Episcopal Church House of Bishops Spring 2012 retreat meeting: Daily Account for Friday, March 16

From ENS-

The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church is meeting in retreat at Camp Allen Conference & Retreat Center in Navasota, TX (Diocese of Texas) from March 16 to March 20. The following is an account of the activities for Friday, March 16.

The spring retreat meeting of the Episcopal Church House of Bishops continues the House’s ongoing theme of The Church for the 21st Century, with a focus on The Gift of Episcope/El Don el Episopado. The schedule calls for prayer-filled sessions, and bishops will participate in daily Bible study, reflection and worship.

The morning was devoted to retreat, prayer, reflection and discussion on Spiritual Discipline, led by Bishop Thomas Shaw of Massachusetts http://diomass.org/

He began and ended the session with a prayer by St. Augustine.

Emcee for the day was Bishop Nedi Rivera of Eastern Oregon http://www.episdioeo.org/

In the afternoon session, a conversation on the General Convention 2009 Resolution B014 (Reconciliation or Dissolution of an Episcopal Relationship) was conducted by Bishop Todd Ousley of Eastern Michigan www.eastmich.org, Bishop Brian Thom of Idaho www.episcopalidaho.org and Bishop Jim Waggoner of Spokane www.spokanediocese.org. HOB members reviewed the proposal as a body and in small groups, and shared reactions, thoughts and suggestions with each other.

More here-

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/notice/episcopal-church-house-bishops-spring-2012-retreat-meeting-daily-account-friday-march-16

Nominees Announced to Succeed Episcopal Church's First Openly Gay Bishop

From Christian Post-

One of The Episcopal Church's most controversial bishops will soon be stepping down from his position and the three nominees for his seat have been announced.

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop to be ordained by The Episcopal Church, will be ending his term as Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. On Thursday, the diocese announced the nominees for his position.

The nominees are the Rev. Penelope Maud Bridges of St. Francis Episcopal Church, Great Falls, Va.; the Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld of Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst, Mass.; and the Rev. Dr. William Warwick Rich of Trinity Church, Boston, Mass.

Although none of them are from the New Hampshire Diocese, according to Rev. Adrian Robbins-Cole, president of the diocese's Standing Committee, this is normal.

"Sometimes there may be a nominee from within the diocese, but it is typical for clergy from all over the national Episcopal Church to be involved in a search process for a diocese," said Robbins-Cole in an interview with The Christian Post.

More here-

http://www.christianpost.com/news/nominees-announced-to-succeed-episcopal-churchs-first-openly-gay-bishop-71583/

Archbishop reflects on 10 years in office

From Christian Today-

Dr Rowan Williams has admitted that the conflicts in the Anglican Communion were one of the worst aspects of his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The last 10 years have seen serious rifts in the Anglican Communion over homosexuality and the consecration of women bishops.

The US in particular saw the departure of Anglican parishes from the US Episcopal Church after the consecration of its first openly gay bishop in 2003.

In the Church of England, moves to consecrate women bishops led three bishop and several parishes to join an Ordinariate set up by the Roman Catholic Church.

In 2010, the Archbishop floated the idea of a Covenant designed to prevent the break-up of the Communion, but the proposed bandage to the Communion’s wounds ended up being nearly as divisive as the rifts it was intended to heal.

In an interview with the Press Association following his resignation, Dr Williams said: “The worst aspects of the job I think have been the sense that there are some conflicts that won’t go away, however long you struggle with them.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.reflects.on.10.years.in.office/29483.htm

Archbishop of York named as frontrunner to replace Rowan Williams

From The Telegraph-

Dr John Sentamu has been installed by bookies as their favourite in the wake of the Archbishop of Canterbury announcing that he will step down by the end of the year.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, will name Dr Williams' successor after being given a "preferred name" by the Church's appointments commission, which is made up of three clergy and three members of the laity. It is chaired by a civil servant.

Dr Sentamu is on the commission and will have to step down if he intends to be considered to be Archbishop of Canterbury.

