The newSpin newsletter, March 24, 2011
By Bill Lewellis
Published Mondays and Thursdays
The Commemoration of Oscar Romero and the Martyrs of El Salvador, March 24
[From Holy Women, Holy Men] Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdémez was born on August 15, 1917 in San Salvador. After theological studies at the Gregorian University and ordination to presthood in Rome, he returned to his native land, where he worked among the poor, served as an administrator for the Church, and started an Alcoholics Anonymous group in San Miguel. When he was appointed a bishop, radicals distrusted his conservative sympathies. However, after his appointment as Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977, a progressive Jesuit friend of his, Rutilio Grande, was assassinated, and Romero began protesting the government's injustice to the poor and its policies of torture. He met with Pope John Paul II in 1980 and complained that the leaders of El Salvador engaged in terror and assassinations. He also pleaded with the American goverrnment to stop military aid to his country, but this request was ignored. Romero was shot to death while celebrating Mass at a small chapel near his cathedral on March 24, 1980. The previous day, he preached a sermon calling on soldiers to disobey orders that violated human rights. ... Almost nine months after Romero's assassination, four Maryknoll nuns were also killed in the course of their duties by the El Salvadoran army. Nine Jesuit priests were similarly murdered in November of 1989. A statue of Romero stands at the door of Westminster Abbey as part of a commemoration of 20th-century martyrs.
Yesterday, President Obama visited Romero's tomb. AP story here. LATimes story here. And don't miss this.
Do
• Consider what you might do to help with recovery efforts in Japan and Haiti ... but don't get scammed. See below, under "Spinning."
View
• Noonday Prayer at Prince of Peace Dallas ... on YouTube.
• Renewal Assembly video ... see below, under "Diocese."
• SCLM Consultation video on demand ... here.
• The new Alban.org ... Here.
Read
• The Daily Office ... with the assistance of the Mission St. Clare.
• 20 + 1 + 1 = Renewal ... Challenge yourself to pray for 20 minutes daily, to worship for one hour weekly, and to serve others for one day a month. Find Mother Laura Howell's blog here.
• Acquire a peaceful spirit ... Below, under "Lent."
Go
• March 25/26, to workshops on Asset Mapping ... At Moravian Theological Seminary. See below, under "Diocese."
• April 2, to Diocesan Training Day ... At St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. See below, under "Diocese."
• April 14, Chrism Mass ... Blessing of Oils and Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows, Cathedral Bethlehem, 11:00 a.m. See below, under "Diocese."
• April 21-23, to take part in Paschal Triduum ... At your church.
• May 14, to hear Bishop Michael Curry ... At St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. See below, under "Diocese."
• June 11, to Renewal Assembly II ... At many locations. See below, under "Diocese of Bethlehem."
Know
• That you can join our diocesan interactive list. It's called "Bakery." If you participate, you may be addressed as a "crouton." After all, Bethlehem means "House of Bread." At the Diobeth website, enter your name and email in the "Get Connected" box on the right hand side.
• On Bakery, you will find conversations such as this one that was initiated earlier this week by Epiphany Clarks Summit rector Craig Sweeney. Once joined, you may read, initiate or comment on conversations.
Lent
• Acquire a peaceful spirit ... At a basic level, a virtue is a habit, something we acquire, something we have become disposed to do. Virtues reuire practice. During Lent, we might try to acquire a habit: of giving others a break, of helpfulness, of a peaceful spirit. In the Diocese of Bethlehem, we have long had an interactive Internet list where people can enter into conversation. We recently changed its name to "Bakery," a play on Bethlehem meaning House of Bread. Bishop Paul Marshall wrote recently on Bakery: “I am going to work on acquiring something this year. Well, starting to acquire it.” He then related that a few months ago on a little table at the end of the nave at Trinity Bethlehem, he saw a bookmark that describes our life's work so well. “It sets a goal,” he said, “that explains why we call it ‘lifelong Christian formation.’ It has spiritual, psychological, and social implications. It has haunted me ever since the day I saw it. It is simply this word from a slavic Orthodox monk of the 19th century, Seraphim of Sarov: Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved. “It has haunted me ever since the day I saw it,” he wrote. I want it to haunt me. I hope it haunts you: Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.
