Episcopal Life Online Daybook -- Today is Monday, October 29, 2007. The Church remembers James Hannington, bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, and his companions, martyrs (1847-1885).
* 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 this day in 1704, John Locke, English philosopher, died in Essex, England.
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MISSION
Asian theologians wrestle with reconciliation issues at historic Exchange Forum
By Winfred Vergara
[Episcopal News Service] Thirty scholars and theologians from Asia and the United States gathered October 23-25 at Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), for a historic Asia America Theological Exchange (AATE) Forum.
The first AATE Forum, organized by the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry (EAM), the Episcopal Church's Anglican and Global Relations (AGR) Asia-Pacific office, CDSP's Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership (CALL), in collaboration with Province VIII's Asia Commission and the China Friendship Society of the Diocese of California, revolved around the theme of "The church as Agent of Reconciliation?"
The sessions began with a welcome from the Rev. Dr. David Gortner, director of the Berkeley, California-based seminary's CALL program, and from Peter Ng, AGR's partnership officer for Asia-Pacific.
In a written message that was read during the welcome, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said that the theme of reconciliation "strikes a deep chord among us because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation." She noted that the catechism contained in the Book of Common Prayer clearly states that "the mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ."
"We pursue the mission of reconciliation through prayer and worship, proclaiming the Good News in Christ, promoting justice, peace and love," Jefferts Schori wrote. "In the Episcopal Church, we hold evangelism and social action as two wings of our missionary enterprise. The proclamation of God's saving act in Christ characterizes our liturgical life and the pursuit of the local and global actions on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has become our first priority as a church."
Jefferts Schori added that "we from North America are awed by the depth and excellence of your Christian witness in Asia and I look forward to learning from your insights."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_91399_ENG_HTM.htm
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Catalyst: "Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year" from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens, 81 pages, paperback, c. 2007, $12
[Source: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.] The use of prayer beads, which has a long history in practical spirituality, is now becoming more widespread among Protestants. Doerr and Owens here show readers how to use what have become known as Anglican or Christian prayer beads. Readers can then use the basic prayer structure provided by the beads to pray their way through each day -- morning, noon, and night -- and through the church year. These prayers -- a thoughtfully chosen combination of quotations from Scripture and gleanings from the Book of Common Prayer -- can be enhanced and enriched by the mindful and meditative practice of using beads.
Doerr and Owens encourage readers to use beads as "something to hang onto, a lifeline to the Presence that lies, often hidden or forgotten, at the center of our lives." Praying with beads, as outlined and embodied in this little book, has the potential to transform one's prayer life.
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