wfn.org | [ELD] Three-year revenue projections decreased by $9 million / Survey invites Episcopalians to help

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>June 24, 2009

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Three-year revenue projections decreased by $9 million
* TOP STORY - Survey invites Episcopalians to help shape the church
* WORLD REPORT - TANZANIA: Government allows religious groups to keep  tax
exemption
* PEOPLE - Susan Harlow named director of congregational development at
Seabury-Western
* CALENDAR - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - June 28 - Fourth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper  8 -
Year B
* DAYBOOK - June 25: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Salmos - Conozca Su Biblia / Psalms - Know Your Bible

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Three-year revenue projections decreased by $9 million

Program, Budget and Finance chair says creativity, new processes needed

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] Income during the 2010-2012 triennium could be  $9
million less than forecast last January, when a draft churchwide budget  was
approved, according to the chair of the Episcopal Church's budgetary
committee.

Pan Adams-McCaslin, chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Program,  Budget
and Finance (PB&F), said in a June 24 interview that diocesan  commitments
during the next three years could be an estimated $7.7 million less and
interest on the church's endowment funds is projected to be $1.3 million
less.

The diocesan figure is an estimate based on an on-going survey of  bishops
and diocesan financial officers, she said. They have been asked how
realistic it is to assume that they could fulfill the Executive  Council's
predicted one percent increase in diocesan income in 2010 and two  percent
increases in both 2011 and 2012.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_111147_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Survey invites Episcopalians to help shape the church

>By Lynette Wilson

[Episcopal News Service] What do you want the Episcopal Church to look  like
in 2019?

An eight-question survey

(http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Wu5I75KPqOhmGku87xaL6A_3d_3d)  posted
online June 24 asks Episcopalians?lay and ordained?to envision the  church in
10 years' time and to prioritize the strategies toward that vision.

Do you favor a multicultural church? Is evangelism "less important,"
"important," or "very important" to you? Should advocacy and social  justice
define the church? Or should the church be a combination of mission and
worship?

"We are looking at where we are as a church today and addressing hopes  and
desires," said the Rev. Christopher Johnson, a member of the Strategic
Planning Committee formed by Executive Council at its January 2009  meeting
in Stockton, California.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_111146_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

TANZANIA: Government allows religious groups to keep tax exemption

>By Fredrick Nzwili

[Ecumenical News International, Nairobi] The government of Tanzania says  it
will keep tax exemptions for religious organizations, after Christian  and
Muslim leaders in the country lobbied for their retention.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_111131_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Susan Harlow named director of congregational development at  Seabury-Western

[Seabury-Western] The Rev. Dr. M. Susan Harlow, an experienced  theological
educator and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, has been
hired as the director of congregational development and professor of
practical theology at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston,
Illinois. The executive committee of the board of trustees unanimously
approved Harlow's selection at a June 23 meeting at the seminary.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_111145_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_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

June 28 - Fourth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 8 - Year B

(RCL) 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 and Psalm 130; or Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15;
2:23-24 and Lamentations 3:21-33 or Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark
5:21-43

>By the Rev. Dr. Susanna Metz

"God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the
living."

What do you think about that verse from the Wisdom of Solomon?

If God didn't make death and doesn't delight in the death of the living,
then why do we love die, and who thought up heaven and hell? Why do our
loved ones or good people or poor people or children die?

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_109402_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

>On June 25, 2009...

* 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 25, 1115, Bernard founded a monastery at
Clairvaux, France, that would soon become the center of the Cistercian
religious order.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Salmos - Conozca Su Biblia / Psalms - Know Your Bible" from Augsburg
Fortress, by Francisco García-Treto, edited by Justo L. González,  160 pages,
paperback, c. 2008, $15

>[Augsburg Fortress] ¡Conozca su Biblia!

Una introducció sencilla, pero fresca y profunda, a cada uno de los  libros
de la Biblia.

Escrita con miras a quieness se dedican a la pastoral, a la  predicación y a
la educación, así como al laicado en general, por personas  comprometidas con
la fe cristiana, experimentadas en el estudio bíblico y formadas en la
cultura latina.

>Know your Bible!

A simple, but fresh and deep introduction to each one of the books of  the
Bible. This book is to be used by those who are dedicated to pastoral  care,
preaching and education, as well as by the laity in general, for people
who's Christian faith has been compromised, for those who have  experimented
with Bible Study, and those formed in Latino culture.

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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