Front Page

Remember Maternal Health on Mother's Day

May 11, 2012 – On a day when we honor and celebrate our mothers and mothering figures with gifts and gratitude, it is easy to forget that the journey to motherhood is not an easy one, particularly for women in developing countries. Every 90 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman dies from complications due to pregnancy or childbirth. Mothers are vital to families and communities, but many women struggle to have healthy pregnancies and safe births due to lack of basic health-care services and access to family planning methods. The tragedy of maternal mortality speaks to us as members of The United Methodist Church. As followers of Christ, we are called to be partners with God in bringing health and wholeness to all God's people.

Called into the World, ELCA Young Adults Put Their Faith into Action

May 9, 2012, CHICAGO – Two years ago Stephanie Berkas set out to Cape Town, South Africa, to work in a Lutheran congregation and an elementary school there. Having lived in Minnesota for the majority of her life, she knew she would be stepping out of her comfort zone but did not anticipate just how life-changing her experience would be. "My experience in South Africa was formative in that I grew up as a person, but it was transformative in that there was a death and resurrection for me – part of my identity died but a new life" surfaced before me, said Stephanie, who today is a first-year student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, one of eight ELCA seminaries.

Ecumenical Panel Kicks off UN Forum on Indigenous Issues

May 7, 2012 – In the 1850s, native people living in the western United States signed "peace" treaties with the U.S. Government in exchange for land; land that was to provide a safe homeland and economic opportunities, explained Cheryle Kennedy, chairwoman of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde of western Oregon, during an ecumenical panel discussion May 7 at the United Nations Church Center. A century later, in 1954, in an "act of termination," when the government took the land back and stripped the native people of their indigenous status, "many bad things happened, but we were not broken," she continued. In the 1970s, the confederated tribes resolved to overturn the government's decision and by 1983 their indigenous status had been restored; in 1986, 10,000 acres had been returned. Since then, Kennedy said, they've been buying back land "acre by acre."

General News

Online Directory for Theological Institutions to Be Launched

May 8, 2012 – A Global Theological Education Survey started by the Ecumenical Theological Education programme of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in partnership with other organizations is under way, and will result in the launch of a web based global directory of theological institutions. The directory will increase the exchange and dialogue among theological educators around the world. It builds on an existing online resource and will cover a much larger number of entries than previous efforts. In a 29-30 April meeting at the Center for the Study of World Christianity, Boston, United States, major progress was reported on the Global Theological Education Survey, which has been carried out by this institution and the Chicago based Institute for Cross-Cultural Theological Education in partnership with the WCC.

Pope Declares Hildegard of Bingen a Saint

May 10, 2012, VATICAN CITY – Although she was never canonized, St. Hildegard of Bingen is to be added to the Catholic Church's formal list of saints, and Catholics worldwide may celebrate her feast day with a Mass and special readings by order of Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican announced May 10 that the pope formalized the church's recognition of the 12th-century German Benedictine mystic, "inscribing her in the catalogue of saints." The same day, the pope advanced the sainthood causes of 19th-century U.S. Bishop Frederic Baraga of Marquette, Mich., and of Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, N.J., who died in 1927.

Anglican Communion Family Network Targets Birth Registration, Invites Input

May 10, 2012 – The International Anglican Family Network is inviting members of the Anglican Communion to share their thoughts and stories as part of an initiative to actively promote birth registration. Birth registration is vital for children. It is their passport to citizenship, education and healthcare. Yet across the world one-third of children never have their births registered and so may not have access to these opportunities to flourish and participate fully in society. IAFN co-ordinator Sally Thompson said, "We already know that Anglicans around the world are working on this challenge. We want to gather their stories and experiences to present to the ACC (Anglican Consultative Council) in October."

Christian Citizenship Seminar Considers Our Relationship with Carbon

May 7, 2012, ELGIN, IL – Fifty-two Church of the Brethren youth and adult advisors met for the 2012 Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) on April 14-19 in New York City and Washington, D.C. The theme focused on "Stepping Out: Our Relationship with Carbon." The 41 high school youth and 11 advisors came from 11 congregations in eight districts across the Church of the Brethren denomination.

