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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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Leading Development Economists Offer Alternatives October 4, 2012 – The current global economic and financial scenario has been described as the "mess we are in" by Sir Richard Jolly at a global conference on a new economic and financial architecture taking place in Brazil this week. He pointed out the lack of good governance in many countries. Jolly, director of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom, for nearly a decade, was speaking at the conference in Guarulhos, Brazil, organized by the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) along with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Council for World Mission (CWM). ELCA, Other Churches Call for Investigation of Military Aid to Israel October 5, 2012, CHICAGO – Concerned about the deteriorating conditions in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and the commitment for a just peace, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and other U.S. Christian leaders are urging Congress to conduct an investigation into possible human rights and weapon violations by the government of Israel. In an Oct. 5 letter to Congress, the religious leaders cited possible violations by Israel of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, which respectively excludes assistance to any country that engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and limits the use of U.S. weapons to "internal security" or "legitimate self-defense." The leaders also urged Congress "to undertake careful scrutiny to ensure that our aid is not supporting actions by the government of Israel that undermine prospects for peace.” Canon Law Expert Endorses Possibility of Women Deacons September 30, 2012 – Hot on the heels of a piece from a retired auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre, another priest from that diocese has also announced his support for women deacons. He is Msgr. John Alesandro, who among other things has served that diocese as Vicar General, Chancellor and, for a time, Diocesan Administrator. It is a true that current canon law forbids it, but that is irrelevant as to a future decision by the Holy Father. To conclude that there is no possibility is quite a leap. The question of whether women can be validly ordained as deacons is a doctrinal one, not canonical. The real question is whether the prohibition of such an ordination is, when applied to diaconate, repeating an unchangeable doctrinal teaching or, alternatively, expressing a legal prohibition that can be altered – something that has happened in many areas of law in the past. Placemats Make Point on Food Rights October 2, 2012 – To encourage United Methodists to talk about world food production over lunch or dinner, hunger advocates are providing the placemats. Sharing a meal is just one of the ways local congregations can observe World Food Day on Oct. 16. The 2012 theme is "Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the world." This year, Church World Service, the ecumenical humanitarian agency, is promoting the "Share a Meal" project in cooperation with its partners, including United Methodist Women, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, Church Women United, Mennonite Central Committee, Presbyterian Church USA Hunger Program and the United Church of Christ. Episcopal Bishop Gives Cordileone Frosty Welcome October 4, 2012, SAN FRANCISCO – The Episcopal bishop of California Marc Andrus has written a letter to his diocese in which he characterized Catholic Church teaching on marriage as "oppression." The letter dated Oct. 1 concerns the installation of Salvatore Cordileone as Archbishop of San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 4. The letter focuses on Archbishop Cordileone's support for the Catholic understanding of marriage and for California's Proposition 8, the voter-approved measure that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. Bishop Andrus said that "despite this difference of opinion and support" he looks forward to working with Archbishop Cordileone in the "building of the Reign of God." He noted that though he differed on Proposition 8 with Archbishop Niederauer, Cordileone's predecessor in San Francisco, they cooperated on reducing poverty. WCC’s Call for "Madang" Programme Applications Closes on 31 October October 2, 2012 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites applications for workshops, exhibitions and side events for its upcoming 10th Assembly to be held in Busan, Republic of Korea. The deadline to submit proposals is 31 October 2012. The WCC assembly will take place from 30 October to 8 November 2013, addressing the theme "God of life, lead us to justice and peace." The event brings together the fellowship of member churches, with ecumenical partners, to reaffirm their unity in Christ, strengthen their witness in the world and to plan their future together. Anglican Alliance Is Looking for "Agents of Change" Volunteers for Distance Learning Course October 2, 2012 – The Anglican Alliance is calling for volunteers to take part in a distance learning course in community development skills is providing with Open University. The course called "Agents of Change" has been developed especially for the Anglican Alliance by Open University, the world famous distance learning university based in the UK. The course will soon be ready for use worldwide, and the Anglican Alliance is looking