The spiritual life is a stern choice. It is not a consoling retreat from the difficulties of existence, but an invitation to enter fully into that difficult existence, and there apply the Charity of God, and bear the cost. ... Evelyn Underhill photo

Former Episcopal priest seeks to form parish in Louisville
By Peter Smith
The Courier-Journal

A priest who broke with the Episcopal Church to form an Elizabethtown, Ky., parish under a foreign Anglican bishop is helping to organize a parish in Louisville.

The as-yet-unnamed parish will hold an organizational service and meeting at the Marriott East Hotel at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, according to the Rev. Kent Litchfield.

He was pastor of Christ Episcopal Church in Elizabethtown until last year, when he retired and announced he was leaving the denomination because of its liberal policies.

Litchfield helped organize a new parish there called Holy Apostles, which includes many former Christ Church members.
the rest

Episcopal Bishop in Ark. OKs Gay Blessings
Saturday July 22, 2006 3:46 PM

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Episcopal churches in Arkansas can offer blessing ceremonies for gay couples, the state's bishop said in a letter to clergy.

``It is my belief that seeking ways of recognizing and blessing faithful, monogamous same-sex relationships falls within the parameters of providing pastoral concern and care for our gay and lesbian members,'' wrote the Right Rev. Larry Maze, bishop of the 14,000-member Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas.

Maze noted in his letter sent to clergy Wednesday that no other national or state Episcopal leaders have produced or approved official rites for the blessings of same-sex unions.
the rest

Letter from Bishop Skip Adams to Parishioners of St. Andrew's Church

In one of the more bizarre communications from a liberal Episcopal bishop to date, Central New York’s Skip Adams wrote a letter which he sent out by bulk mail to every member of St. Andrew’s church in Syracuse for whom he could find an address. Two days before he sent the letter out, he signed legal papers suing the parish and seeking to seize its property and shut down worship services at the church. On the same day of this letter the Diocesan lawyer was arguing before a judge that the court should prevent the transfer of any property of the church including any monies used to pay salaries or church expenses. The Court ultimately denied the Diocesan request, but had it been granted, it would have shut down the parish.


The Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. Adams III
The Diocese of Central New York

July 19, 2006

Dear People of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church:

As you may know, the Vestry of St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, without prior conversation with me, has taken legal action to amend its Certificate of Incorporation. This is an apparent attempt to disassociate St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church from the Diocese of Central New York and, in turn, my authority as Bishop. Therefore, I have taken steps to challenge this action in the Supreme Court of the State of New York. An accompanying press release to this effect is enclosed.

I am offering you the opportunity to meet with me so that I may explain this action and encourage open dialogue. This meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 25th at 7:00 p.m. in St Paul’s Cathedral.

Please know that you remain in my prayer with the hope that the reconciling love of Jesus will lead us through this difficult time.

Faithfully in Christ,
Gladstone B. Adams III
Bishop


Cc The Very Rev. Katherine Day [president of the Standing Committee]
Members of the Diocesan Board and Standing Committee
District Deans
Mr. Paul J. Curtin, Jr., Esq. [chancellor of the diocese]
Mr. Jonathan B. Fellows, Esq. [lawyer hired by the diocese]


Bishop’s statement on back of letter:

July 19, 2006

The Diocese of Central New York has commenced an action against the lay leadership of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Syracuse seeking a declaration from the Court regarding the ownership of property held by St. Andrew’s. St. Andrew’s was founded in the early 1900’s as an Episcopal Church, and was supported by the Diocese as a mission of the Diocese of Central New York for decades. Bishop Gladstone Adams stated: It saddens me to have to take this step, but it was necessary because the leadership of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Syracuse took legal action by filing an amended Certificate of Incorporation renouncing St. Andrew’s affiliation with the Episcopal Church. St. Andrew’s has stated that it is no longer under my supervision as the Bishop of Central New York, but is under the supervision of the Bishop of Rwanda. We regret that the current leadership has taken legal action to change the Certificate of Incorporation to renounce St. Andrew’s affiliation with the Episcopal Church. Their actions have left us no choice but to seek a declaration from the Court. While we would hope that people would not choose to do so, any of the members of St. Andrew’s who disagree with the actions of the Episcopal Church may leave the Episcopal Church. However, they are not free to take an Episcopal Church, its property or holdings, out of the denomination. We hope that the Court will act swiftly to set aside the actions taken by the lay leadership.

--end--

Shine as Many Stars

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

Here is something to wake me up. This is worth living for. To be wise is a noble thing in itself: in this place it refers to a divine wisdom which only the Lord Himself can bestow. Oh, to know myself, my God, my Savior! May I be so divinely taught that I may carry into practice heavenly truth and live in the light of it! Is my life a wise one? Am I seeking that which I ought to seek? Am I living as I shall wish I had lived when I come to die? Only such wisdom can secure for me eternal brightness as of yonder sunlit skies.

To be a winner of souls is a glorious attainment. I had need to be wise if I am to turn even one to righteousness; much more if I am to turn many, Oh, for the knowledge of God, of men, of the Word, and of Christ, which will enable me to convert my fellowmen and to convert large numbers of them! I would give myself to this, and never rest till I accomplish it. This will be better than winning stars at court. This will make me a star, a shining star, a star shining forever and ever; yea, more, it will make roe shine as many stars. My soul, arouse thyself. Lord, quicken me!
CH Spurgeon

Arkansas Bishop to Allow Non-Sacramental Same-Sex Blessings
07/21/2006

In a letter e-mailed to the clergy of his diocese, the Rt. Rev. Larry Maze, Bishop of Arkansas, has given congregations permission to develop pastoral responses to same-gender couples who seek the blessing of The Episcopal Church for their relationships.

Under the terms outlined in the letter, clergy are forbidden from performing sacramental rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, but clergy and congregations are permitted to experiment with pastoral responses to same-sex couples seeking affirmation and support.

The July 19 letter noted that while The Episcopal Church remains divided over the propriety of same-sex blessings, there had been agreement for more than 30 years that “homosexual persons are children of God,” and are to be shown “love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care.” the rest

First Things: July 21, 2006

Joseph Bottum writes:

It’s hardly a breaking news story that the old mainline Protestant denominations are in trouble, both doctrinally and in membership numbers. It’s even less of a breaking story that a wide range of nondenominational churches—or churches only loosely affiliated with a denomination—have sprung up to fill the void the mainline once occupied across the nation.

