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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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WCC Disowns Doctrine Used Against Indigenous Peoples February 27, 2012 – In a recent meeting, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee denounced the "Doctrine of Discovery," which has been used to subjugate and colonize Indigenous Peoples. The Executive Committee issued a statement calling the nature of the doctrine" fundamentally opposed to the gospel of Jesus." The statement was issued in a meeting from 14 to 18 February in Bossey, Switzerland, urging to repudiate this doctrine, which has permitted the enslavement of Indigenous Peoples in the name of Christianity. The origin of the doctrine goes back to the papal bulls issued by Pope Nicholas V in 1452 and 1455 respectively, allowing the invasion and killing of the Indigenous Peoples. Archbishop of Canterbury Speaks about Churches' Role in Human Rights March 2, 2012 – In his public lecture on 28 February at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights "a historical landmark," which he said sometimes may be "misread," especially in a "cultural settings where individualist assumptions rule." Archbishop Williams of the Church of England spoke on human rights, faith and human dignity while he was visiting the WCC offices in Geneva, Switzerland. He pointed out that detaching human rights language from religious language and institutions would be to "lose something historically crucial." He mentioned the important role churches played in South Africa and the East Germany, where universal human rights were affirmed and defended through churches' active involvement. Churches Comfort after Ohio School Tragedy February 28, 2012 – The mood was somber and reflective as the community of Chardon, Ohio, 30 miles east of Cleveland, gathered for prayer vigils after shootings at the town high school that killed three students and wounded two others. As the school day began Feb. 27, a student, identified by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as T.J. Lane, opened fire in the Chardon High School cafeteria. As teens and teachers fled and the school went into full lockdown, Lane was apprehended. Three students, Daniel Parmertor, Russell King Jr. and Demetrius Hewlin, later died from their injuries. As twilight heralded the end of a long, difficult day, the community turned to prayer. February 27, 2012, HONG KONG – Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori preached to a full house on the first Sunday of Lent during a service at St. John's Cathedral in Hong Kong Feb. 26. "This season called Lent is an opportunity to work on healing and restoring relationships of all sorts," said the presiding bishop. "Lent began as a time of solidarity with those who were preparing for baptism at Easter. It marks the beginning of a special relationship with new members of the body of Christ. When they are baptized, the community promises to stay in relationship. Those ancient Lenten exercises of prayer, study, fasting, and alms-giving are ways of reminding and training ourselves to be better stewards of our relationships with each other and with God." Pastor's Civil Rights Work Still Matters February 28, 2012 – Sixty years ago, when my parents, Ben and Nancy Oliphint, were newlyweds, they started a new church in Monroe, La. A small group of charter members joined them every Sunday night for Bible study and book reviews of contemporary theologians. The group called itself simply "Sunday Night Study Group." Over the years, as St. Paul's Methodist Church grew, so did the ties between these couples. Strong friendships were forged through hours of study and prayer as together they struggled with the call of discipleship on their lives in the context of the segregated South. It was this group who stood with my parents during the trying times of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Unity Is God's Gift to the Church, Says Archbishop of Canterbury February 28, 2012 – On the morning of 28 February, his second day visiting the offices of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Archbishop Rowan Williams of the Church of England addressed a round table discussion on the unity of the Christian church. "Unity is neither a means nor an end," he told assembled staff, visitors and governing body members of the WCC and other organizations in the Ecumenical Centre. "Unity is what God has given us in the church." The responsibility of Christians who receive the gift of unity, he continued, lies in "seeking a life in which no one is without the other." March 2, 2012 – Hal Vatland found Lamb of God Lutheran Episcopal Church as he drove around southern Lee County, Florida, looking for a new congregation to join. A friend described the Fort Myers church to Jacke McCurdy one Saturday night about two years ago. "I said ‘I have been looking for that church,'" she said. "I went the next day and I never left." When Bill Monsees first found Lamb of God, its members were worshiping in rented space in a strip mall next door to a motorcycle shop and across the parking lot from The Sandy Parrot Tiki Bar and Grill. Seminario Bíblico Andino Adquiere Rango Universitario 2 marzo 2012, LIMA, Perú – Las Asambleas de Dios del Perú manifestaron su alegría ante el anuncio que el Seminario Bíblico Andino adquiere rango universitario por Resolución de la Asamblea Nacional de Rectores del día 7 de febrero pasado. Declaran que la Escuela Superior de Teología Evangélica No Estatal Seminario Bíblico Andino ha organizado el plan de estudios de la Carrera de Teología de acuerdo con la Ley Universitaria. El CMI Aplaude Sentencia Sobre Derechos De Migrantes 1 marzo 2012 – El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) aplaude el fallo histórico del Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos que condena a Italia por haber violado los derechos de migrantes eritreos y somalíes al enviarlos de regreso a Libia. Esta sentencia fue dictaminada el 23 de febrero a raíz del caso de Hirsi Jamaa y otros contra Italia. Colaborador Cubano Continúa Su Misión Inclusiva 2 marzo 2012, HAITÍ – El pastor Ezequiel Batista, cubano de de origen haitiano, continúa en el país realizando una labor educativa de inclusividad de las personas que padecen algún tipo de discapacidad, a partir del terremoto ocurrido en enero de 2010, tanto en la sociedad como en la iglesia, según misiva enviada a la corresponsalía mesoamericana de ALC esta semana que comienza. Declaración Del CMI Sobre El Tráfico De Personas En El Desierto Del Sinaí 28 febrero 2012 – El Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) hizo pública una declaración en la que expresa su preocupación por la desaparición de solicitantes de asilo del Cuerno de África y del norte de África, a manos de traficantes de personas en el desierto del Sinaí, cuando cruzaban la frontera entre Egipto e Israel. El Comité Ejecutivo del CMI hizo pública esta declaración durante una reunión que tuvo lugar del 14 al 17 de febrero en Bossey, Suiza. Evangélicos Y Católicos Oran Por La Salud De Chávez 1 marzo 2012, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Una jornada de oración por el restablecimiento de la salud del presidente de Venezuela Hugo Chávez, fue convocada en Nicaragua por las iglesias evangélicas, esta semana, a tenor de los resultados de la última operación sobre el tumor que le aqueja, mientras que representantes de amplios sectores del pueblo salvadoreño celebraron ayer una misa por su pronta recuperación, tras ser intervenido quirúrgicamente en Cuba. El CMI Repudia La Doctrina Utilizada Contra Los Pueblos Indígenas 29 febrero 2012 – En una reciente reunión, el Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) denunció la "doctrina del descubrimiento" que ha sido utilizada para subyugar y colonizar a los pueblos indígenas. El Comité Ejecutivo hizo pública una declaración en la que afirma que la naturaleza de la doctrina es "fundamentalmente opuesta al Evangelio de Jesús." WCC Applauds EU Court Ruling on Migrants' Rights February 27, 2012 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) applauds the landmark ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, which held Italy responsible for violating the rights of Eritrean and Somali migrants for sending them back to Libya. The ruling came out in the case of Hirsi Jamaa and Others vs Italy on 23 February. The court found Italy responsible for intercepting and returning a boatload of African migrants without determining whether such a decision would put their lives at risk. March 2, 2012 – Seven breakaway congregations have been ordered by a judge to return control of church property to the Diocese of Virginia by April 30. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows set that date after he refused March 1 to reconsider, as requested by the congregations, the part of his Jan. 10 opinion in which he said that some personal property, including monetary gifts, given to the congregations prior to January 31, 2007, belongs to the diocese. Bellows' actions were meant to implement his Jan. 10 opinion that the diocese and the Episcopal Church "have a contractual and proprietary interest in the property of these Episcopal churches" for use in the church's mission and ministry. Christian Leaders "Fast for Fair Food" March 2, 2012 – Church leaders in United States along with farmers and consumers will fast from 5 to 10 March to protest the retailer Publix's rejection of the groundbreaking Fair Food Program in Florida. .".. Theirs [Publix'] is a morally indefensible position and they can't look the workers in the eye," said Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson, president of the World Council of Churches for the North America region. Publix is the state of Florida's largest corporation and supermarket chain. On 5 March, farmers who harvest the state's 620 US dollars million tomato crop, Rev. Michael Livingston, former president of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and director of the NCC's Poverty Initiative, religious leaders, students and consumers will appeal to Publix to recognize the humanity of the workers who pick its tomatoes and join the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Fair Food Program. ‘Cathedral in the Night' Serves Homeless, Engages Students February 28, 2012 – The loss of her job in the medical records field more than two years ago cost Carol Hopkins her home and forced her to move. And although Hopkins, 60, still makes searching for a new job a daily task, she fears her age is limiting her ability to find employment again. "I try to stay hopeful and be positive," she said. Hopkins is one of dozens of homeless people in Northampton, Massachusetts, and its surrounding communities who have found solace and a hot meal at an ecumenical outdoor ministry called Cathedral in the Night. Sex Abuse Suit Names Texas Conference, Pastor March 2, 2012 – A woman who alleges she was sexually abused by a pastor in the United Methodist Texas Annual (regional) Conference filed a lawsuit Feb. 23 in Houston. The conference as well as the pastor, Kendall Graham, and three districts are named in the suit. The plaintiff is not identified because she was a minor when the abuse began in 2003. The plaintiff reported the abuse to Bishop Janice Riggle Huie in August 2011, and the bishop immediately asked Graham to surrender his credentials. A statement issued by the conference said Graham was forbidden from re-entering the church, Wesley First United Methodist Church in Clute, Texas, and prohibited from any further contact with members of his previous congregation. Ehaia, an African Initiative Going