Stories of mission ... Trinity Wall Street has posted videos created by their Television
and New Media Department depicting mission around the world undertaken
by Anglicans. The videos remind us that the beating heart of Anglicanism
is mission. Lionel Deimel: "What struck me about them, however, is that primates,
including the Archbishop of Canterbury, are never mentioned. Neither is
the Anglican Consultative Council nor the Lambeth Conference. These
stories are about mission carried out mostly by individual Anglican
churches, though sometimes with the help of other Anglican bodies. They
represent the real work of the Gospel. The efforts they depict are
unaffected by the so-called Instruments of Unity, which seem more about
inhibiting mission than advancing it. The work is unlikely to be helped
by adopting an Anglican covenant or, generally, by the creeping
bureaucracy of the Anglican Communion." More at Episcopal Cafe. [H/T to Andrew Gerns]
Bishop Paul's mother ... My mother has been in home-hospice for the last month, and we learned a few days ago that her condition is deteriorating. Due to my obligations in Lancaster, where my mother's life now seems to be rapidly ending, Bishop Jack assumes full episcopal oversight of the diocese until further notice. You can contact him at the numbers in the directory or through Ely Valentin. I would be grateful for your prayers for comfort and peace for Frances Marshall.
In Afghanistan ... The lead story in Wednesday's Morning Call was about two 2002 Whitehall High School grads: one was killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday; one was badly hurt.
Stoned
... [Barbara Cameron Caum, bcaum@stny.rr.com, Parish Administrator,
Trinity Athens] While there are several ways one can define being
stoned, including in the biblical sense, this query is about our church
tower. It’s 140 years old and has been well taken care of, but there
are some problems near the top and bits of concrete/pointing are
escaping their designated pews, er spots, and occasionally stoning the
adjoining driveway. We are less than happy with the last mason who did
work for us and are hoping that someone in the diocese has a good stone
mason to recommend or a good story about quality repairs. Thanks in
advance for any help you can send our way.
Bill is in Brigantine NJ this week on vacation from retirement ... Saturday to Saturday. I'll be available by cell or email ... though your calls and the emails have been on the wane. :-) This will be the only newSpin newsletter for this week. Keep cool.
Facts don’t necessarily have the power to change our minds ... It's one of the great assumptions underlying modern democracy that an informed citizenry is preferable to an uninformed one. Mankind may be susceptible to ignorance and misinformation, but it's an article of faith that knowledge is the best remedy, the Boston Globe reports. If people are furnished with the facts, they will be clearer thinkers and better citizens. If they are ignorant, facts will enlighten them. If they are mistaken, facts will set them straight. In the end, truth will out. Won't it? Maybe not. [H/T to Leadership Education at Duke Divinity]
Motivating change ... Trying to scare or force organizations to change doesn't work. What does?
In Montrose ... Arts and Crafts Festival, Aug. 6-7. Summer Chamber Choir being formed for Aug. 28-29 performance. Download news releases here.
In New Milford ... St. Mark's will host a display of historical pieces about the presence of the Episcopal Church in Susquehanna County, July 24-25. The exhibit is traveling throughout Susquehanna County this summer to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of Susquehanna County. To view the exhibit at other times, call the church, 570-465-3896.
In Susquehanna ... Christ Church will
host a display of historical photos, Images of Susquehanna from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, on Saturday, July 24. about the presence of the Episcopal
Church in Susquehanna County, July 24-25. The opening reception will include a live jazz session by local Susquehanna artists, Noon to 1:00 at the church, 1107 West Main Street. Provided by the Susquehanna Historical Society, the exhibit is traveling
throughout Susquehanna County this summer to celebrate the 200th
anniversary of the founding of Susquehanna County.
Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center ... On the mountain above Bangor, PA. More here. www.kirkridge.org
Robin Yedlock ... Some have received a note that looks like it comes from Robin Yedlock, saying she is stranded in England and needs money to return. Her email account was compromised and she is working to get it fixed. Please ignore the plea for funds.
Chistmas at Sea ... [From Canon Jane Teter] While you are vacationing and/or relaxing in the air-conditioning, remember to take your knitting/crocheting along. Knit a hat or a vest or crochet a scarf or slippers for the mariners who cannot be home and with families for Christmas. Items may be dropped off at Diocesan House or brought to our Convention in October. Jane: 610-691-5655 x228 and jteter@diobeth.org. For patterns: Seamen's Church.
On faith and finance from St. Paul's London ... [JIm Naughton, Episcopal Cafe] The Saint Paul's Institute at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London has
launched an intriguing new web site that "seeks to
foster an informed Christian response to the most urgent ethical and
spiritual issues of our times: financial integrity, economic theory, and
the meaning of the common good." Early contributors include Niall Ferguson, Rowan Williams and Paul
Vallely. The written content is first rate, and the videos are
intelligently edited to be consumed in a single setting. Three cheers to
St. Paul's for taking on this essential topic in such an energetic way.
