News, information and commentary, especially items that impact or may be of interest to individuals and organizations of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, the Episcopal Church USA and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:
Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Douville, 33, of Harvey, Louisiana Spc. Matthew R. Gallagher, 22, of North Falmouth, Massachusetts Spc. Nicholas C. D. Hensley, 28, of Prattville, Alabama Pfc. Dylan J. Johnson, 20, of Tulsa, Oklahoma Sgt. Marlon E. Myrie, 25, of Oakland Park, Florida Spc. Levi E. Nuncio, 24, of Harrisonburg, Virginia Gunnery Sgt. Ralph E. Pate Jr., 29, of Mullins, South Carolina Staff Sgt. Russell J. Proctor, 25, of Oroville, California Cpl. Gurpreet Singh, 21, of Antelope, California
Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.
The newSpin newsletter, June 27 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Monday, occasionally also on Thursday
TopSpin • Workers of the world, incorporate! ... [Brian Pavlac, Citizens Voice, Wilkes-Barre] Unions are dying in America. Their percentage of the workforce has declined from about 32 percent 60 years ago to under 12 percent today. Many of those that remain are under assault, especially since new Republican governors have targeted public employee unions. Some of the death of unions results from many people seeing unions as unnecessary. In the last half of the 20th century, governments have indeed spread some of the benefits of unionization to the public by legislating protections of paid holidays and vacation, minimum wages and overtime, safe workplace conditions, etc. Increasingly, though, unions are not naturally declining, but being murdered. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, corporate executives, and their political allies who have never liked the power assembled in union activity are more motivated than ever to finish them off. Many conservatives hated the recent successful bailout of GM and Chrysler because it allowed the auto unions to survive. Businesses have also deliberately moved factories and offices to states and countries whose laws and customs limit unionization. More here. • Cuomo signs same-sex marriage bill into law ... [Episcopal Café] Late Friday night New York's new governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill allowing legal same-sex marriage in the state passed hours earlier into law. Governor Cuomo had made the passage of such legislation one of the key pieces of his campaign platform. More here. And [Frank Bruni, NYTimes Op-Ed] To know us is to let us love. Here. [NYTimes Editorial]Here. And [Spiritual Politics] don't miss "The Bishops Lose a Big One." • Task Force releases report on Anglican Covenant ... [Episcopal News Service] An Executive Council task force has released a report it received from the Standing Commission on Constitution and Canons outlining the changes that would be needed if the General Convention decides to sign onto the Anglican Covenant. Here. • Nevada priest resigns amid sexual abuse lawsuit ... [Episcopal Café] The Kansas City Star reports that a former Benedictine monk and Catholic priest who is now an Episcopal priest has resigned his position and has begun the process of renouncing his orders after admitting to committing sexual abuse against boys while serving as music director at a Roman Catholic monastery. Bede Parry, 69, served All Saints Episcopal Church in Las Vegas since 2000 and was received in 2004. More here. Comments under the Episcopal Café story by Andrew Gerns include one by Bishop Paul.
DioBethSpin • IRS Mileage Rates ... [Bruce Reiner] The IRS has announced a change in the mileage rates starting July 1 to the end of 2011. Business: 55.5 (up from 51). Medical: 23.5 (up from 19). Charitable: 14 (same). • Grants for creative ministry approaches in rural settings ... [ENS] For the training of town and country clergy and rural Christian workers of the Episcopal Church. Here. • Vincent J. Julian, Jr., 59, died June 23. He was a volunteer organist, senior and junior warden and served on the buildings and grounds committee at St. Brigid's Nazareth. Services on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Obituary here. • Bruce P. Bengtson will play his last official service as organist of Christ Church Reading on Sunday, July 31. Hear Bruce. "When to his organ, vocal breath was giv'n, An angel heard, and straight appear'd, Mistaking earth for Heaven." (John Dryden) • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here . • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • The real ecumenical/interfaith opportunity ... [Bishop Paul Marshall] If this survey is true, the conservatives are losing members faster than the mainline! I wouldn't do the Schadenfreude polka just yet, but the numbers suggest that the propaganda that our church is shrinking because of its positions on various matters needs careful examination. Perhaps the real ecumenical/interfaith opportunity is to find ways to communicate to our culture the importance of religious belief, period. More here. • It's Your Church ... [Alban Institute, Landon Whitsitt] Although the question the search committee asked was, "What is your church growth plan?" what they were after was something much deeper. Something was amiss, and they knew it. More here. • Church growth and evangelism challenge: Ten tests ... [Anglican Communion News Service] The English Diocese of Liverpool has set ten 'tests' for any proposed initiatives to help churches avoid doing anything that might hinder the work of God's mission. The diocese, which has 250 churches in both rural and urban settings in the north of the country, is said to be working towards "a sustainable, led and transforming Christian presence in every community in the diocese to enable all to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God." Liverpool’s Church Growth Team Leader Linda Jones explained that as part of this its synod agreed that Ten Tests should be set and used to measure the worth of any proposed initiatives. More here.
TailSpin • Energy Hogs: atop TV sets, a power drain runs nonstop ... [NYTimes] Those little boxes that usher cable signals and digital recording capacity into televisions have become the single largest electricity drain in many American homes, with some typical home entertainment configurations eating more power than a new refrigerator and even some central air-conditioning systems. These set-top boxes are energy hogs mostly because their drives, tuners and other components are generally running full tilt, or nearly so, 24 hours a day, even when not in active use. Cable boxes are not designed to be turned completely off, and even when in deep sleep mode, it takes time to reconnect and “talk” with their cable or satellite network, though that time is highly variable depending on the technology. Those devices may cause an increase of as little as a few dollars a month or well over $10 for a home with many devices. The biggest challenge in reducing energy use is maintaining the rapid response time now expected of home entertainment systems. People are used to the idea that computers take some time to boot up, but they expect the TV to turn on instantly. More here. • Face to face with a mother's pain ... [Nicholas Kristoff, NYTimes] A chance encounter in a village here between an American medical student traveling with me and a starving African mother was almost too wrenching to handle. We came across a young mother who was quietly starving beside her thatch-roof hut, along with her two surviving children (two others had already died). She told us she was eight months pregnant and had nothing at all to eat in the house. She and her children had last eaten a day earlier, when neighbors — themselves impossibly poor — shared some of their food. She was also afflicted with a leg infection that looked gangrenous. If she didn’t starve, she might soon lose her leg — or, more realistically in a village with no medical clinic, simply die of the infection. Her two small children, ages 5 and 2, would then be at great risk of dying without their mother to look after them. The father is blind, from a disease called river blindness, which is transmitted by black flies, and cannot cultivate the fields. It was at that point in the conversation that the medical student choked and teared up. “Is there anything we can do?” she asked. More here. • An unfair burden ... [NYTimes Editorial]For all of the economic hardship of the last several years, there was reason to hope that the nation could avoid a crushing increase in the number of Americans living in poverty. That hope is fading fast. Much of the real money for deficit reduction will inevitably have to come from popular programs, like reducing payments to Medicare providers, and reining in defense spending. And it must come from tax increases, no matter how much Republicans may wish it otherwise. Making the poor carry a heavy part of the deficit burden is intolerable. More here. And [at Episcopal Café, Nick Knisely] The idea that upperclass tax cuts need to be preserved and the poor's benefits reduced to keep the rich as rich as they are, pretty much flies in the face of all that Our Lord and the Prophets teach. Good thing the New York Times is calling folks out. Are we in the Church making enough noise? • The ways of silencing ... [NYTimes, Opinionator] We might wish politicians and pundits from opposing parties to engage in reasoned debate about the truth, but as we know, this is not the reality of our political discourse. Instead we often encounter bizarre and improbable claims about public figures. Words are misappropriated and meanings twisted. I believe that these tactics are not really about making substantive claims, but rather play the role of silencing. They are, if you will, linguistic strategies for stealing the voices of others. These strategies have always been part of the arsenal of politics. But since they are so widely used today, it is worth examining their underlying mechanisms, to make apparent their special dangers. More here.
Go • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids , grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here .
Pray • Paying attention to the presence of God ... [Episcpal Café] Prayer means paying attention to the presence of God. It means listening for God and responding to God, by our words, deeds, and silence. Prayer means giving thanks for God's many gifts, taking refuge in God's promises, and adoring God's goodness. It means seeking God's will and offering ourselves up for God's purposes. Petition and intercession are but one dimension of a relationship with God that is much broader and deeper--and far more meaningful. More here. • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare . • With The Book of Common Prayer ... Here . • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families. Check the newSpin blog for an update.
Read/Reel/Listen • Day1 Sermon.God will provide ... [Charles K. Robertson, canon to the Presiding Bishop] I hate to admit this up front, but the fact is that I have never, ever liked that passage about Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac. When I was a child and heard this passage read in church, I wanted to cry out, "Run, Isaac, run! Don't let him get you!" I even found myself getting angry with the boy. I mean, how dense can he be? He's carrying the wood to the sacrifice. "Wake up, kid! You're the sacrifice!" Years later, when I became a parent myself, I found myself even more disturbed by the story. After all, what kind of father would entertain such a proposition? As Bob Dylan once sang, "God said to Abraham, 'Kill me a son.' Abe said to God, 'You must be puttin' me on!'" More here. • Does anything matter? ... [Peter Singer, professor of bioethics, Princeton] Can moral judgments be true or false? Or is ethics, at bottom, a purely subjective matter, for individuals to choose, or perhaps relative to the culture of the society in which one lives? More here . • Bobby McFerrin ... [American Public Media] On Being with Krista Tippett. Here . • The first couple in story and film ... [NCR] Adam and Eve in popular culture .
Be Well • Good Sleep Raises Quality of Life, Lowers Depression ... [MedlinePlus]Sleeping too little or too much can have adverse effects, study finds. More here. [h/t Diana S. Marshall]
Episcopal/Anglican • Christ Church Lexington names first woman as dean and rector ... [Lexington Herald-Leader] Carol Wade was precentor at National Cathedral. Here. Also [Episcopal Cafe]here. • Whitemarsh Episcopal church's bible challenge gives readers something to talk about ... [Philadelphia Inquirer, David O'Reilly] When the rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Whitemarsh invited his congregants in January to join him in reading the Bible cover to cover in a year, the response surprised him. More here. • Did the Bard smoke pot? ... [The Atlantic Wire] Anthropologist Francis Thackeray, director of the Institute for Human Evolution in Johannesburg, South Africa has said he formally asked the Church of England to green light his exhumation of the Bard, Fox News reports. In part, Thackeray wants to determine the cause of Shakespeare's death. But that's not all -- him and his team are looking to resolve his own suggestion of over a decade ago that Shakespeare was an avid marijuana smoker. Thackeray had uncovered "suggestive evidence of cannabis" and "signs of what looks like cocaine" on clay pipes found in the garden of Shakespeare’s old house. His allegations of Shakespeare as a drug addict gave rise to "disbelief and anger" among Shakespeare's fans, and this could put the speculation to rest. "If we find grooves between the canine and the incisor, that will tell us if he was chewing on a pipe as well as smoking,” Thackeray said. More here. • Episcopal Church Women eCommuniqué,Pentecost 2011. • Episcopal Church Website and News Service. • Follow the Episcopal News Serviceon Twitter. • Anglican Communion News Service ... on Facebook. And weekly review, posted June 25.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North Americawebsite • Moravian Church Northern Provincewebsite • Moravian Theological Seminarywebsite
Evangelical Lutheran • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... June 24. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • 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. • Communication newsletter ... Here. • Eastern PA Conference of the UMC website ... Here. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • School's out, forever ... [NYTimes] Just don’t cry. That has been Sister Nora McArt’s mantra. She has been unflappable in her 42 years at St. Martin of Tours Elementary School in the Bronx, braving the gang fights, racial unrest and crack wars that were waged outside the school and convent in the Crotona neighborhood. No matter the mayhem, she had to be calm for the children. Until now ... In 1961, the Archdiocese of New York had 212,781 students in 414 elementary and high schools. This year, including the schools that are closing, there were 79,782 children at 274 schools. More here. • Vatican to unveil Internet news portal ... [Associated Press and Vatican Information Service] The Vatican, whose communication problems are no secret, is taking a leap into the world of new media with the launch on Wednesday of a news information portal, www.news.va, that Pope Benedict XVI himself may put online with a papal click. It will for the first time aggregate information from the Vatican’s various print, online, radio and television media in a one-stop-shop for Holy See news. Also here. Sneak preview here. • Diocese of Allentown ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here. • Vatican website ... Here. • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here. • Vatican Internet News Portal ... Here.