for some small groups of up to 10 people to try it out. The course is free of charge to Anglicans or people studying in Anglican academic institutions. "Agents of Change" takes six months to complete. Final Report: Church Path ‘Unsustainable' October 1, 2012 – The United Methodist Church's way of doing business remains "unsustainable," and the changes made during and immediately after the 2012 General Conference are insufficient to address the challenges the denomination faces. That's the assessment in the final report of the Call to Action Interim Operations Team, which since its formation in late 2010 has been looking at ways to reorder the life of the church. "Dramatically different and new behaviors, not incremental changes, are required," said the nine-page report. "We have not yet seen the degree of shared sense of urgency or commitment to systemic adaptations with the redirection of leadership expectations and sufficient resources that our situation requires." Mission with Humility, Justice and Inclusivity October 1, 2012 – In a world where understanding of Christian mission is changing rapidly, Bishop Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) explains what new visions the WCC mission statement will bring to the churches. Coorilos spoke about the mission statement in an interview in Crete, Greece, where the statement was adopted by the WCC Central Committee in September this year. What is the new mission statement and what does it aim to achieve? The new WCC mission statement "Together towards life: Mission and evangelism in changing landscapes," prepared by the CWME, is about seeking vision, concepts and directions for a renewed understanding and practice of mission and evangelism amid changing global landscapes. Conferencia En Brasil Vincula La Lucha Del Pueblo Con La Arquitectura Financiera 3 octubre 2012 – "No se puede hablar de una nueva arquitectura financiera sin vincularla al dolor y las luchas del pueblo," dijo el Rev. Dr. Collin I. Cowan en una conferencia ecuménica sobre la nueva arquitectura económica y financiera que actualmente se está imponiendo en Brasil. "Estamos aquí para aprender unos de otros. Espero que nuestro diálogo nos conduzca a un resultado que pueda hacer que las cosas cambien en el contexto mundial de injusticia económica," añadió. Cowan, secretario general del Consejo para la Misión Mundial (CWM, por sus siglas en inglés), pronunció estas palabras en una conferencia ecuménica que tiene lugar en Guarulhos, Brasil del 29 de septiembre al 5 de octubre. Evangélicos Y Católicos Marcharon Por El Día De La Biblia Y Oraron Por El Cese De La Violencia 1 octubre 2012, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – "La Biblia nos une," expresó Freddy Fonseca, director de Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas (SBU) aquí durante las celebraciones por el Día Nacional de la Biblia, que ocurrió este 30 de septiembre, cuando evangélicos y católicos marcharon unidos en los municipios costeños de Waspan y Puerto Cabezas, y terminaron orando con énfasis por erradicar la epidemia del narcotráfico, la seguridad ciudadana y la pobreza, mientras fueron entregadas 10 mil biblias gratis a comunidades indígenas de la etnia misquita. Brethren Drought Response Will Aid Farm Families, Encourage Garden Projects. October 4, 2012 ELGIN, IL – A new Brethren effort has been put together by Church of the Brethren staff and districts to respond to needs of farmers and communities following a summer of extreme drought. The drought has affected a majority of states in the central US. The cooperative project teams the energies and resources of several denominational programs with Church of the Brethren districts. Involved are Brethren Disaster Ministries, the Advocacy and Peace Witness Ministries, and the Global Food Crisis Fund, along with district executive ministers and district disaster response coordinators from the areas most affected by drought. Earthquake-displaced Charleston Congregation Returns to Historic Home October 2, 2012 – Displaced for one year, one month, and one week, the congregation of Grace Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, returned home to its historic sanctuary this past Sunday, Sept. 30. A fixture of the city skyline for 167 years, the Gothic church was condemned following the Virginia earthquake of August 2011, after seismic sensors detected movement in the clerestory walls. After extensive and painstaking work to replace and strengthen disintegrating 19th century mortar, Grace was deemed "safer than the day it was built," and reopened for Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. Conference in Brazil Links People's Struggle with Financial Architecture October 2, 2012 – "It is not possible to talk about a new financial architecture without linking it to the pain and struggles of the people," said Rev. Dr Collin I. Cowan at an ecumenical conference on a new financial and economic architecture, currently underway in Brazil. "We are here to learn from one another. I hope our dialogue can lead to an outcome that can make a difference to the global context of economic injustice," he added. Cowan, general secretary for the Council for World Mission (CWM), was speaking at an ecumenical conference held from 29 September to 5 October in Guarulhos, Brazil. Archbishop of Kenya Condems Attack on St Polycarp October 1, 2012 – Following the explosive attack at Anglican Church of Kenya St. Polycarp Parish on Juja Road in Nairobi yesterday, Archbishop Dr. Eliud Wabukala joined other religious leaders in condemning