wfn.org | [ELD] Obama, faith leaders urge people of faith to participate in health care reform / Lutheran Chur

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>August 20, 2009

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Obama, religious leaders urge people of faith to participate
in health care reform
* TOP STORY - Lutheran Churchwide Assembly adopts statement on sexuality
* TOP STORY - Persecution of Pakistani Christians must end, interfaith
group says
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - EAST TENNESSEE: Discussion guide offered on
Christian basis for universal health coverage
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - HAWAI'I: St. Paul's, Honolulu, to celebrate 50
years of Filipino-American ministry
* WORLD REPORT - SCOTLAND: Primus respects decision to release Lockerbie
bomber
* WORLD REPORT - SOUTH AFRICA: Council uneasy at exclusion from Zuma's
interfaith group
* OPINION - Out of death, new life
* DAYBOOK - August 21: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Episcopal Church Welcomes You - Pad and Pen Set

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Obama, religious leaders urge people of faith to participate in health care
reform

>By Lynette Wilson

[Episcopal News Service] President Barack Obama urged people of faith
to knock on doors and spread the facts and the truth about health care
reform during "40 Minutes for Heath Care Reform," an August 19
telephone call-in and webcast.

"Time and again men and women of faith have helped to show us what is
possible when we are guided by our hopes and not our fears. That's
what you have done before; that's how we were able to succeed in
establishing social security and Medicare and bring about justice
through the civil rights movement," Obama said. "That's what you can
do again today to help us achieve quality affordable health care for
every American."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_113649_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Lutheran Churchwide Assembly adopts statement on sexuality

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of America by a two-thirds majority August 19 approved
a theological statement addressing human sexuality, setting the stage
for an anticipated vote Friday on whether to allow pastors in
committed same-sex relationships to serve in local congregations.

"Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" was adopted 676 to 338 by assembly
participants, meeting August 17-23 in Minneapolis. About 2,000
participants are attending the assembly, the chief legislative
authority of the ELCA, themed "God's work. Our hands." Of those, 1,045
are eligible to vote.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_113646_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Persecution of Pakistani Christians must end, interfaith network says

>Petition calls for repeal of blasphemy law

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] The ongoing persecution of Christian
minorities in Pakistan has brought condemnation from Anglicans and
Muslims worldwide who are calling for a revision to the country's law
that has been used to justify recent attacks by extremists.

On August 20, the Network of Inter Faith Concerns for the Anglican
Communion (NIFCON) announced that it is one of the main sponsors of a
petition being drawn up asking the government of Pakistan to repeal
the law against blasphemy.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_113643_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DIOCESAN DIGEST

EAST TENNESSEE: Discussion guide offered on Christian basis for
universal health coverage

[Diocese of East Tennessee] A discussion guide for churches regarding
healthcare coverage for all is available on the web site of the
Diocese of East Tennessee. The guide, created in conjunction with
resolution C071, "Healthcare Coverage for All," adopted by the 2009
General Convention of the Episcopal Church, encourages each
congregation to provide education to its members concerning the
Christian basis for universal health care coverage.

The bioethics committee of the diocese began discussing the topic of
healthcare coverage about 18 months ago, just before it became an
issue in the presidential primaries, said committee chair Glenn
Graber.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_113644_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

HAWAI'I: St. Paul's, Honolulu, to celebrate 50 years of
Filipino-American ministry

>By ENS staff

[Episcopal News Service] It will be 50 years ago this weekend when the
first Filipino-American Eucharist was held at St. Paul's Episcopal
Church in Honolulu, marking the birth of Filipino ministry in the
United States.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_113425_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

SCOTLAND: Primus respects decision to release Lockerbie bomber

>By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] The Scottish Government's decision to release
the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, on compassionate
grounds has been hailed as "a brave political choice" by the Most Rev.
David Chillingworth, primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_113514_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

SOUTH AFRICA: Council uneasy at exclusion from Zuma's interfaith group

>By Munyaradzi Makoni

[Ecumenical News International, Cape Town] The largest Christian
grouping in South Africa says it is concerned that it was not invited
to be part of an interfaith group formed to help President Jacob Zuma
deal with national protests against a lack of essential services.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_113513_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>OPINION

>Out of death, new life

>By Jay Hildebrand

[Episcopal News Service] I had sat in the very same pew before, never
having been able to stay for more than ten minutes. Ever since my wife
died, I had been visiting her grave on Sundays and would walk into the
Church of the Intercession in New York City afterwards, but I had no
patience for anything. Why should today be any different?

I had called the Rev. Nora Smith and asked to talk to her, and she
said to come to services and afterwards she would see me. It had been
almost five months since I had found my wife at home lying in bed. It
was the way she wanted to go, no pain, no operations, just go to
sleep. For me, there was not a moment's peace. The emotion and
physical pain were almost unbearable. We were true soulmates. We
talked to each other constantly and were almost inseparable. She had
even become part of my business, starting a giftware department in my
store.

Full article: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_113596_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

>On August 21, 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 August 21, 1245, Alexander of Hales, English
scholastic theologian, died in Paris. On August 21, 1799, Alexander R.
Reinagle, British church organist and composer, was born in Brighton,
England.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Episcopal Church Welcomes You - Pad and Pen Set" from Episcopal Books
and Resources, spiral bound, features the Episcopal Shield, $10

[Episcopal Books and Resources] A perfect notepad to keep by the
phone, this matching pen and convenient spiral bound paper set can be
used in the office, in the church kitchen, or at home! Makes a great
gift for newcomers!

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