• Find earlier issues of the newSpin newsletter here and recent ones in the left column here.
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Composed at least weekly (usually on Monday and occasionally on Thursday) by Bill Lewellis, the newSpin newsletter appears as a post within the newSpin blog. Newsletter and blog are not identical. This notice that a new newsletter has been published currently goes to some 1,200 email addresses on a separate list. Many recipients forward it to many more. 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/Editor (1986-2010), 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]
By Bishop Paul Marshall Posted on "Bakery" the interactive Internet list of the Diocese of Bethlehem, June 25, 2011
I read this factoid on the web:
Using General Social Survey data, those identifying themselves as Southern Baptist fell from 8.9% of the U.S. population for the 1996-2000 survey period to 7% for the 2006-2010 period, a drop of 21%. The percentage of Episcopalians in the population fell by 14% for the same period.
So if this is true, the conservatives are losing members faster than the mainline! I wouldn't do the Schadenfreude polka just yet, but the numbers suggest that the propaganda that our church is shrinking because of its positions on various matters needs careful examination. The RCC has lost a breath-taking 30% of its membership.
Perhaps the real ecumenical/interfaith opportunity is to find ways to communicate to our culture the importance of religious belief, period.
In contrast to Freud, I would conclude that science and reason cannot replace religion, that religiosity as a fundamental human capability and function has to be integrated in our understanding of normality and pathology, and that a universal system of morality is an unavoidable precondition for the survival of humanity. Psychoanalysis has given us fundamental information regarding the origin of religiosity, but not a world conception or an arbitration of the philosophical and theological discussion regarding God.
At a clinical level, one of the functions of the psychoanalyst is to explore the extent to which religiosity as a mature desire for a transpersonal system of morality and ethical values as outlined is available to our patients. The function of the psychoanalyst is not that of a pastoral counselor or a guide to such a universal system of values; rather, the psychoanalyst's function is to free the patient from unconscious conflicts that limit this capability, including the systematic confrontation, exploration, and resolution of unconscious conflicts that preclude the development of concern, guilt, reparation, forgiveness, responsibility and justice as basic aspirations of the individual. Psychoanalysis also has to help certain patients to free themselves from the use of formal religious commitments as a rationalization of hatred and destructiveness directed against self or others. Perhaps one might add to Freud's suggestion that love and work are the two main purposes of life, that the commitment to morality and the appreciation of art are two further major tasks and sources of meaning for the human being.
Unions are dying in America. Their percentage of the workforce has declined from about 32 percent 60 years ago to under 12 percent today. Many of those that remain are under assault, especially since new Republican governors have targeted public employee unions.
Some of the death of unions results from many people seeing unions as unnecessary. In the last half of the 20th century, governments have indeed spread some of the benefits of unionization to the public by legislating protections of paid holidays and vacation, minimum wages and overtime, safe workplace conditions, etc.
Increasingly, though, unions are not naturally declining, but being murdered. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, corporate executives, and their political allies who have never liked the power assembled in union activity are more motivated than ever to finish them off. Many conservatives hated the recent successful bailout of GM and Chrysler because it allowed the auto unions to survive. Businesses have also deliberately moved factories and offices to states and countries whose laws and customs limit unionization.
Why are they trying to kill unions? Laissez-faire economists say that unions make us less competitive in international markets (although most of our competitor industrialized nations have higher rates of unionization). Corporate executives say the high union wages and benefits cost too much (although corporate profits and executive salaries are now at near-record high levels while median household incomes remain stagnant or in decline). Governors say public unions are bankrupting their states (although lack of tax revenues in an economic slump is more to blame). Libertarians condemn unions as evil socialist collectivization.
True, unions use collective bargaining to empower workers who as individuals would be in a weak position to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Is that so bad?
Unions indeed arose more than a century ago because too many businesses used to exploit workers. As the industrial revolution geared up, business leaders often put profit before humanity. Sound business policy was to pay workers too little to survive, as a lethal poverty prevention measure called the "Iron Law of Wages." Owners could feel virtuous, while they reduced the surplus population (in the words of Charles Dickens). Early industries, supported by governments, opposed any and all efforts of workers to unionize.
In 1935, the American government finally supported unions with the Wagner Act. While that law and the National Labor Relations Board it created supports unions in name, it creates all sorts of difficulties for unionizers. Meanwhile, governments still often side with corporate interests over the workers.
And now the Supreme Court has dismissed a class action suit against Wal-Mart, further preventing workers from acting together for their rights, even without unions.
Maybe unions are too weak to survive these days. Yet, the wealthy interests of capital should not have a monopoly in the marketplace. Instead, I suggest that workers create a voice using the tools of capitalism.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Since the economic and political powers-that-be despise unions, workers should instead incorporate. Then these new worker corporations will sell the services of workers, in turn negotiating, signing, and enforcing contracts, and making profit, for their own benefit.
Ironically, the modern corporation is also a collectivist organization. Governments first created them by law a century and a half ago, as a new way to structure economic enterprises, increasingly replacing the traditional family firms and partnerships. Corporations are artificial people, financed through capital collected by selling stock, run by professional managers, who are, in turn, supervised by a board of directors. Unlike normal human beings, corporations might never die - as long as they continue to make profit, they might exist forever.
What else are corporations but collectives of stockholders and managers who then employ workers to provide goods and services?
I've been inspired by ads I've heard lately proclaiming the advantages of incorporating, even for individuals. Some states, like Wyoming or Delaware, offer ease of incorporation, lack of corporate taxes, and lax regulation and supervision. And we all know how much businesses and the courts respect contracts with other corporations!
I'm not a lawyer, so the incorporation of workers and citizens to better recognize their interests may not be easy or possible. If the current laws allow it, then someone can find a way; if new laws need to be passed, the corporate interests may stop this idea from moving forward.
Either way, I see no alternative to the growing dominance of American society by the wealthy and well-connected armed with their lawyers and accountants. If our society continues to favor artificial profit-making corporations over quality of life for genuine individual human beings, then only corporations will be our future.
Workers of the world, incorporate! You have nothing to lose, but your humanity. The courts, politicians and businessmen are already taking away your dignity and livelihood, anyhow.
[Brian A. Pavlac is a professor of History at King's College, an Episcopal Priest, and the author of "A Concise Survey of Western Civilization: Supremacies and Diversities throughout History."]
Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:
Pfc. Brian J. Backus, 21, of Saginaw Township, Michigan Staff Sgt. Nicholas P. Bellard, 26, of El Paso, Texas Sgt. 1st Class Alvin A. Boatwright, 33, of Lodge, South Carolina Sgt. Mark A. Bradley, 25, of Cuba, New York Spc. Marcos A. Cintron, 32, of Orlando, Florida Sgt. Edward F. Dixon III, 37, of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri Sgt. James W. Harvey II, 23, of Toms River, New Jersey Pfc. Josue Ibarra, 21, of Midland, Texas Pfc. Joshua L. Jetton, 21, of Sebring, Florida Staff Sgt. Jeremy A. Katzenberger, 26, of Weatherby Lake, Missouri Spc. Tyler R. Kreinz, 21, Beloit, Wisconsin Pvt. Ryan J. Larson, 19, of Friendship, Wisconsin Pfc. Gustavo A. Rios-Ordonez, 25, of Englewood, Ohio Sgt. Glenn M. Sewell, 23, of Live Oak, Texas Spc. Scott D. Smith, 36, of Indianapolis, Indiana Sgt. Alan L. Snyder, 28, Worcester, Massachusetts Pfc. Eric D. Soufrine, 20, of Woodbridge, Connecticut Lance Cpl. Jared C. Verbeek, 22, of Visalia, California
Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.
The newSpin newsletter, June 20, 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Monday and occasionally on Thursday
Those on the newSpin list who are subscribed also to "Bakery" may have been wondering why their attempted posts have been bouncing for the past five days. ChurchPost has encountered a few issues in their attempt to upgrade their ChurchReply lists. "Bakery" is a ChurchReply list. Your posts may have been captured for reposting. If not, do hold on to them and repost them when the cloud allows. Thanks. –Bill
TopSpin • Couple preparing to welcome 72nd foster child ... [CNN] Tom and Ann Rose, members of Grace Allentown, have been foster parents to 71 children over the past 15 years, and they’re hoping to welcome a 72nd soon to their Allentown, home. Tom is in his 70s; Ann, in her 80s. More here. And video at WFMZ. • On the verge of crisis in Sudan ... [Religion Dispatches] "If the world stands idly by this time, they will bring genocide." Anglican Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail of Kadugli, Sudan (Kadugli is far north of Kajo Keji) More here. • ABC warns that Sudan faces another Darfur ... [Church Times]Here. • Bishop Anthony fears loss of freedom for Christians in the North ... [Church Times] Bishop Anthony Poggo of Kajo Keji in Sudan expressed concern that Christians in the mainly Muslim north of Sudan will be “more vulnerable”, when the largely Christian south secedes to form a new country next month. He called on the international community to put pressure on the government of the north to “respect freedom of religion.” Download Bishop Anthony in Church Times. •Progressive vs. Emergence Christianity... [Patheos, PhyllisTickle] Despite the sharing of conversations, there still are some distinct differences between Progressive Christianity and Emergence Christianity, says Phyllis Tickle. More here. Brian McLaren, not conservative, not liberal: Progressive. Here. [h/t Leadership Education at Duke Divinity] • Successful pay-what-you-can model proves humanity can be awesome ... [bigthink.com] Too good to believe? Perhaps not. A year ago, Ronald Shaich, the founder of Panera Bread, one of the biggest restaurant chains in the States, decided to try something different. He opened the Panera Cares Community Café in Colorado, an establishment that looked like and sold the same things as all the rest of the Panera Breads out there. With only one difference - the lack of a cashier. Instead there was a donation box where customers could deposit more or less than the suggested donation for each item. Or not pay for it at all. More here.