Biblical Mothers – Not a Job for the Faint of Heart

May 11, 2012 – It's been almost 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson declared May 8, 1914, the second Sunday in May, as a special day to honor the nation's mothers – especially those who had lost their sons to war. Anna Marie Jarvis and fellow members of the Methodist Episcopal Church led the charge to make Mother's Day an official observance. When Andrew's Methodist Church of Grafton, W.Va., held the state's first official Mother's Day on May 10, 1908, Jarvis marked the victory by bringing in 500 carnations, honoring her late mother, who had been a leader in the initial efforts to mark the occasion. Though gift- and card-buying and secular activities abound, the church still plays a prominent role in Mother's Day.

Ecumenical News

Ecumenical Patriarch Honoured with "Freedom Award"

May 9, 2012 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) congratulates the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, New Rome and the entire Orthodox Church for receiving the "Freedom Award" which acknowledges his efforts in promoting religious freedom, dialogue and environmental concerns. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and prime minister Mark Rutte will present this award to him in a ceremony on 12 May in Middelburg, the Netherlands. Bartholomew I was nominated for this award for his immense contribution to dialogues among Christianity, Islam and Judaism in his native Turkey, and elsewhere.

Meeting of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches

May 12, 2012 – The Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in America met on Wednesday, April 25, at the Ethiopian Orthodox Archdiocese in Bronx, New York. His Eminence Abune Zekarias, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church, welcomed the attendees and opened the meeting with a requiem prayer for His Holiness Shenouda III, the late pontiff of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Reflects on Quest to Achieve Christian Unity

May 12, 2010, SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – Extending a hand of friendship and expressing a desire to open doors to ecumenical dialogue, Metropolitan Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, the leader of the Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church for the Eastern United States, addressed an attentive gathering at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Seton Hall University (SHU) on April 26. Archbishop Karim's presentation, "The History and Mission of the Syrian Orthodox Church," outlined the current challenges facing the Syrian Orthodox Church in the United States along with a review of the church's heritage.

Anglican-Roman Catholic Meeting Ponders Ecumenical Dialogue

May 9, 2012, HONG KONG – As the May 4 – 10 meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) drew to a close, participants emphasized the importance of social witness and openness in ecumenical dialogue. "There seem to be many obstacles from a human point of view, and it does not seem likely to have fully visible unity in the near future," New Zealand Anglican Archbishop David Moxon, the co-chairperson of the meeting, said on May 8. "We can, however, do a lot of things together during this slow process," he added.

Spanish News

El CMI Celebra La Intervención Metodista Por La Paz En El Tema De Malvinas

9 mayo 2012, SUIZA – A través de una carta dirigida al Obispo Frank De Nully Brown, el Secretario General delConsejo Mundial de Iglesias Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, expresó que el organismo apoya el enfoque que tanto la Iglesia Metodista Argentina como la Británica han manifestado respecto del conflicto por la soberanía de las Islas Malvinas. "La actitud de confrontación debería ser reemplazada por un espíritu y lenguaje de paz y reconciliación entre losdos países y sus respectivos gobiernos.

Arzobispo Motiva a La Comunidad Anglicana a Participar En Río+20

9 mayo 2012, BRASILIA, Brasil – La civilización humana enfrenta una crisis multidimensional, que abarca aspectos económicos, sociales, ambientales, culturales y espirituales. Esa crisis de valores puede anunciar el ocaso de la vieja civilización o la aurora de un nuevo tiempo para los que habitan el planeta Tierra, la casa común.

Documento De Evangélicos Y Catolicos
Denuncia Incremento De Pérdida De Libertades Religiosas

10 mayo 2012, ESTADOS UNIDOS – Un documento presentado por Evangélicos y Católicos Juntos (Evangelicals and Catholics Together), recientemente, denuncia los ataques que reciben los cristianos en muchos países y hace énfasis en la pérdida de libertad religiosa, incluso en países de Norteamérica y Europa.

Obispo Metodista Expresa Preocupación Porque La Reforma
Del Código Civil No Incluya La Igualdad Religiosa

10 mayo 2012, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – El Obispo de la Iglesia Evangélica Metodista de ARgentina, Frank De Nully Brown, señaló que los cambios propuestos por el Gobierno Nacional al Código Civil, requerirán discusiones éticas y religiosas inspiradas en un espíritu constructivo que "ayude a nuestros legisladores a fortalecer la defensa de los Derechos Humanos con sentido de inclusividad."

El CMI Celebrará Este Mes La Semana Mundial Por La Paz En Palestina E Israel

8 mayo 2012, GINEBRA, Suiza – El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) ha invitado a todas las iglesias-miembro y organizaciones conexas a unirse a la Semana Mundial por la Paz en Palestina e Israel, que desarrollarán del 18 de mayo próximo al 3 de junio del presente año, a fin de sensibilizar y tomar acciones en torno a un tema tan urgente para esa región.

