Devotional: Drop, drop, slow tears...

Drop, drop, slow tears, and bathe those beauteous feet,
which brought from heaven the news and Prince of Peace.

Cease not, wet eyes, his mercies to entreat;
to cry for vengeance sin doth never cease.

In your deep floods drown all my faults and fears;
nor let his eye see sin, but through my tears.
... Phineas Fletcher image

ADV Responds to Appeal by The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia

FAIRFAX, Va. (April 7, 2009) – In response to the appeal in the Virginia church property litigation filed on Tuesday, April 7 by the Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church, the Anglican District of Virginia Vice-Chairman Jim Oakes issued the following statement:

“We are saddened that The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia find it necessary to continue this litigation with an appeal filed during Holy Week. The appeal process will cost additional millions of dollars that could be spent on mission and ministry. Both sides have already spent some $5 million in legal costs, money that could have gone to helping our communities during these tough economic times. The legal victories we’ve had so far in support of our religious freedom have only encouraged us to stand firm in our Anglican faith and work together to deliver the message of Christ.

“Since our final legal victory in December 2008, the Anglican District of Virginia has added two more congregations, bringing out total to 25 congregations and three mission fellowships. This continuing growth here and around the country is tangible evidence of the hunger for orthodox Anglicanism in the U.S. Despite today’s appeal, we will continue to move on with our mission to spread the transforming news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our doors are open to everyone, especially those who thirst for transformation and renewal.” link

The Anglican District of Virginia (www.anglicandistrictofvirginia.org) is an association of Anglican congregations in Virginia.

Obama: Islam Has Shaped the U.S.A.

By Robert Spencer
FrontPageMagazine.com
Tuesday, April 07, 2009

“We will convey,” said Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament Monday, “our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”

Undeniably the Islamic faith has done a great deal to shape the world – a statement that makes no value judgment about exactly how it has shaped the world. It has formed the dominant culture in what is known as the Islamic world for centuries. But what on earth could Obama mean when he says that Islam has also “done so much” to shape his own country?

Unless he considers himself an Indonesian, Obama’s statement was extraordinarily strange. After all, how has the Islamic faith shaped the United States? Were there Muslims along Paul Revere’s ride, or standing next to Patrick Henry when he proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death”? Were there Muslims among the framers or signers of the Declaration of Independence, which states that all men – not just Muslims, as Islamic law would have it – are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Were there Muslims among those who drafted the Constitution and vigorously debated its provisions, or among those who enumerated the Bill of Rights, which guarantees – again in contradiction to the tenets of Islamic law – that there should be no established national religion, and that the freedom of speech should not be infringed?

There were not. the rest

We're not at war with Islam. But maybe the president shouldn't keep saying so.

Vatican has rejected three of Obama’s ambassador candidates

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Vatican has quietly rejected at least three of President Obama's candidates to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See because they support abortion, and the White House might be running out of time to find an acceptable envoy before Mr. Obama travels to Rome in July, when he hopes to meet Pope Benedict XVI.

Italian journalist Massimo Franco, who broke the story about the White House attempts to find a suitable ambassador to the Vatican, said papal advisers told Mr. Obama's aides privately that the candidates failed to meet the Vatican's most basic qualification on the abortion issue.

"The informal dismissal of the first names whispered in the Obama inner circle is a signal," Mr. Franco, a columnist with Corriere della Sera (Evening Courier), told Embassy Row in e-mail. the rest

Ashes in their mouths

04/07/2009
By William Warren

For those who continue to deceptively hype the “hope, unity, change,” tripe, it’s time to consider the numbers. And weigh the risk.

According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, President Obama has earned himself the widest partisan gap in job approval in modern American history. The spread between Democrats and Republicans who approve of Mr. Obama’s performance is a staggering 61 points—with a whopping 88% approval from Democrats and a paltry 27% from the GOP.

For a bit of context, here’s how other recent Presidents fared at this time during their respective administrations: President Bush earned a 51-point partisan gap in approval between the parties, Clinton had a 45-point gap, George H.W Bush had a 38-point gap, Reagan suffered a 46-point gap, Carter had only a 25-point gap, and even the much-maligned Nixon experienced only a 29-point gap. Mr. Obama’s 61-point spread tops the charts – by a full 10 points. the rest

Bishop Dave Bena: Easter Message 2009

Easter 2009

My Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Anglican District of Virginia,

Let me begin with an understatement: We are living in uncertain times – economically, politically, culturally, relationally, and spiritually. Sometimes I catch myself worrying about what it is all going to come to. People have been known to worry themselves to death in uncertain times. So how do we get out of this worry trap?

