News & Events

June 2008

Published July 13, 2008 16:33

Index

International News


A newly established Council of Churches, the Regional Administration of western Ukrainian Ternopil, has had its first meeting on 7 March 2008. The council has been set up as an advisory body to regulate church-state relations and promote cooperation between churches and between churches and local officials. The council's main objectives include settlement of inter-confessional conflicts and promoting the teaching of Christian Ethic in schools. (Religious Information of Ukraine)


Religion Communication Congress 2010 will take place April 7-10, 2010, at the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Chicago under the theme "Embracing Change: Communicating Faith in Today's World". The event is planned by a diverse group of North American communications professionals with Shirley Whipple Struchen, a United Methodist as the coordinator. Participants will represent a broad spectrum of communications specialties, faith traditions and theological perspectives. Sixty-four cooperating organizations have signed up thus far including international representation. Changes in perceptions about religion, its influence in the public arena and how technology delivers the message are among the issues communicators will consider. In addition to the plenary sessions on timely issues, RCCongress 2010 will feature more than fifty skills-building workshops and a time for participants to interact and learn from each other. More information about the gathering is available at [www.rccongress2010.net]. (Worldwide Faith News)


Six major world religions united this year on March 21 at St. Ethelwold's, Abingdon in England to celebrate an unusual convergence of their Holy Days falling within two days of each other. Friday 21st March marked the Baha'í and Zoroastrian New Year and for this year it coincided with Good Friday and Purim, a major Jewish Festival while on either side of this day falls the Prophet Mohammed's Birthday for Islam and the Festival of Holi for the Hindus. The celebration was introduced by Rev. Dr Marcus Braybrooke, President of the World Congress of Faiths. (World Congress of Faiths)


Pope Benedict XVI met with representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain and Hindu faiths at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington on April 17 as part of his April 15-20 US visit. The meeting under the theme "Religions Working for Peace", included a papal address, greetings from interfaith leaders, and the presentation of symbolic gifts by a member of each faith community. About 200 leaders attended the meeting. "The cry for peace in our world calls for religious bodies to come together," said Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba of Milwaukee, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. "This meeting denotes the Holy Father's belief in the need for religious bodies to stress the goal for peace which lies at the heart of all religions," the bishop added. (Catholic News Service)


Ecumenical Women, a coalition of churches and ecumenical organizations in dialogue with the United Nations in New York, has launched a Website for the 25 February - 7 March 52nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the New York UN headquarters. At [http://ecumenicalwomen.org/] the coalition offers perspectives on the biblical mandate of liberation and justice for women. It features a blog with academic articles and theological resources from around the world. (Lutheran Office for World Community)


Five Senior Thai Buddhist monks went to Egypt in March for an official visit in which they met and held talks with Sheikh Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, highest spiritual authority for Sunni Muslims in Egypt. The Thai ambassador to Egypt said the visit by the Thai Buddhist monks to Egypt marked the first time for an official meeting between leaders of the Buddhist and Muslim religions in Egypt. Both sides exchanged religious teachings that could help reduce misunderstanding and mistrust between Thai Buddhists and Thai Muslims in Thailand's deep south, which had led to renewed violence and the deaths of around 3,000 people over the past four years. Last year, Sheikh Tantawi visited Thailand and met with the leader of the Thai Buddhist monks. (Buddhist Channel)


An interdenominational Lenten prayer meeting and processional Way of the Cross were organized for the first time in central Ukrainian Kamianets-Podilskyi (Khmelnytsk Region) on 14 March 2008. The procession was attended by Bishops Leon Dubravskyi and Yan Niemiets and priests and members of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, and representatives of Pentecostal and Baptist churches. Christians carried a four-meter long cross from church to church as they meditated on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and at each of the fourteen stations of the procession, a pastor of one of the churches read a passage from the Gospel. (Religious Information of Ukraine)


ForMinistry.com, an internet ministry of the American Bible Society provides a web site and email address to Christian places of worship in North America. In addition to serving local churches, ForMinistry.com is exploring new ways for denominations, ministries and missions to share information as they seek to fulfill the whole task of the whole church to bring the whole Gospel to the whole world. Today, nearly 25,000 churches are engaged in real online using ForMinistry's services, and more than 150,000 churches are listed in their church directory. ForMinistry.com replaced the previous "Houses of Worship" sites during the summer of 1999. (North American Academy of Ecumenists)


