Greatest hymn of all time announced

From chvn-

Hymns just became exciting, after a tournament was commenced to decide the greatest hymn of all time.

Who needs March Madness when you can do it for hymns?

Through a bracket indicative of the annual NCAA basketball tournament, the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada has definitively decided upon the greatest hymn of all time, according to Religious News Service.

The winner? "Holy, Holy, Holy!"

On the final day of the Hymn Society's annual Dallas conference in July 2019, the news was announced. An online post made by the organization told in more detail the complexities of the contest.

“Some matchups were real nail-biters, while in others one hymn blew its opposition out of the water!” reads the post made July 18 to the society’s Facebook page.

“We can safely say that the Greatest Hymn of All Time — as chosen by you — is: Holy, Holy Holy!!!”

More here-

https://chvnradio.com/christian-news/greatest-hymn-of-all-time-announced

The Archbishop of Canterbury wades into Westminster Holocaust memorial debate

From The Telegraph-

The Archbishop of Canterbury has waded into the Westminster Holocaust memorial debate saying that it is right for the structure to be “right next to the home of our democracy”.

Plans for the project were announced in 2016 by former prime minister David Cameron, with the works being led by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

The memorial has been proposed to be built on Victoria Tower Gardens on Millbank and would feature 23 large bronze fin structures and an underground learning centre dedicated to the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis as well as millions of other victims.

However they have sparked mounting criticism. The Royal Parks charity, which manage the Grade-II listed park, saying that the plans - which have received cross-party support - would have a “significant harmful impact” on the area.

More here-

 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/02/archbishop-canterbury-wades-westminster-holocaust-memorial-debate/

Glen Innes Reverend Andrew Newman on mission from God to Uganda

From Australia-

Glen Innes' former Anglican Minister will teach at a bible college in a remote part of Uganda for the next decade.

He laughs that he's on a mission from God - literally.

Reverend Andrew Newman, the Glen Innes Anglican minister from 1998 to 2006, soon plans to leave behind the New England for Rukungiri in south west Uganda, close to the Rwandan border. 

Andrew and wife Margie will help train a new generation of religious educators at a new bible college in the area.

Andrew says the local Ugandan Bishop Benon says "Christianity in Africa and Uganda is a mile wide - millions of Christians - but only an inch deep.

"No-one really knows their bible."

Uganda is stuck in a classic educational bottlekneck - they don't have enough trained-up teachers to train new ones to keep up with a massive population increase.

More here-

https://www.gleninnesexaminer.com.au/story/6301842/glen-innes-reverend-on-mission-from-god-to-uganda/

Founder of community of women survivors of prostitution, trafficking to address retreat

From Central PA-

An Episcopal priest who founded a community of women survivors of prostitution, trafficking and addiction is the guest speaker at a social justice weekend retreat next month at the Saints Cyril and Methodius Retreat Center.

The Rev. Becca Stevens, founder and president of Thistle Farms, in Nashville, Tennessee, will speak on Aug. 9 from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. and on Aug. 10 from 12:45 to 1 p.m. She also will conduct a Bible study class and a workshop session on social justice.

Stevens has been featured in The New York Times, on ABC World News and NPR, and was named a 2016 CNN Hero and a White House “Champion of Change.” She was featured in the PBS documentary A Path Appears, named Humanitarian of the Year by the Small Business Council of America, and inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame. 

The Very Rev. Robyn Szoke-Coolidge, dean of the Stevenson School for Ministry of the Harrisburg-based Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, said the online school is collaborating with the diocese on the retreat, which the diocese is sponsoring.

More here-

https://www.dailyitem.com/the_danville_news/news/founder-of-community-of-women-survivors-of-prostitution-trafficking-to/article_d7fd41e9-6507-5c4b-ad5e-87514d1cbd86.html

National Cathedral leaders: Trump's racial comments 'give cover to white supremacists

From CNN-

Leaders of the Washington National Cathedral slammed President Donald Trump's recent attacks on minority lawmakers and the city of Baltimore as a "dangerous" rallying cry to white supremacist violence.

The statement from the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral; and the Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas, canon theologian of Washington National Cathedral, condemned Trump's tweets.

"When such violent dehumanizing words come from the President of the United States, they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human 'infestation' in America," the statement read.

"They serve as a call to action from those people to keep America great by ridding it of such infestation," they added. "Violent words lead to violent actions."

More here-

https://www.wral.com/national-cathedral-leaders-trumps-racial-comments-give-cover-to-white-supremacists/18540941/

Rochester Cathedral crazy golf course is open

From U.K.-

Today a free crazy golf course has opened in an unlikely place.

Rochester Cathedral is home to the most holy, nine hole course in Kent. 

The Adventure Golf challenge has been set up in the place of worship's medieval nave.

The theme is bridges and each hole will be accompanied by a different model including a mini Rochester bridge and Dartford Crossing.

It is being paid for by Rochester Bridge Trust, the charity which runs the town's river crossings.