National News

Department of Defense Contractor Lists Released by BBT, FedEx Moves up

May 7, 2012, ELGIN, IL – Honoring the Church of the Brethren's historic peace stance can be accomplished in many ways, and Brethren Benefit Trust chooses to do so through its investments. BBT compiles lists of publicly traded US Department of Defense contractors each year and prohibits its investment managers from investing BBT funds in them. Two lists are produced: One includes the top 25 publicly traded companies with defense contracts; the other includes all publicly traded companies that earn more than 10 percent of their revenue from defense contracts. This year, some of the nation's largest companies made it on the two lists produced.

Third Victim in Maryland Church Shooting Dies
‘Profound Grief' Turns to Worries of Violence, Homelessness, Mental Illness

May 7, 2012 – The third victim in the May 3 shootings at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Ellicott City, Maryland, has died. The Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn, 62, died May 5 at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore where she had been taken after the shooting and placed on life support. Brenda Brewington, 59, the parish's administrative assistant, on May 3 had been pronounced dead at the scene in the parish office.

International News

Brazil Primate Invites the Anglican Communion to Commit to Rio+20

May 10, 2012 – Reflecting on the need to care for the planet and before the groans of nature, every person in their different realities is certain of the need to get involved and take concrete actions to care for the Creation. For these reasons, I invite the Anglican Communion around the world to get committed towards United Nations Conference on Environment Rio +20 and the People's Summit, on June 15th to 22nd, 2012 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The UN Conference Rio +20 closes an important cycle, started during the Eco-92 Conference in the same city.

Fifty Years On, European Baha'i Communities Recall Landmark Elections

May 7, 2012, OSLO, Norway – Tributes have been paid to the Baha'i Faith on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Norwegian National Spiritual Assembly. In Oslo, some 100 special guests participated in a celebratory gathering. Among them, Shazia Mushtaq – a representative of Norway's Islamic Council – praised the "many beautiful elements" in the commemorative event, which included spoken tributes and musical performances. Ivar Flaten, a Church of Norway priest, remarked that he found in the Baha'i teachings, "a special emphasis, not only on tolerance but also on acknowledging each other."

Implementing PEAC Initiatives in Colombia

May 7, 2012 – To support the Colombian communities in Montes de María and San Onofre, faced with armed conflict and displacements, the national reference group of the Programme of Ecumenical Accompaniment in Colombia (PEAC) is planning the next steps in implementing the programme. The PEAC is an initiative of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), in cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance and other ecumenical organizations. The programme emerged as a follow-up to recommendations aimed at supporting vulnerable communities in the country and made by the churches at a meeting in Colombia's capital Bogota in 2009.

People in the News

Tveit Receives "Friend of the Armenians" Award

May 8, 2012 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit was honoured with the "Friend of the Armenians" award by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in the United States, as an acknowledgement of his efforts to support Armenian churches throughout the world. Tveit was presented with the award in a ceremony that took place on 4 May in Springfield, Massachusetts as part of the Annual Assembly of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. The diocese has periodically honoured selected public figures with the "Friend of the Armenians" award.

Hosam Naoum Named Dean of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem

May 8, 2012 – The Rev. Canon Hosam Elias Naoum has been named dean of St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem. He will become the first non-English incumbent to serve in the position. Naoum, 38, has served as canon pastor at the cathedral since 2005, and was the acting dean from 2007-2009. As dean, Naoum will continue to serve as pastor to the cathedral's Arabic- and English-speaking congregations. "I call upon all our partners and friends around the Anglican Communion to hold Hosam and his family in their prayers," said Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani in a May 3 letter announcing the appointment. "May his term as the dean of the cathedral be a blessing to many and to the glory of God."

Thomas Logan, Eldest Serving African-american Priest, Dies at 100

May 11, 2012 – Services will be held May 11 and 12 for the Rev. Canon Thomas Wilson Stearly Logan, Sr., 100, associate priest of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Philadelphia, who died May 2. The eldest serving African American priest in the Episcopal Church, Logan was a civil rights pioneer and a long-term leader of the Conference of Church Workers Among Colored People (CCWACP), which was the precursor to the Union of Black Episcopalians. Visitation and viewing will be held on Friday, May 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, followed by Vespers from 7 to 9 p.m.