11 Attacks Lead to Peace and Healing Says Church Organization September 7, 2011 – Let the tenth anniversary of attacks on sites in the United States mark a time both of remembrance and of renewed commitment to peace, says a global organization of Protestant churches. The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) based in Geneva, Switzerland, is inviting its 230 member churches worldwide to join in prayers for those who lost loved ones in attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on 11 September, 2001. The president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) Jerry Pillay, says in a message from South Africa: "The enormous suffering experienced by the families of American and foreign nationals working in New York and Washington at the time, has formed tragic links with victims of terrorist attacks in other countries in recent years. ELCA Commemorates 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks September 6, 2011, CHICAGO – A commemoration of "Prayer and Remembrance" will take place Sept. 11, 2011, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City to acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States that day. Holy Trinity is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson and the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, executive director of ELCA Congregational and Synodical Mission, will offer reflections at the commemoration. Hosted by Lutheran Social Services of New York, the commemoration invites members of the faith community to worship in unity, remember lives lost and acknowledge survivors who are moving forward. Episcopalians Reflect on the Nature of Evil and How to Confront it September 7, 2011 – "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." (Matthew 4:1) When terrorists crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon 10 years ago, many saw it as an act of evil, like the massacre in Rwanda and the Holocaust of Nazi Germany before it. The struggle of good versus evil lies at Christianity's core. But what exactly is evil, and how do Christians confront it? September 11, 2011 – In September 2001, we decided to take a family vacation to visit my grandmother and other family members in New York City. I was in the fourth grade, and my family – Mom, Dad, my sister Audrey, my brother Russell and I – lived in Dyersburg, Tenn. We arrived just in time to see the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. We sat in the car and just stared. My dad told us he used to skip school with a few friends and go downtown while they were building the twin towers. He and his friends would go up so many floors, jump down and play around up there. Hearing that and seeing him cry really let me see that these two tall towers actually meant something and that they were more than just buildings – they were memories. September 5, 2011, GENEVA – Lutheran theologians and leaders from around the world are launching a series of biblical consultations to promote common insights and further the unity of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as it approaches the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017. Thirty-five participants are gathering in Nairobi, Kenya, 9-14 September for the first event on Word of God in the Scriptures as Shared Space: Towards a Contemporary Hermeneutic for the Lutheran Communion. The initial consultation focuses on the Gospel of John. It aims to revive focus on the Bible as a book for the church and shaper of many world cultures, making it central to the 2017 celebrations. New Hampshire Church Embraces Accessibility September 6, 2011 – Many Sunday mornings Scott Marino helped to carry Bill Shea, in his wheelchair, up the sanctuary steps to attend service at the First Congregational UCC in Salem, N.H. In a twist of fate, a 2010 car accident during a business trip in the Sultanate of Oman left Marino himself in a wheelchair. Shea returned Marino's kindness by providing Marino the support he needed to help face this new challenge. "Bill Shea has been a mentor to me throughout my recovery," explained Marino. "When he came to visit me at the hospital, one of the first things that he told me was that my paralysis is not a handicap – it's an inconvenience. I remember his advice often when faced with difficulties." It was quite an ordeal for Marino, whose evacuation from Oman was assisted by the US Navy. After surgery in Dubai and four weeks of recovery, Marino was transferred to a Boston hospital. Church members and others in the community were praying daily for good news of his progress and safe return. An elevator had been installed at the church in 2009 after a major capital campaign. "And it Was Good …." – A Communion Wide Lent Course for 2012 September 6, 2011 – The Fifth Mark of Mission – "to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth" – is sometimes seen as the neglected Mark across the Communion. Lent next year offers another opportunity to redress this, with the help of a course coming out of the work of the Bible in the Life of the Church project. The five-week course will enable individuals and groups to engage with a Bible-wide range of scriptural passages that speak of our responsibilities in relation to the environment. It will also offer reflections on how Anglicans in different parts of the Communion engage with the Bible with discussion questions that challenge