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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>September 24, 2008

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - U.N. General Assembly to call for recommitment to MDGs
* TOP STORY - Day of Remembrance: Episcopal Church's apology for role in
slavery is focus of September 28 bulletin inserts
* WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury calls for greater
cooperation to meet Millennium Development Goals
* EDUCATION - Episcopal School of Texas surpasses $12.8 million  development
goal
* PEOPLE - Laurel Johnston is appointed as program officer for  stewardship
* MULTIMEDIA - Video: Colin Williams addresses Church of Sweden's  General
Synod
* ARTS - New books aim at protecting children
* WEEKS AHEAD - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 21 -  Year
A [RCL]
* DAYBOOK - September 25, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Audacious Anglicans: Heroes of the Anglican Communion

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

U.N. General Assembly to call for recommitment to MDGs

Episcopalians, Anglicans join in advocacy efforts September 25

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] The United Nations General Assembly on  September 25
will call upon world leaders to renew efforts to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals for social progress by 2015.

Episcopalians and Anglicans from across the world are in New York City  to
participate in advocacy events surrounding the General Assembly session,  and
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams issued a call September 24 for a
renewed commitment to the MDGs.

Meanwhile, in fulfillment of the recent Lambeth Conference's call, the
Episcopal Church has designated September 25 as a day of prayer, fasting  and
witness.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_101044_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Day of Remembrance: Episcopal Church's apology for role in slavery focus  of
September 28 bulletin inserts

[Episcopal Life Weekly] On October 3 and 4, the Episcopal Church will  hold a
"Day of Remembrance," during which the Church will issue an apology for  its
part in the institution of slavery. Episcopal Life Weekly bulletin  inserts
for September 28 feature information about the plans for this event.

Bulletin inserts are available at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/95270_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury calls for greater cooperation to meet
Millennium Development Goals
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_101025_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Laurel Johnston is appointed as program officer for stewardship

[Episcopal News Service] The Rev. Laurel Johnston, a former fundraiser  and
global activist for CARE, has been appointed Program Officer for  Stewardship
for the Episcopal Church. She will be based at the Church Center's  regional
office in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning October 13.

"Laurel brings to the position a unique combination of experience in
fundraising and global activism, as well as a passion for the mission of
Jesus Christ in the world," said the Rev. Suzanne E. Watson, director of  the
Evangelism and Congregational Life Center. "She understands the  multifaceted
nature of stewardship, and promises to catalyze innovative and creative
conversations."

Johnston recently completed a two-year curacy at St. John the Baptist  Church
in Capitola, California, a parish in the Diocese of El Camino Real.  While
attending the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, she was an  associate at
St. Stephen's Church in Belvedere, California, and served as a class
representative for Episcopal Relief and Development.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_101040_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>EDUCATION

Episcopal School of Texas surpasses $12.8 million development goal

[Episcopal News Service] TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas, now in its  115th
academic year, has successfully completed the $12.8 million first phase  of
an ongoing capital development program to help meet the needs of a
400-member student body. More than $15 million was raised, exceeding the
fundraising expectations of the "We're on a Mission" campaign.

Launched in 2005 by the school's board of governors and the Rt. Rev.  James
A. Folts, retired bishop of the Diocese of West Texas, "We're on a  Mission"
began the effort to build a new sanctuary and implement other campus
improvements, such as three new residence halls, improved technology,
faculty development and endowment for facilities and scholarships.

The school dedicated and consecrated the new 500-seat All Saints Chapel  and
Ewing Halsell Residence Hall on September 7. The chapel will provide a  venue
for daily student chapel services as well as house three classrooms.  Ewing
Halsell Residence Hall, made possible through a generous donation from  the
Ewing Halsell Foundation and other benefactors, has become home for 13  of
the 54 students enrolled in the TMI residential life program.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_101029_ENG_HTM.htm

More Education: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_93222_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>MULTIMEDIA

Video: Colin Williams addresses Church of Sweden's General Synod

[Episcopal News Service] The Venerable Colin Williams, general secretary  of
the Conference of European Churches, addresses the opening session of  the
Church of Sweden's General Synod September 24 as part of the anniversary
celebrations of its historic decision 50 years ago to ordain women to  the
priesthood.