More here-

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/cathedral-crazy-golf-course-opens-209380/ 

and here-

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/cathedral-crazy-golf-course-opens-209380/

While Archbishop Okpala accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of not being sincere in tackling the security problem; Bishop Amah expressed disappointment over the decay the country is going through due to lack of security, adding that the Federal Government is fruitlessly focusing attention on the security of the country, while other sectors are going through decay. He lamented that almost all the roads in the South-East are dilapidated, “the road leading to my place here in Akaboezem Nnewi is impassable. Please, my guest, when you go back, do not make reference to this road, I’m ashamed that I brought you to go through this road.”

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/07/anglican-communion-reps-blame-insecurity-on-buharis-leadership/

Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop, Diocese of Nnewi, Rt Rev. Godwin Okpala; Bishop of Ogbaru Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prosper Amah; members representing Ogbaru federal constituency, Chukwuka Onyema and his Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal constituency counterpart, Chris Azubogu, have lamented the security situation in the country, calling on the Federal Government ( Buhari) to change its style in security policies.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/07/anglican-communion-reps-blame-insecurity-on-buharis-leadership/

Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop, Diocese of Nnewi, Rt Rev. Godwin Okpala; Bishop of Ogbaru Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prosper Amah; members representing Ogbaru federal constituency, Chukwuka Onyema and his Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal constituency counterpart, Chris Azubogu, have lamented the security situation in the country, calling on the Federal Government ( Buhari) to change its style in security policies.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/07/anglican-communion-reps-blame-insecurity-on-buharis-leadership/

Vancouver-area Anglican bishop approves same-sex marriages, despite national vote

From Canada-

The Anglican bishop for the Metro Vancouver region has approved same-sex marriages in her diocese, beginning Thursday.

Bishop Melissa Skelton made the decision despite delegates of the national Anglican Church narrowly defeating the proposal during a July 12 vote at their general synod in Vancouver.

In the latest move in a worldwide Anglican conflict that has gone on for decades, Skelton seized on a compromise that the national church’s bishops offered a few days after the defeated vote, which would allow individual dioceses to adopt a “local option” on same-sex marriage rites.

Many of the country’s Anglicans had been bitterly disappointed when the motion to allow same-sex marriages lost by the slimmest of margins earlier this month.

More here-

https://www.thewesternstar.com/news/canada/vancouver-area-anglican-bishop-approves-same-sex-marriages-despite-national-vote-338337/

Nuns who own shares of Smith & Wesson parent company call for corporate human rights policy

From Mass-

The Interfaith Center, which includes the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investments the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary U.S.-Ontario and the Adrian Dominican Sisters, bought stock in American Outdoor Brands in order to have a voice as a shareholder in the company.

It’s a new technique activists are using to get their point across in corporate America. Episcopal Church groups, both the local Springfield-based diocese and the national organization, bought American Outdoor Brands stock for the same reason. The Episcopal Church must wait at least a year in order to put its own referendum on a shareholder ballot.

The Interfaith Center has also targeted Smith & Wesson competitor Sturm, Ruger & Co., opposing Board Chairman Michael Jacobi and director Sandra Froman after Ruger rejected any corporate responsibility for improving gun safety, refusing to even acknowledge the risks to long-term shareholder value.

Ruger has its headquarters in Southport, Connecticut.

More here-

https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/07/nuns-who-own-shares-of-smith-wesson-parent-company-call-for-corporate-human-rights-policy.html

Occasion to celebrate 100 years of Christianity turns into mourning

From Uganda-

Last month marked 42 years since Church of Uganda commemorated the muted centennial celebrations of Christianity in Uganda.

The first missionaries to come to Uganda were from the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in London. They founded the present-day Anglican Church in Uganda having arrived here in June 1877.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of their arrival, Church of Uganda prepared an event on June 30, 1977, under the theme ‘A live church in Uganda’. Preparations were done both at provincial and diocesan levels across the country.

All sorts of souvenirs, ranging from lapel badges, ties, bags to clothes, were on sale ahead of the main event.

Death of Luwum
 
But three months to the D-Day, the country woke up to the news of the death of the main celebrant of the centenary celebrations, then Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Janani Luwum.

The official government statement was that it was an escape attempt gone wrong. But the government’s version did not stand the test of time.

The centennial preparations had put the church and government at odds because of the prevailing economic situation in Uganda at the time.

More here-

https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Occasion-celebrate-100-years-Christianity-turns-into-mourning/689844-5212556-vlx9ek/index.html

Raped vicar reveals tragic tale of sex abuse in the church

From England-

The Dewsbury born vicar at the centre of the Anglican Church's sexual abuse scandal has told how the alleged abuse of schoolchildren in his Rotherham parish sparked his battle to get justice for himself and others.

Staincliffe's Matthew Ineson has hit the headlines in recent weeks after he lashed out at Church of England (CofE) leaders during an independent inquiry into sexual abuse.

He has waived his right to anonymity in order to share his story.

Mr Ineson was raped by a Bradford priest in 1984 - and told the inquiry senior Church of England clerics ignored his claims. He has strongly criticised the church's lack of action at his multiple disclosures.

He said senior bishops and the archbishops of York and Canterbury all sat on their hands in a bid to cover up the historical abuse report.

More here-

 https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/raped-vicar-reveals-tragic-tale-16614921