But maybe it is generally unreported news that this same phenomenon can be observed even in Manhattan. Most of the nation seems to suppose that Protestant New York passed in a generation directly from the Easter Parade to atheism, with hardly a hiccup in between. But the nondenominational movement has taken hold here, as well. Even while many of the beautiful old churches are empty, you can find—in college auditoriums, hotel ballrooms, and storerooms across the city—plenty of the kind of packed Sunday services the rest of the nation knows.

He gives a list and description of churches in NYC including this one:

Christ Church NYC: An independent church in the evangelical Anglican tradition, Christ Church was started by an Australian pastor, John Mason, after receiving a call from Redeemer to begin a ministry in New York post–September 11. Now at two different locations, with a more liturgically minded, traditional service in the morning and a more contemporary service in the evening, Christ Church is a warm and friendly congregation that is still small but growing. From personal experience, I can say that John Mason is also a gifted biblical exegete with a pastor’s heart (the two are not always found in the same package). So if smaller is better for you, visit Christ Church.

the rest

God in the shower
The perfection of God’s Word is not boiled down but running over
Andrée Seu

The perfection of God's Word is a multifaceted perfection, not a monolithic one. Too rich to be harnessed in a single utterance—God is lord, shepherd, rock, eagle, bear, lion, lamb, king, horn, and consuming fire—God's truth is displayed in the prism of 66 books and several genres. Neglect one, as I recently did, and you may get into trouble.

C.S. Lewis had a circle of friends self-styled the "Inklings." When one of the group died, Lewis thought he would be able to help himself to more of his other friend. He found instead he had less of him. The departed companion, in his unrepeatable uniqueness, had had access to a part of the third mate that Lewis did not. That dimension now lay interred forever in the dead man's bones. When you lose a friend you lose a universe. the rest

If Embryos are Human then Fertility Clinics are Death Camps: Pro-abortion Columnist
By John Jalsevac

TORONTO, ON, July 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A pro-abortion columnist writing for the National Post has followed the logic of pro-life arguments about the evils of embryonic stem cell research and concluded that, if true, then artificial reproduction techniques must also be considered murderous on the scale of genocide.

“In short, if embryos are human beings with full human rights, fertility clinics are death camps—with a side order of cold-blooded eugenics,” writes Michael Kinsley in an article entitled Where’s the Logic? “No one who truly believes in the humanity of embryos could possibly think otherwise.”

Kinsley explains that in vitro clinics, in their efforts to produce a successful pregnancy, always create numerous embryos, ultimately selecting the best and destroying the rest. Thus not only is murder involved, as thousands of embryonic human beings are destroyed in fertility clinics, but also eugenics, as only the healthiest embryos are selected for implantation. the rest

You May Be a Terrorist!

The following list of groups can be found under the heading “Terrorist and Extremist Organizations,” on the Planned Parenthood.website:

American Life League (ALL)
Americans United for Life (AUL)
Christian Coalition
Concerned Women for America (CWA)
Eagle Forum
Family Research Council (FRC)
Feminists for Life of America (FFL)
Focus on the Family
Human Life International (HLI)
Life Dynamics Incorporated (LDI)
Missionaries to the Preborn
National Right to Life Committee (NRLC)
Operation Save America (formerly known as Operation Rescue)
Pro-Life Action League (PLAL)
STOPP International, aka STOPP Planned Parenthood

Fascinating. I guess I haven’t kept up with the news, not having heard of any Christian Coalition suicide bombers, nor any Focus on the Family missile strikes recently. (They could be suspected of launching missal strikes, but –being a Protestant organization – it is unlikely.)

the rest at the the Waffling Anglican

Planned Parenthood site

After 2 years, same-sex marriage icons split up
Were plaintiffs in landmark case
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff
July 21, 2006

They told the world that their relationship was like any other and that's why they should be allowed to marry. Now, friends say, they are showing once again that they are just like any other couple: Two years after getting married, Julie and Hillary Goodridge, lead plaintiffs in the state's landmark gay marriage case, are splitting.

Mary Breslauer, a spokeswoman for the couple, confirmed the separation last night. She said the couple are focused now on trying to do what is best for their daughter, Annie, 10.

``Julie and Hillary Goodridge are amicably living apart," Breslauer said in a telephone interview. ``As always their number one priority is raising their daughter, and like the other plaintiff couples in this case, they made an enormous contribution toward equal marriage. But they are no longer in the public eye, and request that their privacy be respected."

the rest

Episcopal diocese sues parish in property, homosexuality rift

SYRACUSE -- The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York sued one of its parishes Wednesday to stop any transfer of church property in a dispute over homosexuality in the church. Supreme Court Justice Edward D. Carni ruled Thursday against the diocese's request -- a request that would have shut down St. Andrew's Church in Syracuse.

"I was very pleased that the court did not do what the diocese wanted," said Raymond Dague, a parishioner and lawyer representing St. Andrew's Church in Syracuse. "What's very, very sad is this incredibly mean-spirited diocese suing one of its own."

Attorneys for the diocese could not be reached.

the rest

Matt Kennedy+: Background: Correspondence between Robert Hackendorf+ of St. Andrew's Syracuse and the Diocese of CNY

It should tell you something about the state of the Episcopal Church that Techno Cosmic Mass man Matthew Fox can slide through the process and easily attain a liscense to serve as a priest in an Episcopal diocese but a faithful priest like Robert Hackendorf cannot. What a travesty
Diocese of Central NY refuses to accept Rwandan priest

From Transfigurations back in late January 2006

The Rt. Rev. Gladstone Adams, Bishop
310 Montgomery Street
Syracuse NY 13202
January 23, 2006

Dear Bishop Adams:

I am in receipt of the letter of Kathryn Eden dated January 19, 2006 in her capacity as president of the standing committee informing me that the standing committee will not be recommending me for reception into the Episcopal Church and this diocese. When I was before the standing committee on January 10, 2006, I stated that I would be willing to sign the affirmation under Canon III.11.4 to “promise in writing to submit in all things to the Discipline of this Church without recourse to any other ecclesiastical jurisdiction or foreign civil jurisdiction.” In fact, I emphatically stated that I took that promise very seriously. But apparently they did not accept me on my word, since they raise “some unresolved issues concerning the Episcopal Church and [my] connection with the Church of Rwanda.” I want to be clear: while my offer to make the promises required by Canon was very sincere and without reservation, my answers to the other questions posed to me by the Standing Committee are the result of prayerful consideration and I do not foresee my position changing at any time in the future.