He would be the first black leader of the Church of England and as primate would inherit an Anglican communion badly split over how to deal with homosexuality and whether women can become bishops.

Dr Williams himself conceded that his own attempt to prevent schism in the Church over the issues was likely to fail.

More here-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9150004/Archbishop-of-York-named-as-frontrunner-to-replace-Rowan-Williams.html

ABY: Anyone But York for Archbishop of Canterbury

From The Telegraph-

No sooner did the Archbishop of Canterbury announce that he was retiring than speculation started on who would replace him. Everyone's talking about John Sentamu being the obvious successor – but he is the wrong person for Lambeth Palace. Let me explain why.

The bookies favour the Archbishop of York because he is the only other cleric in the Church of England known to the public and the media. He is famous for his stance on Robert Mugabe (he cut up his collar in protest at the despot’s regime and has sworn not to wear it again until Mugabe quits), throwing himself out of aircraft for British service personnel and, most recently, writing for The Sun on Sunday.

But the Church of England – and the Anglican Communion – needs someone with a pastoral touch. It needs a man – and it will be a man, because the Church of England is years away from appointing a female bishop let alone a lady archbishop – who can be fair to all points of view rather than imposing absolutes on difficult issues, and someone who can put their personal beliefs aside for the greater good.

Sentamu has come out fighting on the issue of gay marriage and has become the darling of conservatives inside and outside the Church of England. But his views alienate and polarise: there are clergy and parishioners who would love to see same-sex relationships registered in places of worship. An archbishop is not a spokesman or a pundit to be wheeled out to comment on the hot topics of the day. His job, in fact, is an impossible one: to accept that some Anglicans will never agree on the issues of gender or homosexuality while at the same time holding everyone together on common issues such as the Millennium Development Goals and the persecution of minority Christian communities around the world.

More here-

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/riazatbutt/100143662/aby-anyone-but-york-for-archbishop-of-canterbury/

Dr Williams resigns (Round up)

From the Church Times- (Additional links to stories at bottom of post)

THE Archbishop of Canterbury will step down at the end of the year, Lambeth Palace announced this morning. Dr Williams is leaving to become Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, starting in January 2013.

A statement from Lambeth, issued shortly before 10.30 a.m., said:

“Archbishop Rowan Williams has today announced his acceptance of the position of Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, with effect from January 2013. He will therefore be stepping down from the office of Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of December 2012.

“Dr Williams’ intentions have been conveyed to The Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who formally appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“Dr Williams was appointed the one hundred and fourth Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002. He said today:

“‘It has been an immense privilege to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision. During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask your prayers and support in this period and beyond. I am abidingly grateful to all those friends and colleagues who have so generously supported Jane and myself in these years, and all the many diverse parishes and communities in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion that have brought vision, hope and excitement to my own ministry. I look forward, with that same support and inspiration, to continuing to serve the Church’s mission and witness as best I can in the years ahead.’

“Dr Williams will continue to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the Archbishop of Canterbury, both for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, until the end of the year.

More here-

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=125895

From The National Post-

http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/03/16/spiritual-head-of-the-anglican-church-rowan-williams-stepping-down/

The Guardian-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/16/rowan-williams-resigns-archbishop-canterbury?newsfeed=true

NPR-

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/03/16/148736876/archbishop-of-canterbury-is-stepping-down

Wall Street Journal-

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304692804577285020098983772.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

The Mirror-

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/archbishop-of-canterbury-rowan-williams-resigns-763682

BBC-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17400380

USA Today

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/03/archbishop-of-canterbury-to-resign-in-december/1#.T2MpA5iOyfQ

Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2115851/Rowan-Williams-announces-step-black-Archbishop-Canterbury.html?ITO=1490

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/world/europe/archbishop-of-canterbury-rowan-williams-to-resign-at-end-of-year.html

Telegraph-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9147982/Rowan-Williams-to-step-down-as-Archbishop-of-Canterbury.html

Nun's struggles helping Cameroon orphans get focus in Milford gallery

From The Diocese of Bethlehem-

Babies often arrive in taxis at the Good Shepherd Home for Orphans in Cameroon these days, sent by relatives or by anyone who finds them.