Going back to basics, let’s think of the final days of Jesus’ earthly life. He found himself in much the same situation in which we find ourselves today. His world was one of uncertainty – economically, politically, culturally, relationally, and spiritually. In those last few weeks leading up to His death, He watched His world collapse around Him. Some of His followers were expressing doubt about His mission; the religious leaders of the day were obviously out to get Him; the tug-a-war between the Roman Government and the Sanhedrin was heating up and He was in the epicenter of that war; He had no money except what some faithful women were able to dedicate toward His little band of followers; His own brothers thought He was crazy; the whole culture was divided between allowing Roman ideas and customs to flourish beside time honored Jewish standards. In a short sentence: IT WAS A MESS down there in Jerusalem as Jesus and a donkey made His triumphal entry into town.

And so He rode into the mess of what we now call Holy Week. He caused a ruckus in the temple; He taught anyone who would listen; He milled around; He had one last supper with His close followers; and then He was betrayed by His treasurer, was found guilty of blasphemy and was brutally executed. Sort of makes being sued for church property look like a cake walk, doesn’t it?

Do you think Jesus worried about what it was all going to come to? As well as being FULLY GOD, He was also FULLY MAN. He had to deal with the same emotions we do. He may have caught himself worrying a bit. But there was something else…Trust in His Father. Even as He sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane and poured out His worries to His Father, he ended with a trust statement, “But not my will, but Thine be done.”

Have you noticed some Trust issues in your life lately? Are they beginning to take control of your mood and even your relationships? I have a suggestion to get break through to freedom. Let’s all talk privately to Jesus about our worries. Let’s pour out our hearts to Him about the uncertainty of our days. Then, let’s rededicate ourselves to Him as our Savior and Lord. I have found that when I do that, something magnificent happens. The worries fade away as I gaze on Jesus and the Big Picture. This too shall pass. Try it.

You see, when you and I look in the side view mirror of our lives, we not only see Jesus dying on a cross for us, WE SEE HIS BODILY RESURRECTION! Jesus was risen from the dead in order to bring us a certainty of our own resurrection. Worries about uncertain times will have much less power over us when we tuck in closely to Jesus – for today, for eternity.

Try to get to as many worship services as you can during Holy Week. Read the Gospel accounts of that last week of the earthly life of Jesus. Easter Sunday will mean so much more to you if you can spend Holy Week making it holy. May your Easter Sunday this year be one of the most wonderful Easters of your life. “See you in church.”

Bishop Dave Bena
CANA Suffragan and ADV Contact Bishop

(via email)

Ruth Gledhill: Guerilla 'flash mob' worship in Liverpool

Story

Pro-Family Coalition Urges Student Walkout for Schools' Pro-Homosexuality Event

4/7/2009
Christian Newswire

TINLEY PARK, Il (Christian Newswire) - A national coalition of pro-family organizations is urging parents to call their children out of school on April 17 if their local school will be permitting students or teachers to remain silent during instructional time for the Day of Silence. The Day of Silence (DOS) is a political action formally sponsored by the partisan political action group, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), since 2001.

The implicit purpose of the Day of Silence is to undermine the belief that homosexuality is immoral. It is the belief of the sponsors of the Walkout that parents should no longer passively accept the political usurpation of taxpayer- funded public school classrooms through student silence. the rest

Federally Funded Group Advises Teens on How to Decide if They Are Gay

Communities print their own currency to keep cash flowing

By Marisol Bello
USA TODAY
posted April 7, 2009

A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money.

Borrowing from a Depression-era idea, they are aiming to help consumers make ends meet and support struggling local businesses.

The systems generally work like this: Businesses and individuals form a network to print currency. Shoppers buy it at a discount — say, 95 cents for $1 value — and spend the full value at stores that accept the currency. the rest image

Judge Rules in Favor of Pro-Life Pharmacists

CBNNews.com
April 6, 2009

CBNNews.com - Pro-life pharmacists in Illinois will not be forced to dispense "abortion producing" drugs, a state circuit court has ruled.

Sangamon County Judge John Belz has block state officials from enforcing a regulation that forces health care workers to administer emergency contraceptives like Plan B, also known as the "morning after" pill.

The decision temporarily upholds the state's "Health Care Right of Conscience Act." That law gives doctors the right to decline a service or procedure if it goes against their beliefs. In June, the court will consider the pharmacists' request for permanent protection. the rest

Obama Names Pope-Basher to Faith-Based Initiative Board

Monday, April 06, 2009
By Fred Lucas, Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama has named to the federal government’s faith-based initiative a gay-rights activist who, last month, described Pope Benedict XVI and certain Catholic bishops as “discredited leaders” because of their opposition to same-sex marriage.

Harry Knox, who is a newly appointed member of Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, is the director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual activist group. the rest

Recession spurs egg and sperm donations

Giving provides extra income
By Bella English
Globe Staff / April 7, 2009

Charitable donations may be down because of the recession, but another type of donation is up for the very same reason: egg and sperm.

More women are trying to make money by offering their eggs to infertile couples, and men are doing the same with their sperm. Egg donor agencies in the Boston area report that their applications are up from between 25 and 100 percent over this time a year ago, and New England sperm banks have seen a similiar trend in the past six months.

