Episcopal Life Online Newslink November 27, 2007
Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.
Today's ELO Newslink includes:
* TOP STORY - Annapolis Peace Conference announcement said to 'bring hope' to Middle East * WORLD REPORT - CHINA: Christians to celebrate 'miracle' of 50 million Bibles * MISSION - Beijing Circles to gather in New York for reflection, presentations and interactive work * MULTIMEDIA - Image Gallery: Presiding Bishop visits Asia * OPINION - Provocateur column on open Communion generates mixed responses
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TOP STORIES
Annapolis Peace Conference announcement said to 'bring hope' to Middle East Religious leaders call for prayers for peace conference
[Episcopal News Service] An announcement out of the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland that the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and of Israel have agreed to begin immediate negotiations for a peace settlement to be reached by December 2008 "brings hope to Israelis and Palestinians alike," Maureen Shea, director of the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations, said November 27.
"President Bush and Secretary of State Rice are to be commended for their efforts, and particularly for inviting Syria to this historic meeting," Shea said.
She noted, however, that "realizing the goal of two states living side by side in peace will require the continued sustained commitment of both the president and the secretary of state."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_92142_ENG_HTM.htm
More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife
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WORLD REPORT
CHINA: Christians to celebrate 'miracle' of 50 million Bibles http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_92106_ENG_HTM.htm
More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm
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MISSION
Beijing Circles to gather in New York for reflection, presentations and interactive work
[Episcopal News Service] The Beijing Circles movement will meet February 25-29, 2008 in the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City as part of a series of regional gatherings to introduce the Beijing Circles Resource and allow practice using it.
Beijing Circles is a tool which offers the church a way for people to connect to the work of the third Millennium Development Goal -- Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.
The gathering, which coincides with the annual session of the United Nations for the Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) that brings together thousands of women from all over the world, will include reflection time, introduction to and practice with the resource, as well as presentations and interactive work.
"This is an opportunity to take advantage of the many side events being held in conjunction with the UN meeting, while providing the opportunity for us to practice using the Beijing Circles process to build solidarity with others and see appropriate solutions to issues women face around the world," said Susanne Watson Epting, editor of the Beijing Circles Resource.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_92139_ENG_HTM.htm
More Mission Focus: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_ENG_HTM.htm
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MULTIMEDIA
Image Gallery: Presiding Bishop visits Asia
[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, during a nine-day visit to Asia, met with senior church officials in China, including Anglican-ordained Bishop K. H. Ting, and led a peace trip into North Korea before attending the international Anglican conference, Towards Peace in Korea (TOPIK), held November 17-20 in Seoul, South Korea. A selection of images from the Presiding Bishop's visit to Asia is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81991_91966_ENG_HTM.htm.
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OPINION
Provocateur column on open Communion generates mixed responses
[Episcopal Life] Sixty readers responded to the "Provocateur" column, "Should the Episcopal Church be practicing 'open Communion?'" Thirty-one readers wrote letters; 29 clicked the "Respond" button on the website. The question accompanying Laura Peckham's essay was: "Is an open invitation to the Communion table radical hospitality or cheap hospitality that makes knowledge of Christ unimportant?"
Some responses are excerpted at
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_92113_ENG_HTM.htm
More Opinion: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_ENG_HTM.htm