But the boy who sparked the idea for the orphanage was found sleeping on the street in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital by Sister Jane Mankaa. She was recently at the Artery Gallery in Milford for a gathering to celebrate a book about her founding of the orphanage — "I Am That Child" by Elizabeth Geitz.

The author is an associate priest at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Milford. When Mankaa talked to the homeless boy and several others in similar straits, she found they were alone after their parents died of AIDS. Relatives had fed them meagerly and beat them. At the time she was an Episcopalian contemplative nun, and gathering funds to start an orphanage was challenging, she says, as many worried about corruption in Africa. But she persisted. The orphanage that Mankaa began in 2003 is now self-sustaining, guided to success by several failures, which is detailed in Geitz's book.

Geitz was living in Summit, N.J., when Mankaa arrived in nearby Mendham in 2000. Mankaa came from Cameroon to study to become an Anglican nun at the Community of St. John the Baptist. She had arrived with $25 and a wealth of exuberance that Geitz found compelling.

More here-

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120316/NEWS13/203160310/-1/NEWSMAP

Stonemasons insist Chch Cathedral can be rebuilt

From New Zealand-

The debate over the fate of ChristChurch Cathedral is heating up, with the city's stonemasons saying it can be rebuilt safely.

While the Anglican Church is yet to announce their plans for a temporary cathedral to replace it, pressure is mounting for the old one to be built again.

Mark Whyte has been a stonemason for 25 years – fixing old buildings is his forte.

He is in no doubt Christchurch Cathedral can be rebuilt, stone-by-stone. When asked if he is prepared to be part of that process, he says, “deal me in”.

Looking at the cathedral up close, one can see it is in a terrible state.
Mr Whyte says modern techniques mean the cathedral can be rebuilt safely by building a concrete wall and attaching the stones with glue and pins.

Read more:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Stonemasons-insist-Chch-Cathedral-can-be-rebuilt/tabid/423/articleID/246786/Default.aspx#ixzz1pHKUGnI7

Archbishop of Canterbury steppeing down to be Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge

From ACNS-

Archbishop Rowan Williams has today announced his acceptance of the position of Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge with effect from January 2013. He will therefore be stepping down from the office of Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of December 2012. Dr Williams’ intentions have been conveyed to The Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who formally appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Williams was appointed the one hundred and fourth Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002. He said today:

“It has been an immense privilege to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision. During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask your prayers and support in this period and beyond. I am abidingly grateful to all those friends and colleagues who have so generously supported Jane and myself in these years, and all the many diverse parishes and communities in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion that have brought vision, hope and excitement to my own ministry. I look forward, with that same support and inspiration, to continuing to serve the Church’s mission and witness as best I can in the years ahead.“

Dr Williams will continue to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the Archbishop of Canterbury, both for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, until the end of the year.

The Crown Nominations Commission will consider in due course the selection of a successor.

More here-

http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2012/3/16/ACNS5066

Nominees for New Hampsire Coadjutor

From New Hampshire-

There was “absolute and immediate Search Committee consensus” around these gifted and experienced priests.

Penny, Rob, and Bill will return to New Hampshire for Meet & Greet gatherings arranged by the Election and Transition Committee on May 1(Exeter High School), May 2 (The Holderness School, Plymouth), and May 3 (St. Paul's School, Concord). On Saturday, May 19th, 2012, the Bishop Coadjutor will be elected by the canonically resident clergy and the elected lay delegates from each of the 47 congregations. Consent to the bishop’s election will be sought at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis during July.

Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop, is scheduled to consecrate the Bishop Coadjutor on August 4, 2012. On January 5th, 2013, the installation of the Tenth Bishop of New Hampshire will take place at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, New Hampshire.

The Search Committee is profoundly grateful to all who participated in the many phases of this spiritual discernment, and requests prayers for our nominees, their families and congregations, and our Election and Transition Committee.