DioBethSpin • Grants for creative ministry approaches in rural settings ... [ENS] For the training of town and country clergy and rural Christian workers of the Episcopal Church. Here. • Celebration of New Ministry ... St. Brigid's Nazareth (310 Madison Avenue) with their first rector, the Rev. William L. Martin. Sunday, June 26, at 5:00 p.m. • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here. • In-Formation in Bethlehem ... Read Canon Kitch's newsletter here. • Thomas T. Church, 91, a long-time member of the Cathedral, died Monday, June 13, at Kirkland Village. Tom was very active in many ministries. A memorial service will take place at the Cathedral on Monday, June 27, at 11:00 a.m. Obituary here. • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • Rescuing the real Uncle Tom ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] The novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe, born 200 years ago last Tuesday, June 14, was an unlikely fomenter of wars. Diminutive and dreamy-eyed, she was a harried housewife with six children, who suffered from various obscure illnesses worsened by her persistent hypochondria. And yet, driven by a passionate hatred of slavery, she found time to write “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which became the most influential novel in American history and a catalyst for radical change both at home and abroad. Today, of course, the book has a decidedly different reputation, thanks to the popular image of its titular character, Uncle Tom — whose name has become a byword for a spineless sellout, a black man who betrays his race. More here. • Thousands have swum the river in both directions ... [Episcopal Café] In a recent move to Baltimore I unearthed the October 5, 1973 issue of the National Catholic Reporter. I was a stringer for the paper then when TV news in Phoenix didn’t pay much. I even had a part time job teaching religion at a local Catholic high school. My ministry included playing guitar at Sunday night masses at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale. Finding this particular issue of NCR not only flooded me with memories (my byline was on page two) but propelled me into the present. On page one was the notice that John Cogley had become an Episcopalian. Cogley was a former executive editor of Commonweal, an NCR columnist and well known Catholic author and journalist. His migration, I later discovered, is fondly referred to by those who keep score as “swimming the Thames”—the description for Catholics who become Episcopalians. Those going the other way “swim the Tiber.” These expressions acknowledge the two rivers next to seats of ecclesiastical authority of both branches of Christ’s “one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.” My move to Baltimore came at the calling of the Episcopal bishop to join his staff as canon for evangelism and ministry development. I swam the Thames nearly 20 years ago, went to the Seminary of the Southwest, and was ordained nearly six years later. And so recent events have caused friends, old and new, to ask for my reactions. More here. • An effort to foster tolerance in religion ... [NYTimes, Laurie Goodstein] For a guy who is only 35 and lives in a walk-up apartment, Eboo Patel has already racked up some impressive accomplishments. A Rhodes scholar with a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, he has four honorary degrees. His autobiography is required freshman reading on 11 college campuses. He runs a nonprofit organization — the Interfaith Youth Core — with 31 employees and a budget of $4 million. And he was tapped by the White House as a key architect of an initiative announced in April by President Obama. Mr. Patel got there by identifying a sticky problem in American civic life and proposing a concrete solution. The problem? Increased religious diversity is causing increasing religious conflict. And too often, religious extremists are driving events. He figured that if Muslim radicals and extremists of other religions were recruiting young people, then those who believe in religious tolerance should also enlist the youth. More here. • Leave those kids alone ... [The Atlantic] Childhood is more than merely a springboard to adulthood. Here. [h/t Anne Kitch]
TailSpin • Israel sees slow but growing acceptance for gay Orthodox ... [RNS, Michele Chabin] TEL AVIV, Israel (RNS) Though never short on spectacle, this year’s annual gay pride festival was even more colorful with a parade float, sponsored by Google, representing the country’s religious gay and lesbian communities. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts bearing the words “Religious Pride Community,” the 20- and 30-somethings who accompanied the float on Friday (June 10) smiled proudly if even a bit self-consciously when onlookers did a double take or shouted, “Good for you!” While Israeli law forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation in most areas of life, and gay soldiers can serve openly in the military, the public at large is only beginning to accept the notion that observant Jews can be both openly religious and openly gay. More here. • Plurality of Americans believe capitalism at odds with Christian values ... [Public Religion Research Institute] Overall more Americans believe that Christian values are at odds with capitalism and the free market than believe they are compatible. This pattern also holds among Christians. Among Christians in the U.S., only 38% believe capitalism and the free market are consistent with Christian values while 46% believe the two are at odds. Religiously unaffiliated Americans look similar to the general population and to Christian Americans, with a plurality (40%) saying capitalism is at odds with Christian values, compared to 32% who say they are compatible; 14% say they do not know. There are significant differences by gender, party and income. More here. • The Ayn Rand Makeover ... [Sojourners, Danny Duncan Collum] Life just got even harder for our friends on the Right. Now, apparently, a true conservative must also believe that the late Ayn Rand was a great philosopher. Anyone who has so far managed to avoid Rand's work or her disciples should know that in her novels and essays Rand expounded a worldview, dubbed "Objectivism," that can be summed up as a pastiche of free-market libertarianism and cartoon Nietzscheanism. To the Randian, there is no God but self, and self-will and pursuit of self-interest is the only virtue. More here. • The other side of the Catholic tradition ... [Washington Post Op-Ed, Matthew Fox] People who came of age in the past 40 years have known only one version of the Roman Catholic Church—a version of an iron-fisted ideology that first John Paul II and then Benedict XVI have enforced in the process of condemning condoms, birth control, liberation theology, creation spirituality, women, gays, the “secular world” and much more. World-over the hierarchy are being criticized for coddling pedophile priests and bishops while denouncing theologians and others who bring ideas to an age-old tradition. More here. • Those Manly Men of Yore ... [NYTimes Op-Ed, Sara Lipton] In the face of recent revelations about the reckless sexual conduct of elected officials, it's worth recalling that sexual restraint was once the measure of a man. More here.
Go • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids, grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here.
Pray • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare. • With The Book of Common Prayer ... Here. • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families.Check the newSpin blog for an update.
Read/Reel/Listen • The apocalyptic fantasy inspired by Jerusalem ... [NCR] If a book can have a soundtrack, then James Carroll’s Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World (reviewed here by John Olinger) calls for Leonard Cohen’s “Story of Isaac,” a lament for youth sacrificed on the altars of parents’ visions and a cry against the war on Vietnam. Carroll, son of a U.S. Air Force officer and himself a former priest, has written an extended meditation on violence and religion, rooted in the hallowed ground of Jerusalem, sacred to the three Abrahamic faiths. More here. • Does anything matter? [Peter Singer, professor of bioethics, Princeton] Can moral judgments be true or false? Or is ethics, at bottom, a purely subjective matter, for individuals to choose, or perhaps relative to the culture of the society in which one lives? More here. • Bobby McFerrin ... [American Public Media] On Being with Krista Tippett. Here. • The first couple in story and film ... [NCR] Adam and Eve in popular culture.
Be Well • Child Safety ... [MedlinePlus] When lawn mowers attack. Here. [h/t Diana S. Marshall] • How a Minnesota Episcopal priest is coping with Parkinson's ... [National Public Radio] My most vivid recollection as a kid of going to church was hearing a booming voice fill the building. It was my dad's voice. As an Episcopal priest, he commanded the room whether he was giving a sermon or singing a hymn. Not any more. One of the ongoing issues my dad has is that his vocal chords aren't engaging like they used to. At church he gets by with a microphone; at home, you have to get right next to him to hear what he's saying. It's because his brain is no longer intuitively helping his body do its normal tasks. A lot of people see Parkinson's — namely the tremors — so they think it's physical, but it's all in the brain. More here.
Episcopal/Anglican • Diocese of Washington elects Mariann Budde as its ninth bishop ... [Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., elected the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde as its first female diocesan bishop on the second ballot on June 18. Budde, 52, Spanish-speaking rector of St. John's Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was elected out of a field of five nominees. She received 102 votes of 163 cast in the lay order and 137 of 175 cast in the clergy order. An election on that ballot required 82 in the lay order and 88 in the clergy order. Pending a successful consent process, Budde will succeed Bishop John Bryson Chane, who will retire this fall. The service of consecration and installation for the new bishop is set for Nov. 12. More Here. Read the Washington Post story here. • In New Zealand: Christchurch Bishop fears her clergy face “exhaustion of spirit” following tremors ... [Anglican Taonga] In the wake of yet more big jolts in Christchurch, Bishop Victoria Matthews says she fears her clergy are facing “exhaustion of spirit”. “People are tired. They have been more than magnificent. Let me say that clearly. “But I am hearing of a deep weariness of the soul, and I'm having to ask people to reach deep into their resources to meet yet another crisis. “The churches that have stepped up to the plate, and been magnificent so many times before, will have to do it all over again. Because we have got to keep looking after the people of God. More here. • 'Mission-shaped' cathedrals as incubators of fresh ministry, hatcheries of mission ... [Episcopal News Service] What if cathedrals across North America, the long-held treasured symbols of tradition, were "re-imagined" into incubators and hubs for fresh and creative new ministries, "places where young adults can be drawn to explore Christian faith and spirituality within dioceses?" The Rev. Karen Ward hopes to inspire both the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada to sign onto a three-year Mission Shaped Cathedrals Project (MSCP) to do just that. More here. • CofE clears way for gay, celibate bishops ... [CNN Belief Blog] The Church of England’s lawyers advised the church not to refuse to appoint gay bishops; but it can insist that they remain celibate, CNN reports. • Episcopal ChurchWebsite and News Service. Follow the Episcopal News Service on Twitter. • Anglican Communion News Service ... on Facebook.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
Evangelical Lutheran • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... June 16. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • 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. • Communication newsletter ... Here. • Eastern PA Conference of the UMC website ... Here. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • Cardinal reports on progress toward U.S Ordinariate for ex-Anglicans ... [Catholic News Service] As many as 100 U.S. Anglican priests and 2,000 laypeople could be the first members of a U.S. personal ordinariate for former Anglicans who want to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington reported to his fellow bishops June 15. At a news conference following his report, Cardinal Wuerl said he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Vatican were to establish the U.S. ordinariate by the end of the year. "I think it will be sooner rather than later," he said. He said St. Mary's Seminary in Houston has developed and the Vatican has approved an intensive nine-month program of priestly formation for Anglican clergy who wish to become Catholic priests. Father Jeffrey Steenson, the former Episcopal bishop of the Rio Grande who became a Catholic in 2007 and now teaches at St. Mary's Seminary, was instrumental in developing the program, which focuses on "the areas of historic theological divergence" between the Catholic and Anglican churches, Cardinal Wuerl said.More here.[Canon Gerns' take, worth reading, at Episcopal Cafe] First, the RCC does not distinguish between Episcopal Churches and members of breakaway church, nor does it distinguish between the Episcopal Church and groups that claim an Anglican heritage or style of worship but were never part of the Episcopal Church in the first place. So give those numbers appropriate latitude. More here. • Theologians express regret over bishops' rebuke of Johnson book ... [Thomas C. Fox, NCR] The Catholic Theological Society of America June 10 overwhelmingly passed a resolution, 147 to one, recommending the U.S. bishops establish a committee to evaluate procedures that led to their doctrine committee’s April statement, which severely criticized a book by a noted U.S. theologian. More here. • Diocese of Allentown ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here. • Vatican website ... Here. • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here.
