[ELD] Conservative Anglicans, former Episcopalians arrive in Jerusalem for GAFCON / Episcopal Relief & Development continues response to flooding in the Midwest

[Matthew Davies]

Episcopal Life Daily
June 19, 2008

Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.

Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Conservative Anglicans, former Episcopalians arrive in
Jerusalem for GAFCON
* TOP STORY - Episcopal Relief & Development continues response to flooding
in the Midwest
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - LOS ANGELES: Soulforce co-founders wed in Pasadena
* MISSION - Mar Thoma Church celebrates heritage, looks into the future
* PEOPLE - Venezuela Bishop Orlando Guerrero visits Church Center in New
York City
* DAYBOOK - June 19, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C. S. Lewis

_____________________


TOP STORIES

Conservative Anglicans, former Episcopalians arrive in Jerusalem for GAFCON

Organizers release document 'defining authentic Anglicanism'

By Matthew Davies

[Episcopal News Service] Conservative Anglicans and former Episcopalians
started to arrive in Jerusalem June 19 in anticipation of the Global
Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) (http://www.gafcon.org), a controversial
summit regarded by some critics as a rival to the 2008 Lambeth Conference
(http://www.lambethconference.org/index.cfm).

The GAFCON event, set for June 22-29, is expected to draw 1,000
participants, including former Episcopal priests, some of whom are currently
engaged in litigation concerning Episcopal Church property.

A closed-door pre-conference consultation in Amman, Jordan, was promptly
wrapped up June 18 after key participants, including Archbishop Peter
Akinola of Nigeria, were denied entry for lacking the necessary diplomatic
paperwork, according to news reports.


Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_98014_ENG_HTM.htm

- - - - -

Episcopal Relief & Development continues response to flooding in the Midwest

[ERD] Episcopal Relief & Development is providing emergency assistance to
communities devastated by ongoing flooding across the Midwest. So far, the
flood waters are responsible for killing 24 people, injuring 148 and
displacing tens of thousands of others.
 
The damage to infrastructure and the agricultural sector is severe.  In some
areas, entire towns are completely inundated, their past existence confirmed
only by a lone church steeple poking above the water line. Hundreds of
thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed. The floods have inflicted
up to $1.5 billion in damage to Iowa's agricultural sector alone. This
number will increase dramatically as the loss is assessed in other states.
 
The crisis is far from over. Rising waters have breached 20 levees across
the region and officials fear that more flooding will occur as river levels
climb in Missouri and Illinois.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_98013_ENG_HTM.htm

More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife

_____________________


DIOCESAN DIGEST

LOS ANGELES: Soulforce co-founders wed in Pasadena
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_98000_ENG_HTM.htm

More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm

_____________________


MISSION

Mar Thoma Church celebrates heritage, looks into the future

[Office of Ecumenical Relations] A recent festive Eucharist honored the
legacy of the retired Primate of the Mar Thoma Church, the Most Rev. Dr.
Philipose Mar Chrysostom and marked the first official visit to the U.S. of
his recently consecrated successor, the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma
Metropolitan.

The June 1 event drew more than 2,000 participants to Dewitt High School in
the Bronx. The Rev. Dr. Eyuakim Mar Coorilos, Bishop of the Mar Thoma
Diocese of North America and Europe was the host.

The Mar Thoma Church is one of the oldest ecumenical partners
(http://www.episcopalchurch.org/6947_6995_ENG_HTM.htm?menupage=73305) of the
Episcopal Church. The full Communion agreement
(http://www.episcopalchurch.org/6947_9242_ENG_HTM.htm) was signed in 1979.
Since then, the links between the two churches have continued to evolve.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_98011_ENG_HTM.htm

More Mission: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_ENG_HTM.htm

_____________________


PEOPLE

Venezuela Bishop Orlando Guerrero visits Church Center in New York City

By Daphne Mack

[Episcopal News Service] According to Venezuela Bishop Orlando Guerrero,
political context has not affected church growth in his diocese.

The Diocese of Venezuela (http://iglesianglicanavzla.org/index.htm), which
includes Curaçao - Netherlands Antilles, is in Province IX. It was admitted
as a full member of the Episcopal Church at the 74th General Convention in
August 2003.

"We are very thankful for the support of the Episcopal Church," said
Guerrero during his June 17 visit to the Episcopal Church Center in New York
City. 

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_98015_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm

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DAYBOOK

On June 20, 2008...

* Today in Scripture: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm
* Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm
* Today in History: On June 20, 1989, Newark Bishop John Shelby Spong
inaugurated a new diocesan ministry, called Oasis, which focuses on the
needs of gay and lesbian people.

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CATALYST

"Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C. S. Lewis" from HarperCollins
Publishers, by C. S. Lewis, 389 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $23.95

[HarperCollins Publishers] C. S. Lewis spent a good portion of each day
corresponding with people via handwritten letters. Over his lifetime he
wrote thousands of letters in which he offered his friends and acquaintances
advice on the Christian life, giving away a bit of himself to each of these
correspondents as he signed his notes with a heartfelt and familiar, "yours,
Jack." Most of these letters are currently only available in their entirety
-- a collection consisting of three hefty tomes. Yours, Jack features the
best inspirational readings and sage counsel culled from C. S. Lewis's
letters, offering an accessible look at this great author's personal vision
for the spiritual life. 

This thematic selection from his letters offers the freshest presentation of
Lewis's writings since his death in 1963. Yours, Jack will showcase Lewis's
remarkable teachings and vision for a new generation.

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your
local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

More Catalyst: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/83842_ENG_HTM.htm