newSpin 100308
March 08, 2010
Bishop Anthony Poggo has made the rounds ... and is on his way back to Kajo Keji. Here's a Times-Leader story of his visit to Wilkes-Barre. Here's a Reading Eagle article about his visit to Reading. Both the Sayre and Towands newspapers ran extensive pieces on his visit, but they are not onlne. God bless Bishop Anthony. Read more here.
Bethlehem churches' winter sheltering program has grown in attendance and participating churches. Read the Express-Times story here. View a video of an interview with a Robert Syfor, a homeless man, and the Rev. Canon Joel Atkinson.
Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday ... March 14. Episcopal Relief & Development uses your financial gifts in the most effective ways possible to serve and support people suffering worldwide. More information.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu ... The South African archbishop talks about his country after the Mandela era. Read the interview from the Sunday NYTimes magazine.
International Women's Day is today, March 8. More here.
Evangelical bishop calls for end to Anglican sexuality wars ... Read more.
ABC defends uniqueness of Christ ... The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Christians to approach interfaith dialogue with confidence in their own beliefs about the uniqueness of Christ while retaining a desire to learn from others. More here.Grace Allentown Community Foundation food pantry is participating in the Alan Shawn Feinstein $1,000,000.00 Challenge. From now through the end of April, funds or food raised during this challenge will be given an additional opportunity to raise more money and hunger awareness via the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation. The food pantry located at Grace Allentown has been providing clients with food for over 35 years. In 2009, the food pantry served 700 more families than in 2008. This food pantry plus provides supplemental food in a respectful manner to more than 12,000 ethnically, religiously and racially diverse persons in need every year. Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to: Grace Community Foundation, 108 North 5th Street, Allentown, PA 18102. You may also bring canned food or non-perishables to the address above by appointment. Please call (610) 435-7245 for any additional information. [H/T to Patty McNamara, food pantry director and Bob House, parish administrator and food pantry treasurer]
Best Picture nominees speak volumes about God ... Thoughts from reviewers –– some more theological, some less so -- on the ten films selected as Best Picture nominees at the Academy Awards.John Strohmeyer, 85, editor of the former Bethlehem Globe-Times from 1956 to 1984, died of heart failure on March 3 at home in Crystal River, Florida. The only writer for a Lehigh Valley publication to win the Pulitzer Prize, he did so in 1972 for a series of editorials advocating racial tolerance in Bethlehem. More here.
High Court: Does religion still matter? ... Read the Washington Post story here.
Pope silent on Uganda's 'Kill the Gays' bill ... Pope Benedict XVI met with the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Uganda at the Vatican last Friday and delivered a speech summing up what he saw as the main tasks of the church in the East African nation -- but made no mention of the draconian anti-homosexuality bill that has prompted an international outcry. More here.The Teen Brain: It's just not grown up yet ...Parents of teens or clergy with teens in their churches might want to listen to this NPR piece about teens.
It may provide consolation when they think their teens have been
abducted by aliens (your teen will return one day) and understanding
(which can lead parents both to forgive and to have more conversations
with their teens about good choices).
What's Happening? ... Diocesan Events.
Regional Discernment Teams ... [From the COM] The Commission on Ministry once again seeks talented and committed people to volunteer for consideration as members of another diocesan regional discernment team. It is the task of the group to meet no less than six times with an aspirant to assist in this critical step of discerning an aspirant’s call to ministry. We ae looking for people to meet in the general vicinity of the Lehigh Valley. Training will be held soon by teleconference. We would like to get as many prospective members trained as possible so that regional groups will be ready as aspirants come into the process for discernment. If you are or have been part of regional discernment and would like a refresher, you are more than welcome. If you feel you have the gifts and time for this important ministry and/or would like more information, please contact Monica Lewellis, [email protected], as soon as possible.
The Search Process as Journey ... More here.
Facts about the Diocese of Haiti and the aftermath of the earthquake. Read here. Check the Haiti page of The Episcopal Church
for news, updates, resources, videos and important information, as well as the Episcopal Relief and Development website.
1999 youth trip to Ireland
... Jessica Stanish of SS. Clement and Peter, Wilkes-Barre has made the
following request: "I went on the trip to Ireland in 1999 with the
diocese. I was wanting to re-connect with the some of the people we
went with and visited with. I was more so looking for the group that we
visited with in Ireland. I know the same group was here to visit in the
Summer of 1998. I did have all their information but we lost all the
papers with their info when we had a fire about 5 years ago. I don't
need their addresses but hopefully you will have their names. I'm
hoping that I might be able to find them on facebook." Let me know
directly, i.e., [email protected], if you are able to help Jessica, and I'll give her your email address.
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Bill: The first Kay Butler Gill Lecture in Spirituality at GTS is tonight. Sr.Janet Ruffing, on "Love Mysticism: Relic or Contemporary Reality?" It will be videotaped and available on GTS website. Jim
Posted by: Jim Gill | March 09, 2010 at 09:11 AM