the explosive attack. Earlier in the day, Archbishop Wabukala, and Bishop Joel Waweru of Nairobi Diocese visited and prayed with four of the six children still admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital, Children's Ward. In a statement released today at the scene of the explosion, he stated that Kenya is a multi- religious society and termed the attacks as atrocities whose perpetrators should face the full rigor of the law. October 5, 2012 – It was Egyptian media that brought the appalling "Innocence of Muslims" trailer to the wider attention of Muslims around the world. The consequences have been tragic to watch. The country has also seen all-too-regular violent clashes between local Muslim and Christian communities, that have got no better since Egypt's revolution. In this difficult atmosphere, the Diocese of Egypt, under the leadership of Bishop Mouneer Hanna Anis, has relaunched a magazine online that was first started by two pioneering CMS missionaries more than 100 years ago. We asked Bishop Mouneer why now was the time for Orient & Occident mark two, and about the inspiration behind it. Returnees in South Sudan in Need of Our Help to Restart Their Lives October 3, 2012 – After decades of conflict and displacement, returnees from Sudan to South Sudan are facing huge difficulties to restart their lives. According to the United Nation Office for the Organisation of Humanitarian Affairs, around 123.000 people have returned this year (Humanitarian Bulletin 3 – 9 September. Despite the raising of hopes for going back home, the situation for people arriving is very complicated. The relief and development coordinator of the Diocese of Rejaf, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Mr Bullen Pitya, explains how returnees could not bring along their things, as they were flown from Sudan to Juba with minimum personal belongings. They have been temporarily accommodated in a transit camp at Kabu, at the outskirts of Juba town, in the compound of a Teachers' Training Institute. NEW ZEALAND: Christchurch Cathedral Bells Shipped to U.K. For Restoration October 2, 2012 – Bells rescued from ChristChurch Cathedral have been shipped to the English foundry where they were made for specialist restoration. The 13 bells were buried in tonnes of masonry when the tower collapsed in Christchurch's Feb. 22, 2011 earthquake. Some suffered cracks and one looks to be damaged beyond repair. They have been transported free of charge by shipping company Maersk to John Taylor Bell Foundry in Loughborough, Leicestershire, where they were cast in 1978. October 4, 2012, RAMALLAH, West Bank/GENEVA – Michael Abu Ghazaleh is one proud principal. "The School of Hope provides top-quality education to all students, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or ability to pay tuition fees," he says of the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah, one of the top five in the West Bank. The majority of the students at the school are Muslims, an indication that Christian schools are an important part of the educational system in the occupied Palestinian territories. But the school is not all about studies and results. Georgette is 17 years old and a year away from graduation. October 1, 2012, EAST JERUSALEM/GENEVA - The Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City in East Jerusalem, serves as the footing for the Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) and the ultra modern medical services provided here. Nadia is only five years old, but she is familiar with the corridors and staff at the AVH, a health institution run by The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Her father does not want her picture taken or her real name used, but he willingly says that without the treatment Nadia gets at AVH, she would not be alive. Her kidney is not working properly, so she needs to come to the hospital three times a week for dialysis. The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke Elected as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland October 3, 2012 – The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, has been elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland by the House of Bishops of the Church of Ireland, following the retirement of Archbishop Alan Harper on 30 September. Second Female Anglican Bishop Elected by Southern Africa October 5, 2012 – A South African woman has been elected as the second female Anglican bishop in Africa. Canon Margaret Vertue, the senior priest in a diocese which includes most of the poorer suburbs of greater Cape Town, was elected bishop of the Diocese of False Bay on Wednesday (3 October). The second of two women elected to the episcopacy in recent months, Canon Vertue was one of the two first woman priests to be ordained in Cape Town by Archbishop Desmond Tutu 20 years ago. James Skelly Named Interim Director of Baker Institute at Juniata College October 4, 2012, ELGIN, IL – James Skelly, a longtime senior fellow at Juniata College's Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, has been named interim director of the institute for a two-year period, effective immediately. Juniata College is a Church of the Brethren-related school in Huntingdon, Pa. Skelly takes over from Richard Mahoney, who directed the Baker Institute from 2008 to 2012. Mahoney left Juniata to become director of the School of Public and International Affairs at North Carolina State University in Winston-Salem. Skelly has been associated with Juniata's peace studies program for more than a decade. |