Guiding principles for interreligious relations were adopted by the Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations on 11 February 2008. The document explains in a condensed and comprehensive form the basis, definition and purpose of interreligious dialogue as the Council conceives it. The Church of Norway has 3.9 million members, representing more than 80 percent of the Norwegian population. It joined the Lutheran World Federation in 1947. (The Lutheran World Federation)


Representatives of the Salvation Army and Seventh-day Adventist churches met February 25-27 at Adventist world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland for conversations on theology and possible areas of cooperation. The conversations took place in an environment of openness, respect and empathy and revealed that the two Christian world communions have some differences but also many elements in common. The Seventh-day Adventist Church was organized in the USA in 1863, while the Salvation Army had its beginnings in London, UK in 1865. Both Adventists and Salvationists have roots in the theology of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church. The recent meeting focused on ecclesiology, religious liberty, law and gospel. Both church organizations believe in righteousness by faith and sanctification through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. They are both impelled by a sense of mission, which includes both evangelism and service to humanity and emphasize a holistic gospel. Significant differences exist between the two concerning eschatology, the Sabbath, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The two delegations have formulated a joint statement of understanding which will be released after approval by both administrative bodies. World-wide there are 15,241 Salvation Army churches in 113 countries with close to 2 million Christians whereas the Seventh-day Adventist Church is comprised of 15,4 million baptized believers, in 203 countries. (Worldwide Faith News)


2008 has been declared the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue by the European Council of Religious Leaders that met in Berlin 3-5 March 2008. In order to promote bold, responsible and well-informed interreligious dialogue on all levels of European society, the leaders adopted the Berlin Declaration on Interreligious Dialogue. The document points out that "the public display of religious symbols or celebration of religious festivals should neither be seen as offensive to other religions nor a threat to social cohesion." It outlines principles of mutual respect and sharing of values and traditions leading to common action for the betterment of society and underlines the transforming potential of this mode of relating to other faiths. The Berlin Declaration can be found at [http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=documents&div=120]. (Interfax-Religion)

The second theological consultation between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the "Porvoo Churches" was held 27-30 March 2008 at the Orthodox Brancoveanu Monastery in Romania. The "Porvoo Churches" are a group of Anglican and Nordic/Baltic Lutheran Churches which have entered into full communion after theological conversations held from 1989-1992. Clerical and lay theologians from churches which are signatories of the Porvoo Declaration, and from Eastern Orthodox Churches were invited. Metropolitan Laurentius of Ardeal and Bishop Ioan of Harghita (Romanian Orthodox Church) were present for part of the consultation and members of the Leuenberg Fellowship were there as observers. Throughout the consultation, worship was held in the Anglican, Lutheran and Orthodox traditions. Participants affirmed many elements of a common vision of the unity of the Church including the central place of the eucharist, the Catholicity of the local congregation and of the whole Church, the role of bishops in focusing unity and fostering appropriate diversity, and that the laity has an essential place in the theological understanding of the Church. (CEC-KEK)


European Christians and Muslims met in Esztergom, Hungary, 17- 20 April 2008 under auspices of the CCEE-CEC Committee for Relations with Muslims in Europe (CRME). CRME is an Ecumenical Committee set up in 1986 by the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) to inform and support the Churches in Europe in their encounter with Islam and to intensify relations with Muslims. A number of Muslims from different European countries were at the Esztergom meeting to plan a European Christian-Muslim Conference together to take place in Malines/Brussels from 20th to 23rd October 2008 under the theme "European Citizens and Believers. Christians and Muslims as Active Partners in European Society". The agenda of the Esztergom meeting also featured discussion on two documents: one concerns instances of violence where the religious dimension is involved; the second deals with formation of the clergy and pastoral practitioners on the consequences of a Muslim presence in the life of the Church in Europe. These documents will be finalized in the beginning of 2009. Another theme that was discussed with the Muslim guests was the Charter of Muslims in Europe which was signed on 10th January 2008 by 400 Muslim associations and organizations in Europe. (CEC-KEK)


