wfn.org | [ELD] Bishop, others trying to evaluate Haiti's post-storm situation / California bishops call for d

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>Episcopal Life Daily
>September 10, 2008

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Bishop, others trying to evaluate Haiti's post-storm  situation
* TOP STORY - California bishops call for defeat of proposition that
would ban same-sex marriage
* TOP STORY - Canadian primate asks Archbishop of Canterbury to
convene interventions meeting
* TOP STORY - Louisiana cleans up after Hurricane Gustav
* TOP STORY - Presiding Bishop removes MacBurney's inhibition after
retired bishop apologizes
* WORLD REPORT - AFRICA: New leader of African Anglicans wants to
focus on governance
* WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Chief
Rabbis of Israel
* PEOPLE - Jennielle Strother named to staff of Seminary of the  Southwest
* PEOPLE - Los Angeles bishop names new canon for community relations
* WEEKS AHEAD - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 19
- Year A [RCL]
* DAYBOOK - September 11, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know --
and Doesn't

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Bishop, others trying to evaluate Haiti's post-storm situation

Many left homeless without food or clothes, Duracin reports

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is trying to
evaluate the needs of Haitians in the wake of four storms that have
battered Hispaniola in less than a month.

"What has happened is very hard to us," Bishop Jean Zache Duracin
wrote September 10 in response to an email inquiry from ENS. "As you
may know, many people died, disappeared [or are] hurt. The whole [of]
Haiti has been affected, a country where the socio-economic situation
was already bad. Many people have been left homeless, with no food and
clothes, etc."

"Many of our church buildings have been affected. We are now doing an
evaluation of what we have lost, but because of problems of
communication, that will take some time."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100560_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

California bishops call for defeat of proposition that would ban
same-sex marriage

>By Janet Kawamoto

[Episcopal News Service] Bishops of the six dioceses in the state of
California issued a joint statement on September 10 calling for defeat
of Proposition Eight, a ballot initiative approved for inclusion in
the November 4 election that would amend the state constitution to
define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

In addition, the bishops of Los Angeles and the bishops of the
dioceses of California and Northern California held press conferences
at which they called for defeat of the proposition, which is supported
by some religious groups, and opposed by others.

The group statement, signed by bishops of the dioceses of Northern
California, California, El Camino Real, San Joaquin, Los Angeles and
San Diego, said, "We do not believe that marriage of heterosexuals is
threatened by same-sex marriage.  Rather, the Christian values of
monogamy, commitment, love, mutual respect and witness of monogamy are
enhanced for all by providing this right to gay and straight alike.
Society is strengthened when two people who love each other choose to
enter into marriage, engaged in a lifetime of disciplined relationship
building that serves as a witness to the importance of love and
commitment."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100556_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Canadian primate asks Archbishop of Canterbury to convene interventions
meeting

Hiltz proposes to gather with Episcopal Church, Brazil, Southern Cone
leaders

[Episcopal News Service] Canadian Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of
the Anglican Church of Canada, has asked Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams to facilitate a meeting between him, Episcopal Church
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Episcopal Anglican Church
of Brazil Archbishop Mauricio de Andrade and Anglican Province of the
Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables to discuss cross-border
interventions.
The Anglican Journal of Canada reported Hiltz's request on September 10.

Hiltz, Andrade and Jefferts Schori have repeatedly asked Venables to
stop intervening in the internal affairs of their provinces. Venables
has, on his own accord, been providing episcopal oversight to churches
that are in serious theological dispute with their respective
provinces over the issue of sexuality.

The Southern Cone has about 22,000 members and encompasses Argentina,
Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Its provincial synod,
meeting in Valpariso, Chile, November 5-7, 2007, agreed to welcome
into the province "on an emergency and pastoral basis" Episcopal
Church dioceses "taking appropriate action to separate from The
Episcopal Church."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100561_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

>Louisiana cleans up after Hurricane Gustav

>Battling emotions, memories of Katrina

>By Carol E. Barnwell

[Episcopal News Service] The city of New Orleans stood in the path of
last week's Hurricane Gustav, but much of the Diocese of Louisiana is
rural, woven with bayous and at the ends of narrow roads -- places
such as Houma, Rosedale, Plaquemine and White Castle.

"It was hard emotionally for people who have [just] rebuilt to face
Gustav on the anniversary of Katrina," said Nell Bolton, director of
the Office of Disaster Relief (ODR) in the Diocese of Louisiana. Three
years ago, Katrina's winds, rain and storm surge resulted in the
flooding of 80 per cent of the city and more than 1,300 deaths.

As Gustav threatened, many who offered refuge to New Orleans became
the victims of savage winds and flooding rain.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100551_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Presiding Bishop removes MacBurney's inhibition after retired bishop
apologizes

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
has removed the inhibition she placed in April on retired Episcopal
Diocese of Quincy Bishop Edward MacBurney.