• 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, it is ordinarily published on Monday and occasionally on Thursday as well. it is currently received by some 1,200 people, some 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 (occasionally twice a week) by Bill Lewellis, the newSpin newsletter appears as a post within the newSpinblog, 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]
Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:
Spc. Emilio J. Campo Jr., 20, of Madelia, Minnesota Spc. Michael B. Cook Jr., 27, of Middletown, Ohio Pfc. Matthew J. England, 22, of Gainesville, Missouri Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, 24, of Victorville, California Spc. Robert P. Hartwick, 20, of Rockbridge, Ohio Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, of Poway, California Lance Cpl. Joshua B. McDaniels, 21, of Dublin, Ohio Capt. Michael W. Newton, 30, of Newport News, Virginia Lance Cpl. Nicholas S. O'Brien, 21, of Stanley, North Carolina Lance Cpl. Sean M. N. O'Connor, 22, of Douglas, Wyoming Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, 26, Chicago, Illinois Cpl. Matthew T. Richard, 21, of Acadia, Louisiana
Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.
Most people who enter a faith community for the first time and stay do so because another lay person invited them. Beverly Bammel, a missioner at St. Francis, College Station, Texas, in the Diocese of Texas, says "This only makes sense. How often do we ask a friend their advice about a movie, a book, a doctor, or any countless number of things? We turn to someone who has first sampled the services or goods, someone with first-hand experience. Often we don’t even need to know this other person very well, and we’ll follow their advice."
She offers a practical tool any church can use to help members invite others to come and worship. Print up business cards with the name of your church, address, phone, web-address and worship times. Read more about it at "Share the Bread", the blog of the Evangelism Commission of the Diocese of Bethlehem.
The newSpin newsletter, June 13, 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Monday and occasionally on Thursday
The newSpin newsletter has been a Monday and Thursday publication. With this issue, it will become a Monday and occasionally on Thursday publication. We'll see how it goes. Thanks. –Bill
TopSpin • ABC slams British austerity budget ... [RNS] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has touched off a fury by accusing the British government of causing widespread "anxiety and anger" with its new austerity budget. The leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans crossed swords with the government of Prime Minister David Cameron over his "radical, long-term policies for which no one voted." Williams' remarks, to be published in an upcoming edition of the New Statesman magazine, has been described in British newspapers as the most serious intervention in politics in more than two decades. More here. • Not the God who brought you out of Egypt ... [Episcoal Cafe, Ann Fontaine]Fred Clark, writing at The Slactivist, finds it "beyond ironic to obscene" that the state who spent the most time trying to have the 10 Commandments in the state courthouse has just passed the most oppressive laws against caring for the stranger in their midst. • The KJV: History and Politics ... Trinity Wall Street has been offering a study of the King James Version of the Bible. They have made two of the presentations from the classes available on the internet.
DioBethSpin • St. Peter's Tunkhannock will dedicate new church building on Sunday, June 19. More here. • Celebration of New Ministry ... St. Brigid's Nazareth (310 Madison Avenue) with their first rector, the Rev. William L. Martin. Sunday, June 26, at 5:00 p.m. • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here. • In-Formation in Bethlehem ... Read Canon Kitch's newsletter here. • Kajo Keji Newsletter ... April to June 2011. Download a pdf file here. • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • We tell stories ... [James Carroll] "We tell stories because we can't help it. We tell stories because we love to entertain and hope to edify. We tell stories because they save us." • Who's ready for kindergarten? ... [NYTimes, Room for Debate] Should the U.S. rethink what the first year of school should provide? Here. • Leave those kids alone ... [The Atlantic] Childhood is more than merely a springboard to adulthood. Here. [h/t Anne Kitch] • How to Spot the Creative Ones in Your Office ... [The Atlantic] We're surrounded by clever thinkers, but we usually don't realize they're around. Here.
TailSpin • America's Unemployed Youth and Permanently Working Seniors ... [Ronald Brownstein, National Journal] "For every member of the millennial generation frustrated that she can't start a career, there may be a baby boomer frustrated that he can't end one." Younger Americans have historically made up more of the workforce than their older counterparts, but the limited job market alongside "the financial meltdown [that] vaporized the value of homes and 401(k) plans" has sharply reversed that trend. "In some ways, the change reflects positive trends. Compared with the first decades after World War II, fewer young people are working partly because more of them are in school. And more seniors are working partly because rising education levels have allowed more of them to find satisfying careers they prefer to continue." Still, the majority of those still working over 55 don't really have a choice, as retirement funds are insufficient. "In the same way, the rapid recent decline in employment among young people hasn't been offset by a comensurate rise in college attendance." Brownstein points out that this share of young Americans neither working nor studying is poised to become the feared "lost generation." He insists that "the class of 1967, which is growing reflexively hostile to government spending, needs to realize the interests it shares with the class of 2011: Unless today's young people ascend into well-paying jobs, it won't be possible to finance Social Security and Medicare for tomorrow's seniors." More here. [h/t The Atlantic Wire]. • For the executive with everything, a $230,000 dog to protect it ... [NYTimes] "Good with kids, good with horses, good with cats. A perfect lady in the home." Harriswon Prather, on a German shepherd he trained that sold for $230,000 as an executive protection dog. More here. • Narcissism, Weiner, and the Internet ... [NYTimes, Ross Douthat] "Particular vices can be encouraged by particular innovations, and thrive in the new worlds that they create," writes New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, who argues "Anthony Weiner's virtual adultery" has illustrated that "the Internet era's defining vice...[is] a desperate, adolescent narcissism." Douthat observes that, while seeking sex outside his marriage is not particularly new, "what's more striking is the form his dalliances took--not a private surrender to lust or ardor, but a pathetic quest for quasipublic validation." He points out that Weiner's correspondence with his online "partners" reveal that he is hardly interested in them at all--they "existed less to titillate him than to hold up mirrors to his own vanity." Douthat argues that "Facebook and Twitter did not forge the culture of narcissism. But they serve as a hall of mirrors in which it flourishes as never before ... And as Anthony Weiner just found out, it's very easy to get lost in there." [h/t The Atlantic Wire] Are acts of God covered? ... An Arkansas city bus line wants Atheists in Arkansas to pay $36,000 to insure against angry Christians attacking the buses, according to RNS Religion News Roundup. The writer wonders if the insurance covers acts of God. :-) • Philosophy as an art of dying ... [NYTimes, Opinionator] What does it mean to die for an idea? Here.
ReelSpin • The Tree of Life ... [America Magazine, James Martin] I knew that “The Tree of Life” tackled what are sometimes ominously called “Big Questions” about religion. But I was unprepared for the power of the film, which is like living inside a prayer. Essentially, the film works on (at least) two levels: as a story and as a meditation. Read it all here. • Documentary exposes America's big dirty secret ... [Sr. Rose Pacatte, NCR] Coal is dirty; it's expensive, and modern coal mining devastates the environment and the communities that surround it. Coal mining is dangerous, expensive to the consumer, and disproportionately profitable to the multinational corporations that own the coal mines or licenses to mine. But the greatest harm created by Big Coal is its blow to democracy. This is America's dirty secret. More here. • Remembering when Dad came out ... [TED] It's a master class in collaboration as violinist Robert Gupta and cellist Joshua Roman perform Halvorsen's "Passacaglia" for violin and viola. Roman takes the viola part on his Stradivarius cello. It's powerful to watch the two musicians connect moment to moment (and recover from a mid-performance hiccup). The two are both TED Fellows, and their deep connection powers this sparkling duet. Here.
Go • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids, grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here.
Pray • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare. • With The Book of Common Prayer ... Here. • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families.Here. Check the newSpin blog for an update.
Health • Child Safety ... [MedlinePlus] When lawn mowers attack. Here. [h/t Diana S. Marshall]
Episcopal/Anglican • ABC slams British austerity budget ... [RNS] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has touched off a fury by accusing the British government of causing widespread "anxiety and anger" with its new austerity budget. The leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans crossed swords with the government of Prime Minister David Cameron over his "radical, long-term policies for which no one voted." Williams' remarks, to be published in an upcoming edition of the New Statesman magazine, has been described in British newspapers as the most serious intervention in politics in more than two decades. More here. • Episcopal ChurchWebsite and News Service. Follow the Episcopal News Service on Twitter. • Anglican Communion News Service ... on Facebook.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
Evangelical Lutheran • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... June 3. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • 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. • Communication newsletter ... Here. • Eastern PA Conference of the UMC website ... Here. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • Peter's Pence ... A new book by investigative journalist Jason Berry alleges that only 20 percent of an annual Catholic collection for the poor taken up in parishes worldwide actually goes to charity, according to the RNS Religion News Roundup for June 13. I have a bit of a quarrel with this, both with Jason Berry who suggests something unseemly and with the relatively recent common spin given to this collection by the USCCB and, likely, most RC dioceses across the country. During my time as a Roman priest (1963-1981), whenever I had to describe the purpose of this collection, I said it was primarily for the upkeep of the Holy See. To this day, the Vatican website states: The faithful’s offerings to the Holy Father are destined to Church needs, to humanitarian initiatives and social promotion projects, as well as to the support of the Holy See. Having been part of the culture, I understand what follows "as well as" to mean "primarily." Many can be cited here for misleading spin. • Theologians express regret over bishops' rebuke of Johnson book ... [Thomas C. Fox, NCR] The Catholic Theological Society of America June 10 overwhelmingly passed a resolution, 147 to one, recommending the U.S. bishops establish a committee to evaluate procedures that led to their doctrine committee’s April statement, which severely criticized a book by a noted U.S. theologian. More here. • Bishops to meet, review policies ... [Religion Link] The nation’s Roman Catholic • Diocese of Allentown ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here. • Vatican website ... Here. • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here.
• 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, it is ordinarily published on Monday and occasionally on Thursday as well. it is currently received by some 1,200 people, some 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 (occasionally twice a week) by Bill Lewellis, the newSpin newsletter appears as a post within the newSpinblog, 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]
The parishioners of St Peter's Church, Tunkhannock, have announced the dedication service of their new worship space, and invite everyone in the community to join them in the celebration. The dedication service is set for Sunday, June 19, at 4 p.m. The church has also sent out special invitations to local clergy and leadership of other congregations. Bishop Paul will preside. In addition to worship space dedication, Bishop Paul will also dedicate a crucifix, the organ, the baptismal font, lecterns and the altar, which was used at the original location at Second street in Tunkhannock.
All are invited to the reception following the dedication service. Senior Warden Wes Spencer recently encouraged the parishioner to “invite all your friends and neighbors to come and help us celebrate.” The plans for the dedication have been underway for several months, and have been assisted by a parish committee and by the Ven. Howard Stringfellow, Archdeacon of the Diocese of Bethlehem. St Peter's Church is located at 3832 state route 6, less than a mile east of Tunkhannock,
The newSpin newsletter, June 9, 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Mondays and Thursdays
Stay cool ... Temps expected in mid 90s today.
TopSpin • Put on your red dress, baby ... Here. • Renewal Assembly II ... Saturday, June 11 (9:00 to 1:30) at eight locations across the Diocese. More here and on pages A1 & 8 of the June Diocesan Life. The focus of this assembly will be congregational discernment, on strengths and what works well, not on weaknesses. A new video will feature Bishop Paul in conversation with three lay people: Lucy Kitch-Peck on the Gifts of the Spirit in her life; Liza Holzinger of St. Andrew's Allentown on a Congregation detecting the gifts and opportunities the Spirit gives parishes; Warren Shotto of Good Shepherd Scranton on how parish leadership detects the gifts in individuals and calls them forth. • The Tree of Life ... [America Magazine, James Martin] I knew that “The Tree of Life” tackled what are sometimes ominously called “Big Questions” about religion. But I was unprepared for the power of the film, which is like living inside a prayer. Essentially, the film works on (at least) two levels: as a story and as a meditation. Read it all here.