Participants at an ecumenical prayer service led by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Joseph's Church in New York on 18 April included some 250 national and local Protestant and Orthodox Church leaders. At the end of the service, the pope greeted ten national and five local ecumenical leaders. During his visit to US from April 15 to April 21, the pope held activities in New York, led worship services, met with Roman Catholics and representatives of other Christian and interfaith groups, addressed the United Nations General Assembly and met with a variety of elected political leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush. (ELCA News Service)


Young theologians from thirty-six churches in twenty-four countries have answered the World Council of Churches's (WCC) invitation to submit essays addressing the theme: "Making a Difference Together - Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century". The essay contest is part of the programme to commemorate the World Council's 60th anniversary in 2008. Fifty-five essays were received from students and graduates of theology up to the age of thirty-five from a broad variety of Christian traditions including Orthodox, Pentecostal, the historic Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church. The authors of the best six essays will be invited to participate in an international consultation on Ecumenism in the 21st Century which will take place in January 2009 in Brazil. Other selected essays will be printed by WCC Publications and/or published on the WCC website. (World Council of Churches)


An International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, a culmination of the World Council of Churches's Decade to Overcome Violence, will be held in Kingston, Jamaica in 2011. The convocation is intended to gather about 2,000 people including representatives from WCC member churches and other Christian denominations as well as peace activists, academics, artists and children."We want to give visibility to the wonderful work being done to overcome violence and to prove that it is possible to do more than answer violence with violence," said Rev. Fernando Enns, a pastor of Germany's Mennonite Church who proposed the idea of a Decade to Overcome Violence in Harare at the WCC's 1988 assembly. Rev. Geiko Müller-Fahrenholz, the convocation's co-ordinator, said he hoped representatives of other faiths would be involved in the drawing up of a "declaration on just peace" to be adopted by the convocation, "so they don't feel themselves merely visitors." (African Journal)


The United Methodist General Conference agreed to full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its meeting from April 23 to May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. The decision for full communion means that clergy from either denomination can officiate at parishes from either church. This is seen as a much-needed solution to the shrinking numbers of Methodist and Lutheran parishes in the rural US. The ELCA is expected to approve the full communion agreement at its 2009 church-wide assembly to be held in Minneapolis. The United Methodist Church is the second largest US Protestant denomination, with about twelve million members, eight million of them in the United States and the others in Africa, Asia and Europe. (Prairie Messenger)


Six representatives of Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organization met with a six-member delegation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome April 28-30 to discuss the relationship between faith and reason. In their final statement, the participants agreed that "Faith and reason are both gifts of God to mankind". They also said that "Faith and reason are intrinsically non-violent"; but they acknowledged both faith and reason have sometimes been manipulated to promote violence. This April meeting was the sixth encounter of the Vatican-Iranian dialogue group; the next meeting will be held in Tehran, Iran in 2010. (Prairie Messenger)


The first interdenominational and interreligious Council in the canton of Vaud was created on February 17, 2008 in Lausanne by the Evangelical Reformed Church, the Catholic Church and the Jewish Community of Lausanne and Vaud. This Council wants to promote ecumenical dialogue and Jewish-Christian dialogue within the framework defined by the new laws on churches and religious communities. Procedures have been planned to enable the three partners to carry out certain initiatives together. Other religious communities may join the new body once the state accords it public interest status. (Translated from Catholink)


The latest members of the World Council of Churches are the Presbyterian Evangelical Church in Brazil and the Evangelical Church of Laos. The two churches were officially received as member churches of the Council at the time of the opening session of its central Committee. A preceeding probation period allowed for an assessment of the ecumenical engagement of these Churches, in relationship and dialogue with the ecumenical institutions of their respective countries and areas. With nearly 100,000 members each, these Churches join the WCC community of nearly 560 million Christians in approximately 110 countries representing the principal branches of Christianity, not counting the Roman Catholic Church. (Translated from Radio Ville-Marie)


The house of interreligious dialogue in Lausanne hosted a debate last February 19 on "living together" among the religions of the canton of Vaud. Seven representatives of various religious traditions and nearly a hundred participants answered the invitation to exchange on opportunities available to move towards the other in his similarities and differences. Living together is unavoidable and is more than ever topical in a pluricultural and interreligious society concluded the Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Bah'aï and Muslim religious leaders from this debate which took place in Arzillier. (Translated from Catholink)