our thinking and behaviour. September 2, 2011, CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy – Here is a translation of the Aug. 6 letter Benedict XVI sent to the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, on the occasion of the 12th Inter-Christian Symposium. The symposium, with the theme "The Witness of the Church in the Modern World," concluded today in Thessaloniki (Salonika), Greece. August 30, 2011, ROME – According to the Vatican official on ecumenism, the Church and the World Lutheran Federation are preparing a Joint Declaration on the Reformation, in view of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, announced this in an interview with the German Catholic agency KNA. Pontiff Sends Greeting to Orthodox Meeting in Bose September 8, 2011, VATICAN CITY – Benedict XVI is expressing his hopes for a "renewed commitment to spiritual communion and evangelical witness" as the fruit of the 19th International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox spirituality. The five-day conference began Wednesday at the Monastery of Bose in Italy. This year's theme is "The Word of God in the Spiritual Life." Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope's secretary of state, expressed the Holy Father's good wishes in a telegram sent to the conference in his name. The telegram speaks of the participants "drawing from the richness of sacred Scripture, loved both in the East and in the West." The event gathered leading biblical scholars and some of the most authoritative exponents of the various Orthodox Churches. Líderes Evangélicos Declaran a Jefa De La Policía "Sembradora De Paz" 2 septiembre 2011, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Un grupo de pastores y líderes evangélicos, encabezados por el pastor Miguel Ángel Casco, entregaron ayer a la jefa de la Policía Nacional, la comisionada general Aminta Granera, un diploma de reconocimiento y el broche "Sembradores de Esperanza," en gratitud por su destacada labor al frente de esa institución, durante cinco años. En el acto se reconoció su efectiva labor que ha tenido como resultado duros golpes al narcotráfico, al crimen organizado y a la delincuencia común. También se dijo que se ha preocupado por mejorar las condiciones sociales del cuerpo policial bajo su mando. Paz Y Justicia Siguen En El Centro De Las Preocupaciones De Las Iglesias Del Pacífico 2 septiembre 2011 – "El Pacífico es una región que manifiesta cálidas y firmes expresiones de paz," dijo el secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, en un discurso pronunciado con ocasión de la celebración del 50 aniversario de la Conferencia de Iglesias del Pacífico (PCC) que tuvo lugar en Samoa la semana pasada. "La región y el océano que une a todas las islas llevan ese hermoso nombre que nos habla de paz y tranquilidad," dijo Tveit. Católicos Y Evangélicos Celebran Mes De La Biblia 6 septiembre 2011, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ – Bajo el lema de "Conocer y hacer vida la Palabra de Dios que nos impulsa a la acción evangelizadora y a la construcción del Reino de Dios," la Asociación Bíblica Católica Arquidiocesana invita a celebrar el Mes de la Biblia. Dentro de las actividades propuestas se incluye la Semana Bíblica, que será del 19 al 23 de septiembre, con el tema El Éxodo: "Liberar la vida para construir la historia," y el expositor será el padre Octavio Mondragón. Repensar La Teología Para Responder Al VIH 6 septiembre 2011 – Para las iglesias de África, el Antiguo Testamento ha ocupado tradicionalmente un lugar prominente en el pensamiento teológico. "Nuestra teología está construida con la imagen de Dios del Antiguo Testamento," dice Charles Klagba, consultor de teología para la Iniciativa Ecuménica sobre el VIH y el SIDA en África (EHAIA). "De ahí que la reacción de muchas iglesias de este continente ante la epidemia se deba, en gran medida, a la creencia de que la enfermedad es un castigo por los pecados individuales," dice Klagba. La Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Celebra Sus 175 Años De Presencia En El País 7 septiembre 2011, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Con la presencia de autoridades nacionales y de representantes de diversas confesiones representadas en el país, la Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Argentina cerrará los festejos de su centésimo septuagésimo quinto aniversario de presencia y servicio en nuestro país el próximo jueves 8 de Septiembre a las 18:30 hrs en el Salón Libertador del Palacio San Martín de la Cancillería, en la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Acaba De Ser Editado Importante Libro Sobre El Protestantismo 8 septiembre 2011, LA HABANA, Cuba – El primero de tres volúmenes de un antología titulada Protestantismo en Cuba: recuento histórico y perspectivas desde sus orígenes hasta principios del siglo XXI, del teólogo e investigador Carlos Molina, acaba de ser editado aquí por la Cátedra de Historia y Filosofía de la Iglesia, del Seminario Evangélico de Teología de Matanzas (SET) y la Editorial Caminos, perteneciente al Centro Memorial Doctor Martin Tuher King. El Secretario General Del CMI Honra a Las Víctimas Del 11-S Y Pide Una Cultura De Paz 9 septiembre 2011, SUIZA – Con el recuerdo de los miles de personas que perdieron la vida en el ataque coordinado del 11 de septiembre de 2001 en los Estados Unidos de América y