newSpin 131217
December 17, 2013
newSpin, the newsletter
December 17, 2013
Bill Lewellis
Published weekly, usually by Tuesday
TopSpin
• How to truly honor Mandela ... [Nicholas Kristof, NYTimes Op-Ed] Here. • The Power to Pardon ... [The Economist] Mandela and Forgiveness. Here.
• The People's Pope ... TIME's person of the year. He took the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing. The first non-European pope in 1,200 years is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century. Read more. [Unfortunately TIME is behind a paywall. They may or may not allow non-subscribers to read this cover story.]
• Package-delivery scams ... [The Morning Call, Paul Muschick] We're more susceptible to falling for the scams this time of year when we're expecting deliveries. The Better Business Bureau issued a warning about these scams a few weeks ago that said some of the emails could contain a "ransomware" virus that could freeze your computer and demand payment to release it. Any unexpected email you get from the post office, FedEx, UPS or DHL should be viewed as a possible scam. The same goes for phone calls. The shippers have information on their websites that describe how to identify some of these frauds. Read on. Also, Five Online Scams.
• On behalf of the Standing Committee ... [Andrew Gerns] I would like, echoing Bishop Paul's words to us, to offer a word of thanks to all who worked hard to make last nights liturgy and reception in thanksgiving for the ministries of Bishop Paul and Diana Marshall a success. The people who made this happen include the Liturgy Commission, all the musicians and choristers, the chancel ministers and acolytes, and the young people who sang. It was a joyous evening of praise to God thanks to them. We are thankful for Canon Bill Lewellis and his inspiriting and reflective sermon for the Archdeacon Stringfellow who served as our celebrant. We are grateful to the folks at St. Stephen's Pro-Cathedral who hosted us and the staff of the Westmoreland Club who welcomed us so graciously and professionally. We also thank our faithful the Diocesan staff who saw to the many small details that go into gathering like this.
Most especially, I want to thank the very many clergy and laity who made their way, in the midst of a busy Advent season and winter weather, to Wilkes-Barre to take part in the liturgy and to offer thanks to God for the ministries of Paul and Diana. As Bishop Paul said, this is the kind of thing we do best in our Diocese. Please continue to hold the Marshalls in your prayers as they move forward into retirement. Please also pray for the Diocese of Bethlehem as we move forward into our own season of faithful change.
• God-baked, God-broken, God-made ... [Sermon by Bill Lewellis at the retirement of Bishop Paul] Upon returning from a 2005 mission trip to southern Sudan, Paul Marshall told this story: “At the end of a week in that bomb-torn country, Diana and I baked in a bus for 14 hours. Finally you give up wiping your face. As we became increasingly caked with red dirt, and the overcrowded bus grew hotter and hotter, I found myself baking in a creative and holy sense: I knew God wanted my attention." Read on.
• Should I give a cow or cash for Christmas ... [Christianity Today] A guide to wise Christmas giving. Here.
• Religion as bigotry shield ... [Tobias Haller] Consider this: the fact that a given belief has a religious basis, or can be claimed to have a religious basis, does not shield the believer from being answerable to charges that the belief is wrong, false, or otherwise flawed. Read on.
• 12 Days of Christmas in Kajo Keji ... Here.
• Moving 'the front line' of your ministry forward ... [Episcopal Café] Bishop Steve Lane of the Diocese of Maine has asked clergy and members of his diocese to move "the front line" of their ministry out into the community. In Windham, the Rev. Tim Higgins is getting out of his office and into bars and cafes. In what ways are you and your congregation moving "the front line" forward into the community? What other ways might be possible? Read on.
• Preparing a generation of 'Francis bishops' ... [John Allen, NCR] Pope Francis is celebrating his 77th birthday in relatively quiet fashion, which isn't stopping others from marking the occasion -- including, improbably enough, the pro-gay magazine The Advocate, which named him its Person of the Year. In truth, however, Francis had already given himself a major birthday present 24 hours before by shaking up the membership of the Congregation for Bishops in order to lay the groundwork for a new generation of "Francis bishops." ... There's no doubt that as of Monday, Francis shifted the center of the gravity inside the body responsible for selecting bishops towards the middle -- not just with the American members, as it turns out, but across the board. Read on.
