wfn.org | ACNS Digest 13 January 2006

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

The following is a roundup of the recent ACNS Digest stories, with
reports from the USA, England, Canada and Pakistan. The ACNS Digest can
be found here:

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/digest/index.cfm

(544) 11-January-2006 - Domestic disaster response plan bolstered by ERD
- USA

New role to assist Episcopal dioceses

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is creating a new domestic
disaster program in response to the Episcopal Church's Executive Council
resolution that calls for the development and implementation of an
Office of Disaster Planning.

The program will be headed by a director for Domestic Disaster Response,
a new role created by ERD to assist dioceses throughout the Episcopal
Church in designing a disaster preparedness plan. The director would
also oversee the implementation of ERD's long-term Hurricane Katrina
recovery program through diocesan partners in the Gulf Coast region.

'This is the beginning of a new and important chapter for ERD,' said
Robert W. Radtke, ERD's president. 'In answering Executive Council's
call, we want to shape a ministry that will serve the diverse range of
challenges disasters bring - from the initial crisis to long-term
rehabilitation. Each disaster is unique and the challenges each present
are hard to anticipate in advance. We plan to build on our successful
model of using an integrated community development partnership to shape
a program that is flexible and adaptable to each disaster and each
diocese.'

Radtke outlined the new position during committee sessions of Executive
Council, meeting January 9-12 in Des Moines, Iowa. Council members
applauded the initiative, originally launched in Council's Congregations
in Ministry Committee, chaired by the Very Rev. Cynthia Black.

Through diocesan partners, ERD's domestic disaster response program
provides immediate needs such as food, water, and shelter to people left
most vulnerable after natural and human-made disasters. Once the
emergency is over, ERD works with partners to develop a long-term
recovery program to address the needs of marginalized populations
disproportionately affected by the disaster.

In addition to coordinating the Hurricane Katrina program with Diocese
of Louisiana's Office of Disaster Response and Lutheran Episcopal
Services in Mississippi, the role of the director for Domestic Disaster
Response also includes: conducting an inventory of diocesan and
congregational disaster response work over the past two years; linking
dioceses and ERD to preparedness networks at the local, state, and
national level, and coordinating psychosocial trauma training for clergy
and lay leaders.

The successful candidate's qualifications should include at least eight
years of experience in domestic disaster response and extensive
experience in developing and managing budgets, projects, and financial
systems.

For a full job description and application instructions, please visit
the Episcopal Church's website at
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/hr_70656_ENG_HTM.htm.

Episcopal Relief and Development is the international relief and
development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. An
independent 501(c) (3) organization, ERD saves lives and builds hope in
communities around the world. We provide emergency assistance in times
of crisis and rebuild after disasters. We enable people to climb out of
poverty by offering long-term solutions in the areas of food security
and health care, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.

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(543) 10-January-2006 - The Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham -
England

National Days Planned

'Celebrating Sacred Space' is the title of a national series of study
days being organised by the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
this  Spring, as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the
Restoration of the Shrine.

London, Cardiff, Preston and Durham are the chosen venues for the Sacred
Space days which are open to all and which have attracted an excellent
series of speakers.

The days will explore the concept of 'sacred space' from the perspective
and expertise of the invited speakers.

Each day will contain two talks interspersed with lunch.

The series starts at Preston Minster on Thursday March 23rd when Prof.
Eamon Duffy and Dr.Sarah Boss will be the speakers. A week later, on
Thursday 30th March, the Gate Arts Centre in Cardiff will host the
second day at which the Dean of Hereford, the Very Revd Michael Tavinor
and the Principal of St.Stephen's House, Oxford, Dr.Jeremy Sheehy will
be the speakers.

Ann Morrisy and Dr. Michelle Brown will speak at the Prior's Hall,
Durham on Thursday 27th April before the final Study Day takes place in
London at the Royal Foundation of St. Katharine on Thursday 4th May. The
London speakers include Father Timothy Radcliffe OP and Margaret Barker.

'We are very excited about these days because they will engage people
from very different perspectives on a key theme affecting our own
times,' said Father Philip North, Administrator of the Shrine, today.

Notes for Editors

Walsingham, known as England's Nazareth, is this year marking the 75th
anniversary of the rennovation of Shrine.

