wfn.org | [ELD] Obama's Cairo speech, peacemaking efforts welcomed by U.S. Christian leaders

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>June 4, 2009

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Obama's Cairo speech, peacemaking efforts welcomed by
U.S. Christian leaders
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - LOS ANGELES: All Saints, Pasadena, clergy opt out
of civil marriages until gay couples can legally wed
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - COLORADO: Final agreement reached in Grace-St.
Stephen's dispute
* WORLD REPORT - CONGO: Violent conflict causes massive displacement;
ERD responds
* WORLD REPORT - MIDDLE EAST: Settlements, Gaza focus of churches'
week for peace
* MISSION - In Oklahoma, Episcopalians minister to prisoners, work for
parole reform
* DAYBOOK - June 5, 2009: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation Through the Book of
Common Prayer

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Obama's Cairo speech, peacemaking efforts welcomed by U.S. Christian  leaders

Two-state solution in Israel/Palestine reaffirmed

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] A diverse group of U.S. Christian leaders has
written to President Barack Obama following his historic June 4 speech
in Cairo saying they stand ready to support "robust U.S. peacemaking
efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace."

Signed by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and more than 50
Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Evangelical and African
American church leaders, the open ecumenical letter to Obama noted
that "after decades of tragic conflict, many Israelis and Palestinians
despair of the possibility of peace, yet with your determined
leadership we believe the promise of two viable, secure and
independent states can be realized."

Obama's speech formed part of his first official visit to the Middle
East and followed several weeks of intense U.S. diplomacy with Arab
and Israeli leaders in Washington, D.C. Delivered to a predominantly
Muslim audience at Cairo University, his address tackled global
concerns such as violent extremism, the rights and responsibilities of
nations on nuclear weapons, democracy, religious freedom, women's
rights, and economic development and opportunity.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_109065_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DIOCESAN DIGEST

LOS ANGELES: All Saints, Pasadena, clergy opt out of civil marriages
until gay couples can legally wed

>Other congregations urged to follow suit

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] Clergy at All Saints Episcopal Church in
Pasadena are opting out of performing civil marriages until gay
couples can legally wed--and are encouraging other clergy to do
likewise, according to the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_109093_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

COLORADO: Final agreement reached in Grace-St. Stephen's dispute

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and a
breakaway congregation have reached a final agreement in a two-year
dispute over rightful ownership of Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church in Colorado Springs.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_109062_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

CONGO: Violent conflict causes massive displacement; ERD responds

[ERD] In the Democratic Republic of Congo, violent conflict between
rebel forces and the government has caused massive displacement in the
province of North Kivu in the eastern part of the country.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_108999_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

MIDDLE EAST: Settlements, Gaza focus of churches' week for peace

>By Judith Sudilovsky

[Ecumenical News International, Jerusalem] The world's biggest
grouping of churches is focusing on Israeli settlements and continuing
hardships in Gaza as part of its "World Week for Peace in Palestine
and Israel."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_109037_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>MISSION

In Oklahoma, Episcopalians minister to prisoners, work for parole reform

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] After serving two years in an Oklahoma state
prison, Melissa Serrano was paroled, but not released. At least not
until six months later.

For another prisoner, Noel (who asked that his real name be withheld),
the wait between parole and release was longer, about four years.

While they wait, Episcopalians in Oklahoma minister to their needs,
and advocate for changes in the parole system, which now causes
paroled prisoners like Melissa and Noel to remain in prison while the
state's governor approves the parole board's granting of parole. The
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma passed a resolution at its 2008
convention calling for action to change the way the state deals with
parole.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_109091_ENG_HTM.htm

More Mission: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On June 5, 2009, the church calendar remembers Boniface, archbishop of
Mainz, missionary to Germany, and martyr (c.672-754).

* 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 June 5, 1991, Bishop Ronald Haines of
Washington (D.C.) ordained Elizabeth Carl, an open lesbian, to the
priesthood at the Church of the Epiphany in downtown Washington.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation Through the Book of Common
Prayer" from InterVarsity Press, by David A. DeSilva, 288 pages,
paperback, c. 2008, $18

[InterVarsity Press] As David DeSilva has experienced the ancient
wisdom of the Book of Common Prayer, he's been formed spiritually in
deep and lasting ways. In these pages, he offers you a brand new way
to use the Book of Common Prayer, that you too might experience new
growth, new intimacy with God and a new lens through which to view the
world.

Focusing on the four sacramental rites of baptism, Eucharist, marriage
and burial, deSilva explores each one in depth through the prayers,
liturgies and Scripture readings of the Book of Common Prayer, and
then adds his own devotional exercises that help you immediately apply
what you've reflected on. As you read and contemplate the material,
you may notice old habits, wrong beliefs, negative patterns being
replaced with new desires and perspectives that help you draw ever
closer to God.

In this innovative and engaging resource David deSilva invites you in
to a new way of being spiritually formed through an old book that has
shaped thousands of disciples through the years. "I hope that, as you
read and pray through this guide," he writes, "you will discover
afresh the ways in which the rites contained in the Book of Common
Prayer facilitate a genuine encounter with God, and a transforming
experience of grace."

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

>_____________________

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