• Insisting Jesus was white is bad history and bad theology ... [The Atlantic] The scholarly consensus is actually that Jesus was, like most first-century Jews, probably a dark-skinned man. If he were taking the red-eye flight from San Francisco to New York today, Jesus might be profiled for additional security screening by TSA. Read on.
SoulSpin
• Pray for Lois ... [Laura Howell] Dear Brothers and Sisters, Of your mercy, please pray for my mother-in-law, Lois. She is very ill and is now on hospice service. Blessings to you all, as we await the One who will bring peace to the world. And to us.
• Sympathy and Empathy ... The animated difference. [h/t Ada Gunn]
• Blue Christmas ... [Anne Kitch] Many people struggle with the holidays, and for some, the Good News comes amidst loss and grief. I offer the following resources, posted by Christian Formation Specialist Sharon Pearson on her blog, Building Faith: A Blue Christmas service, Blue Christmas, Feeling blue during Christmas.
• Service of Solace ... [Kim Reinholz] In recognition that not everything is brightness and light for all of us during the season of Advent, and the Holiday season can be difficult especially for those who mourn, the Cathedral Church of the Nativity will be hosting a service of healing and Holy Eucharist at 6 pm on Wednesday December 18th. Read on.
• Grace Honesdale ... [Ed Erb] in cooperation with the Grief Workshop of Wayne Memorial Hospital will hold a “Blue Christmas Service” on Sunday, December 29, at 2:00pm.
• When the Jesus you were expecting is not the Jesus who shows up ... [Jim Naughton, Episcopal Café] As the Advent3 Gospel reading makes clear, the Jesus that John the Baptist got was not exactly the Jesus he was expecting: "When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Have you had the experience of expecting one thing from God but getting another? In what ways have you had to revise your notions of God's nature? Of God's priorities? Here.
• Daily Office now also in audio ... [Jane Bender] I know many of you pray the Daily Office with the website Mission St.Clare. I just realized that the audio version is back.
• SoulSpin Resources ... Below, near the bottom.
DioBethSpin
• Diobeth Episcopal Relief and Development ... [John Major] A shield...in the midst of life's storms. December 17.
• Jubilate for December 1 through March 2 ... [Kat Lehman] The newest Jubilate, hymnody for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany is available at the DioBeth website under Diocesan Resources. This is graciously provided by Canon Cliff Carr and we are grateful for his work and selections. If you wish to receive this quarterly via email, in both Word and .pdf formats, please use the Get Connected box on the righthand side of the DioBeth home page and sign-up for Jubilate.
• Help that's helpful ... [John Major] We once again found ourselves overwhelmed with reports of devastation, destruction and loss as a huge storm system attacked a large swath of the United States. More than 60 reported tornadoes touched down in 10 Midwestern states and piles of rubble are all that remain of untold numbers of homes and businesses. We see this, our hearts break and we all want to do something to help. Please take a moment to read this article, "Help that's helpful," from a woman affected by the 2012 Oklahoma tornadoes. It explains the best, most practical ways to help in the aftermath of a disaster. Though our good-hearted inclination is to empty our closets and cupboards and send clothing, food and household goods, the author notes that sending such "stuff" isn't really as helpful as we might think. Our own experience in the floods of 2011 bear out this article's recommendation that contributions of cash and gift cards are far more helpful because they are easier to collect and distribute and allow those we desire to help to get what they need the most. Read on.
• In-Formation in Bethlehem ... [Canon Anne Kitch] Monthly newsletter of lifelong Christian formation resources. December here.
• New Bethany Ministries ... Newsletter.
• DioBeth on Facebook ... Diobeth Facebook page.