• 20 + 1 + 1 = Renewal ... See above under "Read."
• Resources from the Diocese of Bethlehem ... Here.
• Spiritual reading for Lent ... Recommendations from Canon Anne Kitch, including her new book, here.
Diocese
• Diocesan Training Day ... April 2 at St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. A day set aside for learning about opportunities and resources for ministry in congregations, and celebrating ministries we share. There will be 13 different workshops spanning many aspects of ministry. Read about the workshops here. Register here. Download the brochure here.
• Chrism Mass ... Blessing of Oils and Reaffirmation of Ordination Vows, Cathedral Bethlehem, Thursday, April 14, 11:00 a.m. Special Full Communion Partner Guests: Bishop Samuel Zeiser of the Northeast PA Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; The Rev. David Bennett, President of the Eastern District of the Moravian Church. All Clergy are expected to attend this event (white stoles). Laity are most welcome and most cordially invited. Modest gifts for the parishes bringing the largest percentage of their ASA and for the lay people who have traveled the farthest. Lunch is provided. Please let Ely know by Monday April 11 how many we should expect from your parish.
• Renewal Assembly Video ... Watch it at YouTube, split into two parts, or all in one at Vimeo. The video, with Bishop Paul, Mother Laura Howell and Father John Francis, is 23:30.
• Calendar of Events ... Updated March 7. Download here.
• Choral Evensong at Mediator Allentown ... Sunday, April 3, 4:00 p.m. More info.
• Prince of Peace Dallas to host fashion show ... Sunday Aprl 3, 1:00-3:00. More info here.
• Actor Frank Runyeon returns to the Cathedral ... Saturday, April 16 at 7 p.m., to present his one-man play, Signs: The Gospel of John, staged with dramatic lighting and entertaining audience interaction. Its text is the first eleven chapters of the Gospel of John, translated into contemporary American speech. As characters and settings and lights constantly shift, the Gospel engages the audience’s imaginations, surprises them with flashes of humor, and drives relentlessly forward with all the dramatic suspense you would expect from great theater. By the time the last candle is blown out, each audience member has a sense that they are part of the story that God is writing—not simply spectators. That Jesus is a very real Presence among them. And that they have been called not only to witness these signs, but to respond to the Word they have heard, like Lazarus, by becoming a sign of that Life themselves. $12 adults, $8 children 12 and under. Childcare provided for children under 7. For tickets contact Jeremy Joiner at avalonjj@ptd.net, or call the Cathedral office at (610) 865 0727.
• North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry ... will keynote our 2011 Stewardship and Evangelism Workshop, Saturday, May 14 (9:00 to 3:00). The theme: Jesus loves a growing seed. Bishop Curry is a nationally recognized preacher known for his vivid and exciting spiritual messages packed with humor and thought-provoking ideas, encouraging listeners to think more fully about their spiritual lives and responsibilities as Christians. Participants will leave with something of value in their minds and hearts. Registration is open at www.diobeth.org (click on Register for Diocesan Events, at right) and will close April 30 or when 300 have registered. Cost per person, $10,00, includes breakfast sacks, beverages and lunch.
• Renewal Assembly II ... Would you believe? With a new introductory video, featuring lay people. Saturday, June 11 (9:00 to 1:00) at six, possibly nine, locations around the Diocese. Focusing on God's blessings: Prayer, Bible Study, Small group discussion.
• Christophany ... [Kim Rowles] Take a leap of faith; register for Christophany, April 8-10. More here.
• Lenten collection for Christophany ... Read about it here. And more here.
• Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families ... Here.
• Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... Bulletin inserts for March 27, Lent3: Presiding Bishop's message for Lent. For April 3, Lent4: The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music's online survey for Holy Women, Holy Men. Download inserts here.
• DioBeth Website and newSpin Blog
• Public news and info lists ... At the Diobeth website, enter your name and email in the "Get Connected" box on the right hand side. You are welcome to subscribe to any or all of these. "Bakery" is our diocesan interactive list.
Spinning
• Rising wealth inequality: should we care? ... [NYTimes] Why do Americans seem relatively unperturbed about growing income inequality? Is it a lack of awareness, or are there other factors? Read here.