For further information please contact
Revd Rob Marshall in the Shrine Media Office
robmarshall@aol.com
www.walsingham.org.uk

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(542) 10-January-2006 - Death of Edward Emmanuel Corneille in Haiti -
USA

Director of the Bishop Tharp Institute of Business and Technology killed
in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; school re-opens after holiday recess

Episcopal Relief and Development is saddened to report the death of
Edward Emmanuel Corneille, the Director of the Bishop Tharp Institute of
Business and Technology (BTI) in Les Cayes, Haiti. Episcopal Relief and
Development worked in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti to
build the institute which opened in October of 2005.

Corneille was shot and killed in P?tion-Ville, just outside of
Port-au-Prince, last Thursday. Haitian police are still investigating
the circumstances surrounding his death. It has been reported that
Corneille was involved in the campaign of Charles Henry Baker, a
presidential candidate. According to reports, the police have registered
at least 27 murders and 43 kidnapping in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan
area between December 12, 2005, and January 3, 2006.

The Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin, Bishop of Haiti, released a statement
deploring the death of Corneille. Bishop Duracin said, 'It is obvious
that rampant violence and unrest has become a daily reality that
threatens all of us living in Haiti.' He also said, 'Since BTI's
opening, the institute has been seen as a symbol of hope for Les Cayes
and the southern part of Haiti, with Emmanuel there was hope.'

'This is disheartening for the BTI community, the Diocese of Haiti, and
ERD,' said Abagail Nelson, ERD's Vice President for Program. 'Emmanuel
was a charismatic leader who will be sorely missed,' said Nelson.

A delegation from the diocese travelled to the institute on Saturday and
is working through the transition process. Today, BTI reopened after a
holiday recess.  An interim director will be named this week by Bishop
Duracin, Chair of BTI's Board of Directors.

Corneille served as BTI's director since February of 2004. He was
instrumental in the final phases of building and opening the institute
and helped recruit over 120 students. He worked in the U.S. for several
years in business and higher learning institutions.

He is survived by a son and numerous family members both in Haiti and
the United States.

'ERD remains committed to BTI through this transition in leadership,'
said Nelson.  'Our thoughts and prayers are with Emmanuel's family.'

Episcopal Relief and Development is the international relief and
development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. An
independent 501(c) (3) organization, ERD saves lives and builds hope in
communities around the world. We provide emergency assistance in times
of crisis and rebuild after disasters. We enable people to climb out of
poverty by offering long-term solutions in the areas of food security
and health care, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.

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(541) 10-January-2006 - Canon Patrick Yu elected suffragan bishop of
Toronto - Canada

January 9, 2006 - The Anglican Church of Canada has its first bishop of
Asian descent - Canon Bishop-elect Patrick Yu.

Patrick Yu, the Hong Kong-born incumbent of St. Timothy's Anglican
church in Agincourt, Ont, who was elected suffragan bishop in the
diocese of Toronto Jan 7.
Bishop-elect Yu, 54, elected at St. James' Cathedral in Toronto, will
become the area bishop of York-Scarborough, east of Toronto, which has
about 70 parishes. His consecration has been scheduled for March 25. The
diocese has a total of four areas overseen by four suffragan bishops and
a diocesan bishop.

'It's a significant event, but I also believe that it is important for
everyone in the church, particularly its leaders, to be able to go
outside of their own cultural envelope and stand beside a person of
another culture,' he said after the election. 'I believe that having
been an immigrant and an outsider may give me an advantage in doing
that.'

He added: 'I'm aware that York-Scarborough in particular is an area
where the demographics have shifted and that has led to some difficult
times, so I think we have to look very carefully at how we put our
resources in place so that we encourage healthy and strong churches.
There will be many other things to do like supporting youth ministry,
but at this stage I think it's better to listen first and then determine
what needs to be done.'

Bishop-elect Yu earned a bachelor of arts degree at McMaster University
in Hamilton, Ont, in 1974, graduating summa cum laude. He received a
master of divinity at Wycliffe College in Toronto in 1981, and a doctor
of ministry at Toronto School of Theology in 1997.

Ordained a priest in 1982, he began his ministry as assistant curate of
Scarborough's Church of the Epiphany. He later worked as an incumbent of
the parish of Coldwater-Medonte, Ontario (1983 to 1990); secretary of
the advisory committee for postulants for ordination in northern and
western Ontario (1984 to 1988); incumbent of North York's St. Theodore
of Canterbury (1990 to 1997); and incumbent of St. Timothy's Anglican
church in Agincourt in 1997.

