 |
 |
 |
 |
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
|
What Was the Star of Bethlehem? December 21, 2011 – "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the reign of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We've seen his star in the east, and we've come to honor him.'" (Matthew 2:1-2, Common English Bible) Just about every year at Christmastime, Nick Strobel can count on getting questions about the star that guided the magi. Strobel is the planetarium director and a physical science professor at Bakersfield College in Southern California. As an astronomer and lifelong United Methodist, he has a certain affinity with the Bible's most famous stargazers. Clergy Invited to Join Anglican Communion-wide Vacation Home Swap December 21, 2011 – Clergy across the Anglican Communion are being invited to join a house-swap scheme that lets priests and their families enjoy a holiday without paying the cost of accommodation. The Episcopal Vacation Exchange Network (EVEnet) is a free service that has been operating since 1981 and that, over the years, has allowed many clergy to take domestic and foreign holidays that would otherwise have been too expensive. Network co-ordinator and priest in Maryland, US, Revd Ken Howard said, "In the next few days we will be opening our Vacation Exchange listing site to those who have chose to submit vacation exchange listings for 2012. However, it is not too late for the clergy of your diocese to take part." Southern Cone Approves Anglican Communion Covenant December 21, 2011 – From the Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de America At its recent November (3 to 11) meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, the Executive Committee of the Province of the Southern Cone of America, together with its Bishops, voted to approve the Anglican Covenant. The Province views the covenant as a way forward given the difficult circumstance of watching certain Provinces of the Anglican Communion propose novel ways of Christian living in rejection of Biblical norms. In response to these novel practices the Southern Cone had held churches in North America under its wing for some time while the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) was formed. Lutherans Invite Students to Help End Malaria December 22, 2011, CHICAGO – The ELCA Malaria Campaign, a campaign of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Lutheran Malaria Initiative will provide new opportunities for college and university students attending Lutheran schools and ELCA campus ministries to engage in the global fight against malaria. Supported with a generous gift from Arne and Ruth Sorenson of Washington, D.C., the campaign and initiative will help equip and inspire young leaders to help make a difference. Every 45 seconds a child dies of malaria, a treatable and preventable disease that kills more than 800,000 people a year, mostly children in Africa. "Our goal with this gift is to educate, equip and mobilize," said Arne Sorenson. Lutheran-Anglican-Episcopal Meeting a Sign of Hope for the Church December 21, 2011, CHICAGO – Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopal leaders from the United States and Canada met in December to explore new possibilities for working together and to deepen their sense of unity for doing God's work in the world. In a report issued from their meeting, the leaders stated that their conversation and work together "are hopeful signs for the church." "There was truly a spirit of Advent expectant hope as we met to pray and plan for greater cooperation in ministry and mission," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the meeting. Editorial: a Modern Day Version of King Saul's Rampage December 18, 2011 – On December 12, one of Taiwan's biggest newspapers The China Times ran a story about some new findings in the latest research about the 228 Massacre done by Chu Hung-yuan, an Academia Sinica researcher. The research concluded that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had already infiltrated all levels of the Republic of China government at the time of the massacre and the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) had also colluded with the CCP and Japanese soldiers to incite a revolt. Chu allegedly said that details surrounding the PCT's involvement in the 228 Massacre are still under investigation, but "the problem is that PCT will not let us look at their archives." Editorial: the Incarnation Is the Splendor of the King December 25, 2011 – On December 19, 2011, renown North Korean state television anchorwoman Ri Chun-Hui announced in a broken voice and with tears in her eyes that the country's leader, Kim Jong-Il, had died 2 days ago aboard a train while on the way to an inspection. Kim Jong-Il was reported to have died of over-exertion. This news was followed by images of a nation in mourning and people crying so loudly and in such anguish that it seemed as though they'd lost one of their own parents. How did a dictator who lived a rotten and self-indulgent life at the expense of his countrymen manage to be heralded like a god in his death? El Pacto Anglicano Aprobado Por La Provincia Del Cono Sur 21 diciembre 2010 En su reciente reunión de noviembre (3 al 11) en Asunción, Paraguay, el Comité Ejecutivo de la Provincia del Cono Sur de America, junto con su Cámara de Obispos, aprobó el Pacto Anglicano. La Provincia piensa que el camino al futuro se basa en el Pacto dada las circunstancias difíciles de ver ciertas Provincias proponer estilos de vida Cristiana que están en contra de las normas bíblicas. El Resultado De Durban No Es Suficiente, Dice El CMI 19 diciembre 2011 – En una declaración leída el 9 de diciembre a los gobiernos miembros de todo el mundo en la cumbre de las Naciones Unidas sobre el clima, celebrada en Durban, Sudáfrica, el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) reafirmó