Episcopal Life Online Daybook -- Today is Wednesday, November 21, 2007.
Editor's note: Episcopal Life Online will observe the Thanksgiving holiday. Full service will resume on Monday, November 26.
* 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 1695, Henry Purcell, English organist and composer of church music, died at Dean's Yard, Westminster.
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In Seoul, Episcopal Church delegation reflects on TOPIK, considers future of Korea
By Neva Rae Fox
[Episcopal News Service, Seoul] Peace and reconciliation in Korea will require a shared process for governments, religious denominations, and social systems, said presenters, participants and the Episcopal Church delegation to the international Anglican conference, Towards Peace in Korea (TOPIK), held November 14-20 in Paju, near Seoul, South Korea.
More than 150 primates, clergy and lay leaders from around the Anglican Communion gathered for TOPIK, hosted by the Anglican Church in Korea (ACK).
"TOPIK has certainly placed the issue of reunification of the Korean Peninsula high on the agenda of the Anglican Communion," noted the Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, director of Peace and Justice Ministries.
"A conference like this fills you with hope that people of good will can make a difference. We surely need such signs of hope amidst an often discouraging and all too violent world," Grieves continued. "I leave Seoul encouraged about the future and deeply admiring of the Church here for working tirelessly for reconciliation and justice."
The TOPIK Conference highlighted "the work and the potential of our church at its best," noted Kirsten Laursen Muth, senior program director for Episcopal Relief and Development. "There are so many places of brokenness in our world today; some we hear or see everyday; others are almost forgotten; too few are understood."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_92030_ENG_HTM.htm
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Church-wide health-care feasibility study needs to hear from congregations, employees
[Episcopal News Service] During the past year, the Church Pension Group (CPG) has been studying health-care benefits coverage across the Episcopal Church in response to General Convention Resolution A147.
In July 2007, CPG sent requests for information to congregations and to individual employees, both clergy and lay. (It is important to note that these data requests were different from the requests for data about lay employees and their benefits -- that data-gathering was part of a study authorized by General Convention Resolution A125.)
As of November 13, only 2,129 congregations out of more than 7,100 nationwide have responded to the July request.
"Surveying employers is essential for us to obtain the appropriate data for understanding the current healthcare coverage situation within the church, so that we can create the best long-term solution," said the Rev. Robert Griffith, the data analyst for the project who has been heading up the data collection efforts for several months.
If yours is one of the 5,000 congregations that has not responded, please log on to http://www.researchstar.com/a147employers to provide information about your congregation's health-benefits program and expenditures. The site will remain open through November 30.
Also as of November 13, some 8,100 individual employees have completed the health-care benefits questionnaire. However, more than two-thirds of the clergy and a large percentage of part-time lay employees (those working 20-29 hours per week) have not responded. If you are one of the individual employees who has not responded, please log on to http://www.esurveystar.com/a147individuals before November 30, 2007 to provide your personal health-benefits information. All individual data will be kept strictly confidential.
Help logging into the system is available by emailing A147info@cpg.org or calling 800- 223-6002, x1808 to speak with Anne Hurst.
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WEEKS AHEAD
Full calendar: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_1669_ENG_HTM.htm
Events
11/30/2007
>> STATEN ISLAND, New York: Church of St. Andrew kicks off 300 year anniversary >> RIVERSIDE, California: Diocese of Los Angeles to meet in convention >> SALTER PATH, North Carolina: Prison Ministry Conference
12/2/2007
>> WASHINGTON, D.C.: Cathedral College of Preachers
12/6/2007
>> NEWARK, New Jersey: Provincial Leadership Conference
12/7/2007
>> FRESNO, California: Diocese of San Joaquin to meet in convention
12/8/2007
>> CAMDEN, New Jersey: HipHopEMass celebration
12/9/2007
>> BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania: Barbara Crafton live
12/16/2007
>> WASHINGTON, DC: State of New York to be celebrated at Cathedral
12/21/2007
>> ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey: Hip Hop Christmas
1/18/2008
>> GREENSBORO, North Carolina: Diocese of North Carolina to meet in convention
1/25/2008
>> ORMOND BEACH, Florida: Diocese of Central Florida to meet in convention >> RESTON, Virginia: Diocese of Virginia to meet in convention >> ROANOKE, Virginia: Diocese of Southwestern Virginia to meet in convention >> GATLINBURG, Tennessee: Diocese of East Tennessee to meet in convention >> PARSIPPANY, New Jersey: Diocese of Newark to meet in convention >> WASHINGTON, D.C.: Diocese of Washington to meet in convention
1/26/2008
>> LIVE OAK, Florida: Diocese of Florida to meet in convention
1/27/2008
>> BURLINGTON, Vermont: Developing Spiritual Communities
1/28/2008
>> BERKELEY, California: Epiphany West Interfaith Conference 2008
1/31/2008
>> EAST CAROLINA: Diocese of East Carolina to meet in convention
Music
11/21/2007
>> CLEVELAND, Ohio: Brownbag Concerts Continue
11/25/2007
>> NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey: Music at Christ Church
11/28/2007
>> CLEVELAND, Ohio: Trinity Chamber Orchestra
11/29/2007
>> SEATTLE, Washington: Black Nativity: A Gospel Song Play by Langston Hughes
12/1/2007
>> MIDDLEBURG, Virginia: Piedmont Singers Christmas Concerts >> NEW YORK CITY: Tallis and Tudors
12/2/2007
>> LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Ceremony of Lessons and Carols for Advent >> NORTHBROOK, Illinois: Advent Choral Evensong, MDG Benefit
12/4/2007 >> MEMPHIS, Tennessee: Concert Series
12/5/2007
>> CLEVELAND, Ohio: Trinity Cathedral Brownbag Concerts
12/9/2007
>> WICKFORD, Rhode Island: Festival of Lessons and Carols
12/12/2007
>> CLEVELAND, Ohio: Trinity Cathedral Brownbag Concerts
12/14/2007 >> BIRMINGHAM, Alabama: Mid-day Musical Menu
12/15/2007
>> SHORELINE, Washington: Ladies of Madrigalia in Concert
12/19/2007 >> CLEVELAND, Ohio: The Annual Messiah Sing
12/24/2007
>> LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Christmas Carol prelude to Midnight Mass
1/6/2008
>> LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Choral Evensong and Organ with Instruments Recital
1/13/2008
>> THE PLAINS, Virginia: Grace Church Concert Series continues >> MEMPHIS, Tennessee: Concert Series
1/25/2008 >> BIRMINGHAM, Alabama: Mid-day Musical Menu
Full calendar: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_1669_ENG_HTM.htm
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Catalyst: "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World" from Random House, Inc., by Bill Clinton, 240 pages, hardcover, c. 2007, $24.95
[Source: Random House, Inc.] Here, from Bill Clinton, is a call to action. Giving is an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations -- and by individuals -- to solve problems and save lives both "down the street and around the world." Then it urges us to seek out what each of us, "regardless of income, available time, age, and skills," can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams.
Clinton writes about men and women who traded in their corporate careers, and the fulfillment they now experience through giving. He writes about energy-efficient practices, about progressive companies going green, about promoting fair wages and decent working conditions around the world. He shows us how one of the most important ways of giving can be an effort to change, improve, or protect a government policy. He outlines what we as individuals can do, the steps we can take, how much we should consider giving, and why our giving is so important.
Bill Clinton's own actions in his post-presidential years have had an enormous impact on the lives of millions. Through his foundation and his work in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, he has become an international spokesperson and model for the power of giving.
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