A member of Toronto's diocesan council, Bishop-elect Yu has also been
liturgical officer for the York-Scarborough area, a member of General
Synod, and a member of a sexuality dialogue group.

In response to written questions posed by the nominating committee,
Bishop-elect Yu said that the 'first and most important task of a bishop
is to support the work of parishes.' His priority, he said, would be to
'find ways to maximize my time spent with clergy and parish leaders,
first to listen, then offer support and encouragement.'

He also said that a bishop must be a 'symbol of unity.' He added: 'In
the present climate, the church needs leaders who are theologically
articulate as well as being good and respectful listeners.' He cited
'inter-faith and cross-cultural relations' as an area of interest.

A Christian from a Buddhist background, Bishop-elect Yu said that while
attending Anglican schools in Hong Kong, 'the stories and ethos of the
Christian faith slowly influenced my thinking' and became clear around
his father's death when he was 13.

Bishop-elect Yu and his wife, Kathy, have three grown children -
Christina, Teresa and Joseph.

Canon Yu will join the five-person College of Bishops, which has
episcopal oversight of the diocese. Bishop Colin Johnson, the diocesan
bishop, said Canon Yu will be a strong addition to the College.

'I think the church has made a very good choice,' Bishop Johnson said
after the election. 'Patrick is an extraordinarily able priest and will
make a great bishop. I think it would be hard for the church to lose in
today's balloting because whoever was chosen would have been
exceptional. We had a very good slate of nominees.'

Article From: Anglican Journal:  http://www.anglicanjournal.com/

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(540) 10-January-2006 - Cathedral installs symbolic water feature -
England

To launch year of 'Living Water, Living Well'

A new water feature in Southwell Minster will form a central part of the
special service this Saturday (January 7th) when the Diocese of
Southwell & Nottingham will officially launch its year's focus on
'Living Water, Living Well: Encountering God in Prayer and Pilgrimage'.

The new feature - a large Grecian urn, overflowing with water - will be
in the crossing area of the cathedral, as a visual reminder of the
living water which Jesus referred to in John's gospel. Diocesan leaders
hope that groups and individuals will take part in the various
opportunities for prayer and pilgrimage around the diocese during the
year.

The service which starts at 12 noon in the Minster nave, will move to
the crossing for the blessing of the new water feature. During the
service there will also be music, dance and interviews with individuals,
who will talk about how prayer has helped them to live well.

One of the organisers, Canon Missioner, the Revd Canon Mark Brown said:
'I can't think of a better way to start a new year, than by resolving to
pray and therefore live well.'

Churches across the diocese will be taking part in four special days
during the year, all dedicated to prayer and pilgrimage and entitled
'Closed for Business - Open to God'. All clergy will be encouraged as
far as possible to keep the dates free from engagements so that churches
can be open for prayer and people available to listen to God. The four
key dates will be on  - Epiphany, Friday 6th January; Ash Wednesday 1st
March; Ascension Day, Thursday 25th May; All Saints Day, Wednesday 1st
November.

A special feature of the year will include the opening of a brand new
pilgrimage route for the East Midlands, called St Hugh's Way. The new
route, which crosses through Leicester and Lincoln via Nottingham and
Southwell will be officially walked for the first time from 9th to 17th
June 2006.

Pilgrimage route organiser, the Revd Peter Gibbs (Vicar of Toton), said:
'This route offers the modern pilgrim exciting glimpses of life in all
four East Midlands counties and it is exciting to discover tributes to
St Hugh in many places en-route. The walking is always interesting and
varied and the hospitality of local churches and people in support
vehicles is very encouraging. Modern day pilgrimage offers not only a
rediscovery of our roots and places of historical interest, but the
perfect antidote to our stress-laden way of life. By giving people time,
space, companionship and if wanted, places to pray, many can find their
lives revitalised.