A Vatican PR catastrophe ... The Guardian: One can see how it happened, but yoking together women priests and child abuse in a revision of Vatican rules was a PR blunder, says Andrew Brown. BBC: How to create a PR disaster [H/T to Leadership Education at Duke Divinity]
Cultural forces at work in Belgian scndal ... So what is going on in “Catholic Belgium”? many
seem to be asking. And why has it become the latest location to explode
in the clergy sex abuse scandal? First, the presumption that Belgium, a nation of 11 million, is a
Catholic country has to be qualified. Statistically, the claim is true.
Today, more than 7 million people, or about three quarters of the
population, are Roman Catholics. As elsewhere in Europe, however, Sunday
church attendance has dropped significantly and is now well below 10
percent. A strong Catholic culture still exists, but increasingly along
with a strong sense that the official church has been conducting too
much business behind closed doors. This latest sentiment, along with a new resolve by the government not
to be seen as lax in dealing with sex abuse issues, means that for many
the June 24 police raid on the offices of the Catholic church in
Belgium was not as shocking here as it might have been to the rest of
the world.
More here.
Telling the truth and being set free ... Gay men and women in public life still have to hide their
sexuality, former
BP executive John Browne writes in the Guardian, and when the
accumulated lies and concealed relationships come to light in the form
of a scandal, it can be at one a public disaster and a personal
blessing. [H/T to Andrew Gerns, writing at Episcopal Cafe]
Lord Have Mercy ... [Religion News Service column by Tom Ehrich] When push comes to shove, whom do you want: a firefighter who cares
and takes action, or an athlete earning millions and living in a walled
estate in New Jersey? When an aging parent loses their way in busy streets, do you want a
police officer who notices and offers assistance, or a financial wizard
who skims hundreds of millions of dollars but has no time for the needs
of other people? More here.
Got an Episcopal
Church related question? ... Need some info? InfoLine can help
you with answers to questions and in making connections to churchwide
ministries, events and activities. Email or call. Check it out here, or
contact info@episcopalchurch.org or 212-716-6136, 6137; 800-334-7626,
x6136, 6x6137.
Science and religion not at odds after all? ... With the publication of her new book, author Marilynne Robinson has been making the media rounds, and USA Today's Faith & Reason blog points to two Robinson sightings well worth checking out: a recent appearance on the Daily Show and an essay at the Huffington Post. More here.
Evangelicals try stand-up ... [David Skeel, WSJournal] Not long ago, books with titles like
"Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism" warned that
theologically conservative Protestants are bent on taking over the
country. It may be more nefarious than critics had originally supposed.
The evangelicals' latest strategy—Veritas Riff—involves getting staid
Christian scholars to do improvisational comedy. More here. [H/T to Leadership Education at Duke Divinity]
Deadline for
Diocesan Convention Resolutions is August 1
... More
here.
Deadline
for nominations also August 1 ... More
here.
ECW
Summer Gathering and Tea ... August 18 at the Cathedral. "Hats
optional" More
here.
New Hope grants ...
[From the Rev. Daniel
Gunn] The Social Ministries Committee is now ready to receive and
consider requests for disbursements from the New Hope Campaign. The
total amount we are able to grant for the 2010-11 calendar year is
$100,000. Therefore, we are inviting Letters of Intent from parishes and
Episcopal related organizations within the Episcopal Diocese of
Bethlehem. The Deadline for Letters of Intent is 30 July 2010. More
here.
Register
for diocesan events online.
Diocesan
Life, the
July/August issue ... Download it here.
Calendars
... •Download the current Calendar of Events
for the whole diocese here.
(If you would like and event listed, email Kat Lehman with event name, date,
location, costs, time event starts and any contact info. She will gladly
add any events your parish is hosting. •Find the monthly update Calendar
of
Diocesan Events here.
It will be updated in a few days. Please note the difference between the
two calendars.
Find
earlier
issues
of the newSpin newsletter here.Send this to friends
you think may be interested ... newSpin is an electronic
newsletter that includes news, information and commentary related to the
Diocese of Bethlehem, the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion and
the world of religion ... with some spin, of course, from the editor. It
is edited by retired communication minister Bill Lewellis and
ordinarily published twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday. To have it
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right column of www.diobeth.org.
Select newSpin under the groups. You may find samples of the
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newsletter at the newSpin blog, www.diobeth.typepad.com.
About the newSpin
newsletter ... Composed
at least weekly (usually twice a week) by Bill Lewellis, the newSpin newsletter appears as
a post within
the newSpin blog, but
newsletter and
blog are not identical. The
newsletter currently goes to some 1,000 email addresses on a separate
list. The newsletter comes, of course, with some spin from the editor,
but the views
expressed, implied or inferred in items or links contained in
the newsletter or the blog do not represent the official view of the
Diocese of
Bethlehem unless expressed by or forwarded from the Bishop or the
Archdeacon as an official communication. Comments may be addressed to Bill.
Bill Lewellis, Blog, Email (c)610-393-1833
Be attentive.
Be intelligent. Be reasonable. Be responsible.
Be in Love. And, if
necessary, change. [Bernard
Lonergan]