• DioLight ... Vol. 1, Issue 19: Celebrate and Give Thanks by Andrew Gerns; What is your hope by Andrew Reinholz; Upcoming Events, compiled by Adam Bond. Here.
• Keep up with Diocese of Bethlehem news, info ... DioBeth website, newSpin blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo, and LinkedIn,
• What's Happening? ... Diocesan level events. Here.
• Public news and info lists ... At the Diobeth website, enter your name and email in the "Get Connected" box. You are welcome to subscribe to any or all of these. "Bakery" is our diocesan interactive list.
ParishSpin
• More than a cautionary tale: Hatfield church treasurer charged with $81,500 theft ... [Morning Call] The treasurer of Emmanuel Evangelical Congregational Church in Hatfield Borough was arrested Thursday on theft charges for allegedly stealing approximately $81,500 in cash and gift cards from the church: 64 withdrawals from the church's checking account totaling $61,453 and a $20,000 withdrawal to buy gift cards intended as church fund-raisers that she kept for her personal use. She attempted to conceal the thefts by providing the church with false monthly financial statements, which indicated the church had more than $100,000 in its checking account when the balance was actually $36.11. Read on.
• Communication opportunities in the Diocese of Bethlehem ... [Archdeacon Stringfellow] Parishes have until December 31 to take advantage of the web site offer of Post Communications. To learn more go to the Diocesan website and click on What's Happening, then Communication Resources, and then Diocesan Resources. The only thing a parish has to pay for is a domain name. This is a custom WordPress site, and all hosting, design, maintenance, and training is covered by contract with the Diocese. Estimated savings to each parish is $750 for design and $120 for hosting. Here. John Major sends along a sample electronic bulletin of weekly Trinity Chimes that has been sent for over a year on weekly basis to all parishioners and friends who give us e-mail. "This has been a gift to us from the diocese," John says.
• Back to the future ... [Alban, Peter Steinke] At a workshop I was leading, a woman stood up and said, "If 1950 were to return, my congregation would be ready." Succinctly, she summarized a nagging problem for many churches. The context in which congregations now find themselves is quite different from 1950. "How we do church," though, has been quite persistent. ... With steep changes happening in our society, congregations have to ask themselves whether they are responding to a world that no longer exists. Read on.
• Trinity Bethlehem's oldest ministry ... is Trinity Soup Kitchen, operating for 33 years and currently feeding over 150 meals a day Monday through Friday. Soup kitchen guests also have the services of a social worker to help them access resources available to them, as well as personal items such as shampoo, soap, razors, socks, etc., and over the counter medications. A reduction in funding and the inability to broaden its funding base in the current economy is causing a threat to the services provided by this stronghold of community and outreach in Bethlehem. More here.
• Nativity Cathedral's Emergency Shelter ... opened Thursday, Dec. 6. Would you like to volunteer. Info here.
• Call 211 for help finding community services ... [Kathy Lauer-Williams, The Morning Call] A new system to help those in need get information and referrals for help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more has recently been launched in the Lehigh Valley, the Help for Families panel says.Call 211 is funded by the United Way and provides free, confidential information for people in Lehigh, Northampton and Berks counties. The program, which is nationwide, was started in 2012 and launched locally this fall. The program uses the easy-to-remember number so people can call to access services including housing, clothing, rental assistance, legal aid and even reading tutors. By calling 211, you get a trained counselor at a call center in Lancaster and with your zip code they can connect you with services in your area. The call center is open 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; in January it will be open 24 hours. Read on.
• Dear Rev. Former Pastor ... about that funeral ... [Episcopal Café] The Rev. Sharon Temple writes to the former pastor of the church she currently serves about maintaining pastoral boundaries. Read on. Don't miss the many interesting comments.
• Calendar of events in our parishes ... Here.
• Gil Rendle's PowerPoint Presentations at the 2013 Lutheran Bishop's Conference ... [NEPA Lutheran Synod] on Conversations That Matter: Honest Talk about Discipleship and Change may b
• Communication tips and tools ... [United Methodist Communiction] Here.