DioBethSpin • Three Episcopal clergy take part in Moravian clergy retreat ... [Deacon Sally Bosler] Here. • Jane Teter, Charles Cesaretti, Kim Rowles, Ellyn Siftar ... [Bishop Paul] Later this week, we will celebrate the ministry of Canon Jane Teter, who begins a well-earned retirement (although she will continue in a number of activities within the Diocese). We are not quite ready to find a permanent replacement for Jane, so Fr. Charles Cesaretti will act as Interim Missioner for Congregational Development. As some of you know, Kim Rowles has resigned as Youth Missioner in order to concentrate on her seminary studies. I am happy to announce that Ms. Ellyn Siftar will be taking over those duties. Ellyn has been working on our diocesan committees for some years, and has been employed at Trinity, Bethlehem in that area. She will be joining us in July. You may want to write to Jane or Kim, and can do so in care of the diocesan office, 333 Wyandotte St, Bethlehem, 18015. • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here. • Jim's Journey ... [St. Anne's Trexlertown newsletter] Many members of St. Anne’s, as well as friends everywhere, were familiar with the frequent email posts that Jim Snyder sent out to a growing list of relatives and friends during his year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. These posts are now compiled and available in a book. As Pastor Judith [Snyder] wrote in her forward, “It was his hope and that of his family that the journal he authored would perhaps give others who are dealing with cancer, either personally or with a loved one, inspiration and encouragement to help in their journey. It also has much to say to anyone, as it presents a glimpse into the mind and spirit of one individual who lived every day to the fullest.” The books are available through the church office for a donation of $15. For ordering info, write here. A portion, after production costs, will be donated to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Please make checks payable to St. Anne’s Church and include “Jim’s Journey” in the memo line. Please add $5 for shipping, if applicable. • Jack and Ingrid Prater: Living the faith ... [Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Janine Ungavrsky] Once upon a time, a young couple drove past a small church in Dallas. He already knew he wanted to be a priest. She already knew she wanted to be a certain priest’s wife. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have that as our church?” they asked each other. A few years, two ordinations and a wedding later, the Rev. Jack Prater and his wife, Ingrid, found themselves called to serve at that little church and for the next 35 years, Prater ministered to the spiritual needs of the congregation as rector of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. That ministry made such an impression on the Prince of Peace community that parishioners made Prater Rector Emeritus when he retired. And today, more than 14 years after he stepped aside, the current congregation of his former parish will recognize years of devotion to ministry by dedicating the church’s community room to Jack and Ingrid Prater. The dedication and reception will take place following the 9 a.m. Mass and will include the unveiling of a plaque naming the room in honor of the Praters. Parishioner Jean Carson coordinated the event to celebrate the Praters’ ministry at Prince of Peace, which began Labor Day weekend in 1962. More here. [h/t John Major] • REACH helps the homeless get back on their feet – to close July 1 ... [Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Bill O'Boyle] Mike Smith, Skip Constable, Bryan Hogan, Kathy Boston and a man named Jeb have all been helped by REACH to the point where they are living on their own and getting their lives back together. Each has a story of how they have coped with life and its ups and downs. They are regulars at REACH, the homeless day center on South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre. None of them want to see the center close. On a recent visit to the center, the five offered their thoughts on homelessness and the need for help. On most days more than 40 homeless enter the basement of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church to get a shower, check their mail, grab a little breakfast or use a telephone. But on July 1, the homeless services at REACH go away due to budgetary constraints. The clients will then filter into the streets to find a place to hang out, keep warm or have a conversation. More here. [h/t John Major] • Kajo Keji Newsletter ... April to June 2011. Download a pdf file here. • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • 30 years into the AIDS crisis ... The 'death sentence' now carries a message of hope. The Page-One feature in The Morning Call includes an interview with David Moyer, retired community health specialist at the Allentown Health Bureau and parishioner at Grace Allentown. Also here. And The Death Sentence that Defined My Life ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] I haven't died on schedule. Most people don’t think death has a schedule, at least a knowable one. But if you were infected early in the AIDS epidemic, you thought otherwise. At 61, I have now lived half my life with AIDS, my constant companion and distant cousin, the inseparable identity I won’t let define me, the everyday fact and special circumstance that bent the arc of my life in every way. [NYTimes Editorial] No time to give up on the fight. Here. • PA property tax/rent rebate program deadline extended to Dec. 31 ... Property Tax/Rent Rebate application forms and assistance are available at no cost from Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators’ offices. More here.
TailSpin • The face-palm Jesus award ... [Andrew Gerns, Episcopal Café] A New Zealand Anglican priest has proposed a new award with a logo of Jesus with his palm over his face. He awards the first face-palm Jesus to an unnamed congregation where everyone in the congregation joins in saying the words of institution. Bad liturgical practice, like bad Christian art or bad Christian fiction, may also arise out of bad theology, or when one worthy theological concept is allowed to run amok over all other considerations. More here. • Paul Ryan's Ayn Rand problem ... [TIME] These days, when people question a politician’s “morality,” they usually mean his or her personal behavior and choices. But an interesting thing is happening right now around the GOP budget proposal. A broad coalition of religious voices is criticizing the morality of the choices reflected in budget cuts and tax policy. And they’ve specifically targeted Ryan and his praise for Rand, the philosopher who once said she “promote[d] the ethic of selfishness.” More here. Also, in the NCR, "Pushback from the religious left." • Actually, that's not in the Bible ... [CNN Belief blog] The Bible may be the most revered book in America, but it's also one of the most misquoted. Here. • Staying afloat amid information overload ... [Faith & Leadership, Duke Divinity] Questions for leaders of Christian institutions: Is it possible to serve the church’s mission and still give your mind, body and soul a much-needed break from the seemingly unending flow of information? Can you be an effective, responsive leader without being plugged in all the time? And when you are plugged in, are there strategies for managing the wave of information coming at you so you can avoid drowning in it? The answer is “yes” to all three, say those who study the impact of information overload and the practice of managing it all. More here. • Teen's dad spends school year waving at bus, embarrassing son ... [Deseret News, Salt Lake City]Here. [h/t Leadership Education at Duke Divinity] • Dodger Fans See Blue All Over ... [NYTimes] Dodger Stadium, one of baseball's most storied parks, appears to have as many police officers as fans these days as reports of fights and rowdiness have grown. Attendance is down sharply. The Dodgers, rich in history and victories and a source of civic pride since Walter O’Malley brought them here from Brooklyn in 1958, have become a source of embarrassment for the city this spring, with a parade of indignities testing the loyalty of their anguished fans. Here. • My Bad: A Political Medley ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] When misbehaving publc officials say, "I'm sorry." Here. • Pennsylvania gas price data ... Here.
ReelSpin • The Tree of Life ... [America Magazine, James Martin] I knew that “The Tree of Life” tackled what are sometimes ominously called “Big Questions” about religion. But I was unprepared for the power of the film, which is like living inside a prayer. Essentially, the film works on (at least) two levels: as a story and as a meditation. Read it all here. • The Grand Rapids Lip Dub Video ... The international sensation that Roger Ebert calls "The Greatest Music Video Ever Made." Also here. • Remembering when Dad came out ... [NYTimes] There is all manner of love crisscrossing through “Beginners,” connecting mothers and fathers, parents and children, sons and lovers, men and their dogs. The love feels heartfelt but it’s difficult loving other people (the dog has it easy), a hardship that’s evident in the happy-tearful faces, the tentative touches and searching glances that make this movie, or maybe all its yearning, so appealing. For the writer and director Mike Mills, who based this memory piece about a straight son and his dying gay father on his own life, love is a wonder even if its palpable reality largely remains elusive, a hoped-for gift locked in an adjacent room. More here. • Taking a chance on God ... [Episcopal Café, Torey Lightcap] Pioneering gay priest John McNeill is still shaking up the Vatican at age 85. He is going to Rome for the world premiere of a new documentary about his life on June 6 at EuroPride 2011 -- and to ask the Vatican for LGBT justice. Here and here.
Go • June 12, Pentecost ... Put on your red dress, baby. Christ Church Winnetka, Illinois encourages everyone to wear red for Pentecost with a catchy ad on their web site.[h/t Ann Fontaine] • June 11, to Renewal Assembly II ... At many locations. See above, under TopSpin. • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids, grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here.
Pray • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare. • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families.Here. • Prayers of the People ... for Pentecost Sunday. Here.
Health • Introducing the denominational health plan ... In July 2009, the 76th General Convention passed Resolution A177, establishing the Denominational Health Plan (DHP), a Church-wide program of health care benefit plans requiring equal access to and funding of health care plans for eligible clergy and lay employees (those scheduled for at least 1,500 hours of compensated work annually) by January 1, 2013. The Episcopal Church Foundation's Vital Practices blog has a post about the denomination wide health plan that is set to go into effect in 2013. Laurie Kazilionis, Vice President, Client Relations, The Episcopal Church Medical Trust, answers some basic questions. There are still many specific details to be worked out and communicated. [H/T Andrew Gerns, writing at Episcopal Café] • Child Safety ... [MedlinePlus] When lawn mowers attack. Here. [h/t Diana S. Marshall] • What I learned from my cancer scare ... [Dr. Mehmet Oz, TIME] At some level, I knew I was standing in the middle of New York City traffic, but my mind was in another dimension entirely. Reminders of your mortality will do that. The day hadn't started off so strangely and scarily, but it hadn't started off to be much fun either. I was going to my doctor's office for a colonoscopy, my second in nine months. Colonoscopies aren't supposed to happen nine months apart, of course, unless the first one turns up something worrisome — and mine had. Back in August, my doctor discovered a suspicious polyp that needed to be removed. It turned out to be precancerous, and while a large majority of such growths do not eventually become cancer, colon cancer usually starts with just that sort of polyp. So did I have the 40-some years left to me that I had been more or less counting on — or just a year or two? You ask a lot of existential questions like that when you get the kind of news I had gotten. And you do a lot of hoping that when you return for a follow-up exam, all will be well — and the problem will simply go away. Now I was going in for that follow-up. Read the TIME cover story here. • Cancer in the cross hairs ... [TIME] How we find it. How we treat it. How we may finally be able to outsmart it. Here. • E. Coli: Don't blame the sprouts ... [NYTimes, Opinionator]Here.