"What we've seen is that the economy seems to have inspired more people to look at alternative ways to earning money," said Sanford M. Benardo, president of Northeast Assisted Fertility Group, a company that recruits, screens, and matches women who want to become egg donors or surrogate mothers. "We're seeing people who might not otherwise do this but for their economic condition." the rest

Devotional: Are we living in such a vital relationship...

Are we living in such a vital relationship to our fellow men that we do the work of intercession as the Spirit-taught children of God? Begin with the circumstances we are in - our homes, our business, our country, the present crisis as it touches us and others - are these things crushing us? Are they badgering us out of the presence of God and leaving us no time for worship? Then let us call a halt, and get into such living relationship with God that our relationship to others may be maintained on the line of intercession whereby God works His marvels.

Beware of outstripping God by your very longing to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, consequently we get so burdened with persons and with difficulties that we do not worship God, we do not intercede. If once the burden and the pressure come upon us and we are not in the worshipping attitude, it will produce not only hardness toward God but despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people for whom we have no affinity, and unless we are worshipping God, the most natural thing to do is to treat them heartlessly, to give them a text like the jab of a spear, or leave them with a rapped-out counsel of God and go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to Our Lord.

Are we in the direct line of the intercession of our Lord and of the Holy Spirit? ...Oswald Chambers image

Presbyterians, Lutherans slash budgets

Apr. 06, 2009
By Daniel Burke, Religion News Service

The Presbyterian Church (USA) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America both have slashed their 2009 budgets, cutting programs and laying off scores of personnel as denominations continue to suffer from the recession.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA), the nation's largest Lutheran denomination, announced a $5.6-million reduction in its 2009 budget on Tuesday (March 31). The cut was necessary in part because regional synods plan to decrease their contributions to the denomination by $2.4 million this year, church leaders said. the rest

Benedict XVI's Homily for Palm Sunday

"His Will Is the Truth and Is Love"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 5, 2009

Zenit- Here is a translation of the homily Benedict XVI gave at today's Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Dear Young People!

Jesus went up to Jerusalem for Passover along with a growing crowd of pilgrims. On the last stage of the journey, he had cured the blind Bartimaeus, who had addressed him as Son of David, asking for mercy. Now -- being able to see -- with gratitude he joined the pilgrims. When, at the gates of Jerusalem, Jesus mounts a donkey, the animal symbol of Davidic royalty, joyous certainty erupts among the pilgrims: It is he, the Son of David! Thus they greet Jesus with the messianic acclamation: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," and add: "Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:9). We do not know exactly what the enthusiastic pilgrims imagined the coming kingdom of David to be. But we, have we truly understood the message of the Jesus, Son of David? Have we understood what the kingdom is that he spoke of when he was interrogated by Pilate? Do we understand what it means that this kingdom is not of this world? Or would we like it to be of this world?

the rest

Anti-Christian Britain

Astonishing Folly
By Chuck Colson
4/6/2009

As you may know, in Islamic countries such as Afghanistan, converting from Islam to Christianity is a crime punishable by death. While they don’t go that far, certain Indian states and Nepal erect formidable hurdles for would-be converts to Christianity.

And then there’s the United Kingdom.

In 2007, a 16-year-old girl was placed into foster care after being assaulted by a family member. Her foster mother had taken care of 80 foster kids over 10 years. She rented a farmhouse and was, by all accounts, completely committed to the well-being of the children placed under her care.

She is also a practicing Anglican Christian. This hadn’t been a problem. No one had ever accused her of taking advantage of her relationship to the girls for proselytizing. the rest

Obama: "We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith..."

Apr 6, 2009
By TOM RAUM
Associated Press Writer

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States "is not and will never be at war with Islam."

Calling for a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims. the rest

Nazir-Ali speaks out against 'values vacuum'

Jennifer Gold
Monday, April 6, 2009

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, who announced his resignation as Bishop of Rochester last week, has spoken out against a “values vacuum” in the UK,and called on the nation to rediscover its Christian heritage.

The bishop, who steps down in September, said that the UK had left behind the moral framework provided by the Bible in favour of diversity.

Writing in The Telegraph, he said that there had been a “gradual loss of identity and cohesiveness” in society due to the abandonment of biblical values, which had long been held in the country.

In particular, he said that societies ideas about the sanctity of life, equality, natural rights and freedom all arose from a tradition rooted in the Bible. the rest

Letter to the Telegraph: Ignore our Christian values and the nation will drift apart

ACNA Canons Published, Comments Welcome

April 6, 2009
3rd April, A.D. 2009
Feast of St. Richard

TO ALL THE CLERGY AND PEOPLE:

Beloved in the Lord,

With this letter comes the publication of the complete set of canons proposed by the Governance Task Force to the Common Cause Leadership Council. The Leadership Council is scheduled to meet and to act as the Provincial Council of the Anglican Church in North America on April 24th and 25th, 2009. the rest

Constitution
Canons
Appendix A
Proposed Schedule

Albert Mohler: Newseek: The End of Christian America

Monday, April 06, 2009

"To the surprise of liberals who fear the advent of an evangelical theocracy and to the dismay of religious conservatives who long to see their faith more fully expressed in public life, Christians are now making up a declining percentage of the American population."