Rest in Peace
• Peter O'Toole, 81 ... [NYTimes] an Irish bookmaker’s son with a hell-raising streak whose performance in the 1962 epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” earned him overnight fame and established him as one of his generation’s most charismatic actors, died on Saturday in London. Read on. Obituary here.
• Harold Camping, 92 ... [RNS] the radio preacher and founder of Family Radio who kept predicting the return of Jesus and kept getting it wrong. Obituary here.
• Our young men and women who died recently in Afghanistan and for their families ... Here ... Pray also for the fallen heroes also of our coalition partners, and for the citizens of Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who mourn ... and for the end to this endless war.
• How to write a condolence note ... and much more.
Episcopal/Anglican (beyond DioBeth)
• Mission Enterprise Zones, New Church Starts grants announded ... Here.
• Around the Episcopal Church ... Here
Employment Opportunities
• Episcopal Church position on Office of Government Relations ... Here.
• Episcopal Positions (NYC/DC) ... Here.
TaleSpin
• Best sites for finding qualified pet sitters ... [Techlicious] Here.
• Losing Faith ... [Martin Marty, Sightings] Commonweal, a superior Catholic magazine, recently presented a symposium featuring notable, mature and senior Catholic parents who wrote about the absence of explicit Catholic faith among many of their grandchildren. The collection inspired an uncommon number of blog posts and other responses, a fact suggesting that this topic concerns multitudes. Many Catholic friends, with whom my wife and I raised children “next door” or “next sanctuary” through the decades, report, sometimes with a tear and sometimes with haste to get past the topic: “Not one of our offspring or not one of theirs ever goes to Mass or observes anything we taught or tried to model for them.” Most eloquent among the Commonweal authors, in my view, is Sidney Callahan, a writer whom I’ve known and respected for decades, who, with her (now post-faith) husband, ethicist Dan Callahan, was an exemplar in the “faith” community. Dr. Callahan now writes eloquently about the six Callahan children who have departed the Church and for whom “faith” is a non-issue. Read on.
• Herself: Our Lady of Guadalupe ... [Sara Miles, Daily Episcopalian] Long before she arrived in the New World, the Virgin Mary was at the center of Christianity’s scandal: God becoming a human, Spirit mixing irrevocably with mortal flesh. The prophet Mary appears all over the world: pregnant, black-skinned, red-haired, white-robed, crowned, calm, bleeding, sleeping, weeping, rising out of the sea; head bent, hands raised, popping one perfectly round breast into an infant’s mouth. She is the Ark of the New Covenant; Our Lady of sorrows, mercies, solitude, comfort, miracles, light; or, simply, “Herself.” Mary is everywhere.
In San Francisco’s Mission District, where I live, it’s the Virgin of Guadalupe who animates the streets. Draped in a blue mantle sprinkled with stars, surrounded by rays of light, she faces the city from every direction. Read on.
• Why C.S. Lewis never goes out of style ... [The Atlantic] As Henry L. Carrigan, Jr. puts it in Publishers Weekly, “While Huxley is now largely forgotten and Kennedy remains a symbol of lost promise, Lewis lives on through his novels, stories, essays, and autobiographical works.” All three died on the same day, Nov. 22, 1963. While that oversimplifies Kennedy and underestimates Huxley, the underlying point is worth considering: In one of the great ironies of history, Lewis at his death received less attention than Huxley, and far less than Kennedy. But it may be true that Lewis’s ideas claim the most lasting influence, both on the Christian tradition and on the Western culture beyond. Read on.
• Calling for a more macho redeemer ... [Stephen Prothero, WSJournal] Are the culture wars over? No way, Pastor Mark Driscoll tells more than 7,000 congregants each Sunday at the Mars Hill megachurch in Seattle and the hundreds of thousands who watch his YouTube videos. The "cussing pastor," as he is known by many evangelicals, is especially blunt in complaining about the feminization of Christianity in America—and in promoting a more robust image of Christ. "Jesus is not a pansy or a pacifist," Mr. Driscoll wrote in an October blog post. "He has a long wick, but the anger of his wrath is burning. Once the wick is burned up, he is saddling up on a white horse and coming to slaughter his enemies and usher in his kingdom. Blood will flow." Read on.
• Family-values hypocrisy ... [E.J. Dionne, Commonweal] Lip service but little help for the people who need it. Politicians talk about family values but do almost nothing to help families. They talk about parental responsibility but do almost nothing to help parents. They talk about self-sufficiency but do precious little to make self-sufficiency a reality for those who must struggle hardest to achieve it. Read on.
HeadSpin
• For many, Christmas is a commercial holiday, not a sacred holy day ... [RNS, Cathy Lynn Grosman] Nine in 10 Americans will celebrate Christmas this year, but a new poll shows that increasing numbers see the holiday as more tinsel than gospel truth. This year more than ever, Americans prefer that stores and businesses welcome them with the more generic “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” than “Merry Christmas,” according to a survey released Tuesday (Dec. 17) by the Public Religion Research Institute in partnership with Religion News Service. Read on.
Evangelical Lutheran
• NEPA Synod website ... Here.
• ELCA website ... Here. The new ELCA.org website will be launched on Monday morning, Nov. 18. The launch is the culmination of extensive planning and implementation, during which the ELCA gathered input from a wide range and number of colleagues, constituents and end users from across this church. The result of their collective work is now ready to be published online. Check it out!
• ELCA News Service ... Here.
• ELCA's blogs may be found here. See especially "Web and Multimedia Development."
Moravian
• Moravian Church in North America website.
• Moravian Church Northern Province website.
• Moravian Theological Seminary website.
United Methodist
• He will not go quietly ... [RNS] He presided over the marriage of his son to another man, and then went before a United Methodist Church court, which suspended his collar for 30 days. A month has passed, but the Rev. Frank Schaefer said Monday he will refuse to surrender his clergy credentials voluntarily and continue to perform gay marriages in opposition to his denomination’s orders. Thursday, the Lebanon PA pastor learns his fate, which could be nothing short of defrocking. Also at UMCconnections.
• Communication tips and tools ... Here.
• UMC website Here.
• News Service Here.
• Communication Resources ... Start here.
• Eastern PA Conference website Here. Facebook Here. Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog Here.
Roman Catholic
• Catholic Church isn't anti-gay, but are its bishops? ... [RNS] On Meet the Press earlier this month, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, claimed that the Catholic Church is not anti-gay. “We’re pro marriage, we’re pro traditional marriage, we’re not anti anybody. We’ve been out-marketed, we’ve been caricatured as being anti-gay,” he explained to the show’s host, David Gregory. Dolan’s right. The Catholic Church isn’t anti-gay, but evidence suggests its bishops certainly are. Read on.
• Diocese of Allentown ... Here.
• Diocese of Scranton ... Here.
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ... Here.
• Catholic News Service ... Here.
The Vatican
• The Joy of the Gospel ... Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, with detailed table of contents. Here.
• Vatican website ... Here.
• Vatican Information Service blog ... Here.
• Vatican News/Info Portal ... Here.
HealthSpin
• Minimize holiday stress ... [Orthopedic Associates of Allentown] Here. [h/t Diana Marshall]
• Nothing As It Seems ... [WSJournal, Gerard Baker] Do you religiously take a multivitamin every day? Well, now might be a good time to stop. We report that two new studies debunk the benefits of taking multivitamins. Not only do they not help, according to the research, but high doses of certain vitamins increase the risk of death. And the harsh reality check doesn't stop there. Think back to all the times you washed your hands with antibacterial soap and thought you were doing yourself a favor. Now think again. Citing evidence that some ingredients in antibacterial soap may carry health risks like bacterial resistance and hormonal effects, the Food and Drug Administration is requiring makers to prove that their products are safe for long-term daily use and are more effective than plain soap and water.
