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[ELD] ERD announces arrival of 2008 Lenten devotional / Presiding Bishop declares February 10 Episco


From "Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>
Date Tue, 8 Jan 2008 02:57:29 -0500

Episcopal Life Daily January 7, 2008

Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.

Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - ERD announces arrival of 2008 Lenten devotional * TOP STORY - Presiding Bishop declares February 10 Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday * TOP STORY - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity focus of January 13 Episcopal Life Weekly bulletin inserts * DIOCESAN DIGEST - ALABAMA: Sloan consecration as bishop suffragan set for January 12 * DIOCESAN DIGEST - NEW YORK: Cathedral will mark U.S. abolition of transatlantic slave trade * WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: Post Christmas Debt Check compiled by Church for consumers * TEACHING - Texas seminary set to launch Payne Lectureship, award four doctoral degrees * FEATURE - Melting pot at boiling point? Churches reach out to immigrants, urge reforms to end inhumane treatment of undocumented * DAYBOOK - Tuesday, January 8, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History * CATALYST - Blessed Is She: Living Lent with Mary

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TOP STORIES

ERD announces arrival of 2008 Lenten devotional Presiding Bishop declares February 10 ERD Sunday

[ERD] Episcopal Relief and Development (http://www.er-d.org) (ERD) has published its 2008 Lenten devotional booklet, titled "Seeking to Serve: A Lenten Exploration of the Millennium Development Goals."

The devotional, by the Rev. Jay Sidebotham, rector of Church of the Holy Spirit (http://www.chslf.org) in Lake Forest, Illinois, features illustrations and meditations on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals) (MDGs) and offers ways for parishioners to help achieve these life-saving goals.

Serving as a complement to the Daily Office Lectionary, the devotional invites Episcopalians "to reflect on the role of God's grace in their lives and how they may act as instruments of God's healing in a hurting world," according to an ERD news release.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_93367_ENG_HTM.htm

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Presiding Bishop declares February 10 Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has declared February 10, 2008 -- the First Sunday in Lent -- as Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday. The full text of the Presiding Bishop's declaration is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_93366_ENG_HTM.htm.

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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity focus of January 13 Episcopal Life Weekly bulletin inserts

[Episcopal Life Weekly] The Episcopal Life Weekly Sunday bulletin-insert editions for January 13 will feature the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25). The Week of Prayer began a century ago with an inspiration by two Anglican-Episcopal clergymen, and is observed by Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant churches throughout the world.

Beginning with this edition, the new editor for Episcopal Life Weekly is Janet Kawamoto, associate editor of Episcopal Life Online (jkawamoto@episcopalchurch.org), who is based in Los Angeles. The insert editions are scheduled for prompt posting each Monday for use the following Sunday.

Bulletin inserts are available at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_8852_ENG_HTM.htm

More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife

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DIOCESAN DIGEST

ALABAMA: Sloan consecration as bishop suffragan set for January 12 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_93371_ENG_HTM.htm

NEW YORK: Cathedral will mark U.S. abolition of transatlantic slave trade http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_93368_ENG_HTM.htm

More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm

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WORLD REPORT

ENGLAND: Post Christmas Debt Check compiled by Church for consumers http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_93363_ENG_HTM.htm

More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm

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TEACHING

Texas seminary set to launch Payne Lectureship, award four doctoral degrees

[ETSS] The February 13-14 meeting of the board of trustees of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest (ETSS) in Austin, Texas, will include the launch of the Bishop Claude Payne Lectureship and the awarding of honorary doctoral degrees upon bishops Dena Harrison of Texas; Todd Ousley of Eastern Michigan; David Reed of West Texas; and Greg Rickel of Olympia. All are graduates of ETSS.

Seminary trustees established the Bishop Payne Lectureship to honor the retired bishop of the Diocese of Texas, and former ETSS board chair. Payne served as a member of the board when he was rector of St. Martin's Church in Houston. Under his service, ETSS launched its innovative master of arts in pastoral ministry degree program for working lay people, expanded its national presence and launched a fund drive for the Durstan R. McDonald Faculty and Education Building. Payne and his wife, Barbara, reside in their Salado retirement home.

Delivering the inaugural lecture, titled "The Three Chapter Story of the American Church," will be the Rev. Canon Dr. Samuel Wells, dean of the Chapel at Duke University.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_93369_ENG_HTM.htm

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FEATURES

Melting pot at boiling point?

Churches reach out to immigrants, urge reforms to end inhumane treatment of undocumented

By Nan Cobbey

[Episcopal Life] As immigration reform eludes Congress and as resentment, hate speech and anger about the issue build across the United States, leaders of the Episcopal Church are calling church members to stand with the suffering.

Undocumented immigrants, disparaged as "illegal aliens" by some who want them out of this country -- and out of its schools, hospitals and jobs -- present a moral dilemma for dioceses and ministries in every state. Raids at workplaces, and the arrests, detentions and deportations that follow, devastate families and divide communities.

Employers who need workers find themselves pitted against taxpayers who resent increasing costs of social services. This nation of immigrants, once proud to be a "melting pot," now builds prisons and detention centers one after another to remove those it sees as a threat. "Hospitality is becoming an endangered trait at the official level," laments Richard Parkins, director of Episcopal Migration Ministries. "We are developing a culture of fear and suspicion. It permeates the community...and we begin to close our doors.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81834_93361_ENG_HTM.htm

More Features: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78936_ENG_HTM.htm

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DAYBOOK

On Tuesday, January 8, 2008...

* Today in Scripture: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On January 8, 1977, Beverly Messenger-Harris was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Central New York. Messenger-Harris was the first female rector of an Episcopal parish.

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CATALYST

Catalyst: "Blessed Is She: Living Lent with Mary" from Church Publishing, Inc., by Tim Perry, 96 pages, paperback, c. 2006, $10.95

[Source: Church Publishing, Inc.] Everyone is happy to see Mary in the crèche at Christmastime, but by the time the Magi head back East after the Feast of the Epiphany, Christians of many traditions are often ready to place Mary to the side too. But Timothy Perry presents a Mary who belongs in Lent as much as in Advent, showing what it means to die and live with the crucified and risen Jesus.

Drawing primarily from the Gospel of Luke, this lovely book of spiritual reflections reveals a Lenten Mary who teaches us about being disciples. The result is a complex, inviting, strong character - a disciple to be emulated by all Christians, especially during this holy season. With a study for each week of Lent, along with questions to ponder, this is a thought-provoking volume for private use or parish study.

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

More Catalyst: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/83842_ENG_HTM.htm


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