Thus writes Newsweek editor Jon Meacham in this week's cover story, "The End of Christian America." The image on the front cover says it all, declaring "The Decline and Fall of Christian America" in type set to form a cross.

The cover story is a serious consideration of the issue Newsweek set as its priority for the week of Easter, and the seriousness of the magazine's approach is evident in the fact that its editor, Mr. Meacham, wrote the cover story himself. The essay, elegant in form and serious in tone, demands attention. the rest

Italy Quake Kills at Least 50; Thousands Homeless

By Jerrold Colten and Alessandra Migliaccio

April 6 (Bloomberg) -- Central Italy was hit by the worst earthquake in almost three decades, killing at least 50 people and leaving as many as 50,000 homeless. Ansa said 92 were dead.

The death toll in the central province of L’Aquila was likely to rise further, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said. Rescue workers were still combing through rubble from the 6.3 magnitude quake, which had its epicenter about 60 miles from Rome. More than 10,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed and as many as 50,000 people out of the province’s 300,000-strong population may be homeless, the Civil Protection Agency said.

The quake damaged at least one hospital, a student dormitory, the regional police headquarters, thousands of homes and several churches that date as far back as the 13th century. In Rome, the quake, which occurred at 3:32 a.m. local time, was felt for about a minute, shaking buildings and setting off car alarms. the rest

ITALY MUZZLED SCIENTIST WHO FORESAW QUAKE

2 congregations, 2 services

April 5, 2009
MARK BARNA
THE GAZETTE

Joy was the pervading emotion at St. George's Anglican Church and Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church during Palm Sunday services, but there was also a touch of sadness.

Some Anglican parishioners mourned the leaving of the gothic stone church on North Tejon Street, while a handful of members of both parishes lamented the emotional toll wrought over the last two years following the group split.

The congregations had only a few days to organize Palm Sunday liturgies, and both groups' liturgies encountered technical and organizational hiccups. But none of that mattered.

A new day for St. George's and Grace and St. Stephen's had begun."It's a major transition from the huge gothic church," St. George's priest Alan R. Crippen II said Sunday, "but it feels great." the rest

Dr. Oz to Oprah and Michael J Fox: "The stem cell debate is over."

U.S. Prepares for Emergency Session at U.N. But Gives Few Clues About What to Do With North Korea

The Obama administration is facing its first test in an international crisis Sunday as North Korea defies international resolutions and launches a long-range missile.
FOXNews.com
Sunday, April 05, 2009

The Obama administration is facing its first test in an international crisis as the U.N. Security Council prepares Sunday for an emergency session to consider a response to North Korea's rocket launch earlier in the day

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice is leading the U.S. delegation to the world body. Echoing President Obama and other administration officials, Rice called North Korea's launch "serious and provocative" and said Pyongyang's actions demonstrate why the U.S. is concerned about its capability of delivering weapons.

"That's what we're most concerned about preventing, and preventing North Korea from sharing that technology with others," Rice said on ABC's "This Week." the rest

Devotional: The only way you can be delivered...

The only way you can be delivered from that sin is to have your false expectations destroyed, once and for all. And that is precisely what happened between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. Jesus drew the false, sinful expectations of the world unto himself, absorbed them, and bore them on the cross. His death was the death of all of our false expectations, and therefore his death was the death of sin itself. The false piety of Palm Sunday is crucified on Good Friday and buried that night, in order that true faith in God might be created on Easter through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ...Edwin Peterman image

Breakaway congregations form new Anglican diocese

At least eight conservative congregations in Western Washington — including two that left the Episcopal Church — are forming a new Anglican diocese in the Northwest.
By Janet I. Tu
Seattle Times staff reporter

At least eight conservative congregations in Western Washington — including two that left the Episcopal Church — are forming a new Anglican diocese in the Northwest.

The Cascadia Diocese, as it's being called, is the latest local example of the deep divisions splitting the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion over issues such as Scriptural authority and church teachings. The differences erupted in 2003 when the Episcopal Church confirmed the election of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch — or province — of the 77-million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Western Washington congregations are seeking to become part of the Anglican Church in North America — itself a newly formed conservative rival to the more liberal Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada. the rest

Unemployment rate bolts to 8.5 percent, a 25-year high

By Jeanine Aversa
Associated Press
04/03/2009

WASHINGTON — Unemployment zoomed to 8.5 percent last month, the highest in a quarter-century, as employers axed 663,000 more workers and pushed the nation's jobless ranks past 13 million. The hard times were only expected to get harder — a painful 10 percent jobless rate before long.

The current rate would be even higher — 15.6 percent — if it included laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have had to settle for part-time work because they can't do any better. That's the highest on record for that number in records that go back to 1994. the rest

Tax Day party count nearing 2,000 U.S. cities

Mainstream media may run, but they can't hide from protest tidal wave
Posted: April 04, 2009
By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

While WND has been tracking 400 individual tea parties across the nation, the American Family Association has announced its count is nearing 1,600 – for Tax Day alone.

The AFA, planned to coordinate 1,000 Taxed Enough Already, or TEA, parties to be held at 12 p.m. on April 15 in front of city halls across the nation.

But the group is pleasantly surprised as is stands to double that goal before Tax Day is here. the rest

Woman who defied Hitler ‘was inspired by Newman’

By Simon Caldwell
3 April 2009

Cardinal John Henry Newman was the inspiration of Germany's greatest heroine in defying Adolf Hitler, scholars have claimed.

New documents unearthed by German academics have revealed that the writings of the 19th-century English theologian were a direct influence on Sophie Scholl, who was beheaded for circulating leaflets urging students at Munich University to rise up against Nazi terror.

Scholl, a student who was 21 at the time of her death in February 1943, is a legend in Germany, with two films made about her life and more than 190 schools named after her. She was also voted "woman of the 20th century" by readers of Brigitte, a women's magazine, and a popular 2003 television series called Greatest Germans declared her to be the greatest German woman of all time. the rest

Devotional: Many despise warning and perish...

Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 2 Kings 22:19

Many despise warning and perish. Happy is he who trembles at the Word of God. Josiah did so, and he was spared the sight of the evil which the Lord determined to send upon Judah because of her great sins. Have you this tenderness? Do you practice this self-humiliation? Then you also shall be spared in the evil day. God sets a mark upon the men that sigh and cry because of the sin of the times. The destroying angel is commanded to keep his sword in its sheath till the elect of God are sheltered: these are best known by their godly fear and their trembling at the Word of the Lord. Are the times threatening? Does infidelity advance with great strides, and do you dread national chastisement upon this polluted nation? Well you may. Yet rest in this promise: "Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace: and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place." Better still, the Lord Himself may come, and then the days of our mourning shall be ended. ...CH Spurgeon image

AAC Official: Canterbury's Recognition Unlikely

April 3, 2009

The Anglican Church in North America is unlikely to be recognized by the See of Canterbury, a leader of the American Anglican Council said on April 1.

“We do not believe that Canterbury will recognize us, at least while the current archbishop is still in office,” said the Rev. J. Philip Ashey, the AAC’s chief operating officer and chaplain, in a brief speech in the suburbs of Richmond, Va.

Father Ashey spoke at a public library in Henrico County at the invitation of the Richmond Anglican Fellowship. About 70 people attended his speech.

Echoing the sentiments of the Jerusalem Declaration, Fr. Ashey suggested that Canterbury’s recognition will be less important as various provinces in the Global South recognize the ACNA. He said representatives from Kenya, Rwanda, the Southern Cone of South America, and Uganda are expected to attend a provincial assembly in Texas in June, where the ACNA will vote on a proposed constitution and canons. the rest

Binghamton, N.Y., mass shooting leaves some dead

An emergency dispatcher say some shooting victims are dead. Reports say a gunman entered a building with high-powered rifle, began shooting, and took hostages.
By Michael Muskal
April 3, 2009

People have been shot and killed in Binghamton, N.Y., when a gunman entered the civic center and opened fire, according to city authorities and reports from the scene."There have been fatalities," an emergency dispatcher for the Binghamton police said by telephone. "We can't confirm the exact the number."

Radio reporters quoting city officials said there have been perhaps 12 or 13 people killed and as many as 41 initially taken hostage. The numbers could not be confirmed as the standoff around the building continued. the rest

4 die, up to 40 held hostage in Binghamton shootings

Added 2:04 pm ET: Gunman Attack: Up To 13 Dead

Please be at prayer!

Unanimous ruling: Iowa marriage no longer limited to one man, one woman

REGISTER STAFF REPORTS
April 3, 2009

The Iowa Supreme Court this morning upheld a Polk County judge’s 2007 ruling that marriage should not be limited to one man and one woman.

The ruling, viewed nationally and at home as a victory for the gay rights movement and a setback for social conservatives, means Iowa’s 5,800 gay couples can legally marry in Iowa beginning April 24.

There are no residency rules for marriage in Iowa, so the rule would apply to any couple who wanted to travel to Iowa. the rest

Provisional Bishop Named for Quincy

April 3, 2009

The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan has been nominated to serve as provisional Bishop of Quincy. Bishop Buchanan and other newly appointed diocesan leaders must be confirmed by delegates to a special reorganizing convention to be held April 4 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Peoria, Ill.

Bishop Buchanan currently serves as the Parliamentarian of the House of Bishops. He was Bishop of West Missouri from 1989-1999, and recently completed a term as an assisting Bishop of Southern Virginia.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will call the special synod to order and will also officiate at a service of Morning Prayer prior to the start of the business meeting. the rest

UK Coroner slates abortion clinic after girl, 15, dies

Wednesday, 1 April 2009

A coroner has criticised aftercare procedures at a leading chain of abortion clinics after a 15-year-old girl died from infection days after undergoing an abortion.

Huddersfield schoolgirl Alesha Thomas should have left the Marie Stopes International clinic in Leeds with a course of antibiotics to combat infection.

Instead she was discharged before her prescription was issued; something which an inquest was told happened “many times” at the clinic. the rest

Not Pro-Choice, but Pro-Abortion (UPDATED)

A few days ago, following the Sanctity of Life Ministries fund-raiser her in northern Virgina, I wrote the following about pro-choice Christians:

Across the mainline denominations, as well as parachurch organizations such as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, you will find nary a person willing to say they are pro-abortion. In fact, applying that label will result in one’s getting heated and emphatic denunciations combined with the claim that as pro-choice Christians they simply ant to see abortion be legal and safe, but also rare.

I was wrong. the rest

"Abortion is a Blessing": US Episcopalian Lesbian Minister Appointed to Head Prestigious Seminary

American Muslim-Anglican priest is deposed

Thursday, 2nd April 2009
By George Conger

The Episcopal Church’s “Muslim-Anglican” priest has been deposed from holy orders. In a statement released on April 1, the Diocese of Rhode Island said the Rt Rev Geralyn Wolf had “imposed a sentence of deposition” upon Dr Ann Holmes Redding as a “priest of the Church cannot be both a Christian and a Muslim.”

In a June 2007 interview with the Episcopal Voice, the Seattle-based Diocese of Olympia’s newspaper, the Dr. Redding announced she was both a Christian and a Muslim. “The way I understand Jesus is compatible with Islam,” she said. “I was following Jesus and he led me into Islam.”

The former director of Christian Formation at St Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Redding began to study Islam in the wake of 9/11 after hearing Muslim imams speak at inter-faith events at the cathedral. A personal crisis spurred her onto a spiritual quest that ended with her publicly reciting the Shahada, the Muslim profession of faith. the rest

CANA: St George's Founded in Colorado

CANA Website
April 2, 2009

St George’s Anglican Church website here is the newest Anglican congregation in El Paso County, Colorado. It is founded by the majority of the congregation moving from Grace Church and St. Stephen’s. After a five-week court trial and two-year legal dispute with The Episcopal Church (TEC) and TEC's Diocese of Colorado, the congregation has decided that the best way forward is to leave their former historic house of worship and found St George's.

On Palm Sunday (April 5, 2009) the congregation will be worshiping at a new location for the first time in 115 years. The new site is nestled among the naturally majestic rocks and bluffs of the Mountain Shadows community at 2760 Fieldstone Road. Formerly the Renaissance Academy (a private school), the new facilities will accommodate St George’s with worship space, classrooms, and offices on a five acre campus.

“I am excited about our new location and facilities here in Mountain Shadows,” said the Rev'd Donald Armstrong, rector of the parish. “We are moving to a beautiful location situated among rocks not unlike where Jesus’ tomb was located, and like him we will be resurrected to new life as a congregation, with a new name, and a new future. This biblical similarity is not lost on us.”

Karl Weiskopf, a member of the congregation said that the new St George campus can be more efficiently operated with less overhead expenses. "With our increasing growth in membership, more monies can be freed up for gospel work. Now St George’s will be able to more fully fund local and off-shore evangelism. St George’s will supplement our members’ personal giving to finance the care of Tanzanian AIDS orphans and work more effectively with Anglican leadership in Africa and around the world to expand mission and ministry.” the rest

Declaring War on Catholics

Wednesday, April 01, 2009
by Michael Gerson

WASHINGTON -- Some friends who are loyal alumni of Notre Dame are distressed that God's alma mater is hosting a pro-choice president at commencement. For decades, they argue, Notre Dame has accommodated, legitimated and enabled pro-choice views, compromising its identity as a Catholic institution. They question the wisdom of the Obama invitation, which they believe adds to that confusion.

But some critics go further, calling President Obama's appearance "an outrage and a scandal." And that goes too far.

The office of the president has meaning and importance that transcend the views of its current occupant. Though elected by a part of America, the president becomes a symbol of its whole. The respect we accord him does not imply agreement or endorsement. It reflects our appreciation for constitutional processes. So a presidential visit is always an honor. The televised arrival of Air Force One, the motorcade, the playing of "Hail to the Chief," the audience standing as the president enters -- all these express a proper respect for democratic legitimacy. the rest

X-rated films exposed on campuses

Schools find redeeming value in pornography
Jennifer Harper
Thursday, April 2, 2009

The ivy-covered halls are tinged with scarlet this semester. And maybe a little purple too.

Some of the most hoity-toity universities in the nation are offering students an unusual distraction from the stress of academic life. In recent weeks, "Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge" - an X-rated swashbuckler with hundreds of special effects - has been screened in campus theaters at the University of California at Los Angeles, Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Southern Connecticut University.

The University of California at Davis will show "Pirates" on Thursday evening, the University of Maryland at midnight Saturday.

the rest (Heads up parents: are you paying for this?)

Summary of Obama Actions Against Life, Family, Faith in First 50 Days of Presidency

Author says, Obama "represents greatest threat today, even more so than Marxist revolution of 1917 with its attack on the family"
By Father Alphonse de Valk

April 1, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Fr. Alphonse de Valk is the editor of Catholic Insight Magazine, a former university historian and a consummate archivist of articles and reports pertaining to life, family and religious issues over the past 40 years.

In the April edition of Catholic Insight magazine Fr. DeValk presents this compendium of information gathered from a variety of Internet and other sources that together paints a picture of a president and his administration that should be of grave concern to all.

Summary here

Suicide a 'marvellous possibility'

April 02, 2009
Ruth Gledhill's blog

Ludwig Minelli, head of Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, believes suicide is a 'marvellous possibility' and that the mentally ill should not be dissuaded from killing themselves. It would save the NHS such a lot of money if they succeeded, he told BBC Radio 4. This man has helped more than 40 Britons to kill themselves. Now that the dark, ugly underbelly of his agenda has been exposed, let's pray that the only suicide he has assisted this time is of the campaign to legalise euthanasia. Read on for the full interview on Today, transcribed for me by City journalism student David Christopher.

Without going into too much personal detail, if Minelli's will was law and had been for the last 50 years, I would have grown up deprived of significant family members and some of my oldest friends would also be dead. Many of these people did indeed cost the NHS a lot of money before going on to live happy and joyous lives, even if they were medicated lives in some cases.

Equally, no amount of money could ever compensate for the loss of those dearly-loved friends and family members whose lives were not saved, whose suicide attempts succeeded. Is he seriously saying we should treat someone with a broken leg but not someone who is mentally ill? This man should, in my view, be in prison. the rest

Albert Mohler: Assisted Suicide and the "Balance of Harm"

From New President of Episcopal Divinity School: 'Abortion is a Blessing'

By Randy Sly
4/2/2009
Catholic Online

WASHINGTON – The announcement on Monday, March 30 that The Rev. Dr. Katherine Ragsdale was appointed as the sixth and newest president of Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in Cambridge, MA, has orthodox and pro-life Episcopalians shaking their heads.

Ragsdale, who is an outspoken advocate of abortion and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender) rights, was the unanimous choice of the Board of Trustees and will begin her duties on July 1, 2009.

In addition to the press release and public letter concerning the appointment, the EDS website also has a link to Rev. Ragsdale’s sermon blog. There, the first sermon is entitled, “Our Work is Not Done.” The content has been cited and circulated on a large number of pro-life and conservative Christian blogs. An excerpt follows:

“When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing. the rest

"Abortion is a Blessing"

Devotional: Of all the descriptions given about Jesus...

Of all the descriptions given about Jesus, there is one that unabashedly stands out to confront us. It is a description uttered by the prophet Isaiah, prodding mind and heart at once: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted” (53:3). In this season of Easter before us, with whatever sorrows we might be holding, it is a description all the more fitting to reflect upon.

Maybe you are at a time in your life when hurt is writ large upon your thoughts. The Lord Jesus is not unacquainted with your pain. In fact, he draws near particularly with a hand of love. Your wound may still bleed for a while to remind you of your weakness. But he can help carry the pain to carry you in strength. This could indeed be holy ground for you. It was most certainly for him. ...Ravi Zacharias image

Sweden Becomes 7th Country to Allow Same-Sex Marriage

By Nathan Black
Christian Post Reporter
Wed, Apr. 01 2009

Sweden has adopted a law that legalizes same-sex marriage, making it the seventh country in the world to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed in either a religious or civil ceremony.
After hours of debate, the Swedish parliament voted 261 to 22, with 66 abstaining or absent, on Wednesday to approve a gender-neutral law on marriage.

Christian Democrats opposed the legislation.

The new legislation repeals a 1987 law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Sweden now joins the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa and Norway in allowing same-sex marriage. In the United States, homosexual marriage is legal in Massachusetts and Connecticut. the rest

GAFCON Primates Invite Bishop Duncan

April 1, 2009

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) primates’ council will meet in London April 13-18. The Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh in the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone and Archbishop-designate of the Anglican Church in North America, has been invited to attend as a guest, according to the Rev. Peter Frank, director of communications for the diocese.

link

Obama Nominee Dawn Johnsen Comparing Mothers to 'Slaves,' 'Losers in the Contraceptive Lottery' and 'Fetal Containers'

Extreme Support for Abortion on Demand
WASHINGTON

March 30 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today the president of the Susan B. Anthony List commented on radical pro-abortion activist Dawn Johnsen, whose nomination was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and currently awaits a floor vote.

"Dawn Johnsen does not represent mainstream America or the type of common ground abortion policy President Obama promised this nation," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List. "Her bizarre characterizations of pregnancy as 'slavery' and mothers as 'losers in the contraceptive lottery' expose an unacceptable disdain for commonsense abortion restrictions and motherhood in general. Furthermore, Johnsen's opposition to existing federal restrictions like the ban on partial-birth abortion casts doubt on her ability to perform her duties faithfully as the head of the Office of Legal Counsel."