As you know from the letters dimissory of Archbishop Kolini which were delivered to you a year ago this month, I am a priest in the Anglican Province of the Church of Rwanda. My parish has never understood the logic of your insistence on a Canon III.11 process for my acceptance into this diocese, since that canon applies only to priests ordained in churches in the historic succession but not in communion with this church. Because the Church of Rwanda is in communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States (at least from America’s perspective) the parish does not see the need for a Canon III.11 procedure, but we were willing to accommodate it at your request. The standing committee’s judgment that “we cannot certify you to continue in the process” puts an end to that Canon III.11 reception process.

Since you have indicated that the recommendation of the standing committee was necessary for my reception, we are apparently at the end of the line. Since you are not willing to accept me under Canon III.12 as a priest in the Church of Rwanda, we would ask that you return to the parish the letters dimissory of Archbishop Kolini.This action indicates that the Diocese of Central New York is not in communion with the Church of Rwanda, which is an indication that Central New York is withdrawing from the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our prayers continue to be with you and the diocese as you move ahead with your decision, in the words of the Windsor Report, “to walk apart” from the Communion of the wider church. Obviously, we refuse to abandon the Anglican Communion.

If you wish to discuss this matter further, I am available to meet with you at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Robert Hackendorf,
Rector St Andrew's, Syracuse, NY

CC: The Rev. Kathryn Eden
The Very Rev. Thomas Luck, Dean
The Rev. John LaVoe
The Rev. Jennie Montgomery, Chair of the COM
The Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Kolini, Archbishop and Primate

Below is the letter from Kathryn Eden, president of the standing committee of the diocese of Central New York informing Fr. Robert Hackendorf that the standing committee of the diocese will not certify Fr. Hackendorf as a priest in the diocese. Bishop Skip Adams established a requirement over a year ago when Fr. Bob came to St. Andrew’s in Syracuse, New York that the standing committee certify him in order to be recognized as a priest in Central New York. Fr. Bob has been the “pastoral leader” of the parish for the last year, but out of deference to the bishop’s request, has until now not celebrated the Eucharist, although he wears a clergy collar, and vests in a stole for all liturgies, preaches, teaches classes, presides over vestry meetings, and does every other thing one sees a rector do in a parish. Fr. Hackendorf has been ordained clergy in the Anglican Communion for almost six years, and is and has been for the last several years canonically resident in Rwanda under Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini. Archbishop Kolni’s letters dimissory were delivered to Bishop Adams just over a year ago, but Bishop Adams, while acknowledging that he got the document, has not officially accepted or rejected them within 90 days as required by canon law. Bishop Adams has not yet responded to the letter of Fr. Hackendorf (above), nor has he responded to the letter of the wardens of the parish of January 2, 2006 which was written to him concerning the acceptance of Fr. Hackendorf in this diocese. St. Andrew’s in Syracuse with an average Sunday attendance of about 200 people has the largest attendance of any parish in the diocese, and will be starting a third regular worship service on Saturday evenings beginning Saturday, February 4, 2006 to supplement the two Sunday morning services already being held. (Comment by Raymond Dague, chancellor to St. Andrew’s vestry)

January 19, 2006

Dear Robert,

We appreciated your willingness to meet with the Standing Committee on January 10, 2006. As we listened to you speak of your vocation and desire to embrace the Episcopal Church, we felt that you have some unresolved issues concerning the Episcopal Church and your connection with the Church of Rwanda. Title III, Canon 11, section 4 would require “a promise in writing to submit in all things to the Discipline of this Church without recourse to any other ecclesiastical jurisdiction or foreign civil jurisdiction…”

At this time we cannot certify you to continue in the process, however, we are not “closing the door” for a further conversation to reengage the process. We would encourage you to continue to explore your readiness to make the required promise in light of your concerns for some of the positions that the Episcopal Church holds and might continue to hold. We pray for you, for your ministry and for your ongoing discernment.

Sincerely,The Rev. Kathryn Eden
President of the Standing Committee
Diocese of Central NY

CC: The Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. Adams, III, Bishop
The Very Rev. Thomas Luck, Dean
The Rev. John LaVoe
The Rev. Jennie Montgomery, Chair of the CO


(Thanks to Matt Kennedy+ over at Stand Firm for digging this out)

Episcopal diocese sues Syracuse parish in property dispute
July 20, 2006, 11:45 PM EDT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) _ The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York sued one of its parishes Wednesday to stop any transfer of church property in a dispute over homosexuality in the church.

The court action stemmed from a rift in the diocese after Bishop Gladstone Adams voted in favor of the 2004 consecration of New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, said a parishioner involved in the case. Robinson's appointment created a schism in the Episcopal Church because he is gay.

Raymond Dague, a parishioner and lawyer representing St. Andrew's Church, said his parish is more traditional than the diocese and the issue of homosexuality in the church has been a "lightning rod" for the division.

the rest

Central Florida Letter requests oversight

The Most Reverend and Right Honorable
Rowan Douglas Williams
Archbishop of Canterbury
& Primate of the Church of England
Lambeth Palace
London SE1 7JU, ENGLAND

Dear Archbishop Williams:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This letter is an official appeal on behalf of the Bishop, Standing Committee, and Diocesan Board of the Diocese of Central Florida. We seek Alternative Primatial Oversight and mediation in the dispute between the Diocese of Central Florida and our Province, The Episcopal Church.

the rest at titusonenine

"No erudition, no purity of diction, no width of mental outlook, no flowers of eloquence, no grace of person can atone for lack of fire. Prayer ascends by fire. Flame gives prayer access as well as wings, acceptance as well as energy. There is no incense without fire; no prayer without flame." EM Bounds

Matt Kennedy+: Live From a Syracuse Courthouse: UPDATE...Diocesan Motion Denied!

It's 1:30pm in Syracuse New York. I am sitting in a conference room getting ready to head over to the courthouse. I will be live-blogging todays motion by the diocese of CNY to place a temporary restraining order on St. Andrew's Syracuse which would effectively freeze all the parish accounts....I'll be posting right here when I get set up..Here I am sitting in a very crowded courtroom. Mostly St. Andrew’s people are filling the seats. The judge is not yet arrived. People are speaking in more or less quiet tones. There is a good deal of nervous energy. The courtroom is very large. There are no free seats. Raymond arranged for me to sit next to the court reporter, otherwise, I would have no power. Bob Hackendorf stands and faces the crowd and leads whole packed courtroom in prayer.
the rest with comments

Letter to Sr. Warden from Bishop Adams
here

Affadavit of Peter Iannotta, Senior Warden and Trustee of St. Andrew's, Syracuse
here

Dear Readers,

It has been an intense, exhausting day for the people of St. Andrew's in the Valley, Syracuse NY. Listening and watching the proceedings (The Diocese of CNY vs. St Andrew's in the Valley, their wardens and vestry), watching Matt Kennedy+ and his fingers flying over the keyboard, seeing the faces of my fellow parishioners as they intently watched, listened and prayed during the proceeding will stay with me forever. Families with babies and young children, teenagers, the elderly. One count estimated that 120 people were in that courtroom-approximately twice the average attendance of parishes in this diocese. (The exception is St. Andrew's whose ASA is 175 over the summer)

St. Andrew's has always been known as a praying church-a worshiping church and I believe this is what truly carried the day and prevented the church from being shut down. We have many brothers and sisters in other churches in the city, indeed all over the country who were with us in prayer. I didn't realize till later that one church had sent a prayer team who prayed out in the hall the whole time we were in the courtroom.

I cannot possibly do any better than linking to other blogs concerning what happened today-so check them out.

And I praise God for all the faithful prayer warriors! This is just the opening volley and there is more to come, so please continue to hold us up before the Lord.

Pat Dague

It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It is our glory to trust him, no matter what.
Joni Eareckson Tada

Central New York: Episcopal diocese sues city church
Concern over selling St. Andrew's real estate grew from split on homosexuality.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
By Pam Greene Staff writer

The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York filed a lawsuit Wednesday against St. Andrew's Church in Syracuse, asking state Supreme Court Justice Edward Carni to grant the diocese a restraining order against the parish so that it cannot sell the church real estate at 5013 S. Salina St.

Lawyers for the diocese and the parish will be in court again today to resolve the issue.

The strife between the diocese and the parish has been brewing for a long time, said Raymond Dague, a lawyer who represents the church. Dague, who is also a parishioner of St. Andrew's, said his parish is more traditional, whereas the diocese is drifting from the fundamentals of the religion.

Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams and the St. Andrew's parish disagree on the acceptance of gays in the Episcopal Church. In 2004, Adams voted for the consecration of New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man.

The issue of homosexuality in the church is the "lightning rod" that has separated the parish from the diocese, Dague said.

In February, Dague said, the parish which has about 175 members filed an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, requesting that ecclesiastic oversight shift from Adams to Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini, head of Anglican Church in Rwanda and of Anglican Mission in America.

The lawyer for the diocese, Jonathan Fellows, said Adams would have a statement for the media today.

He said it is the diocese's position that the diocese, not the parish, owns the real estate. Therefore, he said, the parish should not be able to transfer ownership of the property.

Dague said he does not know if the restraining order would freeze the church's money completely. He said St. Andrew's is not planning to sell the church but wants to make sure the parish still has access to money to pay the day-to-day operating expenses.

"Suffice it to say, the church will be praying," Dague said.

The Post Standard

For the people of
St Andrew's in the Valley:

He has not made us for nought; He has brought us thus far, in order to bring us further, in order to bring us on to the end. He will never leave us nor forsake us; so that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." We "may cast all our care upon Him who careth for us." What is it to us how our future path lies, if it be but His path? What is it to us whither it leads us, so that in the end it leads to Him? What is it to us what He puts upon us, so that He enables us to undergo it with a pure conscience, a true heart, not desiring anything of this world in comparison of Him? What is it to us what terror befalls us, if He be but a hand to protect and strengthen us?
John Henry Newman

Raymond and I have been members of St. Andrew's in the Valley, Syracuse, NY for over 20 years. The events unfolding in our church (the lawsuit against St. Andrew's, rector and vestry by Bishop Skip Adams) have been anticipated and it is with sadness and tears that we come to this point. Yet there is an underlying joy and peace knowing that we have been faithful and will continue to remain true to our Savior and to His revealed Word in Scripture. We covet the prayers of all God's people for our church knowing there are difficult days ahead of us.-Pat Dague

Central New York Episcopal Diocese Sues Syracuse Church to Seize Property and Asks Judge to Shut the Parish Down
July 19, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Raymond J. Dague 315-422-2052
http://www.DagueLaw.com


The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York filed a lawsuit today against St. Andrew’s Church in Syracuse, its priest, and the members of the parish governing board seeking the seizure of the church building, the parish hall, and the rectory.

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 20, 2006 the Diocese’s lawyers and the lawyer for the parish will be in court again before Supreme Court Judge Edward Carni at 2:00 pm at the Onondaga County Courthouse when the diocese will try to get the judge to sign a court order to prevent any parish property from being transferred.

In oral argument earlier today in chambers before Judge Carni, Raymond Dague, the attorney for the parish defending the lawsuit, said that such an order would effectively shut the church down.

“If you can’t pay the priest’s salary, the electric bills, the phone bill, the secretary, and the organist, and even a lawyer to defend this lawsuit, it is pretty hard to run a church,” said Dague. “For Bishop Skip Adams and the Episcopal diocese to try to stop a parish from conducting its weekly worship goes beyond mean-spirited.”

Bishop Adams’ actions follow a trend in dioceses across the country in which revisionist bishops misapply and abuse canon and civil law in order to seize parish property of churches which oppose their agenda. The bishop and the parish are on the opposite sides of a controversy over homosexual bishops and the authority of Scripture which has engulfed the Episcopal Church for the last few years. St. Andrews sticks with the traditional teaching of the church that sex outside of marriage is prohibited by the Bible, while the Bishop and the leaders of the diocese have been outspoken supporters of the homosexual bishop of New Hampshire who divorced his wife to live with his male partner.

Last summer the diocese brought Jesus Seminar theologian Marcus Borg to Syracuse to teach the clergy of the diocese. Since Borg openly rejects many of the teachings of the Christian faith, such as the Trinity, the virgin birth of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus, relations between St. Andrew’s and the bishop have deteriorated. “They simply believe a new religion which is foreign to the historic faith of the Church,” said Dague.

“In suing the parish the bishop treats the scripture about not suing your Christian brother in a secular court (1 Corinthians 6:1-8) just the same as he treats the scripture about homosexual behavior being a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11),” said Dague in a statement issued to the press. “The people behind this lawsuit are perfectly consistent in their contempt for God’s word. This is an attempt to destroy a biblically faithful congregation because some of the leaders of the Episcopal Church just can’t live with a parish being faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

St. Andrews Church is a member of the Anglican Communion Network which seeks to be faithful to the traditional teachings of the Church. In the weeks following the Episcopal Church’s General Convention in June, seven entire dioceses (also Anglican Communion Network members) have disavowed the leadership of the national church and the newly elected presiding bishop of the church and appealed to the archbishop of Canterbury over the same issue.

Over the last three years twenty-two of 38 primates of the World Wide Anglican Communion have declared broken or impaired communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) because of this issue, and the vast majority of the Communion believes ECUSA has abandoned the faith and practice of Anglicanism as well as historic Christian teaching.

Church Takes Stand Against Actions in Convention

A Shreveport Episcopal church has taken out a newspaper ad to explain its position on marriage, the election of a gay bishop and the authority of the Scripture.

St. Paul's ran an ad in The Times Tuesday, saying it would "disassociate" itself from the actions taken at last month's general convention of the Episcopal Church in Ohio.

Father Guido Verbeck of St. Paul's said he believes the issues are causing the Episcopal Church to split and that churches must choose sides.

St. Paul's chooses to be an "orthodox" church, Verbeck said, and other parishes will soon have to choose between traditional Christian teachings or newer views of the Gospel.

"That was clear at General Convention: It was going to be one way or the other," Verbeck said. "No more fence sitting; no more middle ground or trying to avoid the issues. The issues have come. They have overtaken us and the decisions are going to have to be made."

Father Kenneth Paul of Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal in Shreveport said he supports what the general convention has done. Paul said he believes it conveys the Episcopal Church is an inclusive faith and does not dictate who's in and who's out. the rest

Bush Vetoes Embryonic Stem Cell Bill as Promised
By Mary Dalrymple
Associated Press Writer
Wed, Jul. 19 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush cast the first veto of his presidency Wednesday, saying legislation easing limits on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research "crosses a moral boundary."

"This bill would support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others," Bush said at a White House event where he was surrounded by 18 families who "adopted" frozen embryos not used by other couples, and then used those leftover embryos to have children.

"Each of these children was still adopted while still an embryo and has been blessed with a chance to grow, to grow up in a loving family. These boys and girls are not spare parts," he said.

The veto came a day after the Senate defied Bush and approved the legislation, 63-37, four votes short of the two-thirds margin needed to override. White House officials and Republican congressional leaders claimed it was unlikely that Congress could override the veto.
the rest

Rocket Attack on Holy City of Nazareth
Kills 2 Children, 1 Adult
Wednesday, July 19, 2006

JERUSALEM — A Hezbollah rocket slammed into a building Wednesday in the mainly Arab town of Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, killing three people, including two children, Israeli authorities said.

Smoke billowed from the damaged a building and its roof appeared mostly destroyed, television footage showed. Local residents ran to the building and helped fire fighters unwind their water houses. the rest

HEZBOLLAH IS HERE
by Michelle Malkin
July 18, 2006 11:24 PM EST

Sheeple thought of the day: "Hezbollah is not my problem." You think Hezbollah is only Israel's headache? Wake up. Iranian Hezbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli's threat on Tuesday to dispatch 2,000 operatives "to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America's interests" is more than just idle Islamic heavy breathing.

The Jew-hating terrorists of Hezbollah who call themselves the "party of God" are already here. In America. Plotting attacks. Raising money. Slipping through the cracks.

In May, the New York Post reported on Hezbollah's plans to activate sleeper cells in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Detroit as the nuclear showdown with Iran heats up. One focal point: "the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, where there have already been three episodes in the last four years in which diplomats and security guards have been expelled for casing and photographing New York City subways and other potential targets." Heightened alert comes in the wake of reports that Iranian crackpot president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Hezbollah leaders in Syria earlier this year. the rest

Embryonic Stem Cell Funding is Worse than Abortion
Richard Stith,
Posted on 07/19/2006

Several prominent anti-abortion politicians, including Orrin Hatch and Bill Frist, joined the Senate majority in endorsing the public funding of embryonic stem cell research. To the casual observer it might appear that the arguments against abortion must be stronger than those against publicly funding the destruction of embryos. This conclusion, however, would be mistaken. The funding of destructive embryo research is actually worse than legal abortion.

Some might disagree, arguing that the continuing identity of a developing being means that embryo research cannot be better or worse than abortion. The politicians are wrong to say it is not as bad as abortion, but it is also wrong to say that it is worse. All stages of life are stages of the same being. Each of us was once a human embryo. Each of us is just a human embryo that has grown up. And we have been alive the whole time we have been growing and developing that is, since fertilization. If one of us had been killed at any time before we were born, a human life would have been lost. So abortion and lethal research on embryos are equally bad.

Others might argue that, if there is any difference, abortion is the worse of the two. For abortion involves not only killing but betrayal. In abortion, parents destroy an unborn child entrusted to them, who depends on them, a child whom they have a moral duty to nurture. By contrast, the scientist who dissects an embryo is not harming his own offspring. He wrongs life, but not necessarily the family. So how can one possibly contend that embryo research is worse? the rest

Indonesia death toll passes 500

The death toll in the Indonesian tsunami has risen to at least 520, fuelling questions over why no warning was given ahead of the disaster.

Government officials said they received a warning that the island of Java was threatened by a tsunami following an underwater earthquake off the coast. But they said they were unable to pass on the warning to coastal areas.

story

Colorado to Ban Child Marriages
By STEVEN K. PAULSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER (AP) - Gov. Bill Owens signed a measure banning child brides, ending an uproar sparked by a court ruling that said 12-year-old girls could enter common-law marriages in Colorado.

The state Court of Appeals ruled on June 15 that Colorado had no stated minimum age for common-law marriage but said the state has adopted English common law, which makes girls as young as 12 and boys as young as 14 eligible for marriage.

"It was imperative that Colorado change its law concerning the minimum age for common law marriage. The age of consent for marriage should be consistent in our statutes and, most importantly, our young children must be protected," Owens said as he signed the bill Tuesday.
the rest

Beating of boy probed as hate crime
July 19, 2006
BY ANNIE SWEENEY AND STEFANO ESPOSITO

A 14-year-old Beverly boy with a heart defect was critically beaten and robbed because he was "a goofy-looking white boy," his accused attacker allegedly told investigators.

The new details, which emerged Tuesday during a Juvenile Court hearing for the 16-year-old accused assailant, are prompting Chicago Police to investigate the beating of Ryan Rusch -- who was set upon by three youths Sunday -- as a hate crime.

"Our sense right off the bat was they were just looking for a victim," First Deputy Police Supt. Dana Starks said Tuesday. "It is my understanding that these [race remarks] were later statements. . . . We are now investigating it as a hate crime." the rest

Mo. Must Allow Inmates to Have Abortions
By JIM SALTER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The state must allow pregnant inmates to have abortions and transport them to facilities that perform the procedure, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple applies to all female prisoners in Missouri. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state had to allow a specific inmate, listed as Jane Roe, to have an abortion.

The American Civil Liberties Union then sought a federal ruling making the high court's decision a class-action on behalf of all imprisoned pregnant women in the state. the rest

St. John's (Fallbrook, CA) Church Aligns with the Worldwide Anglican Communion
July 18, 2006

Fallbrook, Calif. - St. John's Church, a biblically orthodox church, affirms its membership in the Anglican Communion and will no longer be affiliated with the Episcopal Church USA or the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.

St. John's is now under the jurisdictional oversight of the Anglican Province of Uganda in the Diocese of Luweero, which is a member of the mainstream of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Since its founding, the members of St. John's have remained steadfast and loyal in their commitment to the Holy Scripture, the historic teachings of Christianity and the Anglican Communion. However, the Episcopal Church USA has chosen a path that no longer reflects the membership's steadfast faith.

"St. John's is a biblically orthodox church that wants to remain true to the historic Christian faith," said Rick Crossley, a congregational leader. "Recent actions and inactions at the national convention of the Episcopal Church have made it dear that it has chosen a different course outside the path of mainstream Anglicanism. We are simply remaining faithful to our historic beliefs and values, by aligning ourselves with the orthodox faithful in the Anglican Communion."
The church members and board of directors (called the vestry) of St. John's made this decision with the support of their pastor, The Rev. Donald Kroeger I reflecting the desire of the church to stand firm on its religious convictions. the rest

The Desires of Your Heart

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Your relationship with God ought to bring you more joy, satisfaction, and pleasure than any other relationship, activity, or material possession you have. Scripture exhorts you to delight yourself in the Lord, finding your greatest pleasure in God and the things dear to His heart.

How can you find pleasure in what God enjoys? Only as you spend time with Him will you begin to take delight in the things God loves. As you spend intimate time with God and allow Him to show you your situation from His perspective, you will begin to see things as God sees them. As you adjust yourself to God, your heart will begin to desire the same things God’s heart desires. When you pray, you will find yourself asking for the very things God desires. Matters foremost on God’s heart will be preeminent in yours. Your first request in prayer will not be for yourself, but for God’s name to be exalted and His kingdom to be extended (Matt. 6:9–10).

Have you been asking God to give you the desires of your heart without first seeking to understand what is on His heart? God places this important requirement for those who pray: that we seek His priorities and make them our own. This great qualifier prevents us from asking out of selfishness. As we find joy in the Lord, we will see what is truly important, and we will long for these things as the Father does. Henry Blackaby

What's Right About Patriotism
The nation is not our highest love, but it still deserves our affection.
by David P. Gushee
posted 07/18/2006 09:30 a.m.

My father used to display a crisp American flag outside of our house. That flag flew not just on holidays, but on every day of the year. He never told us why he flew the Stars and Stripes. It was not because he was obviously patriotic. Sure, he had served in the Korean War, but the experience sounded mainly harrowing. As an analyst for Congress, he was involved in the hurly-burly of public debate on major policy issues. He respected how our country's democratic system works. He was not sentimental about our nation. But he flew that flag every day.

Is it theologically appropriate for Christians to be patriotic? Does it compromise our citizenship in Christ's kingdom to wave the banner of loyalty to an earthly kingdom?

As with so many other issues, American Christians seem hopelessly divided.

the rest

New doctrine may lead to empty pews
Posted At : July 18, 2006 7:37 AM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen
AUTHOR: MARYLEE SHRIDER

The leadership of the Episcopal Church in America may have trouble deciding what they believe, but here in Bakersfield the local diocese isn't afraid to call sin a sin.

The Diocese of San Joaquin, which oversees Episcopal churches in Bakersfield, joined eight others last week in asking church leadership to give them a new boss. Their grounds? The one they have now -- the newly elected presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori -- doesn't know squat about Scripture.

the rest at Connecticut Six

Senate Approves Embryonic Stem Cell Bill
Jul 18, 5:04 PM (ET)
By LAURIE KELLMAN

(WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate voted Tuesday after two days of emotional debate to expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research and sent the measure to President Bush for a promised veto, the first of his presidency.

The bill passed 63-37, four votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override Bush's veto. The president left little doubt he would reject the bill despite late appeals on its behalf from fellow Republicans Nancy Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"The simple answer is he thinks murder's wrong," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

"The president is not going to get on the slippery slope of taking something living and making it dead for the purposes of scientific research." the rest

House Rejects Gay Marriage Ban Amendment
Jul 18 2:06 PM US/Eastern
By JIM ABRAMS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON The House on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, ending for another year a congressional debate that supporters of the ban hope will still reverberate in this fall's election.

The 236-187 vote for the proposal to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman was 47 short of the two-thirds majority needed to advance a constitutional amendment. It followed six weeks after the Senate also decisively defeated the amendment, a top priority of social conservatives.

But supporters said the vote will make a difference when people got to the polls in November.
the rest

Christian Legal Society calls on the United States Senate to Vote in Support of Life and Against Lethal Human Experimentation

MEDIA ADVISORY, July 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- Just prior to their vote on three stem cell research bills this afternoon, Christian Legal Society (CLS) called on the Senate to vote in support of life and against lethal human experimentation by voting for S. 2754, the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act, and S. 3504, the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act, and against H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

Responding to a question regarding how to differentiate among the three bills, CLS’s Executive Director Sam Casey said: “It’s the fundamental difference between life for all and death by lethal human experimentation for the voiceless few.” the rest

Lesbians Sue, Say Cancer Treatments Damaged Sexual Relationship
Tuesday, July 18, 2006

STAMFORD, Conn. — A lesbian couple filed a medical malpractice lawsuit Tuesday claiming cancer treatments damaged their sexual relationship. Their attorneys say it is the first lawsuit of its kind under Connecticut's civil unions law.

Margaret Mueller and Charlotte Stacey are suing two doctors, accusing them of treating Mueller for ovarian cancer when she actually had cancer of the appendix. They contend Mueller underwent years of devastating chemotherapy treatments while the real cancer spread.
the rest

Etna awakes with storm of fire and lava
By Malcolm Moore, Rome Correspondent
(Filed: 18/07/2006)

Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, threw fire and rocks more than 800ft into the air yesterday.

Etna, which is almost 11,000ft high, sits 18 miles from Catania on Sicily's east coast. Several villages lie on its lower slopes, but the Italian government said yesterday that the lava was flowing away from them, and that there was no immediate danger. the rest

There Are No 'Excess' Human Beings
by Ken Connor
Posted Jul 18, 2006

This week the U.S. Senate will make life and death decisions when it takes stem cell research into consideration. All those who seek justice should be on high alert: the Senate will be deciding whether or not human dignity will be preserved at all stages of human development. Three bills are up for consideration. The first is called the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act (S. 3504). This act would make it illegal for scientists to use, create, or gestate human beings to harvest their organs, body parts or tissue. In other words, scientists would be prohibited from creating embryos specifically for the purpose of "farming" or "cannibalizing" them for spare parts.

Imagine a world where human beings have become so greedy, so self-obsessed, that they see others not as creatures made in the image of God, but as mere "junk-yards" from which to retrieve spare parts if necessary. Human beings are more than the sum of their parts and their lives should not be destroyed because one or more of their parts may be of benefit to another. Passage of the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act will send the message that human beings are more than the aggregation of their organs and, regardless of their stage of development, they are of infinite worth, value and dignity. the rest

A Presbyterian and an Episcopalian walk into a bar ...
Posted: July 18, 20061:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

It's 95 degrees today – too hot to discuss anything serious – so I'm going to write about the Presbyterians and Episcopalians, who seem intent upon turning their sacred franchises into a comedy show.

As you know, presbyopia is the visual malady that renders its victims unable to see what's right in front of their noses. Presbyterian comes from the same root word, presbys, meaning old, or perhaps in this case, over the hill. The theory behind the denomination is that if your church is run by a bunch of geezers who have been around the block a few times, they will keep you from doing anything excessively stupid.

The theory worked OK until 1965, when membership peaked at 4,254,597, and the church's liberals proposed a new confession. "The Confession of 1967," named for the year it was adopted, downplayed the authority of the Bible in favor of assorted social issues. By the end of 1999, membership had plummeted to 2,560,201, a 39.8 percent drop.

Last month, the PCUSA decided to test the basement again. At their general assembly June 20 in Alabama, the denomination approved what Richard Ostling of AP called a "two-sided unity plan" – surely one of the most hilarious phrases ever to emerge from the theological conflicts of our generation. As Ostling describes the rewards, "For the conservatives, a church law remains in place that requires clergy and lay officers to limit sex to man-woman marriage. ..."
the rest

Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God's goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new-created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing, let your joyful heart praise and magnify so good and glorious a Creator. ... William Law

Happy Anniversary to my husband!
July 17, 1982

Twenty-four years of marriage-never dull, not perfect, but always trying to do what's best in love. Who could ask for more?

(I'm so glad I'm the one with the blog so I can put your picture up)


A couple of our wedding readings:

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17

************************************************************************************

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. John 13:1-15

No Longer Catholic
07/17/2006
By Gary W. Kriss

Most of the commentary on the recent General Convention has focused on the impact its decisions will have on the relationship of The Episcopal Church with the rest of the Anglican Communion. However, this observer believes that, behind these major decisions, something else was going on at General Convention — something that is in some ways more subtle, but quite possibly far more important, at least for Episcopalians of a catholic disposition.

General Convention cannot speak for Anglicanism as a whole, but its actions on several fronts indicate very clearly that the leadership of this portion of the Anglican Communion, the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, now regards our church unequivocally as a protestant denomination. In truth, this is nothing new, but General Convention 2006 has put an exclamation point on it.

The clearest statement of this attitude is in the establishment of interim eucharistic sharing with the Methodists [p. 6], which our ecumenical officers expect to lead to full intercommunion in the not-too-distant future. We already live with the doubtful proposition that our arrangement with the Lutherans can somehow be shoe-horned into compliance with the terms of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, but there is no way that the Methodist episcopate can be equated with the historic episcopate as defined in the Quadrilateral. As Christians we are obligated to work for unity. But as Anglicans we agreed long ago that we must do so in a way that does not sacrifice a gift, the historic episcopate, which we managed to preserve even in the darkest days of the English Reformation. That was our position, but it is no longer.

This mindset is evident in other actions. The famous Resolution B033 is a call to “exercise restraint,” but clearly it is not the moratorium the Windsor Report asks for. Furthermore, as soon as the voting was over, a substantial bloc of bishops announced they would not abide by the resolution in any case. Their position is clear: We are not all integral members of the mystical body of Christ; we are, each one of us individually, free to act as we choose, without reference to any other. Ecclesiologically, we are, plainly and simply, a protestant sect. the rest

Episcopal turmoil is test of Anglican faith
By David O'Reilly
Inquirer Staff Writer

When the Rev. William White pulled his parish at Second and Market Streets out of the Church of England, he chose an auspicious day: July 4, 1776.

With that, White and his stately brick Christ Church - where George Washington, Ben Franklin and James Madison worshiped in Philadelphia - formed a brand-new American denomination.

But the same challenge to tradition that created the Episcopal Church in 18th-century America, and compelled it to embrace women's rights and gay rights in the 20th, now threatens to fracture it - and split worldwide Anglicanism as well.

"We're in the midst of a vast reformation of the Christian Church in the West," Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, a church conservative, said Friday.

Fellow conservative Bishop Peter H. Beckwith of Springfield, Ill., goes much further. In a recent pastoral letter, he said the church was "in meltdown." the rest

Muslim Group Wants Christian Leader Barred from Canada
By Alison Espach
CNSNews.com Correspondent
July 17, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - An Islamic advocacy group wants Rev. Franklin Graham barred from entering Canada because of allegedly hateful statements made towards Islam. Graham's spokesman says the Evangelical minister's comments have been "misconstrued" by some Muslims.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations of Canada (CAIR-CAN) claims allowing Graham into Canada would be evidence of a "double standard." British Muslim Riyad ul-Haq was denied entry into Canada in June after being accused of inciting hatred towards Jews, Christians, and other non-Muslims - a violation of Canada's so-called "hate propaganda laws."