TechSpin • iCloud/iTunes ... [NYTimes, David Pogue]Sorting through Apple's many announcements. [Telegraph]Is your world safe in Apple's iCloud? Also [NYTimes] “We are going to move the digital hub, the center of your digital life, into the cloud,” Steven P. Jobs said in a Monday announcement. Check out how this new service will change the way that you store music and data, compare these new services to those of Amazon and Google and even see which apps will be threatened by the upgrades.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
Evangelical Lutheran • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... June 3. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • May 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. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • Episcopal parish hopes to join RC Church ... St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Bladensburg MD has decided to leave the Diocese of Washington and seek entry into the Roman Catholic Church. It would become the first in the country to move to Roman Catholicism under new Vatican rules. The transition is being made with the support of Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Catholic Archbishop of Washington The rector of St. Luke's is Mark Lewis, onetime priest-in-charge at St. Stephen's Whitehall PA. Washington Post story here. Episcopal News Service story here. As a "first," this proposed move has received a great deal of national publicity. • Vatican takes time to mull recommendations for reviving Irish church after sex abuse scandal ... [Washington Post] The scandals have caused exceptional trauma in Ireland, a once-devoutly Catholic nation. An Irish government collapsed in 1994 amid arguments over its failure to extradite a pedophile priest to Northern Ireland. Since 2002, a government-organized compensation board has paid out more than €800 million ($983 million) to 13,000 people abused in Ireland’s church-run homes for children. Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has spoken out recently, criticizing the Vatican’s slow pace, and Monday’s statement was unlikely to satisfy those expecting more tangible results after Vatican investigators turned in their reports in April. Martin said he was becoming “increasingly impatient” at the Vatican’s pace of the investigation process, saying the longer the delay in releasing the results of the probe “the greater the danger of false expectations and the greater the encouragement to those who prefer immobilism to reform.” Martin has been the strongest voice in the Irish hierarchy demanding accountability and reform in the Irish church. Read it here. • Bishops to meet, review policies ... [Religion Link] The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops will meet this month in Seattle to consider revising policies approved nearly a decade ago in response to the clergy sexual-abuse crisis. But recent developments indicate the bishops may have even more work to do. Here. • Diocese of Allentown ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here. • Vatican website ... Here. • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here.
• 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, some 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 newSpinblog, 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]
Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:
Sgt. Christopher R. Bell, 21, of Golden, Mississippi Sgt. Joseph M. Garrison, 27, of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Chief Warrant Officer Bradley J. Gaudet, 31, of Gladewater, Texas Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 28, of Quitman, Texas Sgt. Jeffrey C. S. Sherer, 29, of Four Oaks, North Carolina Spc. Devin A. Snyder, 20, of Cohocton, New York Pfc. Robert L. Voakes Jr., 21, of L'Anse, Michigan Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth R. White, 35, of Fort Collins, Colorado Cpl. William J. Woitowicz, 23, of Middlesex, Massachusetts
Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.
The Clergy/Staff Retreat of the Moravian Eastern District was held at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA on May 23-25, 2011. This year, The Rev. David Bennett, the President of the Eastern District of the Moravian Church, invited Bishop Paul Marshall to send three clergy persons from the Diocese of Bethlehem to attend the retreat, thereby expanding the process of exploring the full communion between the Moravian Church and the Episcopal Church. Joining the thirty-plus Moravian pastors, gathered from New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, were The Rev. Andrea Baldyga, Church of the Redeemer, Sayre, PA., The Rev. Sally Bosler, St. Gabriel’s, Douglassville, PA., and The Rev. Terrence Wible, St. Luke’s, Lebanon, PA. The retreat, entitled “Cultivating Attentiveness” was led by Kairos: School of Spiritual Formation.
I arrived tired, still burdened by unfinished work, half relishing the promise of retreat and half begrudging the time set aside from my busy schedule. I was immediately welcomed by our Moravian brothers and sisters, who were also tired, but eager to journey together. My heart, mind and body all reacted to the deceleration, the conscious letting go of distractions advised by the team from Kairos. Cell phones, computers, books, unwritten sermons, etc. were to be left in our parked cars! I was invited to ‘simply be’, to rest and allow myself to be refreshed. I began to approach and then to practice silence, often awkwardly and imperfectly. Our shared “speaking” times together were rich with insight and the comments shared were often accompanied by nods born of common experience. It was a time for listening to God, to self and to others, both when we were together and when alone. The retreat was a constant invitation to draw near. I embraced the diversity of people and experiences. With distractions at a minimum, conversation progressed past social convention into dialogue and relationship. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to greet several former classmates and to begin additional new friendships among the Moravian clergy. Deacon Sally
The newSpin newsletter, June 6, 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Mondays and Thursdays
TopSpin • Renewal Assembly II ... June 11 (9:00 to 1:30) at eight locations across the Diocese. More here and on pages A1 & 8 of the June Diocesan Life. Register here. Today [Monday, June 6] is the deadline. The focus of this assembly will be congregational discernment, on strengths and what works well, not on weaknesses. A new video will feature Bishop Paul in conversation with three lay people: Lucy Kitch-Peck on the Gifts of the Spirit in her life; Liza Holzinger of St. Andrew's Allentown on a Congregation detecting the gifts and opportunities the Spirit gives parishes; Warren Shotto of Good Shepherd Scranton on how parish leadership detects the gifts in individuals and calls them forth. • Introducing the denominational health plan ... In July 2009, the 76th General Convention passed Resolution A177, establishing the Denominational Health Plan (DHP), a Church-wide program of health care benefit plans requiring equal access to and funding of health care plans for eligible clergy and lay employees (those scheduled for at least 1,500 hours of compensated work annually) by January 1, 2013. The Episcopal Church Foundation's Vital Practices blog has a post about the denomination wide health plan that is set to go into effect in 2013. Laurie Kazilionis, Vice President, Client Relations, The Episcopal Church Medical Trust, answers some basic questions. There are still many specific details to be worked out and communicated. [H/T Andrew Gerns, writing at Episcopal Café] • A word about The Catcher in the Rye ... [Bishop Paul] The book is rightly considered an accurate and compelling portrait of adolescent confusion, anxiety, alienation and rebellion. Adolescent. Adolescent. Because Holden cannot find his own identity and so much needs a kindly voice at the end of the book to tell him that gently living for a cause has a lot more value than noisily dying for one, he lashes out at everything around him and spirals downward, alienating those who were his friends, even his girl friend. More here. • Jack and Ingrid Prater: Living the faith ... See below, under DioBethSpin. • REACH helps the homeless get back on their feet – to close July 1 ... See below, under DioBethSpin. • 30 years into the AIDS crisis ... The 'death sentence' now carries a message of hope. The Page-One feature in The Morning Call includes an interview with David Moyer, retired community health specialist at the Allentown Health Bureau and parishioner at Grace Allentown. Also here. And The Death Sentence that Defined My Life ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] I haven't died on schedule. Most people don’t think death has a schedule, at least a knowable one. But if you were infected early in the AIDS epidemic, you thought otherwise. At 61, I have now lived half my life with AIDS, my constant companion and distant cousin, the inseparable identity I won’t let define me, the everyday fact and special circumstance that bent the arc of my life in every way. [NYTimes Editorial] No time to give up on the fight. Here.
DioBethSpin • Renewal Assembly II, Saturday June 11 ... Above, under TopSpin. • Jane Teter, Charles Cesaretti, Kim Rowles, Ellyn Siftar ... [Bishop Paul] Later this week, we will celebrate the ministry of Canon Jane Teter, who begins a well-earned retirement (although she will continue in a number of activities within the Diocese). We are not quite ready to find a permanent replacement for Jane, so Fr. Charles Cesaretti will act as Interim Missioner for Congregational Development. As some of you know, Kim Rowles has resigned as Youth Missioner in order to concentrate on her seminary studies. I am happy to announce that Ms. Ellyn Siftar will be taking over those duties. Ellyn has been working on our diocesan committees for some years, and has been employed at Trinity, Bethlehem in that area. She will be joining us in July. You may want to write to Jane or Kim, and can do so in care of the diocesan office, 333 Wyandotte St, Bethlehem, 18015. • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here. • Jim's Journey ... [St. Anne's Trexlertown newsletter] Many members of St. Anne’s, as well as friends everywhere, were familiar with the frequent email posts that Jim Snyder sent out to a growing list of relatives and friends during his year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. These posts are now compiled and available in a book. As Pastor Judith [Snyder] wrote in her forward, “It was his hope and that of his family that the journal he authored would perhaps give others who are dealing with cancer, either personally or with a loved one, inspiration and encouragement to help in their journey. It also has much to say to anyone, as it presents a glimpse into the mind and spirit of one individual who lived every day to the fullest.” The books are available through the church office for a donation of $15. For ordering info, write here. A portion, after production costs, will be donated to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Please make checks payable to St. Anne’s Church and include “Jim’s Journey” in the memo line. Please add $5 for shipping, if applicable. • Jack and Ingrid Prater: Living the faith ... [Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Janine Ungavrsky] Once upon a time, a young couple drove past a small church in Dallas. He already knew he wanted to be a priest. She already knew she wanted to be a certain priest’s wife. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have that as our church?” they asked each other. A few years, two ordinations and a wedding later, the Rev. Jack Prater and his wife, Ingrid, found themselves called to serve at that little church and for the next 35 years, Prater ministered to the spiritual needs of the congregation as rector of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. That ministry made such an impression on the Prince of Peace community that parishioners made Prater Rector Emeritus when he retired. And today, more than 14 years after he stepped aside, the current congregation of his former parish will recognize years of devotion to ministry by dedicating the church’s community room to Jack and Ingrid Prater. The dedication and reception will take place following the 9 a.m. Mass and will include the unveiling of a plaque naming the room in honor of the Praters. Parishioner Jean Carson coordinated the event to celebrate the Praters’ ministry at Prince of Peace, which began Labor Day weekend in 1962. More here. [h/t John Major] • REACH helps the homeless get back on their feet – to close July 1 ... [Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Bill O'Boyle] Mike Smith, Skip Constable, Bryan Hogan, Kathy Boston and a man named Jeb have all been helped by REACH to the point where they are living on their own and getting their lives back together. Each has a story of how they have coped with life and its ups and downs. They are regulars at REACH, the homeless day center on South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre. None of them want to see the center close. On a recent visit to the center, the five offered their thoughts on homelessness and the need for help. On most days more than 40 homeless enter the basement of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church to get a shower, check their mail, grab a little breakfast or use a telephone. But on July 1, the homeless services at REACH go away due to budgetary constraints. The clients will then filter into the streets to find a place to hang out, keep warm or have a conversation. More here. [h/t John Major] • Kajo Keji Newsletter ... April to June 2011. Download a pdf file here. • Christ Church Forest City has a website. • Honesdale celebrates Lutheran/Episcopal Full Communion ... Here. • Nativity Week Notes ... June 3. • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • Not good-bye ... [Andrew Gerns, Sermon, Sunday after Ascension] Have you ever noticed how many Christians find ways of focusing on Jesus’ absence?Jesus’ ascension is not “good-bye.” Jesus’ ascension is in a very real sense only the beginning. Read it here. • Somewhere between Holden Caulfield and St. Augustine ... [Scott Benhase, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia] Here. [h/t Andrew Gerns] • A word about The Catcher in the Rye ... [Bishop Paul] See above, under TopSpin. • PA property tax/rent rebate program deadline extended to Dec. 31 ... Property Tax/Rent Rebate application forms and assistance are available at no cost from Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators’ offices. More here.