More here-

http://search.nhepiscopal.org/

Bishop Vogel Dies at 88

From The Living Church

Bishop, educator and ecumenist Arthur A. Vogel died March 6 in Kansas City. He was 88. A native of Milwaukee, Vogel was a graduate of Nashotah House Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago and earned a Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1952.

He was rector of the Church of St. John Chrysostom, Delafield, Wis., 1953-57. Vogel was Williams Adams Professor of Philosophical and Systematic Theology at Nashotah House from 1952 to 1971, when he was consecrated as bishop coadjutor in the Diocese of West Missouri. He was the diocese’s bishop from 1973 to 1989.

The bishop wrote 14 books, including Body Theology: God’s Presence in Man’s World (1973), I Know God Better than I Know Myself (1989), Christ in His Time and Ours (1992), and Radical Christianity and the Flesh of Jesus (1995).

He participated in the Consultation on Church Union (1962-66), the First and Second International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commissions (1969-90), the National Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission (1964-84) and the fourth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (1968).

More here-

http://www.livingchurch.org/bishop-vogel-dies-88

CHURCH PUBLISHING TO OFFER EHYMNALS IN TABLET EDITIONS VIA APPLE iBOOKSTORE

From Cypress Times-

It's official! Among the first denominational publishers to offer authorized eHymnals, Church Publishing, Inc. (CPI), is launching Episcopal Church hymnals and songbooks as digital editions for iPad tablet readers.

Following significant testing, the first of these new products are intended to work with any digital reader that supports the ePub standard. Five of the new Church Publishing products were successfully uploaded to the Apple iBookstore in mid-February and are now available for iPads and other digital iBooks readers. Additional volumes plus Google eBook versions are expected to follow shortly. Thus far, the eHymnals (below, with manufacturer’s suggested retail prices) include:

The Hymnal 1982, ISBN: 978-0-89869-683-7, $17.99

Lift Every Voice and Sing 2, An African American Hymnal, Pew Edition,
ISBN: 978-0-89869-860-2 , $17.99

Voices Found, Women in the Church’s Song, Pew Edition, ISBN: 978-0-89869-733-9, $14.99

More here-

http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/Christian_News/Christian_News_US/CHURCH_PUBLISHING_TO_OFFER_EHYMNALS_IN_TABLET_EDITIONS_VIA_APPLE_iBOOKSTORE/57289

Venerable Dr. Torto confirmed as new Anglican Bishop-Elect of Accra

From Ghana-

The House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA) has confirmed the election held on Saturday, January 21 at Ashalley Botwe in Accra of the Venerable Dr Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, Archdeacon of the Accra-East Archdeaconry and the Diocesan Director of Programme as new Bishop-elect of the Anglican Diocese of Accra.

This was contained in a press release issued from the Accra Diocesan Secretariat and signed by the Rev’d Fr. S. O. M. Codjoe-Addy, Diocesan Communications Coordinator.

By the confirmation, the Ven. Dr. Torto, 53 years, will be consecrated as Bishop in Accra on June 24, this year and would have the right of succession to the incumbent Anglican Bishop of Accra when the Most Rev’d Dr Justice Ofei Akrofi retires on October 29 this year.

Until the Most Rev’d Akrofi retires in October, at age 70, in accordance with the Provincial Constitution, he would continue performing his ecclesiastical duties in the Diocese. The Most Rev’d Akrofi will assign to the new Bishop after the consecration duties to perform when necessary.

More here-

http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201203/82928.php

Catholics, Anglicans need to renew commitment to unity, pope says

From The Pilot Catholic News

Remembering the common roots of the Christianity they share, Roman Catholics and Anglicans should renew their commitments to praying and working for Christian unity, Pope Benedict XVI said.

The pope and Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, held an evening prayer service March 10 at Rome's Church of St. Gregory on the Caelian Hill, the church from which Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine of Canterbury and his fellow monks to evangelize England in 597.

