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Daybook -- Today is Monday, May 8, 2006, in Eastertide. The Church Calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts recognizes Dame Julian of Norwich (ca. 1417).
* Today in Scripture: Daily Office meditation http://eds.libsyn.com * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On this day in 1983, six acres of land for new buildings at historic Ascension Church in Seneca, South Carolina, were consecrated. [http://www.ascension-seneca.org/history.htm]
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Monday Mission: Vocations link faith, environment, advocacy, science, technology By Phina Borgeson
[ENS] When John Kunz was a child involved in the life of Emmanuel Church on the Northside of Pittsburgh, the warmth of that small urban congregation helped him form attitudes of humility and generosity and the foundational value of helping one's neighbor. Now John's neighbors are near and far, as he uses his mechanical engineering degree and his sense of Christian responsibility on renewable energy projects both here and in Africa. Kunz has been an analyst in the Eco-Power program at the Environmental Resources Trust Inc. for about a year. There he works to certify renewable energy projects, and also consults with other for profit and non-profit companies. "We are a non-profit functioning on an unusual business model," he says, "so we often work on contracts with other organizations." One of his principle clients is Solar Light for Africa, a program he first became involved with as a volunteer. Founded by retired bishop Alden Hathaway, the program brings renewable energy to poor communities in East Africa. On last year's annual mission trip about 15 young people from the USA joined an equal number of local youth to electrify 100 homes in Kyabashenyi, a village in southern Uganda. They "really had no access at all to any electricity, with the exception of batteries, until we got there and installed a small solar panel, one light bulb, and all the necessary wiring and controls in each house."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_74351_ENG_HTM.htm
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Monday Mission: Paths Crossing celebrates cross-cultural partnerships By Dick Snyder
[ENS] Congregations from 19 Episcopal dioceses were represented at the 18th annual Paths Crossing conference, held April 20-23 at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church in Whiterocks, Utah, on the Ute reservation. All are in different stages of cross-cultural partnerships -- from exploring the possibility to multi-year relationships. Similar to the concept of a companion diocese relationship, the partnerships generally link predominantly Anglo congregations with predominantly Native American congregations in the United States. Participants were welcomed by Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish of Utah. The Rev. Sue Duffield, vicar of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, said that the partnership in which her parish participates "started as a friendship and developed."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_74353_ENG_HTM.htm
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Monday Media: Associated Church Press honors Episcopal publications
From Staff Reports
[ENS] Two Episcopal publications were recognized in the Best in Class category at the Associated Church Press annual awards ceremony in Orlando, Florida, April 25. "Episcopal Life" won an honorable mention in the category of best national or international newspaper and the "Central Florida Episcopalian" won the award of excellence for best among regional newspapers. Of "Episcopal Life," the judge said: "An engaging, interesting newspaper with a wonderful mix of news briefs, major items, features, and essential faith/inspirational/institutional items." The judge cited "Central Florida Episcopalian" for its "broad news feature coverage in well-designed special spreads and regular layouts. Mix of first- and third-person styles keeps the reader in the paper." "Episcopal News Service" won the award of excellence for photography with a collection of photos "Mississippi and New Orleans" by Mary Frances Schjonberg and Matthew Davies taken from September 4 to November 23 last year. "Pictures from the hurricane disaster are seemingly endless, but these warrant attention because they relate to a specific topic, the church, and show what people are doing to rebuild the area, not just the destruction," the judge said. "Episcopal Life," edited by Jerry Hames, also received honorable mention awards for an editorial/opinion column by writer Richard Parker and for best illustration, a front page artist's rendering of "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You" by Jonny Hawkins. The national newspaper also won an award of merit for a circulation campaign designed by Lawrence Moore, general manager. "A just-the-facts approach -- straight and simple, but done very professionally," the judge said.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_74355_ENG_HTM.htm - - -
Monday Music: Grace Cathedral offers rare opportunity to hear recently discovered Handel work
[Source: Grace Cathedral] The Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, with a period-instrument orchestra and soprano soloist Rosa Lamoreaux, will present a program of magnificent masterworks, including Handel's Coronation Anthems and the recently discovered Gloria, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. It was a unique moment only five years ago when a professor at the University of Hamburg found and authenticated Gloria as a work of Handel. Noted Handel expert Nicholas McGegan called the discovery of Gloria "a Tutankhamun discovery for a musicologist." The piece has been favorably reviewed by The New York Times, Times of London, and London's Sunday Telegraph. Michael Talbot, professor of music at the University of Liverpool, said, "It will surely join the ranks of Handel's most loved music." Gloria has only been performed a handful of times in the United States. The Grace Cathedral concert represents a rare opportunity to hear the work performed as it was intended -- with an extraordinary choir, period instruments, and a virtuoso soloist. Grace Cathedral's Choir of Men and Boys is modeled after the 500-year-old tradition of English choirs, and one of only a few of its kind in North America.
Further information:
http://www.gracecathedral.org/church/new/detail.php?eid=210
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Catalyst: "Hell's Abyss, Heaven's Grace: War and Christian Spirituality," from Cowley Publications By Lawrence D. Hart; Spirituality/ Peace Studies; 170 pages, paperback
Cowley online:
http://www.cowley.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Prod uct_Cod e=2006-05-1561012416&Category_Code=NT
ISBN-10: 1-56101-241-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-56101-241-1
[Source: Cowley Publications] "War, before it is ever manifested in physical, observable violence, and peace, before it is ever felt as harmony or seen in acts of kindness, are the inner realities of the human heart and mind. They are states of consciousness, conditions of the soul. . . . War is 'hell's abyss,' and peace is 'heaven's grace.' Moment by moment we choose which we will live into; indeed, which we will become." - from the Introduction In a stirring call to nonviolent resistance, Episcopal priest Larry Hart confronts the compromises Christians around the world have made with their nations' uses of violence. Comparing Just War theory with the United States' national history of war and exploitation, Hart voices the need for personal and social transformation to live in keeping with the Gospel. At the center of his argument, Hart lifts up the images of Christian leaders around the world who have chosen nonviolence to resist oppression, showing the real historical possibilities for peace when we bear truth, courage, and faith as our only weapons.
Praise for Hell's Abyss, Heaven's Grace
"We desperately need a spirituality to lead us beyond the warlike mind, and only an authentic spirituality will do the job. Religion, up to now, has largely failed. Fr. Lawrence Hart offers you a very readable but believable spirituality of peacemaking. This will console your heart and challenge your mind at the same time." - Richard Rohr, ofm, Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico "Of all the books I have read on nonviolence and on Christian spirituality, I don't know of any that penetrates so deeply and clearly to the heart of both. This would be enough for any one book, but then Hart goes a step further: He prophetically critiques U.S. empire and exposes the violence that lies behind this country's many justifications for war. This is a book for anyone who wishes to love as Jesus loved and is not afraid to contemplate the political implications of that kind of love." - Sheri Hostetler, pastor, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco
About the Author
Lawrence Hart is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, and pastoral counselor. Before becoming a priest he served as a Mennonite pastor in the San Francisco Bay area and rural South Dakota. He is the author of Alleluia Is the Song of the Desert (Cowley). He and his wife, Brenda, live a quiet life in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Order from Episcopal Books and resources at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800.903.5544.
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