"We do not welcome hate-mongers," said Leslie Harmer, spokesperson for Immigration Minister Monte Solberg, the official who ordered that Canadian authorities block ul-Haq from entering the country. story

Protesters battle over Mississippi abortion clinic
Opponents plan week of rallies in effort to shut down state's last facility
By Beth Walton
USA TODAY

Hundreds of abortion-rights advocates and abortion opponents rallied in Jackson, Miss., on Sunday for the second day of a planned weeklong battle over attempts to shut down the state's last abortion clinic.

Police tightened security around the clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, and stationed officers throughout the city for the duration of the rallies that began Saturday.

Operation Save America (OSA), a national group that opposes abortion, targeted the Jackson clinic this year. The group said that a statewide 'victory' in Mississippi would send a message to activists everywhere that the battle to end abortion can be won. the rest

Five dead in Indonesian tsunami

Five people have been killed in a tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the island of Java, the Indonesian president said.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.2, struck off the town of Pangandaran at 1519 local time (0819 GMT), causing a two-metre-high wave.

One resident, Teti, said high waves had destroyed hotels in Pangandaran and thrown boats onto the beach. the rest

U.S. Works to Evacuate Its Citizens
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 17, 2006
The U.S. government is preparing to evacuate hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans from Lebanon in light of the escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, senior officials in the Defense and State departments said yesterday.
In a telephone news conference, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty urged Americans "to stay in place" at the moment and register with the State Department rather than risk traveling on roads that are "fraught with danger." Washington Post


Nasrallah calls for aid from Arab world
By JPOST.COM STAFF
In a recorded television speech on Sunday evening, Hizbullah head Hassan Nasrallah urged Arab states to come to the organization's aid.
"Where are the Arab nations?" he asked, moments after declaring that Hizbullah wouldn't ask for help from anyone. Jerusalem Post

Israeli Troops Move Into Gaza Again
By John Ward AndersonWashington Post Foreign ServiceMonday, July 17, 2006; Page A10
BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip, July 17 -- The Israeli military returned to the northern Gaza Strip early Sunday, taking up positions outside this farming community and periodically firing tank shells and artillery rounds for much of the day, killing five people and injuring at least 30.
It was not supposed to be this way, said Humaid Abu Akel, 40, recalling the celebrated troop withdrawal last year that ended Israel's occupation of this thin strip of land on the Mediterranean coast.Washington Post

First Britons flown out of Beirut
Israel has hit targets across Lebanon for six consecutive daysEvacuations of British citizens from Lebanon have begun with 37 of the most vulnerable being flown by helicopter from north of Beirut to Cyprus. BBC

CNY Diocese: Much of priest's lawsuit dismissed
Judge rejects five of seven claims brought against bishop, Episcopal diocese.
Monday, July 17, 2006
By Renée K. Gadoua Staff writer

Õ7BollingerÕ State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Tait has ruled that the secular court does not have authority to address a $4.35 million lawsuit in which a Central New York Episcopal priest said the bishop punished him for questioning the diocese's response to alleged sexual abuse by another priest in the 1970s.

Tait dismissed five of seven claims outlined in the lawsuit filed by the Rev. David G. Bollinger in January, when he was rector of St. Paul's Church in Owego. The suit was filed against Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams and the diocese.

Tait let stand two claims: intentional infliction of emotional distress, and loss of services and consortium. The diocese is likely to seek dismissal of those claims, said Paul J. Curtin, chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York, which is based in Syracuse.
the rest

When we worship the Lord, let's remember that He is in control. Nothing alarms Him, or takes Him by surprise. Nothing is too big for Him to handle, or so small it escapes His attention. When the winds of my world begin to blow, He remains seated. When raging waves surround me, He governs their temper...I need not be moved...Because the Lord is seated and sovereign...He alone is sovereign. Ronald James Art

CBS Nightly News plans July 16 profile of Presiding Bishop-elect
Anchor Russ Mitchell interviews Katharine Jefferts Schori

Episcopal News Service] A CBS Nightly News profile of Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori is scheduled to air nationwide during the 6pm newscast on Sunday, July 16, unless pre-empted by breaking news.

The profile centers around a July 13 interview conducted by CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell with Jefferts Schori on the campus of the General Theological Seminary in New York City.

link

CANON LAWYERS SAY SUING BISHOPS BY BISHOPS IS "INVENTIVE"
News Analysis
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
7/16/2006

Allegations that four revisionist bishops might bring presentment charges against an orthodox bishop because he has requested Alternative Episcopal Oversight, would require "incredible inventiveness", with one canon lawyer and retired bishop saying that that he was not aware of any canon that could be used legitimately against such a bishop.

VirtueOnline has learned that bishops J. Jon Bruno (Los Angeles), William Swing (California), James R. Mathes, (San Diego) and Duncan Gray, III, (Mississippi) are about to lay presentment charges on the Bishop of San Joaquin, John-David Schofield because they fear he will take his diocese out of The Episcopal Church.

"I have no idea of the canons they could use, but we have seen a propensity of some of our more aggressive bishops to read the canons in very inventive and imaginative ways," said Wicks Stephens, Chancellor of the Anglican Communion Network. "We can only wait to see," he told VirtueOnline.

Retired Eau Claire bishop William Wantland, a canon lawyer and Anglo-Catholic bishop told VOL, "I am aware of no canon that could be legitimately used against him."

the rest at Virtueonline

Anglican Church under fire over 'harshness'
Barney Zwartz
July 17, 2006

THE Anglican Church in Melbourne has a harsh corporate culture that is wearing people out, one of the city's four bishops has said.

Bishop Philip Huggins, of Melbourne's northern region, said stress and overwork meant people did not have time to recover in parishes and church headquarters.

Three of Melbourne's four assistant bishops spoke together for the first time on Saturday about the future of the diocese and its quest for a new archbishop.

Melbourne has been without an archbishop since Peter Watson retired last year, and a synod in February was deadlocked over electing a new one. The church is due to try again with a new short-list next month.

The three bishops responded to a paper by Institute of Christian Leadership director Peter Corney at a meeting of about 150 Anglicans at St Barnabas, Glen Waverley. the rest