Temporary places of worship are currently being installed in the Olympic Village in Beijing for Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists and Muslims. According to the "People's Newspaper" published in Beijing, the Chinese authorities also ensured that ministers including ten Imams officiating in English and Arabic, will be available throughout the Olympic Games, from August 8-24. Also, arrangements have been made in the city for the faithful from abroad: Bibles will be available in the hotels, and Catholic priests will provide services in both English and French. China expects more than 500,000 foreign visitors for the Olympic Games. (Translated from Radio Ville-Marie)


Ecumenical cooperation among hospital chaplains in Lyon, France has gradually progressed in recent years. Those in charge of hospital chaplaincy work drafted a Charter on "Common Pastoral Orientations for the Catholic Chaplaincies of the Diocese of Lyon and the Protestant Hospital Chaplaincy of Lyon". This text laid out a framework for working together while respecting the specificity of each denomination. As the day to day work continues it is more common to experience the joy of praying together at the bedside of a sick person, to celebrate funerals together … Moreover, this work could extend and be recognized at the national level as a common testimony in the heart of a secularized society, A more complete account of this ecumenical hospital chaplaincy can be downloaded from: [http://cdo-lyon.cef.fr/spip.php?article395]. (Translated from Relations œcuméniques et avec le judaïsme)


A midday time of prayer and sharing, held in homes and offices on each Friday of Lent was organized by the French ecumenical group Gerland-Guillotière. The idea was to make it easier for Christians, taken up by daily tasks or carried away by the whirlwind of their professional life to make the time of Lent more meaningful in their spiritual life. People gathered in turn in Armenian, Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox and Salvation Army churches. Each meeting included: a short presentation of the Church or community at which they were being received; a time of prayer; a frugal meal of an apple and a piece of bread taken together and a free will offering going to a missionary or charitable project. (Translated from Relations œcuméniques et avec le judaïsme)


A creation festival, "When creation groans: resignation or hope" was organized under the patronage of the CREL, Pax Christi with the various Churches of Lyon, the Franciscan family, ecumenical groups and the Christian Life Community on April 5. This ecumenical event included conferences, plays, workshops, exhibits, the activities for children, a visit to the observatory of Lyon, visits to greenhouses and a nature walk. (Translated from Relations œcuméniques et avec le judaïsme)


An evening to explore Judaism was organized in Lyon, France by the diocesan catechetical service on March 13. Resource persons were: Régine Maire, Episcopal delegate for relations with Judaism; Fr. Jean Massonnet; Sr. Brigitte Martin Chave, Christine Poletto; members of the episcopal committee and the members of the Jewish community of Lyon. (Translated from le Comité diocésain pour l'œcuménisme)


The Working group of Christian Churches (ACK) announced at its general assembly last March 12 its decision to use the prayers of the Orthodox liturgy for the protection of the environment. Pastor Barbara Rudolph, secretary general of this ecumenical organization of nineteen German churches, recalled that in 2007 their delegates had agreed to formally recognize the validity of the sacrament of baptism in each other's churches. She stated that this mutual recognition should also extend to the liturgical life of the churches. In 1989 the Patriarch of Constantinople instituted a day of prayer for the protection of the environment and introduced a special liturgical office to this end. Proposals will be made by ACK to see how the various Western Christian churches in Germany can also integrate these prayers into their liturgical practice. More information can be found on the German website, GlaubeAktuell.net (Translated from Service Orthodoxe de Presse)


An Institute for interreligious dialogue in the Faculty of Theology of the University of Freiburg will promote the study of religions and of dialogue through academic means, as well as interdisciplinary publications. This Institute which was approved on March 28 aims at networking with similar institutions inside as well as outside the University of Freiburg. The first constitutive session of the Institute took place last April 16 and Professor Mariano Delgado, specialist in church history and the history of religions, was appointed first director of the Institute. (Translated from Radio Ville-Marie)