• We are never alone ... Though we all experience loneliness, the heart of faith is that we are never alone, says the Rev. Samuel Wells, dean of Duke University Chapel. Here.
• Unmarried pastor seeking a job sees bias ... [NYTimes] Among conservative Protestants, there is often a requirement - whether clearly stated or implicit - that the pastor be married, ideally with children. Read here.
• Japanese Earthquake Info ... from Episcopal Relief and Development ... Donate now. •How to give to Japanese recovery efforts wthout getting scammed ... Because of a number of scams already surfacing, Episcopalians might want to especially consider giving to any of a number of reputable agencies, including ERD. •What aid makes sense for Japan ... Here. •Is Japan asking for your financial assistance ... [Episcopal Café] Here. •Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami ... Visit a comprehensive NYTimes page here. •A Litany for Japan ... Here.
• Haiti ... Info from Episcopal Relief and Development.
• Giving literature virtual life ... [NYTimes] New digital tools are bringing new ways to teach humanities courses, even Shakespeare. Read here.
• Facebook doesn't kill churches, churches kill churches ... [Religion Dispatches] Here.
• Memories of a Catholic boyhood: Growing up in the parallel culture of the Church in the 1950s ... [First Things, Kenneth Woodward] Those of us who did grow up in the RC Church of the 1950s will find this to be delightful. Read here. [H/T Bishop Paul]
• Is it time to write the eulogy? The future of seminary education ... [Patheos, Frederick Schmidt, Jr.] Seminaries are dying and the MDiv has been discredited, SMU prof says. Will we make the changes to better prepare leaders for the Church, or will we limp into the future? More here.
• Every person who ever lived? ... Religion reporter Cathleen Falsani writes about her old Wheaton College buddy Rob Bell and "Love Wins," his provocative new book. What’s at stake in the debate over whether some people are eternally damned or whether God’s “love wins” and no one is lost? More here.
• Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79 ... LATimes obituary here. Five-minute NYTimes "looking back" video here. [Comment by Scott Allen on Bakery] Ahhh----we shall miss those violet eyes and she will ever be Cleopatra, Maggie the Cat, Susanna Drake (Raintree County), and Martha (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?), the "Bride" (across from Spencer Tracy's "Father") as well as Leslie Benedict (Giant). She founded amfAR and was mother and friend to Hollywood's "lost lambs" like Monty Cliff, Rock Hudson and Michael Jackson to name a few. [Comment by Libby House on Bakery] Before there was Oprah, Clooney, Penn, Jolie, Bono, Diana - before it was fashionable or cool, there was Elizabeth Taylor, using her celebrity to raise awareness and move humankind forward, pushing higher the arc of justice and mercy.
Health
Make a health plan that works ... [Health and Wellness News, Episopal Church Medical Trust] Here. [H/T Diana Marshall]
The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion
• Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seek candidates for Legislative Representative for International Issues ... Here.
• Episcopalians, Lutherans in North America plan full-communion commemoration ... [Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America will on May 1 join with their Canadian counterparts – the Anglican Church in Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada – to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the churches' full-communion relationship. Full story.
• Episcopal Church Chief Operating Officer will leave in June ... Here.
• Anglican Communion News Service Roundup ... March 5-18.
• SCLM Consultation Video on Demand ... [Episcopal News Service] In a historic meeting, nearly 200 Episcopal Church General Convention deputies gathered in Atlanta March 18 to begin a churchwide consultation on same-gender blessings. The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music invited one lay and one clergy deputy from each of the church's 109 dioceses and three regional areas to hear about and reflect on its work to date on the mandate given to it in General Convention 2009 Resolution C056. [From the Diocese of Bethlehem, Libby House, Grace Allentown senior warden and Grace Montessori School director, and Anne Kitch,Canon for Formation in the Christian Faith, participated.] The resolution, passed in 2009, directed the SCLM to work with the House of Bishops to collect and develop theological resources and liturgies for blessing same-gender relationships. The commission is to report to the 77th General Convention in 2012 in Indianapolis. More here and here ... and, for a bit of a different take, here. All sessions were webcast; the webcasts are now available on demand here. A majority of Americans now believes same-sex marriage should be legal.
