wfn.org | [ELD] Bulletin inserts for December 21 carry Presiding Bishop's Christmas message

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>Episcopal Life Daily
>December 10, 2008

Episcopal Life Online is available at  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Bulletin inserts for December 21 carry Presiding Bishop's
Christmas message
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - LOS ANGELES: Bishop authorizes blessings of lifelong
covenantal relationships
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - PROVINCE VIII: Energy Oscars recognize environmental
action of California congregations
* WORLD REPORT - MELANESIA: Archbishop Pogo retires after 14 years as
primate
* WORLD REPORT - PAKISTAN: Privilege to be present in 'hostile' area,  says
Peshawar bishop
* WORLD REPORT - SOUTHERN AFRICA: Churches told financial institutions  are
too powerful
* WORLD REPORT - SOUTHERN AFRICA: Forced removal of Mugabe could cause
bloodshed, says church head
* PEOPLE - Charles Crump, deputy to 17 General Conventions, retires at  95
* EDUCATION - Seminary of Southwest launches education center for laity
* CALENDAR - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - Third Sunday in Advent - Year B
* DAYBOOK - December 11, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Great Music of Christmas

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Bulletin inserts for December 21 carry Presiding Bishop's Christmas  message

[Episcopal Life Weekly] As Christmas Day approaches, Episcopal Life  Weekly
bulletin inserts for December 21, the fourth Sunday of Advent, will  carry a
Christmas message to the Church from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori reflecting on the light of the Incarnation and the Christian's
responsibility to carry that light into the world.

Bulletin inserts are available at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/95270_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DIOCESAN DIGEST

LOS ANGELES: Bishop authorizes blessings of lifelong covenantal
relationships
 
By Pat McCaughan
 
[Episcopal News Service] Bishop J. Jon Bruno of Los Angeles has  authorized
the use of a rite for the "Sacramental Blessing of a Life-long Covenant"  for
both same-gender and heterosexual couples.
 
The blessing "involves the exchange of vows between two people who make  a
public declaration of unconditional, covenantal love. This God-type love
draws us all into the experience of God. It seems obvious that two men  or
two women are just as capable of making such a covenantal commitment of
lifelong, God-like love as are a man and a woman," according to a policy
statement prepared by the Bishop's Task Force on Marriage.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_103657_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - - - - -

PROVINCE VIII: Energy Oscars recognize environmental action of  California
congregations

>By Phina Borgeson

[Episcopal News Service] Environmentalists from congregations around
California gathered at All Souls Episcopal Church in Berkeley on  December 4
for the second annual Energy Oscars presented by California Interfaith  Power
and Light (CIPL).

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_103628_ENG_HTM.htm

More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

MELANESIA: Archbishop Pogo retires after 14 years as primate

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] The Most Rev. Sir Ellison Pogo of the Church of
Melanesia retired December 9 after serving as primate of the  southwestern
Pacific province for 14 years, making him the longest-serving archbishop  of
the Anglican Communion.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_103626_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

PAKISTAN: Privilege to be present in 'hostile' area, says Peshawar  bishop

>By Henrik Hansson

[Ecumenical News International, Peshawar, Pakistan] As a tiny minority  in
sometimes harsh circumstances, Christians in Pakistan's North Western
Frontier Province of Pakistan find themselves in the midst of a complex
conflict involving regional and global powers.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_103630_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Churches told financial institutions are too powerful

>By Frank Jomo

[Ecumenical News International, Maputo] International financial  institutions
have deviated from their mandate of assisting the economic development  of
poorer nations through aid, investment and trade and are now controlling
their political and economic agenda, a gathering of African churches in  the
Mozambican capital has been told.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_103624_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Forced removal of Mugabe could cause bloodshed, says  church
head

>By Frank Jomo

[Ecumenical News International, Maputo] The president of the Zimbabwe
Council of Churches, Bishop Naison Shava, has told the  once-every-five-years
general assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches that removing
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe by force would cause more bloodshed for
ordinary citizens in his southern African country.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_103629_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Charles Crump, deputy to 17 General Conventions, retires at 95

>By Lisa B. Hamilton

[Episcopal News Service] The 76th General Convention of the Episcopal  Church
will be unlike the 17 that preceded it. Charles Metcalf Crump, 95, who  has
served as a deputy from the Diocese of West Tennessee at every General
Convention since 1958, won't be serving, citing "age and future health"  as
reasons he decided against running for election to the 2009 event.

In an interview, Crump said that his desire to serve as a deputy  "naturally
arose" out of his lifelong involvement as a parishioner and his adult
involvement in the Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee, which he eventually
served as president.

Crump recalled his first General Convention more than 50 years ago. "It  was
in Miami Beach, and we were crowded into a little hotel room seated in
folding chairs jammed together." Working conditions aside, the biggest
surprise to him was the way in which resolutions were made. After a  short
oral summary, a vote was taken. Deputies did not know until the summary  was
presented what was going to be proposed, nor did they have a written  record
of what had happened the day before or what was on that day's agenda.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_103648_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>EDUCATION

Seminary of Southwest launches education center for laity

[Episcopal News Service] The Seminary of the Southwest  (http://www.ssw.edu)
in Austin, Texas has launched a Center for Christian Ministry and  Vocation
(http://www.ssw.edu/curriculum/additional) (CCMV) that brings together a
variety of existing programs for those called to lay ministry, inside  and
outside the Episcopal Church.

"All Christians are called to serve God through the exercise of their  unique
gifts and experiences," said Ellen Jockusch, center director.

The center offers three master's degree programs in counseling, arts,  and
chaplaincy and pastoral care. Several courses are available on week  nights
and weekends to accommodate part-time students.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_103625_ENG_HTM.htm

More Education: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_93222_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>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

>Third Sunday in Advent - Year B

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8,  19-28

>By Alan Kubicek

[Sermons That Work] A Sunday school teacher in Kansas reports this
conversation in her class:

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my  money
to the church, would that get me into Heaven?" she asked the children in  her
Sunday school class.

>"No!" the children all answered.

Full reflection: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82478_103601_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

>On December 11, 2008...

* 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 December 11, 1640, Puritans introduced a petition  to
the English Parliament seeking to abolish the church episcopacy, "with  all
its dependencies, roots and branches." The House of Commons accepted  what
has become known as the "Roots and Branch Petition," but the House of  Lords
rejected it, and the episcopacy remained in the Church of England.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Great Music of Christmas" from Church Publishing, Inc., by the  Cathedral &
Boys and Girls Choirs of St. John's, Denver, directed by Donald Pearson,  CD,
c. 1996, $18

[Church Publishing, Inc.] This CD features old and new hymns and carols  from
The Hymnal 1982.

>Track List:

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 2. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 3. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming 4. Unto Us a Boy is Born 5. Away in a Manger 6. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks 7. A Child is Born in Bethlehem 8. The Angel Gabriel 9. The Snow Lay on the Ground 10. A La Ru 11. From Heaven Above Earth I Come 12. 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime 13. Angels We Have Heard on High 14. Joy To the World 15. O Little Town of Bethlehem 16. Lully, Lullay 17. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 18. Nova, Nova 19. In the Bleak Midwinter 20. On This Day 21. A Stable Lamp is Lighted 22. Now Greet the Swiftly Changing Year 23. Silent Night 24. Good Christian Friends, Rejoice 25. What Child is This 26. O Come, All Ye Faithful

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

More Catalyst: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/83842_ENG_HTM.htm