la necesidad de un tratado justo, ambicioso y vinculante para afrontar eficazmente los efectos del cambio climático sobre comunidades vulnerables. "En Durban, numerosas comunidades religiosas han convenido de varias formas en expresar que el cambio climático es también una crisis moral y espiritual. Mensaje De Navidad Del CMI: Que La Gracia Y La Paz De Dios Se Manifiesten a Más Gente 20 diciembre 2010 GINEBRA, Suiza – "La gracia de Dios se ha manifestado para salvación a toda la humanidad." (Tito 2:11, RVR1995) Gracia y paz a todos ustedes en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. ¡Que la manifestación de la salvación misericordiosa del Dios trino ilumine nuestros corazones, mentes y espíritus en esta época de alegría! Los relatos del Nuevo Testamento del adviento y la natividad de Jesús ponen de relieve el carácter universal del acontecimiento de Cristo. Una Navidad Para Gritar Por La Naturaleza 19 diciembre 2011, BRASIL – La naturaleza no soporta mas las agresiones que recibe de quienes tienen el deber de tratarla con respeto y cuidados, "como merece la obra de arte producida por el artista Creador," escribe el hermano marista Antonio Cechin, indagando donde están los profetas del siglo XXI. Cechin pregunta, a la luz de la Campaña de la Fraternidad de 2011, si la Navidad de este año esperará una mejor alfabetización ecológica de la sociedad brasileña. Navidad Invita Al Gozo Y a La Renovación De La Fe 22 diciembre 2010, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – En medio de la crisis económica que atraviesa el país por el alto desempleo, son miles las familias que asisten a las misas de las madrugadas conocidas como "posadas navideñas," así como otras en sus humildes hogares o en lujosas residencias ya tienen bien decorados e iluminados con arbolitos, el nacimiento del Salvador del Mundo, Jesucristo. Hasta en las mas humildes parroquias católicas rurales así como en las ciudades, es una tradición a asistir a las cuatro de la madrugada a las posadas navideñas donde los niños van tocando un cuerno con maracas o latas anunciando que se acerca el nacimiento del niño Dios, mientras el sacerdote, a la hora de la misa, lee los textos bíblicos alusivos UN Condemnation of Iran Reflects Growing Intolerance for Human Rights Violations December 19, 2011, UNITED NATIONS – Reflecting the international community's increasing intolerance for human rights violations, the UN General Assembly today condemned Iran for oppressing its citizens. By a vote of 89 to 30 with 64 abstentions, the Assembly approved a resolution that expressed "deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations" in the country. The vote came after Iran attempted a "no-action motion," aimed at blocking the resolution by calling for adjournment of the debate. The motion failed by a vote of 100 against, 35 in favor, with 42 abstentions. Anglican Health Network in Australia December 23, 2011 – The General Synod Standing Committee of the Anglican Church of Australia recently resolved to explore the feasibility of establishing an Anglican Health Network within the province. Dr Alan Crouch, a population health specialist with extensive experience throughout Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Europe will be leading this initiative on behalf of the Standing Committee. Based in Cairns, Northern Queensland, Dr Crouch currently oversees public health outreach programmes for the state government in the remote Cape York and Torres Strait Island communities. December 21, 2011, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Representatives of the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa heard about the urgent need for churches to promote positive masculinity to counter the spread of HIV and AIDS. Prof. Ezra Chitando told a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA) consultation that prevailing notions of manhood contribute to the global HIV and AIDS crisis, and sexual and gender-based violence. Speaking at the 12 – 15 December LWF "Gender and the HIV and AIDS Epidemic" consultation in Johannesburg, he stressed the need to change attitudes that make it difficult to respond to the spread of HIV and AIDS from a theological perspective. December 22, 2011 – B'nai B'rith welcomes the cut-off of funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the Palestinian children's magazine Zayzafuna after a deeply disturbing story came to light that glorified Hitler. We also praise the U.S. mission to UNESCO for taking swift, strong action in its condemnation of this hateful publication, one which UNESCO should never have funded in the first place. Since August 2011, UNESCO has financially supported the magazine. Once this hateful message was revealed, UNESCO issued a statement saying: "UNESCO is shocked and dismayed by the content...UNESCO strongly deplores and condemns the reproduction of such inflammatory statements in a magazine associated with UNESCO's name and mission and will not provide any further support to the publication in question." Archbishop of Canterbury's New Secretary for Public Affairs December 21, 2011, LAMBETH PALACE – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is delighted to announce the appointment of Kay Brock LVO DL as his new Secretary for Public Affairs, based at Lambeth Palace. Kay Brock brings with her a wealth of public affairs experience having spent time in a variety of senior roles, including Chief of Staff to six Lord Mayors of London and Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen. She also brings an international understanding to the post having worked throughout the 1990s on economic aid to ex-communist countries in eastern Europe. Speaking about her new position, Kay said: "Now that many people are re-examining the values by which we live, the Archbishop of Canterbury's role in our society and internationally has more relevance than ever.” |
