Episcopal Life Online Newslink July 25, 2007
Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.
Today's ELO Newslink includes:
* TOP STORY - Children's healthcare coverage concerns raised by diverse national leadership * DIOCESAN DIGEST - MASSACHUSETTS: Historic church will show off years of history * DIOCESAN DIGEST - NEW YORK: Bedford church steps up to help Baptist congregation * DIOCESAN DIGEST - WEST TEXAS: Episcopal flock going green for God * WORLD REPORT - UGANDA: Anglican leaders wary of compulsory military training plan * SPIRITUAL FREFLECTION - Ninth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 12) - Year C [RCL]
_____________________
TOP STORIES
Episcopal Life Online July 25, 2007
Children's healthcare coverage concerns raised by diverse national leadership
Episcopal Church joins call for renewal of State Children's Health Insurance Program
By Staff
[Episcopal News Service, Washington, D.C.] The Episcopal Church joined with other religious voices and healthcare representatives in calling for the reauthorization of State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) at a July 25 news conference.
Building on widespread support for the SCHIP program and its 10-year record of success, a diverse group of national leadership organizations has joined together to convey a simple but important message: We do not always agree, but we do agree on health care coverage for our nation's children. For this reason, we urge Congress to pass and the President to sign SCHIP reauthorization legislation quickly, and provide coverage for a vulnerable population we cannot afford to neglect-children.
"We stand united because we believe Congress and the President should do the right thing for our children and our nation-reauthorize a critically important program that is supported by the vast majority of voters," said Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), which organized the press conference on Capitol Hill.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_88508_ENG_HTM.htm
More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife
_____________________
DIOCESAN DIGEST
MASSACHUSETTS: Historic church will show off years of history http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_88502_ENG_HTM.htm
NEW YORK: Bedford church steps up to help Baptist congregation http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_88487_ENG_HTM.htm
WEST TEXAS: Episcopal flock going green for God http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_88493_ENG_HTM.htm
More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm
_____________________
WORLD REPORT
UGANDA: Anglican leaders wary of compulsory military training plan http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_88498_ENG_HTM.htm
More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm
_____________________
SPRITUAL REFLECTION
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 12) - Year C [RCL] Genesis 18:20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-15; Luke 11:1-13
By Ben E. Helmer
[Sermons That Work] Over the past few Sundays, the lessons have focused on what it means to be a disciple and a follower of Jesus. Today we look at the depth of that discipleship in relationships: between Abraham and God, between Paul and Jesus, and then Jesus teaches us how that relationship works through prayer.
People who claim to have a relationship with God often act as if they discovered it. But the truth is that God found them and led them to their Creator. That is how it was with Abraham. Abraham would never have sought a relationship with a god who made such incredible demands and promises, but having been found and led by God, he began to trust enough to accept God's promise of a child to Sarah in last week's Gospel. In this week's reading, we find him feeling confident enough in his relationship to plead for mercy for the city of Sodom.
Abraham's experience with God teaches us how relationships with God develop, how they can lead us to new and exciting things, and how to ask for things on behalf of others. Saint Paul, in the reading from Colossians, describes his relationship with Jesus as "rooted and established in the faith"; this is after he persecuted Christians and Christ. So he knows how much he is loved by God, and how much the mercy of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus means to him. Paul describes our relationship with Jesus as much more than mercy when he says, "He forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us."
Full reflection: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_88399_ENG_HTM.htm
More Spiritual Reflections: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm