wfn.org | [ELD] Episcopal Church welcomes White House's consultations with faith groups

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>February 24, 2009

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Episcopal Church welcomes White House's consultations
with faith groups
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - PROVINCE IX: Synod hears about models for
self-sufficiency
* MULTIMEDIA - Image Gallery: Pilgrims experience liturgy, heritage of
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
* OPINION - Varied understandings: Different lenses provide different
views of Scripture
* DAYBOOK - February 25, 2009: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - M.L.K.: Journey of a King

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Episcopal Church welcomes White House's consultations with faith groups

Government relations office bases Washington advocacy in baptismal covenant

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] Beginning with his transition team in the
days after Barack Obama's election November 4, and continuing now with
his administration, members of the 44th U.S. president's
administration have been routinely inviting representatives of faith
communities to offer policy advice.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori recently called the
administration's desire to listen to religious leaders "refreshing and
exceeding hopeful." The Episcopal Church's Office of Government
Relations (OGR) has already participated in a number of meetings on
policy issues, she said, "and we only expect that to grow."

Maureen Shea, OGR director, told ENS that during the transition
between the Bush and Obama administrations OGR staff members attended
meetings with Obama's staff on eco-justice, domestic needs, torture,
reauthorization of foreign aid, immigration, and the Middle East.
Those conversations have continued into the new administration, she
said.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_105360_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DIOCESAN DIGEST

PROVINCE IX: Synod hears about models for self-sufficiency

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] During their recent synod meeting, members of
the Episcopal Church's Province IX heard a strong call toward
development as a means toward becoming self-sufficient.

Representatives of the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic's
development group described their efforts to help the diocese develop
financial resources for its mission and ministry. Diocese of Puerto
Rico Bishop David Alvarez said he also told the synod that development
aimed at self-sufficiency is crucial.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_105366_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>MULTIMEDIA

Image Gallery: Pilgrims experience liturgy, heritage of Ethiopian
Orthodox Church

[Episcopal News Service] In mid-January, the Rev. Clayton Morris, the
Episcopal Church's liturgical officer, spent two weeks in Ethiopia
with 20 other pilgrims to experience the country and the liturgical
life of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The pilgrims visited the
capital city of Addis Ababa, and saw ancient churches in cities to the
north, such as Bahr Dar, Gonder, Axum and Lalibela. The event that
drew the pilgrims to Ethiopia was Timkat, the feast of Epiphany, which
is the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's most important, annual liturgical
celebration.

An image gallery is available at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80056_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>OPINION

>Varied understandings

Different lenses provide different views of Scripture

>By Katharine Jefferts Schori

[Episcopal Life] The primates' meeting has come and gone, and I'm sure
there will have been abundant commentary by the time this is
published. I'd like to reflect on some of the deeper issues behind our
conversations about sexuality, particularly the influence of our
understanding of gender.

The most intriguing conversation I had in Alexandria was with a
primate who asked how same-sex couples partition "roles." He literally
asked if one was identified as the wife and one as the husband, and
then wanted to know which one promised to obey the other in the
marriage ceremony. Several of us explained that marriage in the West
is most often understood as a partnership of equals, and has been for
some time.

Those of you with a few more years on you may remember that the
marriage service in the 1928 (and earlier versions) of the Book of
Common Prayer did indeed have language about the wife obeying her
husband. It's pertinent here to note that the 1662 English Book of
Common Prayer is still the norm in many provinces of the Anglican
Communion, and it uses the same kind of language about obeying in the
marriage service.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_105359_ENG_HTM.htm

More Opinion: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On February 25, 2009, the church calendar remembers Ash Wednesday.

* 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 February 25, 1570, Pope Pius V excommunicated
and deposed Queen Elizabeth I, declaring her to be a usurper to the
throne of England. On February 25, 1796, Samuel Seabury, first bishop
of the Episcopal Church, died.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"M.L.K.: Journey of a King" from Harry N. Abrams, Inc., by Tonya
Bolden, 128 pages, hardcover, c. 2007, $19.95

[Harry N. Abrams, Inc.] Illustrated with period photography, this
one-of-a-kind biography of the civil-rights pioneer by a Coretta Scott
King Honor author is sure to become a classic. In the tradition of her
award-winning book Maritcha, Tonya Bolden brings words and pictures
together to tell the life story of one of America's greatest figures:
Martin Luther King, Jr. -- or M.L.K. Central to the story is King's
belief that agape -- the selfless love for one's neighbor -- is the
rope that binds all peoples together. This philosophy came forward in
his sermons, in his daily practice, and especially in his support of
nonviolent protests. More than 80 photographs of M.L.K. preaching,
leading marches, being arrested, and overcoming the violence and
prejudice around him are juxtaposed with images of his wife and
family, of his fellow protestors, and of other leaders of the day. A
tribute to a great human being, M.L.K. will surely inspire young
readers.

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

Please note: all Black History Month titles are on sale at 25% off.
Sale ends on February 28.

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

>_____________________

Subscriptions to Episcopal Life, the monthly newspaper for all
Episcopalians, are offered to individuals for $27 per year. This is an
18% savings off the cover price. To subscribe call 1-800-374-9510 or
send an email to elife@aflwebprinting.com. Save even more with a $50
two-year subscription. Episcopal Life started in-depth coverage of
General Convention in January.