• Survey finds Episcopal Church congregations increasing their digital presence ... FACT study also shows two-thirds of congregations face financial difficulties ... [ENS, Mary Frances Schjonberg] Episcopal Church congregations are more and more turning to the internet and social media in particular to communicate with their members and their communities, according to a just-released summary of a nationwide survey of faith communities. Results for Episcopalians in the Faith Communities Today Survey (FACT) show that 95 percent of congregations surveyed report that they use email to communicate with members and 86 percent have websites. The latter is an increase from 81 percent in 2008 and 76 percent in 2005. Forty-one percent report having used Facebook or other social media in 2010. Congregations frequently reported using electronic newsletters, text messaging and Twitter, the survey said. More here.
• Episcopal Church Website and News Service
The Moravian Church in North America
• Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• ELCA website ... Here.
• ELCA News Service ... Here.
• ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
• NEPA Synod website ... Here.
• Synod E-News ... March 18. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here.
The United Methodist Church
• March Communication newsletter ... Here. • UMC website ... Here. • UMC News Service ... Here. UMC Communication ... The United Methodist Church has long been a leader in providing useful resources for church communicators. Start here. Eastern PA Conference of the UMC website ... Here. Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
The Roman Catholic Church
• Majority of Catholics back LGBT rights ... Perhaps surprising, perhaps not, but the "publicreligion.org" website reports a study that found that Roman Catholics are pro LGBT. More here.
• Conservative Catholics question beatification of JP2 ... A number of conservative Catholics, jointly signing an article in the Remnant Online, have seriously questioned the rush by the Vatican to beatify the late Pope John Paul II. It appears arch-conservative Catholics are joining with many others on the progressive side of the church to examine the legitimacy of the quick beatification. More here.
• Vatican Information Service blog ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website ... Here. Catholic News Serice ... Here. • Diocese of Allentown website ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton website ... Here.
Would you believe?
• Mary's first visit to the U.S. ... [Religion Dispatches] 1859 apparition in Champion Wisconsin recently confirmed by Green Bay diocese bishop. More here.
• Jesus will return on May 21 ... [Religion News Service] Jesus will return and the righteous will fly up to heaven, leaving behind only their clothes. That will be followed by five months of fire, brimstone and plagues, with millions of people dying each day and corpses piling in the streets. Finally, on Oct. 21, the world ends exactly as the Book of Revelation says it will—with a bottomless pit, a lake of fire and, at last, a new heaven and new earth. Read more of Self-proclaimed prophet spawns apocalypse movement. What is it they say? Look busy.
• Americans are conflicted about whether natural disasters are a divine punishment, test of faith or some other sign from God.
• Online funeral services ... Here.
Additional sources of news/info/commentary
• Religion News Service Daily Roundup ... here.
• Diocese of Bethlehem
(1) The DioBeth newSpin blog
(2) The DioBeth website
(3) Twitter.DioBeth
(4) Twitter.Kat Lehman
(5) Public news and info lists: At the Diobeth website, enter your name and email in the "Get Connected" box on the right hand side. You are welcome to subscribe to any or all of these. "Bakery" is our diocesan interactive list.
• Episcopal/Anglican
(1) NewsLine
(2) News & Notices
(3) Infoline
(4) Episcopal News Service
(5) Episcopal Church website
(6) Twitter
(7) Facebook
(8) YouTube
(9) The Lead, Episcopal Cafe
(10) Daily Episcopalian, Episcopal Cafe
(11) AngicansOnline.
(12) AnglicansOnline News Centre.
(13) Anglican Communion website.
(14) Anglican Communion News Service.
• Find earlier issues of the newSpin newsletter here and recent ones in the left column here.
*************
Send info about newSpin 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. Edited by retired communication minister Bill Lewellis and ordinarily published twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday, it is currently received by some 1,200 people, many of whom forward it to many others. To have it emailed directly to you, subscribe at the "Get Connected" box on the right column of www.diobeth.org. Select newSpin under the groups. You may find samples of the newSpin newsletter on the left column of 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 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, Diocese of Bethlehem, retired
Communication MInister (1985-2010), Canon Theologian (1998)
Blog,
Email (c)610-393-1833
Be attentive. Be intelligent. Be reasonable. Be responsible.
Be in Love. And, if necessary, change. [Bernard Lonergan]
