wfn.org | [ENS] National Council of Churches members begin 'long-term engagement' with Haiti / Chilean Anglica

[<mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>Episcopal News Service
>March 3, 2010

Episcopal News Service is available at  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ens.

>Today's Episcopal News Service includes:

* TOP STORY - National Council of Churches members begin 'long-term
engagement' with Haiti
* TOP STORY - Chilean Anglicans mobilize efforts to serve isolated
communities following quake
* WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: House of Lords backs civil partnership
ceremonies in churches
* CALENDAR - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - March 7, 2010 - Third Sunday in Lent - Year C
* DAYBOOK - March 4: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* EBAR PICK - "Barack"

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

National Council of Churches members begin 'long-term engagement' with  Haiti

>By ENS staff

[Episcopal News Service] The National Council of Churches USA has
called representatives of its member communions to a meeting on April
6 to begin planning for "our long-term engagement with the renewal and
recovery of the people and nation of Haiti."

Responding to what it said in a news release are the "pressing needs
of Haiti and the deep sense of call to respond," the council sent its
invitation March 2 to the ecumenical officers of the NCC's 36 member
communions and denominational specialists in Haiti ministries.

The NCC also announced March 2 that the organization and the Episcopal
Church have jointly appointed the Rev. Rosemari Sullivan, former
executive officer of the Episcopal Church, as coordinator of Haiti
recovery work done on behalf of the NCC.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_120055_ENG_HTM.htm

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Chilean Anglicans mobilize efforts to serve isolated communities  following quake

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] The Anglican Diocese of Chile is responding
to the urgent needs of its members after a magnitude-8.8 earthquake
devastated parts of central Chile on Feb. 28, claiming more than 800
lives and affecting nearly two million people.

In a letter to the diocese, Chile Bishop Héctor Zavala reported that
the general situation of the church is good. "There has been no loss
of life, although there is some structural damage to buildings which
will need to be repaired during the second stage of recovery," he
said.

But the region most affected is Concepción, Chile's second largest
city located 71 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, where many of
the 500,000 inhabitants are without basic supplies.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_120041_ENG_HTM.htm

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

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>WORLD REPORT

ENGLAND: House of Lords backs civil partnership ceremonies in churches

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] The House of Lords, the upper chamber of the
U.K. Parliament, agreed March 2 to amend the Equality Bill so that
religious organizations could decide to hold civil partnership
ceremonies in places of worship.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_120052_ENG_HTM.htm

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

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>CALENDAR

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/calendar.htm

>_____________________

>SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS

>March 7, 2010 - Third Sunday in Lent - Year C

(RCL) Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 63:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

>By the Rev. Kirk Alan Kubicek

[Sermons That Work] When the God who declares from a burning bush, "I
AM who I AM. ... Tell them I AM sent you!" becomes flesh and dwells
among us, life gets very interesting. Pilate slaughters a group of
Galileans. A tower in Siloam kills eighteen others. Do you think they
are worse sinners than anyone else, asks The Word made Flesh?

We might think the blame game is some kind of ancient mindset, but we
may as well admit that we all get into it at one time or another.

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_119633_ENG_HTM.htm

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

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>DAYBOOK

>On March 4, 2010...

* 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 4, 1827, Abdul Masih (servant of Christ)
died. Abdul Masih adopted this name after his conversion by Anglican
missionary Henry Martyn.

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>EBAR PICK

"Barack" from Harper Collins, by Jonah Winter, Illustrated by AG Ford,
32 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $17.99

[Harper Collins] This is a journey that began in many places. It began
in Kansas, home of Barack's mother. It began in Africa, home of
Barack's father. It began in Hawaii one moonlit night, the night that
Barack was born. Sometimes it was a lonely journey. Sometimes it was
an enchanted journey. But throughout this most unusual ride, this boy
often wondered: Who am I? Where do I belong? Jonah Winter and AG Ford
re-create the extraordinary story behind the rise of the inspirational
icon Barack Obama in this stunning picture book.

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