The second edition of the "Seekers of Meaning Festival" brought together some 200 young people April 19-20 in Saint Amédée Parish in Lausanne, Switzerland. Organized by the Chemin Neuf Community, Fondacio or "Christians for the world", and the Romand Vocation Center, the festival included testimonies such as that of Claire Ly, survivor of the Khmer Rouge camps in Kampuchea. Endocrinologist, Dr. Juan Ruiz, animated a workshop on "Medicine, Ethics and Spirituality: is everything allowed?". Lastly, speaking from their experience as theologian and youth counselor, Pastor Daniel Alexander and Fr. Christophe Godel examined the image of God, between the jealous God of the Old Testament, the God of love and him whom Jesus names "my Father". Pastor Jacques Nicole, former director of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey and Fr. Vincent Breynaert, of the Chemin Neuf spoke about the past and future of ecumenism in Switzerland. (Translated from Radio Ville-Marie)


The next session of "Young Christians Together" will take place August 24-31, 2008 at the Diocesan House of Nimes. Since 2001, approximately 130 young people have shared the experience which brings together 7 Protestants, 7 Orthodox, 7 Catholics and 7 Anglicans during one week with qualified persons who accompany them in community life, prayer, learning about each denomination, meeting experienced persons, visiting religious places and communities and engaging in many discussions. The objective of the session is to move beyond confusion and self absorption to allow the new generation of committed Christians to discover an authentic ecumenical way forward with all its challenges in respect of Church disciplines. After the session the participants will keep in touch by internet and will concretely prolong the experience in their centres of activities (FAC, seminaries, young people's groups, churches…), and through Weekends with the participants from previous years. (Translated from Fédération Protestante de France)


The Members of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church met April 7-11 at the Abbey of Cîteaux near Dijon at the invitation of Mgr. Minnerath, Archbishop of Dijon. Four Orthodox theologians and four catholic theologians (which included Mgr. Minnerath) explored the crucial question of the primacy of the bishop of Rome during the first millennium. The participants were optimistic after the days they spent working together. "There was already a large measure of agreement", specified the official statement published after the meeting. "It is all the more important as we have to give a testimony of communion in the modern world, and perhaps full communion is not so far away," stated Mgr. Minnerath. The next step will be the plenary session of the international Joint Commission in Cyprus in 2009. (Translated from InfoCatho)


A joint meeting in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the World Council of Churches was held in Toronto in early April between the World Council of Churches Relations Committee (WCCR) and the United States Conference for the World Council of Churches. At the heart of the discussion was the nature and the future of ecumenism itself. A brief document, "Called To Be One Church", was the subject of discussion at a series of meetings the second day. The document challenges churches with ten questions on "a call to journey … an arduous yet joyful path", and to act upon the unity they seek with each other. Much of the first day was taken up with business meetings and discussion on the future of the WCC in light of Samuel Kobia's decision to not seek another term as general secretary. A Common Prayer Service was held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on April 1 with Rev. Canon Dr. John Gibaut, Director of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches as homilist. A Panel Discussion on "Care for Creation" held at Trinity College, Toronto School of Theology on April 2 was followed by an informal Students / Young Adults Gathering of North American young adults. "Called To Be One Church" can be found on the WCC's web: [oikoumene.org]. (The Canadian Council of Churches and Presbyterian Record)


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National News


Justice Harry S. LaForme, an aboriginal Ontario Court of Appeal judge has been appointed by the federal government as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that will hear the stories and promote public education about the 150-year legacy of the now-defunct Indian residential schools. Minister of Indian Affairs Chuck Strahl said that Justice LaForme, "brings a wealth of respect and leadership experience and is the most senior aboriginal judge in the country." The TRC is meant to provide former students and their families with a chance to share their experiences in a "holistic, culturally-appropriate and safe setting." The commission planned to start hearing June 1. Representatives of government and churches that operated the schools will also be invited to share their stories. During its five-year term, the commission will produce a report and recommendations, and establish a national archive/research center regarding residential schools. (Anglican Journal)


"Our World, Our G8, Our Challenge" a public lecture and discussion tour from the Atlantic to the Pacific, has been organized by the Canadian Council of Churches. On April 13th they stopped in Vancouver at the Church of the Epiphany, on the campus of the Vancouver School of Theology, which was co-sponsoring the event. People gathered to learn about the G8 and the promises they have made to improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable throughout the world. The G8 has made significant commitments regarding infectious disease, African aid, the environment and peacekeeping. Many of these commitments are due to be kept by 2010 when Canada will be hosting the G8 Summit. According to Prof. John Kirton, the G8 leaders need a push from citizens and advice on what their priorities and path should be. The Canadian Council of Churches will be bringing the "Our World, Our G8, Our Challenge" event to three more locations in the fall: in Toronto at the Isabel Bader Theatre on the University of Toronto Campus November 18th, and Ottawa and Montreal with dates to be announced. (The Canadian Council of Churches)