The service was part of celebrations marking the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the Camaldolese branch of the Benedictine order. Camaldoli monks and nuns live and pray at the Church of St. Gregory and have an active program of ecumenical contacts.

"We hope that the sign of our presence here together in front of the holy altar, where Gregory himself celebrated the eucharistic sacrifice, will remain not only as a reminder of our fraternal encounter, but also as a stimulus for all the faithful -- both Catholic and Anglican -- encouraging them ... to renew their commitment to pray constantly and to work for unity, and to live fully in accordance with the 'ut unum sint' (that all may be one) that Jesus addressed to the Father," Pope Benedict said during the evening prayer service.

More here-

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=14444

New Episcopal Diocese Promises to Change Ocean Beach

From San Diego-

“The whole community (of Ocean Beach) will be changed,” Bishop Jim Mathes told a recent gathering of the Episcopal faithful from across the country.

At a recent “community gathering” in San Diego of roughly 300 Asian, Black, Latino and Native American clergy and laity from across the Episcopal Church was held. Organized through the Ethnic Ministries offices of the church, the agenda for the “New Community Gathering” included community engagement and mission focus.

During the meeting, they were welcomed by Bishop Jim Mathes of San Diego. It was reported via the Church’s press that Mathes stated:

“the diocese is also in the process of relocating its headquarters to the Ocean Beach area, where it currently provides 3,000 service contacts monthly in the form of 12-step groups, meals, legal and medical assistance, even haircuts.”

And it was reported that he continued to state:

“We’ve established mission and ministry there. Now we’re going to gather those who are being served and find their congregation,” he said.

More here-

http://obrag.org/?p=56354&cpage=1

National Cathedral's preservation needs top $50M

From AP-

It's where the nation's capital gathers to mourn, to pray and to seek comfort during tragedies. Now the Washington National Cathedral needs help weathering its own financial emergency.
The church has long been a spiritual center for the nation, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and worshippers each year. It's the burial site of President Woodrow Wilson and for Helen Keller.

It's hosted funeral services for Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and other presidents. And during ordeals such as the Sept. 11 attacks, it's been a place for interfaith reflection.

But the Episcopal cathedral is facing one of the worst financial binds of its 105-year-old history. An earthquake in August severely damaged its intricate stone work and architecture, with repair costs estimated at $20 million. Aside from that damage, the structure faces $30 million in preexisting preservation needs.

Even before the earthquake, a financial crisis forced the cathedral to slash its operating budget from $27 million to as little as $13 million in recent years and cut paid staff from 170 full-time employees to 70. The church relies heavily on donations to fund its operations.
Still, cathedral officials say the financial problems won't close the church. The building is stable, and repairs will be made as funds are available.

More here-

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iMenAOC4HSw9aNC2nNXc45wNhrgQ?docId=cd668e980e10456bba4feb80b7241ca8

Worship goes on amid dispute at Crystal Cathedral

From CBS-

The soaring, glass-paned megachurch built decades ago by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller will keep airing its weekly "Hour of Power" television broadcast and hold services, despite a dispute between its board and its 85-year-old founder that has torn apart the storied congregation.

In a statement released Tuesday, Crystal Cathedral Ministries said it will hold regular worship services on Sunday and continue to air the television program both domestically and internationally, although Schuller and his family members have been fired or have cut ties with the church.

Crystal Cathedral Ministries also said it objected to attempts by Schuller and some of his family members to collect more than $5.5 million in breach-of-contract claims and to file intellectual property claims against the church. Crystal Cathedral Ministries is in bankruptcy and sold its landmark cathedral and 31-acre campus last month to help pay off more than $40 million in debt.

The claims would leave the church with no money for operations or to pay its unsecured creditors, even with a $3.5 million settlement proposed by the Schullers, the statement said.

Schuller and his wife Arvella, 81, resigned abruptly from the ministry's board last weekend because of the dispute. On Sunday, the last family member at the Crystal Cathedral — daughter Sheila Schuller Coleman — announced she was leaving to start a church with her parents' blessing.

