Friday 3 December 2010

Anglican Communion news - last week in brief

Archbishop congratulates students for Mitzvah Day deeds
As part of the annual meeting of the Presidents of the Council of Christians and Jews, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, invited children from four Jewish and Christian Schools to Lambeth Palace, to receive certificates and congratulations for their efforts on Mitzvah Day. The event was attended by distinguished guests from the CCJ's Chairman's Circle and Friends and by the Jewish and Christian Presidents of the CCJ.  Lord Sacks (the Chief Rabbi), Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield (Head of the Movement for Reform Judaism), The Revd Michael Heaney (Free Churches Moderator) and The Rt Revd John Christie (Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland) presented certificates to pupils from North West London Jewish Day School with their Mitzvah Day partners Christ Church CE School in Kilburn and Ilford Jewish Primary School who partnered with St Augustines Catholic Primary School.

Mitzvah Day is the Jewish national day of volunteering.  Now in its fifth year it engages 18,000 volunteers in a wide range of social action including collecting food for the homeless, repainting schools, sending clothes to Darfur and entertaining the elderly.  It increasingly provides an opportunity for different faith groups to work side by side to make a difference, and this year coincided with the beginning of National Inter Faith Week. The Archbishop said of the day: "The Jewish community should be proud of what they achieve each Mitzvah Day.  I am also proud that through the committed work of the Council of Christians and Jews   increasing numbers of Anglican and Jewish groups are coming together both to build bridges and to make a difference to those in our society who, from time to time, need a helping hand"
Persecution of Christians threatens future leadership in Pakistan
Pakistan's first and only female Anglican priest Revd Jane Shaw has warned that persecution of Christians in the country is prompting talented potential future church leaders to settle abroad.

Jane, who four years ago accepted an invitation to act as the Church of Pakistan's only female Presbyter-in-Charge, said she knew of four young pastors sent overseas for training who decided not to return to Pakistan.
She said that while there have been incidents of Christians being attacked and killed, the majority of persecution was more insidious. "It’s largely low-level harassment," she said, "not being short-listed for jobs because you’re a Christian, or, if you do get the job, your colleagues making you so miserable that you have to leave. Also, in some cases Christian businessmen have been told that they’ll only get the most lucrative contracts if they convert to Islam."

Tutu and Williams support for World Aids Day
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, issued a call to world leaders to take action to accelerate a decline in new HIV infections through activism that promotes prevention measures. And in his message for 2010 World AIDS Day, the Archbishop of Canterbury celebrated the good news that can be found in examples of local responses to HIV and the impact of global action reflected in the latest statistics

"HIV prevention activism is indispensable to overcome the epidemic," said Dr Tutu, the former leader of South Africa's Anglicans, in a statement to mark World AIDS Day on 1 December 2010. Communities must receive the support and encouragement they need to mobilise against the epidemic with courage and fearless commitment,” he declared.

Dr Tutu is a co-chair of the UNAIDS High Level Commission on HIV Prevention alongside Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, a French virologist.A declaration released by the co-chairs warned that ebbing financial investments, lack of political commitment and ineffective prevention priorities are challenging progress in achieving significant decline in new HIV infections.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey launched "Not Ashamed Day" outside the House of Lords.
Campaigners say a mounting number of cases of workers being disciplined over their beliefs show Christianity is being "air brushed" from UK society.
The National Secular Society said "zealots" were wrong to claim the faith was being deliberately undermined. The day, organised by Christian Concern, kicked off a campaign to urge Christians to "wear their faith with pride". Lord Carey launched a leaflet that warns Britain's Christian culture is "under attack". Later in the day copies will be delivered to Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, followed by a lobbying event in Parliament. Christian Concern has also highlighted the fact that Catholic adoption agencies no longer have the right to refuse gay couples as prospective adoptive parents.

Archbishop of York’s online Advent Calendar
The Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu is posting 24 messages online in preparation for the birthday of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. His online calendar will reveal a new message every day and this will include prayer, reflection, music, food, presents and the joy of Christmas. The Archbishop said: "Advent is a time of hope and excitement, as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus. God so loved the world that he sent his Son to be born as a baby and to live among us. That's what we're looking forward to during Advent. Love came down at Christmas. And that amazing gift demands a wholehearted response from us. I hope people will join me during Advent to reflect on what Christmas means to us as we approach this very important day"

The Church of England has launched its online calendar at www.readysteadyslow.org Behind each of the doors will be video stories from around the country, including one taking a closer look at Brighton’s Beach Hut Advent Calendar, a novel initiative which  offers the public the chance to take part in celebrations along the shore in different sponsored huts each day.

The first woman bishop of the Episcopal Church in Cuba 
Maria Griselda Delgado, took office at a ceremony held in Havana, official media said Monday 29 November. The service consecrating the bishop took place Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in the presence of guests from other Cuban churches and from countries that included Canada, the United States, Jamaica and Barbados, a report by the official Prensa Latina news agency said.

Upon being made bishop, the Rev. Delgado gave a sermon in which she called upon everyone “to have optimism and hope” for the future, and to “preserve and display the best values of human beings.” Among those attending the ceremony were the primates of the Anglican Church of Canada, Frederick James Hiltz, and of the United States, Katharine Jeffers Shori.

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