The Governing Board of the Canadian Council of Churches held a meeting in Ottawa from May 14th to 16th 2008 on the theme of taking the Faith into the Public Square. During the three days in the nation's capital board members of the governing board attended the National Prayer Breakfast, met with a variety of politicians and held a public event which witnessed to their desire to engage with the nation's political leadership for the sake of all peoples. (The Canadian Council of Churches)


The Anglican and Lutheran Worship Conference, "Order and Chaos", was held in Montreal June 25-28. Activities included presentations by liturgical theologian, Gordon Lathrop, Karen Ward and others; plenary sessions; workshops; an excursion to Quebec City hosted by the Dean of its Anglican Cathedral; tours of organs, architecture and ecclesiastical arts in Montreal and numerous occasions for fellowship and networking. The joint Lutheran-Anglican worship conference is one example, at national level, of how the two churches are trying to live out their full partnership, now into its sixth year. Among other things, the full communion agreement allows the two churches to use the other's official worship resources and even exchange clergy. (www.WoshipConference2008.org and Canada Lutheran)


The Justice Storytelling Quilt, an interactive display commissioned by the Church Council on Justice and Corrections (CCJC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) along with ten other national churches and organizations offers a unique opportunity to open the doors of forgiveness. The quilt was created by Canadian artists Meagan O'Shea and David Pijuan-Nomura using squares designed by victims and perpetrators who were searching for forgiveness as a road to freedom. The Quilt allows viewers to press a square which will prompt a two-minute audio testimony by the square's craftsperson. There are forty blocks with fifteen stories in French and twenty-five in English. At the centre of the quilt is the image of the tree of life. The testimonies are frank and unflinching. "The purpose of this quilt is not to sensitize us to the pain of victims and offenders, which could make us very angry and vincictive. It is designed rather, to bring us together so that we might empathize with the suffering, hope, and courage of the victims and the offenders," said co-quilter and prison chaplain David Shcantz. Since 2006, the quilt has travelled across Canada to be displayed in churches, conference sites, art galleries, and civic halls. To host the Quilt, contact the CCJC at 613-563-1688. (Canada Lutheran)


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Regional News - West


"An Africa Night" fundraiser launched by Christians and Muslims in Winnipeg took place at St. James' Civic Centre on March 8 to help an Anglican church in Mayungwe, Uganda, build a clinic for the area. A request for funds was made to Muslims and Anglicans in Uganda. Ms. Pat Stewart, a member of St. James' Anglican Church, Assiniboia who visited her parish's partner, St. Peter's Mayungwe last year returned with the request for assistance. She contacted her parish's Mother's Union chapter and Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association. The Student Christian Union at the University of Winnipeg and the Muslim student association also helped to organize the dinner fundraiser. (Anglican Journal)


The Yom Hashoah VeHagevurah, day of (remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism gathered Jews and clergy of many Christian faiths in a memorial service at Winnipeg's Shaarey Zedek Synagogue on April 30. The evening observance marked the first Winnipeg reading of the Megillat Hashoah, the Scroll of the Holocaust published in 2003. Selections from the Scroll, read by five rabbis, three Christian clergy and congregants of the synagogue were interspersed with the ceremonial lighting of six pillar candles in memory of the six million who perished in the Holocaust. The Megillat Hashoah was the joint creation of rabbis and lay leaders in Canada, the US and Israel. It contains recollections of survivors, descriptions of the Warsaw Ghetto and life in the concentration camps. The final chapters offer a eulogy for the dead and tell of the recovery of Jewish life after the war. (Prairie Messenger

)

Guests from the Regina Multi-Faith Forum joined members of the Beth Jacob Synagogue for a commemoration of the Holocaust on May 1. Jeremy Parnes, director of synagogue services led the congregation in chants and readings from the Shoah Scroll liturgy first considered in Toronto which since its publication in 2003 has become the standard used throughout the world to commemorate the Holocaust. Six members of the Beth Jacob each read one of the six chapters of the Scroll. Ascending the lectern each lit a candle that burned as they read. The service was followed by a reception and an opportunity to view photographs of Royal Canadian Force Sergeant Edward A. Minto, who entered Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in German after liberation. (Prairie Messenger)