For further information and photo opportunities contact Rachel Farmer
tel 01636 817218

Rachel Farmer
Director of Communications
Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham
(the Church of England across Nottinghamshire)
Dunham House
Westgate, Southwell, Notts
NG25 0JL

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(539) 10-January-2006 - ERD Continues to Aid Communities in Pakistan
devasted by Earthquake 05 - Pakistan

As heavy snow and rain fall in areas of Pakistan impacted by last
October's earthquake, Episcopal Relief and Development continues its
support aiding communities most affected by the deadly earthquake.
Nearly 80,000 people were killed and approximately 3.5 million people,
85% of who are from rural communities, have become homeless. It
destroyed over 203,000 dwellings and almost 300,000 are uninhabitable
due to damage. An estimated 400,000 people are now believed to be
aid-dependent in the highland zone.

ERD is working with dioceses in the Church of Pakistan to provide relief
supplies, shelter materials, and medical care to underserved and
isolated areas.

Peshawar

In Peshawar, ERD's partnership with the Diocese of Peshawar is
supporting a field office and static basic health unit in an army tent
camp near Bala Kot which is serving approximately 2,400 persons. ERD's
support is providing transportation for mobile relief units into upper
regions of the mountains and a vehicle that will be converted into an
ambulance. Two mobile units have visited approximately 36 villages,
serving almost 6,000 people, in outlying mountain areas. The long-term
rehabilitation plan will focus on the areas located in the mountains
near Ghari Habib Ullah. Through ERD's partnership, an emergency shelter
will be constructed in 20 villages that can be dissembled and relocated
as necessary. ERD is developing a long-term plan to transition emergency
health facilities into community-based health services. The program will
train select community members as health workers and provide services
including resources for improving women's health.

'While modest in terms of the overall needs of the earthquake victims,
the ministry of the Church in these areas is notable,' said Kirsten
Laursen, ERD's Senior Program Director of Asia and New Initiatives. 'The
Church has managed medical institutions in Pakistan for more than 100
years, and ERD and the Church are committed to working with affected
communities over many years,' said Laursen.

Azad Kashmir

In Azad Kashmir, ERD's partner, Diocese of Sialkot, is providing medical
care through a static unit in Ghaziabad, Bagh District, where more than
100 patients seek care and treatment each day. The unit is staffed by
one doctor, two nurses, and a health worker who live at the site. Since
the earthquake, the diocese has given medical treatment to 3,500 people
and treated wounds of another 1,200 patients. Over 150 patients were
transported to base camps for major and minor surgeries, 10 babies were
deliveries, and 100 families received steel sheets for constructing
sturdier shelters. ERD's support is providing a stronger, heated unit as
well as improved housing for medical and assessment teams, medicines,
clothing and blankets, and steel sheeting for housing. The partnership
is also providing transportation for monitoring the work at the unit in
Ghaziabad and mobile units.

To help people affected by the earthquake in Pakistan, donate to the
Pakistan Fund at
http://www.er-d.org/

or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal
Relief and Development, Pakistan Fund, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.

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(538) 10-January-2006 - Church of England says marriage can only be
founded on consent - England

Forced Marriage is a wrong, not a right

The Church of England has supported moves to create a specific criminal
offence of 'forcing someone to marry' in its submission to a Home Office
review on the issue.

In the Church's submission, the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Tom Butler,
says: 'We strongly affirm the principle reflected in the consultation
that forced marriages are wrong legally and morally. The idea of consent
is key for the Christian understanding of marriage, and the very
foundation of the concept of marriage in English law.'

The consultation was organised to identify whether the longer term
benefits of introducing primary legislation would help change ingrained
attitudes to the issue and aid young people who face the prospect of
entering a marriage against their wishes.

The Church's response is founded on the principle that non consensual
marriage should be dealt with on the same basis as non consensual sexual
relations, as an issue of fundamental human rights.

Rejecting the idea that existing legislation and protective measures are
sufficient to prevent forced marriages, the Church's response points to
the experiences of around 250 cases dealt with by the Government's
Forced Marriage Unit each year - and many more such abuses which take
place without being brought to the attention of the authorities.

The submission also highlights the importance of an integrated
communications campaign to support the introduction of any future
legislation in this area, to help alleviate concerns that new legal
powers could be misinterpreted as an attack on one section of the
community.

'It is also important that marriage based on consent, whether arranged
or chosen by the couple, is not unintentionally undermined by
legislation in this area,' concludes the Bishop.

Notes to Editors

The subject of 'forced' marriages should be understood as quite distinct
from 'arranged' marriages, where the potential spouses give their full
and free consent to the arrangement proposed by their families.

Further information:

Church of England Communications Office
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3NZ
Telephone: 020 7898 1326

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