More Multimedia: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80056_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>ARTS

>New books aim at protecting children

>By Joe Bjordal

[Episcopal Life] Alison Feigh's childhood was significantly influenced  by
one tragic event. On October 22, 1989, her friend and classmate, Jacob
Wetterling, was abducted at gunpoint on a rural road near St. Joseph,
Minnesota, and never seen again. That loss would also influence her  college
education and professional career.

At St. Olaf College, she designed her own degree, which focused on  missing
and exploited children. Her first professional job was at the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2001, Feigh came "full  circle"
in a sense when she joined the staff of the Jacob Wetterling Foundation  in
St. Paul as child safety specialist. She is a nationally known and
sought-after expert on the topic of child and teen safety and has  appeared
on CNN, FoxNews, and many local television stations.

As a result of providing education to parents and children alike, it  became
obvious to Feigh that some issues were not being addressed early enough  and
that parents lacked resources to talk to their children about safety  issues.
She has helped to remedy that situation as the author of two children's
books, "I Can Play it Safe" and "On Those Runaway Days," both published  this
spring by Free Spirit Press.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81827_101042_ENG_HTM.htm

More Arts: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81827_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

Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 21 - Year A [RCL]

Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Psalm 25: 1-8; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew  21:23-32

>By the Rev. Debbie Royals

[Sermons That Work] What do you believe? This question may seem very  simple
to answer at first. But if we are being truthful, it is not an easy  question
to answer unless, of course, we have memorized the answer from catechism  or
intentionally discerned the answer and have practiced articulating it to
others.

The gospel today demonstrates why it is important to know the answer to  this
question. Without knowing exactly what you believe, you are sure to be
caught in the situation that the priests and elders are in as they are
confronted by Jesus. It would have served them well if they had been
prepared and could answer confidently. But more importantly, they would  have
brought together the community if their interests were not self-serving,
selfish, and without integrity.

Based on where we are in our corporate lives in the church, articulating  our
beliefs has become essential. But before we can be building blocks for
growing a larger community of faith, we must know what it is in our  hearts
and souls. This is not to say that our focus should remain there, only  that
it must begin there. In the end, we are still called into a corporate  life
in Christ where, together with our sister and brother believers, we  continue
the work of building up the Kingdom of God in our world.

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_100542_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On September 25, 2008, the Church calendar remembers Sergius, abbot of  Holy
Trinity, Moscow (c. 1320-1392).

* 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 25, 1643, The Solemn League and  Covenant,
drawn up by the Scottish General Assembly in London at Westminster  Abbey,
was submitted to the English Parliament. This agreement guaranteed
Presbyterians equal rights with Anglicans. On September 25, 1782, the  first
complete English Bible known to be published in America was issued.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Audacious Anglicans: Heroes of the Anglican Communion" from BlueJay
Publishing, by Robert J. Moore and Gerald T. Rayner, foreword by Rowan
Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, 237 pages, paperback, c. 2008,  $19.95

[BlueJay Publishing] This book features a rich variety of Anglican men  and
women who were audacious enough to have made a significant difference in  the
societies in which they lived.

The authors are of the view, that the diversity of the Anglican ethos  has
nurtured a wide range of persons with prophetic attitudes to the  settings of
the world around them. This has led to bold questions and actions in the
face of the "established thinking" of their time, especially where the
thinking engendered affronts to human dignity and justice.

It is hoped that the persons and organisations identified in this book  may
serve to inspire, by example those -- both lay and ordained -- engaged  in
ministries in the Anglican and wider Christian communities.

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