wfn.org | [ENS] Judge partially blocks Arizona's controversial immigration law; prayer vigils to proceed as pl

[<mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>Episcopal News Service
>July 28, 2010

Episcopal News Service is available at  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ens.

>Today's Episcopal News Service includes:

* TOP STORY - Judge partially blocks Arizona's controversial
immigration law; prayer vigils to proceed as planned
* TOP STORY - Presiding bishop featured in wide-ranging live webcast
* CALENDAR - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS - August 1, 2010 - Tenth Sunday After
Pentecost, Proper 13 - Year C
* DAYBOOK - July 29: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* EPISCOPAL BOOKS & RESOURCES PICK - "Finding Hope: Cultivating God's
Gift of a Hopeful Spirit"

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Judge partially blocks Arizona's controversial immigration law; prayer
vigils to proceed as planned

By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service, Phoenix, Arizona] Activists hailed a federal
judge's July 28 decision to partially block sections of Arizona's
controversial immigration law and said they will proceed with prayer
vigils and protests as planned for July 29, the day the law was to
take effect.

"I think in one sense this is a victory in our democratic process of
checks and balances," said Bishop Kirk S. Smith of the Episcopal
Diocese of Arizona. "I think it's a victory that confirms our American
sense of compassion and fairness.

"I pray that this will open the way for a future more thoughtful and
humane resolution of our immigration crisis," added Smith, a scheduled
speaker at a 6 a.m. July 29 interfaith prayer vigil at Trinity
Episcopal Cathedral, part of a daylong series of anti-immigration law
demonstrations and events in downtown Phoenix and elsewhere.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_123730_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Presiding bishop featured in wide-ranging live webcast

>By Lynette Wilson

[Episcopal News Service] Domestic poverty, immigration, Anglican
Communion relations, Haiti and Sudan were among the diverse topics
discussed July 28 during a 45-minute conversation with Presiding
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori broadcast over the internet live from
the Episcopal Church Center in New York.

The presiding bishop took questions submitted via Facebook, Twitter
and e-mail. The full conversation, sponsored by the church's Office of
Communication and moderated by Public Affairs Officer Neva Rae Fox,
will be made available on the Episcopal Church homepage. The
conversation is also archived tweet-by-tweet on Twitter.

In the opening segment, Jefferts Schori talked about the recent
meeting of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion, of which
she is a member. She said the Standing Committee is moving toward
"transparency and a willingness toward productive work," including the
mission that draws members of the Anglican Communion together.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_123728_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>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

August 1, 2010 - Tenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 13 - Year C

>By the Rev. Canon Frank Logue

(RCL) Hosea 11:1-11 and Psalm 107:1-9, 43 (Track 2: Ecclesiastes 1:2,
12-14, 2:18-23 and Psalm 49:1-11); Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21

[Sermons That Work] There is a popular saying for church signs, "Too
Blessed to Be Depressed." It's a nice idea, isn't it? Think about
being so blessed by God and knowing it, that you can't possibly be
depressed. That is a wonderful thought. Unfortunately, it's not
scriptural. Very seldom does theology do well condensed to
bumper-sticker length. And also unfortunately, the notion that when
blessed by God, we are beyond the reach of depression is just wrong.

In this morning's reading from Ecclesiastes, we encounter a writer
better described as blessed and depressed. Sitting right in the middle
of our Bibles is a cynic who is blessed and depressed, and he's not
afraid to say so. The Teacher writes that he was King of Israel in
Jerusalem and later goes on to tell of his accomplishments, saying, "I
made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I
made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit
trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing
trees."

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_123440_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On July 29, 2010, the church remembers Mary and Martha of Bethany.

* 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 July 29, 1974, two retired and one resigned
bishop ordained 11 women deacons to priesthood in Philadelphia's
Church of the Advocate.

>_____________________

>EPISCOPAL BOOKS & RESOURCES PICK

"Finding Hope: Cultivating God's Gift of a Hopeful Spirit" by Marcia
Ford, paperback, 150 pages, c. 2007, $16.99.

[Skylight Paths] Discover the freedom and joy that come when you open
your heart to Hope. This practical guide gives you the inspiration,
encouragement and practices you need to cultivate a hopeful spirit and
thus live a more fulfilling and joyful life. Writing from personal
experience and her broad knowledge of many faith traditions, Marcia
Ford helps you recognize -- or develop -- your own personal images of
hope and create a place where you can go to see the many evidences of
hope in your life any time despair seeps in. She provides important
learning tools that you can apply to everyday life experiences,
inspiring personal stories of hope from the famous and not-so-famous
and realistic exercises for creating the overall balance and peace you
look to achieve in living your life connected to God. Drawing from
Christian and Hebrew scripture and the wisdom of spiritual teachers
from all traditions, Ford helps you realize that we all can receive a
gift of hope and grace from the Divine -- we just need to be open to
accept it.

...Ford's gift is not only her accessible writing style, but also her
life experience as a Christian. She has obviously spent time with
different facets of Christianity and possesses an understanding of
other spiritual paths. What results is an inspiring, broad-based look
at sound theological, spiritual and practical principles to cultivate
hope. -- Publishers Weekly Starred Review

To order, please visit Episcopal Books and Resources online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, call 800-903-5544, or visit your
local Episcopal bookstore.