• Positive parenting won't make up for insulting, yelling ... [Reuters Health] Young adults who had been criticized, insulted or threatened by a parent growing up were more likely to be anxious or depressed, in a new study. Even when the same or another parent expressed plenty of affection, researchers found the apparent harmful effects of having a verbally aggressive mother or father persisted. "There's a fair amount of data out there that says that parental verbal aggression toward a kid is very damaging," Byron R. Egeland said. "In many instances, people find it to be as damaging as actual physical abuse," he told Reuters Health. Read on. [h/t Diana Marshall]
• Flu shots, 'tis the season ... Flu.gov is the official government website where you can enter your zip code to find out where you can get a flu shot, get advice for who is most at risk, and learn how you can help care for loved ones who get the flu.
• Resources for caregivers ... Here.
• Medline Plus ... Here.
• WebMD ... Here.
• Alzheimers.gov ... For people helping people with Alzheimers. Here.
• Three Free Apps for getting qualified medical advice... [Techlicious] Urgent Care, HealthTap and First Aid. Info and links.
Media/Films/DVD/TV/Books/Music/Tech
• Hollywood rediscovers the Bible ... [NYTimes] Studios and filmmakers are rediscovering the Bible as source material for upcoming mainstream films. Read on.
Resources
• In-Formation in Bethlehem ... December.
• Many Congregational Resources ... The "Using Resources" series of publications by the Center for Congregations is designed to help congregations make the most effective use of capital funds, consultants, architects, contractors, books, congregation management software, and more.
• Church locators ... Here.
• Insights into Religion ... Here.
• Forward Movement ... Here.
• The Alban Institute ... Here.
• ECF Vital Practices ... Here.
• Faith in Public Life ... Here.
• Religion&Ethics News Weekly (PBS) ... Here.
• The Chalice, a publication created by Joan DeAcetis for older adults and caretakers. Download issues here.
• Weekly Bulletin Inserts from the Episcopal Church ... Here.
• Episcopal Web Radio ... Here.
• Updated Episcopal Church canons and constitution ... Here.
Additional sources for news/info/commentary
• Religion News Service Daily Roundup ... here.
• Religious Freedom Blog ... a weekly look back at the top stories and developments on religious liberty around the world. Here.
• National Catholic Reporter ... here.
• Back issues of the newSpin newsletter ... here.
• Episcopal/Anglican
(1) The Episcopal Church website, news service, news service blog,
(2) Episcopal Café
(3) AngicansOnline website and news centre.
(4) The Living Church
(5) The Anglican Communion website and news service.
SoulSpin Resources
• The Book of Common Prayer ... every edition from 1549 to 1979. Here.
• Prayers and Thanksgivings from the BCP ... Here.
• The Daily Office ... can be read online in Rite I, Rite II or the New Zealand Prayer Book versions. At Mission St. Clare.
• Holy Women, Holy Men ... Download Holy Women, Holy Men as a .pdf file.
• Speaking to the Soul ... An Episcopal Café blog. Sermons, reflections, multimedia meditations and excerpts from books on spirituality. Here.
• The Imitation of Christ ... Available free online.
Bible&Worship Resources
• Lectionary ... A collection of Lectionary resources for the Episcopal Church, updated Sunday night. Here.
• Lectionary Page ... A liturgical calendar for upcoming weeks, with links to readings from the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), as adapted for use in Episcopal worship. Here.
• Revised Common Lectionary ... Here.
• Oremus Bible Browser ... Here.
• Enriching our Worship and Same-Sex Blessings ... Free download here.
*************
Comments are welcome at the newSpin blog. Click there on the title of the current newsletter. Comment below. As soon as the newsletter is completed, usually by Tuesday, it is uploaded to the blog and posted on Bakery and on a ChurchPost list of some 1,200 addresses. Many recipients often forward it to others. The newsletter comes, of course, with some spin from the editor. 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. If you're wondering why you haven't seen something related to your parish or agency here, it's probably because no one has sent relevant info. If you think something about your parish or agency merits inclusion, send email 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]
Comments