TailSpin • Give and you shall receive – Didn't we know it? ... [Scientific American] Give and you shall receive -- a boost to your self-esteem. Self-esteem is something we all want, and, experts say, need for our mental health. But the more we chase it, the more it eludes our grasp, Scientific American reports. Research shows that doggedly pursuing self-worth backfires, because that pursuit implies a level of ego-involvement that is unhealthy. And a new study shows that the best way to boost self-esteem is to forget about yourself altogether -- and think about others. [H/T Leadership Education at Duke Divinity] • Fed flag fans fight ... [Episcopal Café, Nick Knisely] The Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond Virginia is flying a rainbow flag in observance of LGBT Pride Month as a symbol of their commitment to "the values of acceptance and inclusion". A Virginia legislator is calling for its removal arguing, in part, that it supports an act which he says is still a felony in Virginia. More here. • This doesn't happen here ... "This happens in Missouri. This happens in Kansas. This doesn't happen in Massachusetts." – A landlord in Massachusetts whose apartment building was damaged by a tornado. • Identical twin friars, 92, lived their lives together, died hours apart ... [St. Petersburg Times] For 65 years, Julian and Adrian Riester worked as Franciscan monks, gardening and churning out tables and cabinets for the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor, including 35 years at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y. In 2008, the twins retired together to St. Anthony Friary in St. Petersburg. They were still together at the end. On Wednesday, they died hours apart. They are survived by their five older sisters. More here. [h/t Jim Lewellis] • Actually, that's not in the Bible ... [CNN Belief blog] The Bible may be the most revered book in America, but it's also one of the most misquoted. Here. • It's not about you ... [NYTimes Op-Ed, David Brooks] Over the past few weeks, America’s colleges have sent another class of graduates off into the world. These graduates possess something of inestimable value. Nearly every sensible middle-aged person would give away all their money to be able to go back to age 22 and begin adulthood anew. But, especially this year, one is conscious of the many ways in which this year’s graduating class has been ill served by their elders. They enter a bad job market, the hangover from decades of excessive borrowing. They inherit a ruinous federal debt. More important, their lives have been perversely structured. This year’s graduates are members of the most supervised generation in American history. Through their childhoods and teenage years, they have been monitored, tutored, coached and honed to an unprecedented degree. Yet upon graduation they will enter a world that is unprecedentedly wide open and unstructured. Read it all here.
ReelSpin • Remembering when Dad came out ... [NYTimes] There is all manner of love crisscrossing through “Beginners,” connecting mothers and fathers, parents and children, sons and lovers, men and their dogs. The love feels heartfelt but it’s difficult loving other people (the dog has it easy), a hardship that’s evident in the happy-tearful faces, the tentative touches and searching glances that make this movie, or maybe all its yearning, so appealing. For the writer and director Mike Mills, who based this memory piece about a straight son and his dying gay father on his own life, love is a wonder even if its palpable reality largely remains elusive, a hoped-for gift locked in an adjacent room. More here. • Taking a chance on God ... [Episcopal Café, Torey Lightcap] Pioneering gay priest John McNeill is still shaking up the Vatican at age 85. He is going to Rome for the world premiere of a new documentary about his life on June 6 at EuroPride 2011 -- and to ask the Vatican for LGBT justice. Here and here. • UK organist has got talent ... [Episcopal Café, Andrew Gerns] Jean Martyn, a 59 year old parish church organist at St Mary and St Chad, Brewood rocked the house on ITV's Britain's Got Talent. More here. Enjoy her performance here.
Go • June 11, to Renewal Assembly II ... At many locations. See above, under TopSpin. • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids, grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here.
Pray • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare. • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families.Here.
Health • E. coli outbreak in Europe is the deadliest in history ... [ABC News] The rapidly developing European E. coli outbreak that has killed 18 people and sickened thousands, including four suspected cases in the United States, has become the deadliest outbreak of E. coli in modern history. More here. [BBC] Bean spouts from northern Germany farm identified as likely source. Here.
Tech • Email fraud hides behind a friendly face ... [NYTimes] Most people know to ignore the e-mail overture from a Nigerian prince offering riches in exchange for a bank account number. That is a scam, plain to the eye. But what if the e-mail appears to come from a colleague down the hall? And all he asks is that you add some personal information to a company database? This is spear phishing, a rapidly proliferating form of fraud that comes with a familiar face: messages that seem to be from co-workers, friends or family members, customized to trick you into letting your guard down online. And it has turned into a major problem. Read more. • Follow Kat Lehman on Twitter ... Here. • Phones put a bargaining chip in the car buyer's hand ... [NYTimes, Bob Tedeschi] Car shoppers who thought that the Web would save them from wasting money were kidding themselves. As too many people have found, you can bring along boxes of printouts from car-advice sites, and slick or unscrupulous sellers will argue that the information is outdated or irrelevant. Mobile apps are the obvious answer, if you’re smart about which ones you choose. The best, like those from Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book and Cars.com, stress simplicity and speed, not just beauty. More here. • iCloud/iTunes ... [Washington Post] iCloud could be a game-changing move away from relying on USB ports and cables to update your media library. More here. Live blogging Apple's iCloud announcement here.
Episcopal/Anglican • Enshrining gay exclusion in the CoE ... [Episcopal Café, Ann Fontaine] The Bishops of Church of England "are seeking to enshrine gay exclusion" says the Rev. Dr. Giles Fraser writing in the Church Times, and Colin Coward notes in The Guardian that there are currently at least 13 gay bishops in the CoE. Here. • The oppressive myth of unity in the Anglican Communion ... [Episcopal Café] Here. • Episcopal ChurchWebsite and News Service. Follow the Episcopal News Service on Twitter. • Anglican Communion News Service ... on Facebook.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
Evangelical Lutheran • Part-time position available at NEPA Synod Office ... Here. • Schism in Lutheran church raises scriptural, financial concerns ... [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] ELCA split quietly plays out in southwest PA and across the U.S., with 444 congregations voting to leave since 2009 vote on gay clergy and 300 new ones planted. More here. • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... June 3. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • May 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. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • Luzerne County begins taxing some church properties ... [Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre] County assessment records show an estimated 30 church properties have returned to taxable status to date. Most are part of the Diocese of Scranton, which implemented a consolidation plan to close some schools and churches throughout the county to save money. The 30 properties have a combined assessed value of about $8.6 million, which equates to roughly $44,995 in county tax revenue. The rest of the tax bill varies based on each property’s school and municipal tax rates. Court-level assessment appeals are pending on at least 11 of the 30 properties, according to a review of records in the prothonotary office. More here. • An Archbishop burns while Rome fiddles ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] Here. • Diocese of Allentown ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here.• Vatican website ... Here. • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here.
• 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 newSpinblog, 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]
I was intrigued by the comments earlier in the day [June 3] about The Catcher in the Rye.
Perhaps I am missing something, but I see the book somewhat differently. The book is rightly considered an accurate and compelling portrait of adolescent confusion, anxiety, alienation and rebellion. Adolescent. Adolescent. Because Holden cannot find his own identity and so much needs a kindly voice at the end of the book to tell him that gently living for a cause has a lot more value than noisily dying for one, he lashes out at everything around him and spirals downward, alienating those who were his friends, even his girl friend.
"Phony" is his way to express the immature view that all who are not perfectly coherent are traitors to what is true and valuable. THis is, apparently, a necessary part of finding one's own identity. Anyone who has not felt the pain, anger, and rage-at-helplessness of Holden's plight was not, perhaps, having his or her own feelings at the time. It happens.
As I said,TCiR is a perfect and invaluable portrait of adolescent struggle to escape parental and societal introjects and form one's own ego and superego. For most of us that is a messy task, and for some it is real agony. Take one part hormones and add a dash of neuroticism and off we go.
Part of making it to maturity is making peace (a separate peace, in the words of a companion novel) with the phony in oneself and in the people around one. Transcending black-and-white and recognizing that everyone struggles with a flawed integrity, and that we can support each other in a halting growth in truth, describe the adult tasks. Being essentially principled without being essentially angry is a mark of a healthy adult.
While I think that genuine, unfeigned empathy for adolescent struggling is a part of our task, I think it is a seriously counter-maturational response for us to valorize it--it is part of the long process of cutting the cord. When the adolescent qualities so appropriate in Holden appear in adults, there is a problem. People who are proud of being a pain in the butt are perhaps stuck in a maturational phase in a way that needs help. Genuineness is not a state, it is a commitment to a process of growth.
Those of us of a certain age remember that the two decades that followed TCiR favored rage over reason, something we again see in the politics of our own day. If you want to see the less charming side of Holden's problems, give Philip Roth's American Pastoral a read. It doesn't have the hopeful ending.
Salinger's book was at one point the most-banned and most-taught book in American high schools. This can only be the case for a book that tells powerful truth. Salinger's truth is in the accuracy of what he portrays, and the meaning that Holden begins to seek after the fire slakes and he realizes that he needs help. He also finds that he needs human community. His last words in the novel, as he comes in from the cold, are "you start missing people."
The feast of the Ascension of Christ Jesus was celebrated in Honesdale together by Lutherans and Episcopalians. In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Full Communion between the two denominations, Pastor Kenneth Buckwalter of St. John Lutheran Church and Father Edward Erb of Grace Episcopal Church decided to join forces for a feast day celebration.
On May 1, 2001 the national bodies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, The Anglican (Episcopal) Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church, USA signed documents recognizing the ministries and sacraments of each others' traditions, entering into "Full Communion." Lutherans and Episcopalians have shared much over the centuries in their theology and practice, and now it has become formalized.
Lutheran Pastor Buckwalter presided at the Altar of Grace Episcopal Church on Thursday evening while Father Erb preached at the service of Holy Communion. Mentioning in his sermon about the years that the two parishes have served the community together in weekly free dinners and other ministries, Fr. Erb commented that Jesus' mandate that his Name should be proclaimed throughout the world "beginning in Jerusalem" meant that we have work to do together right here in our own backyard, and these two parishes have been doing just that. Communion began when we started working together. Now we can share the Body and Blood of Christ as sisters and brothers.
A joint choir provided special music for the occasion, and lay participants from both parishes joined in the service.
There are many "Major Feasts" in the Church which often fall mid-week. These provide perfect opportunities, not only for us to join together, but to ceremoniously observe the holy days of the Church's tradition. Plans are already underway to continue these joint celebrations with our "families of friends."
Here is the latest calendar of events for all events we have been made aware of in the Diocese of Bethlehem. If you have an event you want added, please contact Kat Lehman and she will be happy to include your event. Even better! Be your own reporter! Take photos and write a story to go with it and you might find it published here, on the Facebook site, tweeted, on the web or even in Diocesan Life! If you have questions, just let her know.
The latest calendar is in Microsoft Word for easy cut and paste into most newsletters. The one posted here is updated monthly and we post weekly updates to the Facebook page. Check it out!
The newSpin newsletter, June 2, 2011 By Bill Lewellis Published Mondays and Thursdays
TopSpin • The Optimism Bias ... A fascinating cover story by Tali Sharot in the June 6 TIME Magazine asks: Hope isn't rational – so why are humans wired for it? Among my favorite lines: Our brains are constantly being shaped by the future. ... Scientists who study memory proposed an intriguing answer: memories are susceptible to inaccuracies partly because the neural system responsible for remembering episodes from our past might not have evolved for memory alone. Rather, the core function of the memory system could in fact be to imagine the future — to enable us to prepare for what has yet to come. More here. [Bill] My four-word understanding of Eucharist has been "Today we remember tomorrow." Who knew? • Renewal Assembly II ... June 11 (9:00 to 1:30) at eight locations across the Diocese. More here and on pages A1 & 8 of the June Diocesan Life. Register here, if you still can. A new video will feature Bishop Paul in conversation with three lay people: Lucy Kitch-Peck on the Gifts of the Spirit in her life; Liza Holzinger of St. Andrew's Allentown on a Congregation detecting the gifts and opportunities the Spirit gives parishes; Warren Shotto of Good Shepherd Scranton on how parish leadership detects the gifts in individuals and calls them forth. • Courting the Holy Spirit by practicing retail politics ... [Jim Naughton, Episcopal Café] TEC bishop election process explained to UK readers. Here. • Time to get out of the bubble ... [Andrew Gerns, last Sunday's sermon] It was for me an Areopagus moment. Maybe you have had one of those? No, huh? I'll bet you might have, and didn't know it. My moment came when I was forced out of my religious bubble and into the real world. Read it here.