In a September 9 order, Jefferts Schori said that MacBurney had
voluntarily submitted to discipline (Canon IV.2(9) and (10)) over a
presentment which the Title IV Review Committee issued on Jan. 24,
2008.

Diocese of San Diego Bishop Jim Mathes, who originally asked for
MacBurney to be disciplined because he conducted unauthorized
confirmations in San Diego, told ENS September 10 that the order and
discipline of the church had been "maintained and in some way enhanced
by this process."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100559_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

AFRICA: New leader of African Anglicans wants to focus on governance
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_100562_ENG_HTM.htm

ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Chief Rabbis of Israel
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_100549_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Jennielle Strother named to staff of Seminary of the Southwest

[Seminary of the Southwest] Jennielle Strother, former director of
admissions at nearby Concordia University, is the new director of
recruiting and admissions at Seminary of the Southwest.

A native of San Antonio, Strother is a graduate of Lon Morris College,
where she was student body president, and Dallas Baptist University.
She returned to Lon Morris in the late 1990s to be dean of women, head
volleyball coach and interim director of admissions.

After coaching at both the high school and college level, she joined
Concordia as admissions director in 2007. Campus visits by prospective
students tripled, and every admissions performance measure exceeded
its target goals during her tenure there.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_100552_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Los Angeles bishop names new canon for community relations

[Diocese of Los Angeles] Bishop J. Jon Bruno has named Robert Williams
to serve the six-county Diocese of Los Angeles as canon for community
relations.

Williams returns to the Los Angeles diocesan staff after working four
years as communication director at the Episcopal Church Center in New
York City. Previously he was communication director for the Los
Angeles diocese, having first joined its staff in 1986.

"I am happy to announce that Bob Williams is able to rejoin our staff
as canon for community relations," said Canon David Tumilty, bishop's
executive for operations. "In addition to providing communications and
special projects consultation, a portion of this role will be
assisting the Bishop and me with media relations and preparations for
our upcoming diocesan convention, as well as with Los Angeles Night
and the L.A. diocese exhibit for the upcoming General Convention."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_100554_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>WEEKS AHEAD

A round-up of upcoming special events, services, concerts and diocesan
conventions taking place throughout the Episcopal Church is available
at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_1669_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS

Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 19 - Year A [RCL]

Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew  18:21-35

>By Katerina Whitley

[Sermons That Work] The Old Testament scholar Gerhard von Rad wrote:
"Real forgiveness is not a purely interpersonal matter, but it reaches
deeply into the relationship of men before God."

The three lectionary passages today, taken from the end of the book of
Genesis, from St. Paul's Letter to the Roman Christians, and from
Matthew's retelling of Jesus' parable to his disciples, present us
with profound lessons on tolerance and forgiveness.

In the very last chapter of Genesis we read the finale of the Joseph
story. There is nothing easy or light or sentimental in the ending of
this story, one that reads like an exciting short novel.

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_100169_ENG_HTM.htm

More Spiritual Reflections:  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

>On September 11, 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 September 11, 1976, the 65th General Convention
of the Episcopal Church began in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- and Doesn't"
from HarperCollins Publishers, by Stephen Prothero, 296 pages,
hardcover, c. 2007, $24.95

[HarperCollins Publishers] The United States is one of the most
religious places on earth, but it is also a nation of shocking
religious illiteracy.

Only 10 percent of American teenagers can name all five major world
religions and 15 percent cannot name any. Nearly two-thirds of
Americans believe that the Bible holds the answers to all or most of
life's basic questions, yet only half of American adults can name even
one of the four gospels and most Americans cannot name the first book
of the Bible.

Despite this lack of basic knowledge, politicians and pundits continue
to root public policy arguments in religious rhetoric whose meanings
are missed -- or misinterpreted -- by the vast majority of Americans.

"We have a major civic problem on our hands," says religion scholar
Stephen Prothero. He makes the provocative case that to remedy this
problem, we should return to teaching religion in the public schools.
Alongside "reading, writing, and arithmetic," religion ought to become
the "Fourth R" of American education.

Many believe that America's descent into religious illiteracy was the
doing of activist judges and secularists hell-bent on banishing
religion from the public square. Prothero reveals that this is a
profound misunderstanding. "In one of the great ironies of American
religious history," Prothero writes, "it was the nation's most fervent
people of faith who steered us down the road to religious illiteracy.
Just how that happened is one of the stories this book has to tell."

Prothero avoids the trap of religious relativism by addressing both
the core tenets of the world's major religions and the real
differences among them. Complete with a dictionary of the key beliefs,
characters, and stories of Christianity, Islam, and other religions,
Religious Literacy reveals what every American needs to know in order
to confront the domestic and foreign challenges facing this country
today.

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