Across the country, Susan B. Anthony List members expressed outrage at Johnsen's nomination, sending over 26,000 letters of opposition to their U.S. Senators. Johnsen was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 19th by a vote of 11-7. the rest

Central Florida Bishop: Church’s RCRC Affiliation ‘Embarrassing’

April 1, 2009

The member of the national Executive Council who drafted and urged passage of a resolution to affiliate The Episcopal Church with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) has asked the diocesan council of Central Florida to nullify a resolution disassociating from the abortion rights organization.

In a letter sent March 16 to the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe, Bishop of Central Florida, John Vanderstar, of Washington, D.C., said he understood that Episcopalians hold varying political positions on the morality, legality and necessity of abortion, and that “this is a sensitive subject for many people. But the board’s harsh language with regard to RCRC is neither fair nor accurate. Moreover, the action of the council was squarely supported by positions adopted by General Convention that date back some 40 years.”

Accompanying Mr. Vanderstar’s letter were several documents which he said provided a more balanced view of the subject “than is reflected in the quoted remarks of your diocesan board,” and he urged Bishop Howe to share the information with the members of the diocesan board. the rest

Episcopal Priest Ann Holmes Redding has been defrocked

The Episcopal Church has defrocked Ann Holmes Redding, the Seattle Episcopal priest who announced in 2007 that she is both Christian and Muslim.
By Janet I. Tu
Seattle Times staff reporter
April 1, 2009

The Episcopal Church has defrocked Ann Holmes Redding, the Seattle Episcopal priest who announced in 2007 that she is both Christian and Muslim.

Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island, who has disciplinary authority over Redding, informed the priest of her decision in a letter today.

Wolf found Redding to be "a woman of utmost integrity and their conversations over the past two years have been open, honest and respectful," according to a press release from the Diocese of Rhode Island.

"However, Bishop Wolf believes that a priest of the Church cannot be both a Christian and a Muslim." the rest

NY State budget draws growing backlash over taxes and fees

Spending is up 8.7% over previous year
By Matthew Spina
NEWS STAFF REPORTER

New Yorkers howl every year about their state budget. This year it’s more visceral.
State leaders are about to assault the nation’s highest-taxed state with a new round of taxes and fees. In the middle of a recession, no less.

“It’s just a sad commentary on New York State that our local representatives aren’t listening to their constituents,” said Colleen C. DiPirro, president and chief executive of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, a group with an ear to effects on the upstate economy.

“I can assure you this much,” said Michael Johnson, president of the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors, “drastic spending, increases in taxes and eliminating the middle-class STAR program is not the answer to New York State’s deficit.” the rest

Pro-Lifers Want Sebelius' 'True' Abortion Record Revealed

By Audrey Barrick
Christian Post Reporter
Wed, Apr. 01 2009

Confirmation hearings for Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Kathleen Sebelius opened on Tuesday much to the disappointment of pro-lifers who want the Kansas governor's abortion record spotlighted.

In a hearing chaired by Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sebelius pledged to make healthcare reform her mission. That same day, she revealed that she recently paid more than $7,000 in back taxes.

Little was revealed about her abortion stance.

"Americans – and women in particular – deserve answers about Governor Sebelius' ties to the abortion industry," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life network. "As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebelius will wield great influence with regard to national abortion policy, particularly the use of taxpayer funds to provide and promote abortion on-demand." the rest

Added: Sebelius vs. Archbishop Naumann

Diocese of Ottawa appoints committee to consider blessings

Two B.C. parishes vote to leave
Apr 1, 2009

The bishop of the diocese of Ottawa, John Chapman, has appointed a doctrine and worship committee to determine whether same-sex unions can be blessed on a limited basis in the diocese.

If the committee recommends that such blessings be allowed “in the spirit of experiential discernment,” Bishop Chapman said it would only be offered in one parish, St. John the Evangelist, an inner city parish that has long advocated for the rights of gays and lesbians.

“In the event that I instruct the parish of St. John the Evangelist to proceed, this is as far as I am prepared to move on the matter until General Synod 2010,” he said in his March column in the diocesan newspaper, Crosstalk. Bishop Chapman said that he has asked the committee to “create a liturgy, appropriate protocols and procedures, and an evaluative process.” The process “will determine whether or not the blessing of same-gender couples civilly married will become a practice among supportive parishes within the diocese of Ottawa, as requested by the 2007 synod of the diocese of Ottawa.” the rest

The Shut Up and Swallow Congress

Wednesday, April 01, 2009
by Michelle Malkin

Deliberation in Washington is dead. We don't have legislators. We have lemmings. We don't have debates. We have high-speed hysteria sessions. After ramming through stimulus legislation that no one read and bailout bills that no one understood, Congress is now poised to stuff down taxpayers' throats a deficit-exploding $3.5 trillion budget that enshrines the largest tax increase in American history. the rest