sus lamentables consecuencias en Afganistán e Iraq, el Secretario General del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias, Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, envía un mensaje que rinde homenaje a las víctimas y promueve una cultura de paz. Caught in the Middle of Raging Wildfires, Texas Churches Offer Hope, Prayer, Aid September 6, 2011 – The wildfire raging about 30 miles east of Austin, Texas, had already claimed her home, so the Rev. Lisa Hines was taking no chances Sept. 6. She carefully packed Eucharistic vessels from Calvary Church, Bastrop, into her car, in case a speedy getaway became necessary. "Our lost-houses count has gone way up from yesterday, including my own, and continues to rise by the minute," Hines said during a Sept. 6 telephone interview from the downtown historic church. "I know for certain that 15 homes are lost, but I suspect there are many more and that many more have been displaced and are waiting to see if their homes are lost," added Hines, whose husband, Chris, is the son of former Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop John Hines. Crane Collapses at Washington National Cathedral September 7, 2011 – A 500-foot crane erected at Washington National Cathedral to repair damage caused by a recent earthquake collapsed at 10:55 a.m. on Sept. 7 and fell into an outbuilding in the cathedral grounds. A note on the cathedral website said that emergency services, engineers and contractors had arrived on the scene to make initial assessments and that further information would be posted following a complete analysis. The crane, which was placed on the south side of the cathedral to allow workers to stabilize damaged sections on the central tower, fell against Herb Cottage – where the cathedral gift shop is housed – and poses a threat to Church House, where administrative offices are located. The crane also crushed several vehicles in the cathedral parking lot, according to reports. Anglican Churches in Africa Get Behind Initiative to Prevent Sexual Violence September 5, 2011 – The Anglican Provinces of Rwanda, Burundi and Congo have all got behind an initiative to work to prevent sexual violence. The ‘We Will Speak Out' coalition, initially comprising the Anglican Communion, Tearfund, Christian Aid, and Restored was established to urge the Church to speak out against sexual violence and came about as a response to the findings in Tearfund's research report, ‘Silent No More,' which documented the role of the church in response to sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Liberia, with some later study in Burundi. It concluded that the Church had largely failed to respond adequately to sexual violence and had sometimes been unintentionally instrumental in marginalising those who have experienced its devastating consequences. September 6, 2011, SANTIAGO, Chile/GENEVA – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile (IELCH) has played a mediating role as students of all ages in Chile mobilized to demand free education and better standards. In a series of sometimes strident protests, high school and university students, along with professors, called for changes in the country's educational system. They said a more just system had been denied them since the era of military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet. With its calls for dialogue and participation, the IELCH, a member of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), acted to help resolve the situation that had triggered violent clashes involving police and protestors. Anglican Bishop of Harare: "Priest's Arrest for ‘Theft' of Us$1.5 Million Is Baseless" September 6, 2011, FROM THE DIOCESE OF HARARE, CPCA – Highlands Police today (Tuesday 6 September 2011) arrested Reverend Julius Zimbudzana, the priest in charge at St Mary's Anglican Church for allegedly taking over Anglican church property worth over US$1.5 million as police intensified their persecution of the Anglican Church, hiding behind unjust court rulings. Dr Nicholas Chad Gandiya, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Harare in the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) immediately dismissed the charge as persecution of the Anglicans under the CPCA by the police, acting on the instructions of the ex-communicated Dr Nolbert Kunonga. "That [accusation against Revd Julius] is unfounded, baseless and without foundation," Bishop Gandiya said. Violence Against Women in Pacific Undermines Region, Says Aid Agency September 7, 2011 – Levels of violence against women in parts of the Pacific are "horrific" and must be addressed if development is to have any chance in the Pacific region, said an Australian aid agency head today. Speaking from the Solomon Islands, CEO of Anglicord Misha Coleman said that over 60% of women in Solomon Islands report some kind of violence by an intimate partner. "Over half of the women in the Solomon Islands have been forced into sex against their will," she said. Ms Coleman, responding to a campaign released yesterday by Amnesty International, "Change the Lights on Women's Rights," said that women in many parts of the Pacific were especially vulnerable to gender based violence because few of the countries had effective laws specifically to tackle it, and those countries which do have legislation to prevent domestic violence don't necessarily enforce them. |