Beyond Africa March 1, 2012 – The Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA) has recently documented the impact it has achieved since 2002. While commemorating its 10th anniversary this year, EHAIA reflects on how churches have become "HIV-competent," meaning they are well informed about HIV, are welcoming HIV positive people and are fighting against HIV and AIDS in Africa and beyond. Thousands of church leaders have been trained by EHAIA staff. Ten theological institutions in Central Africa alone incorporated HIV into their curricula due to EHAIA supported initiatives. "Justice for Women" Is Focus of Archbishop's Women's Day Service February 29, 2012 – Archbishop Rowan Williams will take part in a "Justice for Women" service in London to mark two global days for women. Working with Central Africa and the Mothers Union, the Anglican Alliance produced a resource pack for churches to use for services on International Women's Day and Mothers Day. The packs, with briefings and suggestions for action are available in English and French. To highlight the call for justice, the Archbishop and Mrs Jane Williams will be taking part in the service at St George's Church in Camberwell, London. The Church serves a community in which many women have struggled for justice to overcome inequalities, inspired and supported by the Mothers Union. In Morocco, Symposium Explores Religion, Spirituality and Education March 2, 2012, MARRAKECH, Morocco – What is spirituality? How can religious education encourage it? And what role do both religion and spirituality play in fostering human well-being? Those were among the questions considered by a group of educators, academics and theologians from the world's religions – including the Baha'i Faith – at the "International Symposium on Religion, Spirituality, and Education for Human Flourishing," held here 24-26 February. The event – co-convened by the Guerrand-Hermes Foundation for Peace (GHFP) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations – encouraged discussion about how young people can be better educated about religion and spirituality, in order to address such present-day issues as economic injustice and environmental degradation. Pastor's Wife Offers First-hand Account of the Challenging Life of Foreign Spouses in Taiwan March 4, 2012 – On the surface, the designation of "foreign spouse" should be a neutral term signifying a foreigner who is married to a Taiwanese. However, mainstream media in Taiwan do not use this term to refer to Caucasian or Japanese women because the term has come to imply exclusively to women from Vietnam, China, or other less affluent Asian countries who came to Taiwan through matchmaking agencies and married Taiwanese men who couldn't find a suitable Taiwanese spouse. March 2, 2012, NEW YORK, USA/Geneva – Rural women around the world are planting seeds of hope in their communities. That was the message from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) women as they gathered in New York prior to the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW), taking place 27 February to 9 March. Daniele Schmidt Peter of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB) said the goal of the Lutheran women was to connect with other women, learn from them and be strengthened by their actions. Consultants Reinstated as Full Members on IASCUFO March 1, 2012 – Two consultants of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO), have been reinstated as full members at the request of the Commission's chairman. The redesignation of Dr Katherine Grieb and Archbishop Tito Zavala as consultants took place as a result of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams' Pentecost letter to the Anglican Communion issued in May 2010. This latest decision follows a request by IASCUFO chairman Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi that Archbishop Williams reconsider the application of the letter to IASCUFO so that the consultants can be reinstated as full members for the sake of the work of the Commission. Church of England Installs Alarms to Stop Copper Thefts February 28, 2012 – The Church of England is spearheading a campaign to install high-tech movement sensors on scores of churches in a bid to stop a rash of lead and copper thieves who have targeted the roofs of religious buildings. The stolen metals are fetching increasingly higher prices on international markets. The insurance firm Ecclesiastical, which provides coverage for 96 percent of Anglican churches in Britain, reported receiving a record 2,600 claims last year. The new security campaign, called "Hands Off Our Church Roofs," is aimed initially at installing the alarms at some 100 churches in England, Scotland and Wales. NEW ZEALAND: Quake-Crippled ChristChurch Cathedral to Be Demolished March 2, 2012 – Quake-crippled ChristChurch Cathedral will be brought down to a "safe level" – between 2 and 3 meters high. Some walls may be lowered even further, for safety reasons, while none of the walls will be left intact. But the footprint will remain, and no bulldozers or wrecking balls will be used in the demolition. Diocese of Christchurch Bishop Victoria Matthews released this information on Mar. 2. ELCA, Israeli Government Representatives Meet March 1, 2012, CHICAGO – Representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, both based here, met Feb. 29 to discuss one another's understanding of the "Arab Spring" developments, especially concerns for minority religious groups in the Middle East, and the official Israeli-government position regarding the situation in Syria. The request for the meeting came from Bahij Mansour, who directs the inter-religious affairs division of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mansour is the former Israeli ambassador to Angola and will soon become ambassador to Nigeria. |