More here-

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57397006/worship-goes-on-amid-dispute-at-crystal-cathedral/

Diaper bank receives 48,000; short on size 6

From Illinois-

The St. Paul Diaper Bank Partnership received 48,000 children’s diapers in sizes 3 to 5 from Huggies through a partnership with the National Diaper Bank Network.

The diaper bank will distribute them to 16 social service agencies and food bank partners, who will provide their clients with free diapers, according to a news release.

This February, the diaper bank distributed 25,000 diapers – 5,000 more than were distributed in February 2011.

Despite this donation, the diaper bank still needs children’s size 6 diapers. The supply is almost gone, and the request from the bank’s partners for this size is increasing, according to the release.

There is a 24/7 drop-off collection box at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 3706 W. St. Paul Ave., McHenry. Monetary donations may be sent to the diaper bank, with checks made out to the St. Paul Diaper Bank Partnership in care of the church.

More here-

http://www.nwherald.com/2012/03/09/diaper-bank-receives-48-000-short-on-size-6/a2oqzu2/

Scandal rocks church

From Missouri-

When Father Joseph Carlo of the Christ Episcopal Church in Rolla retired in 1990, he left behind a legacy as a priest who led his congregation to flourish. An internal church investigation recently completed by the Episcopal Church’s Diocese of Missouri may leave Carlo with a new legacy.

According to the Rev. Canon Daniel Smith of the Diocese of Missouri, an investigation into reports of alleged sexual abuse of children within the church by Carlo was recently completed. According to Smith, the church has been in contact with five people who claim they were abused by Carlo between 1975 and 1985.

“We believe that(sexual abuse) has occurred,” Smith said about the abuse allegations and the results of the internal investigation. Carlo worked at the Rolla congregation from 1960 to 1990. He went into retirement when he left the Rolla congregation and is believed to be living in Florida. Within the congregation, Smith says the church is focusing on healing — healing for the victims, healing for the families and healing for the congregation. More here-

http://www.therolladailynews.com/news/x503113159/Scandal-rocks-church

Communicating God’s message through pop culture

From ENS-

Daisy, an early 20th century servant girl on the popular PBS period drama “Downton Abbey,” struggled at the end of the show’s second season to understand and accept the love of another.

After the loss of her husband, Daisy questioned her grieving father-in-law’s request to adopt her as a daughter, wrestling to reciprocate his love fully for myriad reasons.

For David Zahl, one of the founders of the non-profit organization Mockingbird, this storyline presents a Christian allegory, mirroring the struggle Christians endure to accept, without question, the grace and love of God.

“That God relates to you and me not according to feelings or attributes that we bring to the table, but those that His Son brought. As a result, we are adopted as children, receiving the same benefit, the same care, the same inheritance, the same love as the Son,” Zahl wrote on Mockingbird’s website mbird.com.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/03/13/communicating-gods-message-through-pop-culture/

Feeding The Hungry Takes Equal Parts Love And Effort

From California-

“I’m going home a happier person than when I came,” said Michelle Lynch, a member of Grace Episcopal Church of Martinez last Saturday as she left the Stop Hunger Now event at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Walnut Creek. She was one of the 211 volunteers from all over Contra Costa who had just finished filling and packing up more than 50,000 meals in two hours for hungry children around the world.

“What a terrific crew,’ said Mickey Horner, U.S. Western Regional Director of Stop Hunger Now, who trucked in the supplies bought earlier through local donations from Contra Costa civic groups, congregations and individuals to cover the 25-cent cost per meal. The international agency, whose mission is to stop hunger worldwide, distributes the food packages mainly to children in Third World schools where many are sent solely because there they will be fed a nourishing meal. In is a humane way to educate some of the poorest children in the world.

“Every six seconds,” Horner told the assembled volunteers as they got ready to work, “a child dies of hunger someplace in the world.” That seemed enough to spur on the group as it got into assembly lines to begin the project. The work areas had been set up earlier by volunteers, including youth from Boy Scout Troop 202 that meets at St. Paul’s.

