Episcopal Life Daily March 25, 2008
Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.
Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:
* TOP STORY - Holy Land's 'suffering servants' need advocacy, solidarity, Presiding Bishop urges * TOP STORY - Ronald H. Haines, the seventh Bishop of Washington, dies at 73 * DIOCESAN DIGEST - IOWA: Swaziland companion relationship deepens; clean water and evangelism efforts for 2008 * WORLD REPORT - CANADA: Judge reserves decision in dispute over Niagara parishes * TEACHING - Annual Bennett J. Sims Institute for Servant Leadership set for Kanuga * FEATURE - Changing perspectives: Indianapolis couple learns about faith, chickens and computer ministry in Japan * OPINION - Apology to Africa: A bishop reckons with sins of slavery, racism * ARTS - Theologian enhances 'Resurrection' reflections with fine art * DAYBOOK - March 26, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History * CATALYST - The Great 50 Days: The Daily Office from Easter to Pentecost
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TOP STORIES
Holy Land's 'suffering servants' need advocacy, solidarity, Presiding Bishop urges
During March 16-24 visit, Jefferts Schori sees hope in ministry of Jerusalem diocese
By Matthew Davies
[Episcopal News Service] With an invitation to "come and see for yourself," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts concluded her March 16-24 pastoral visit to the Holy Land recognizing the need for people worldwide to understand the plight of Palestinian Christians -- "their shrinking numbers, the conditions under which they live and work, and the potential that we have not only to advocate for them but to stand in solidarity with them."
The Presiding Bishop's visit, which came at the invitation of Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani, was intended to deepen the partnerships between the U.S.-based Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (http://www.j-diocese.org).
But the days also afforded Jefferts Schori and an Episcopal Church delegation the opportunity to visit Gaza (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_95876_ENG_HTM.htm), engage Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations, meet with local ecumenical and interreligious leaders, and to share in the Paschal mystery of Holy Week in services at St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem.
The delegation -- which included Bishop Christopher Epting, ecumenical and interfaith officer; Maureen Shea, director of government relations; and the Presiding Bishop's husband, Richard Schori -- visited Gaza on March 19 to gain a deeper understanding of the humanitarian crisis that is impacting 1.5 million Palestinians in the world's most densely populated region, and experience the ministry of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital, one of the diocese's oldest institutions.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_95961_ENG_HTM.htm
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Ronald H. Haines, the seventh Bishop of Washington, dies at 73
[Diocese of Washington] Ronald H. Haines, the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, died on Good Friday, March 21, at his home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Haines, 73, was the bishop of Washington from 1990 until he retired in 2000. Prior to becoming the diocesan bishop, he was elected suffragan bishop in 1986 and served in that role until the sudden death of Bishop John Walker. He was elected diocesan bishop in July 1990.
He was a tireless advocate for the ordination of women priests and defender of gender equality in the church. Regarding racism as one of the greatest sins of modern America, he confronted it with passion. He listened as a pastor to those who disagreed with him, believing that people of good will and shared faith may differ but remain in communion with each other.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_95945_ENG_HTM.htm
More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife
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DIOCESAN DIGEST
IOWA: Swaziland companion relationship deepens; clean water and evangelism efforts for 2008 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_95943_ENG_HTM.htm
More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm
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WORLD REPORT
CANADA: Judge reserves decision in dispute over Niagara parishes http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_95941_ENG_HTM.htm
More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm
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TEACHING
Annual Bennett J. Sims Institute for Servant Leadership set for Kanuga
[Episcopal News Service] The 27th Annual Bennett J. Sims Institute for Servant Leadership Conference will run April 11-13 at Kanuga Conferences in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
The Institute for Servant Leadership's mission is to provide opportunities for the spiritual formation and leadership development of people who are called to be servant leaders. Its work and focus is that of convener, teacher, and nurturer through conferences, workshops, and publications.
This year's gathering, "Practicing Peace: Creative Responses to Violence," will address what seems to be the world's increasing dependence upon violence as the solution to human ills. It will ask the question: "Who are we? And what are we becoming?"
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_95951_ENG_HTM.htm
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FEATURES
Changing perspectives
Indianapolis couple learns about faith, chickens and computer ministry in Japan
By Kathryn Tietz Treece
[Episcopal Life] With jobs in ecumenical relations and computer systems, Meghan and Andy McConnell had no idea what adventures lay ahead of them as Young Adult Service Corps volunteers in Japan.
In 15 months living and working at the Asian Rural Institute (ARI), the mission assigned to them by the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Anglican Church in Japan), they waded through rice paddies, cared for various barnyard animals, learned how to make charcoal and lived in community with people from at least 15 different countries.
"We were looking for a service opportunity, something to test us personally and to stretch us in growing together," Andy explained. "We found it!"
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81834_95956_ENG_HTM.htm
More Features: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78936_ENG_HTM.htm
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OPINION
Apology to Africa A bishop reckons with sins of slavery, racism
By Catherine Roskam
Editor's note: This reflection was delivered at the Service of Liberation in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York marking the bicentennial of the American abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
[Episcopal Life] I am sorry, Africa.
Of all the places we have exploited -- and we have exploited many -- it is only from you that we also have stolen the people.
I am sorry that we took your people and held them in bondage for centuries, a holocaust of perhaps 20 million souls.
Africa, we transported your children in conditions unfit for any living creature. When they became sick or died, we threw them overboard, like so much unwanted ballast. Those that completed the excruciating journey, we sold like cattle, auctioning them off to the highest bidder.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_95960_ENG_HTM.htm
More Opinion: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_ENG_HTM.htm
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ARTS
Theologian enhances 'Resurrection' reflections with fine art
By Lois Sibley
RESURRECTION By Alister McGrath Fortress, 96 pp., $15
[Episcopal Life] Resurrection is the fourth in a series of five books by Alister McGrath. The Truth and Christian Imagination series also includes Creation, Incarnation and Redemption.
Professor of historical theology at Oxford University, England, McGrath has written many books, but these are unusual. He has a unique way of putting together fine art, appropriate poetry and biblical stories with theological reflection that lay people can understand and appreciate. And the layout, colors and use of details of the paintings are well-coordinated and add much to the overall design and beauty of the work.
This book, he says, "tries to create space for reflection on the meaning of Christ's resurrection for the way we think and the way we behave." He likes to use fine art "to enhance the process of reflection." He thinks poetry is sometimes "more effective than theological analysis" on the themes he is discussing.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81827_95958_ENG_HTM.htm
More Arts: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81827_ENG_HTM.htm
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DAYBOOK
On March 26, 2008, the Church calendar remembers Wednesday in Easter Week.
* 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 March 26, 655, Deusdedit became the sixth and first English-born Archbishop of Canterbury. He served as archbishop until 664.
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CATALYST
"The Great 50 Days: The Daily Office from Easter to Pentecost" from Church Publishing, Inc., compiled and edited by Frank Tedeschi, 447 pages, paperback, c. 2007, $18
[Source: Church Publishing, Inc.] Like its companion volume, 40 Days, this book is intended to be an accessible, doable, toe-in-the-water introduction to the private recitation of the daily office. It will contain rite two Morning and Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, the Psalter as prescribed and edited for each day from Easter morning through the Day of Pentecost, the collects, and all bible readings (New Revised Standard Version) for the two-year lectionary cycle. The Prayer Book services of Order for Noonday and Compline (close of day) will also be included for readers who find those times more suitable for praying an office. Readings, prayers, and psalms will be included for the major holy days that often fall in Easter season, including the Annunciation (March 25) and St. Mark (April 25).
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