DioBethSpin • Diocesan Life, June ... Read or download it here. • Esther Graf .. [Dean Anthony Pompa] Esther Graf died yesterday evening [May 31] at Gracedale in Nazareth. Esther now joins her husband Fred in the nearer presence of our Lord. Esther’s husband Fred Graf was organist and choirmaster of the Cathedral from 1954 until his retirement in 1992. Esther was a wonderful part of the fabric of this Cathedral for many years in support of Fred’s ministry AND also giving generously of her time and talents to the mission of this Cathedral. Esther is survived by her son David of Connecticut. Funeral services will take place this Saturday June 4th at 2 p.m. in the Cathedral. Your prayers and your presence are encouraged and welcomed. • Easter and Fenway Park ... [Bishop Paul] I don’t have the patience or devotion to be a good baseball fan, but for the last 15 years I have worked in an office where baseball is taken very seriously, religiously perhaps. I have observed two things about baseball fans that I admire very much. First, they believe in miracles. In fact they have seen them and wait for the next one regularly. Second – so important for our troubled culture – they believe in next year. Read it all on page A2 of the June Diocesan Life. • Diane Zanetti, a priest of the Diocese of Bethlehem, is the new executive director of Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley. More here. • Pottsville's Trinity Center for Children to close June 3 ... [Republican Herald] Due to declining enrollment and a lack of funding, the preschool at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pottsville will close June 3.More here. [Bill] Many thank you all. It took a village to raise 20 years of precious children. Here. • Renewal Assembly II, Saturday June 11 ... Above, under TopSpin. • First Saturday Giant Neighborhood Yard Sales at Trinity West Pittston ... June 4, 8 to 2. The Every First Saturday sales run from May-October with at least 30-40+ vendors and hundreds of the regions neighbors stopping to browse, shop and enjoy our "famous" chili dogs. • Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... 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.
TaleSpin • Sudan's peaceful partition at risk ... [NYTimes Op-Ed] A 2005 peace agreement, brokered with American assistance, was supposed to resolve the issues that led to 22 years of fighting between the Arab-dominated North and secessionists in the South. But it has not. In a January referendum, the South Sudanese overwhelmingly voted for independence. But the North’s occupation of the contested border region of Abyei this month could reignite the conflict between North and South — unless foreign powers, especially China, use their leverage to stop it. The international community — particularly the United Nations and the United States — have been spectacularly ineffective in getting the Sudanese government to honor its own agreements. More here. • Those days of AIDS hysteria ... Morning Call columnist Bill White reminds us that this month is the 30th anniversary of the discovery of AIDS. He includes, toward the end of his column today, a moving poem by Wind Gap poet/playwright/composer/educator Edwin Romond "which carried me back to those days of AIDS hysteria, fueled by prejudice and terrible misconceptions." Find White's column here. • Coming Out ... [NYTimes Interactive] Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender teenagers talk about their lives in a weeklong video series and are profiled in an accompanying article. Read stories submitted by users that have been inspired to share their experience or submit your own. Here. • The New York Times on Climate Change and Chicago ... The New York Times editorial board praises Chicago's proactive adaptation to the climate change which will mean "snowier winters, wetter springs and hotter summers." Long known for its extreme weather conditions, Chicago attempts to save money and lives by "using thermal radar [to pinpoint] the hottest areas and find ways to cool them: removing impermeable blacktop that traps water and heat, building rooftop gardens, planting southern varieties of trees and adding air-conditioning to classrooms." The Kyoto global warming conference hit home with former Mayor Richard Daley, who instigated many of these programs, but pressure also comes from insurance companies. "It would be far better if there were a framework to plan and guide the nation's adaptation to the challenging years ahead," the editors write. "Given the politics on Capitol Hill, we are not optimistic. But at least in Chicago the change is taking hold." [H/T The Atlantic Wire]
TailSpin • Fraud probe into Rapture campaign? ... The Freedom From Religion Foundation wants California Attorney General Kamala Harris to investigate how many innocent people may have suffered financially, emotionally and physically due to Pastor Harold Camping's $100 million campaign predicting Armageddon on May 21. One believer left $300,000 to Camping's group, which angers her family, according to CNN. More here and here. • God is not a Christian ... [Huffington Post, Desmond Tutu] Surely it is good to know that God (in the Christian tradition) created us all (not just Christians) in his image, thus investing us all with infinite worth, and that it was with all humankind that God entered into a covenant relationship, depicted in the covenant with Noah when God promised he would not destroy his creation again with water. Surely we can rejoice that the eternal word, the Logos of God, enlightens everyone -- not just Christians, but everyone who comes into the world; that what we call the Spirit of God is not a Christian preserve, for the Spirit of God existed long before there were Christians, inspiring and nurturing women and men in the ways of holiness, bringing them to fruition, bringing to fruition what was best in all. We do scant justice and honor to our God if we want, for instance, to deny that Mahatma Gandhi was a truly great soul, a holy man who walked closely with God. Our God would be too small if he was not also the God of Gandhi: if God is one, as we believe, then he is the only God of all his people, whether they acknowledge him as such or not. God does not need us to protect him. Many of us perhaps need to have our notion of God deepened and expanded. It is often said, half in jest, that God created man in his own image and man has returned the compliment, saddling God with his own narrow prejudices and exclusivity, foibles and temperamental quirks. God remains God, whether God has worshippers or not. More here. • Improv Everywhere ... Watch Gotta Share for three minutes of fun.
Calendar • Diocese of Bethlehem ... Updated May 2. Download here. Updated here. • Episcopal Church ... Here.
Go • June 11, to Renewal Assembly II ... At many locations. See above, under TopSpin. • July 9, to Called to be Heroes ... Bishop's Day for Kids, grades 1-5, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Scranton. Children in grades 1-5 are invited to spend the day with Bishop Paul, 9:30 to 2:30, and meet some no-so-well-known heroes in the Bible. Discover your own super powers, and enjoy being together. Storytelling, games, Eucharist and more. Also here.
Pray • The Daily Office ... with the Mission St. Clare. • For our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families.Here.
Health • A curious case of foreign accent syndrome ... [NPR] When Karen Butler went in for dental surgery, she left with more than numb gums: She also picked up a thick foreign accent. It wasn't a fluke, or a joke — she'd developed a rare condition called foreign accent syndrome that's usually caused by an injury to the part of the brain that controls speech. Karen Butler could get her American accent back with intensive speech therapy, but she likes her new one. More here. • Doctors behaving badly ... [NPR Health Bog] Here. [H/T Nick Marshall] • Spit it out, but not on camera ... [Salt Lake Tribune] Faith leaders go to bat for big-league smokeless tobacco ban. Here. • Don't let food poisoning spoil your picnic ... [MedlinePlus]Here. [H/T Diana S. Marshall] • What I did on my summer vacation ... [MedlinePlus] Make sure watching TV isn't their most memorable activity. Here. [H/T Diana S. Marshall]
Tech • iCloud ... [WSJournal] Amazon and Google were first out the gate with cloud music players, but Apple seeks to outdo the competition Monday when it unveils its iCloud music player. Unlike Amazon and Google’s products, which require the player to upload his or her music, Apple has worked out deals with the major record labels so that users can listen to music without manually uploading or transferring songs. The iCloud player will simply scan a user’s existing library and then provide access to those songs from any computer. Apple is still trying to work out deals with film and television studios to make their products compatible with the cloud. More. • Follow Kat Lehman on Twitter ... Here.
TV • 'Father Oprah' gets TV talk show ... [Minneapolis Star Tribune] The Rev. Alberto Cutie, a former Roman Catholic priest who dramatically departed from the church to get married and continue his priestly ministry in the Episcopal faith, now has his own television talk show. It premieres July 11 for a 5-week test run on six Fox-owned stations, including KMSP. It will be a daily, hour-long show during its test run and airs at 1 p.m. The show features Cutie’s comments on various topics and current events, in-depth interviews and special guests. Here.
Episcopal/Anglican • Lexington Bishop Stacy Sauls named church's COO ... [ENS]Here. • Fifth video in Healthy Congregation series features Boston's 'Common Cathedral' ... [ENS]Here. • The oppressive myth of unity in the Anglican Communion ... [Episcopal Café] Here. • Episcopal ChurchWebsite and News Service. Follow the Episcopal News Service on Twitter. • Anglican Communion News Service ... on Facebook.
Moravian • Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
Evangelical Lutheran • Part-time position available at NEPA Synod Office ... Here. • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... May 20. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here. • ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
United Methodist • May 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. • Facebook ... Here. • Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
Roman Catholic • Belgians to sue Vatican ... [Reuters] Belgians molested by Catholic priests will go ahead with their legal proceedings against the Vatican for damages despite an offer by local bishops to compensate them, their lawyers said on Wednesday. Pope Benedict enjoys diplomatic immunity but other Vatican officials and Belgian bishops will be summoned to testify in the case, lawyer Walter van Steenbrugge said. Here. • Ordinariate gets going ... [National Catholic Reporter] In England, the only country so far where the ordinariate is up and running, almost a thousand ex-Anglicans, composed of groups of laity with 64 of their pastors, of whom 54 have applied to become Catholic priests, have come over in the first wave. The ordination of the former Anglican clergy is being fast-tracked for Pentecost. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is calling the shots, for the local Roman Catholic bishops had wanted these clergy to undergo a year’s preparation. Here. • China may soon add fuel to its long-running feud with the Vatican by consecrating a bishop not approved by the Holy See. Here. [H/T RNS] • Vatican Information Service blog ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website ... Here. • Catholic News Service ... Here. • Diocese of Allentown website ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton website ... Here.
• 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 newSpinblog, 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]
Pray for our young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families:
Pvt. Thomas C. Allers, 23, of Plainwell, Michigan Staff Sgt. Martin R. Apolinar, 28, of Glendale, Arizona Sgt. Aaron J. Blasjo, 25, of Riverside, California Pfc. William S. Blevins, 21, of Sardinia, Ohio Sgt. Thomas A. Bohall, 25, of Bel Aire, Kansas Lance Cpl. Peter J. Clore, 23, of New Philadelphia, Ohio Spc. Richard C. Emmons III, 22, of North Granby, Connecticut Spc. Adam S. Hamilton, 22, of Kent, Ohio Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Hamski, 28, of Ottumwa, Iowa Pfc. John C. Johnson, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona Pvt. Andrew M. Krippner, 20, Garland, Texas Staff Sgt. Kristofferson B. Lorenzo, 33, of Chula Vista, California Staff Sgt. Edward D. Mills Jr., 29, of New Castle, Pennsylvania Pfc. Anthony M. Nunn, 19, of Burnet, Texas Staff Sgt. Ergin V. Osman, 35, of Jacksonville, North Carolina Spc. Adam J. Patton, 21, of Port Orchard, Washington 1st Lt. John M. Runkle, 27, of West Salem, Ohio Capt. Joseph W. Schultz, 36, of Port Angeles, Washington Tech. Sgt. Kristoffer M. Solesbee, 32, of Citrus Heights, California Chief Warrant Officer Christopher R. Thibodeau, 28, of Chesterland, Ohio Sgt. Louie A. Ramos Velazquez, 39, of Camuy, Puerto Rico
Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for an end to this endless war.