More here-

http://martinez.patch.com/articles/feeding-the-hungry-takes-equal-parts-love-and-effort

Vatican rule allows some priests to marry

From CBS (with video)

For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church has had a very firm rule - if you're a priest, you can't get married. But there are exceptions to the rule of celibacy.

Married for 30 years, Rev. Doug Grandon has fathered six children and enjoyed a successful career as an Episcopal pastor in the Protestant Church. But in 2003, he realized his calling was to the Catholic Church.

"The Catholic church is the fullest expression of what Jesus meant Christianity to be," Grandon said. "And I wanted to be a part of that."

Pope John Paul II issued a little known edict that said Protestant priests wishing to become Catholic shouldn't break their marriage vows. It took five years of schooling and a blessing from Pope Benedict to make Grandon one of 77 priests in the US who have converted allegiance to the Vatican.

Grandon's wife Lynn was "really angry" when he said he wanted to convert. In giving up his protestant ministry, Grandon took a considerable pay cut. The Catholic Church hasn't quite figured out how much to pay a priest with a family.

More here-

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57395291/vatican-rule-allows-some-priests-to-marry/

Former Members Say Church Leaders Doomed St. Margaret's

From Florida-

Questions are still swirling around the abrupt closing of one of America's oldest churches. St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Fleming Island is shut down.

"I've been a lifelong Episcopalian. And right now, I just don't have faith in the Episcopal church," said Lee DiGiovanni.

Former members are speaking out, saying their faith is shaken. These four say they were all stripped of leadership positions at the church and told to stay away.

"Throwing out all of the leadership of this small church broke this church," said Shirley Trane. "The problem was we have been members for many years, and we saw the membership going down, down, down and nobody was really worrying about it."

They say they took their concerns to Bishop Samuel Howard. They provided a letter Bishop Howard wrote. "The atmosphere of complaint and derogatory comments has continued," he wrote last July.

More here-

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/246809/483/Former-Members-Say-Church-Leaders-Doomed-St-Margarets

East Providence rector on slate of five candidates for Episcopal bishop of Rhode Island

From Rhode Island-

A search committee has unveiled its proposed slate of candidates to become the 13th Episcopal bishop of Rhode Island.

The slate includes one Rhode Islander, the Rev. Jennifer Pedrick, 45, rector of the Church of the Epiphany in East Providence.

Others are: the Rev. Kurt Dunkle, 50, rector of Grace Church in Orange Park, Fla.; the Very Rev. Nicholas Knisely, dean of Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, Ariz.; the Rev. Cathy George, former priest-in-charge of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Dorchester, Mass.; and the Rev. Ledlie Laughlin, 52, rector of St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia.

The deadline for petitions to have other clergy nominated is 5 p.m. March 25. The election on a successor to retiring Bishop Geralyn Wolf will be June 2.

More here-

http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2012/03/search-committe.html

Cathedral debate canned

From New Zealand-

A televised debate about the fate of the Christ Church Cathedral has been cancelled after the Anglican Church refused to take part.

Earlier this month, the church announced that most of the cathedral would be demolished after it suffered further damage in the December 23 aftershocks.

The decision has upset many residents and heritage advocates, while Cr Aaron Keown called for a televised debate about the cathedral's future.

TVNZ had been scheduled to host the live debate on its current affairs programme Close Up tonight.

However, a TVNZ spokeswoman said the debate had been cancelled after the Anglican Church refused to take part.

Keown, who has been a staunch opponent of the cathedral's demolition, said he was disappointed with the church's decision. It had "completely misread and misjudged" public opinion.

"They believe that it's purely their building and they can do what they want ... but the people of Christchurch have emotional ownership of the building, and they don't want to lose it."

More here-

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6558185/Cathedral-debate-canned

Archbishop slams 'acquisitiveness'

From The London Daily Standard-

The Archbishop of Canterbury has hit out at the "feverish advertising culture" that fuels "unreal and disproportionate desires" when he joined the Pope for evening prayer in Rome.
Dr Rowan Williams and Pope Benedict XVI together led the service at the Church of San Gregorio Magno al Celio as part of the Archbishop's visit to the Italian capital.

Both church leaders delivered homilies, with Dr Williams saying: "In recent years, we have seen developing a vastly sophisticated system of unreality, created and sustained by acquisitiveness, a set of economic habits in which the needs of actual human beings seem to be almost entirely obscured."

He continued: "We are familiar with a feverish advertising culture in which we are persuaded to develop unreal and disproportionate desires. We are all - Christians and their pastors included - in need of the discipline that purges our vision and restores to us some sense of the truth of our world, even if that can produce the 'torment' of knowing more clearly how much people suffer and how little we can do for them by our unaided labours."

More here-

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/panewsfeeds/archbishop-slams-acquisitiveness-7561490.html

Wiawso Anglican Bishop donates medical equipment to three clinics

From Ghana-

The Anglican Bishop of Wiawso, Right Reverend Abraham K. Ackah, has presented large quantity of medical equipment worth $200, 000 to the three Anglican clinics within the Diocese.

The items comprised anaesthetic machines with monitors, ultrasound scanning machine, Dinamag patient monitors, operating theatre table, operating theatre lamp, delivery beds and patient trolleys.

The rest are wheel chairs, sets of dental chairs and compressors, hospital beds and mattresses, adult weighing scales, cartons of assorted syringe and needles, cartons of surgical gloves, surgical gowns and laboratory disposables.

The donation was the by-product of the efforts of the Bishop and his wife; Dame Margaret Ackah, who appealed to the Anglican Diocese of Toronto for the package during a visit to the State in Canada.

More here-

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=232204

Roman vespers unite pope, archbishop of Canterbury in prayer

From ENS-

Anglicans and Roman Catholics share a somewhat turbulent history, but differences were brushed aside March 10 when Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Pope Benedict XVI prayed together during an ecumenical vespers service at San Gregorio Magna al Celio in Rome.

The service marked the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Italy’s Camaldoli monastic community, which includes a presence at San Gregorio, a site of major significance to the origins of the Church of England.

Both Christian leaders, who held a private meeting earlier in the day to discuss human rights issues and concerns for the Holy Land, delivered a homily during the vespers and lit candles together in the chapel of St. Gregory.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/03/12/roman-vespers-unite-pope-archbishop-of-canterbury-in-prayer/

Pope Benedict and Archbishop of Canterbury pray together

From Rome via Vancouver-

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Benedict XVI jointly prayed for the unity of Christianity in a rare gesture on Saturday despite simmering resentment over the Catholic Church's move to recruit Anglicans.

Anglican leader Rowan Williams and the pope celebrated vespers together in the monastery of San Gregorio al Celio near the Colosseum in Rome and a stone Celtic cross brought from Canterbury was put up in the ancient church.

The late pope John Paul II had held ecumenical prayers with the Anglican archbishop's predecessors Robert Runcie in 1989 and George Caregy in 1996.

In his homily Williams said the Church was "called upon to show that same prophetic spirit which is ascribed to St Gregory, the capacity to see where true need is and to answer God's call in the person of the needy.

"To do this, it requires a habit of discernment, penetration beyond the prejudices and cliches which affect even believers in a culture that is so hasty and superficial in so many of its judgments."

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Pope+Benedict+Archbishop+Canterbury+pray+together/6283368/story.html#ixzz1oo0jsE00

New Bishop Coadjutor For Episcopal Diocese Of NY

From Fox New York

A new bishop was welcomed by the Episcopal Diocese of New York Saturday morning.

A huge crowd of parishioners packed the Cathedral of the Church of St. John the Devine at 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue for the consecration ceremony for Rev. Canon Andrew M.L. Dietsche.

Rev. Dietsche wore the Episcopal vestments for the first time and he was presented with a gold cross and Episcopal ring. The ring was engraved with his personal seal.


Read more:

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/new-bishop-coadjutor-for-episcopal-diocese-of-ny-20120310#ixzz1onyowQVq