Manitoba Interfaith Council's Inaugural Interfaith Service Award was presented to Msgr Norman Chartrand by Ted Chell, president of the Manitoba Interfaith Council at Misericordia Hospital on May 8. Chartrand, along with the late Rev. Ted Scott and Fred Douglas, began lobbying government for chaplaincy services at the Health Sciences Centre in 1964. The three later formed an organization to deal with the government on behalf of churches, which was the beginning of the Manitoba Interfaith Council. (Prairie Messenger)


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Ontario


The Scarboro Foreign Mission Society hosted an interfaith education series during the month of April 2008. J.W. Windland, director of the Encounter World Religions Center in Guelph opened the series by a lecture on "Food in the World's Religions - Tasting the Eternal" on April 1. On April 8, a team from Scouts Canada presented the multicultural and multifaith history of the scouting movement in Canada. On April 15, speakers from Herstory - Women's Stories of Faith talked about Unitarianism, Christianity and Hinduism. On April 22, Donna McBride shared some interfaith stories from Brampton and Mississauga. Finally, Shahid Akhtar, founder of the Canadian Association of Jews and Muslims explained his "Vision for a World Without Hatred" on April 29. (The Catholic Register)


More than 150 sacred icons from mainly private collections will be on display this summer until September 1 at Varley Art Gallery, 216 Main Street, Unionville, Ontario. The subtitle of the exhibit, The Sacred Image of the Icon: A World of Belief is apt considering the icons have been gathered from all parts of the Eastern and Middle Eastern Orthodox world. Co-curators Katerina Atanassova and Dr. Sheila Campbell have had a lifelong interest in icons and are thrilled with this opportunity to let the general public view some excellent examples of the art. Painted on wood, sculpted in ivory fashioned in mosaic tiles or cast in metal, the icons depict Mother and Child Christ, Old Testament figures and various saints. Visitors will be able to read about the meaning of icons on the excellent signs accompanying the exhibit. Icons are meant not simply as aids to meditation and prayer, but they are believed to put the viewer in the presence of whatever event or person is portrayed. A workshop on Icon Painting took place on June 15 and a symposium on "The History and Conservation of the Icon as an Art Form" will be held on July 13. For more information contact Varley Art Gallery at 905-477-9511, ext. 228 or visit their web site [www.varleygallery.ca]. (The Catholic Register)


A Kitchener Community Ministry program has grown to become a joint outreach ministry of St. Mark's Lutheran and neighbouring Calvary Memorial United Church. The program offers support for people who face daily challenges by providing a range of services, including guided meditation, assistance with food, housing, and other resources, appointment escorts; or simply offering a sympathetic ear. Community Ministry has developed relationships with local farmers, the Waterloo Region Food Bank, Nutrition for Learning and Kitchener Collegiate Institute. Members also take the opportunity to introduce confirmation classes, youth groups, and even international exchange students to the issues of poverty and mental illness and the need for community service and support. To learn more about Community Ministry and what it takes to establish a similar program, contact Marily Shaw at communitymin@yahoo.com (Canada Lutheran)


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Quebec


In the series, Discovering Your Neighbour's Faith, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism in partnership with the Interfaith Council of Montreal and the World Conference of Religions for Peace organised an evening for "Discovering Passover" April 10, at Adath Israel Poale Zedek Anshei Ozeroff Synagogue in Montreal. (Canadian Centre of Ecumenism)


An Ecumenical Consultation on forming Christian leaders for a new age was held at Montreal Diocesan Theological College on May 14. Forming disciples of Christ capable of developing forms of church which will connect with the highly fragmented cultures and societies in the west is one of the foremost challenges facing Christians today. A round table discussion where each participant was invited to give a brief resumé of his community's response to this challenge was followed by an open dialogue on the issue. (Montreal Diocesan Theological College)


Within the framework of the celebration of the 400th of Quebec: a night of spirituality for a festive world was organized May 3-4 in Quebec under the theme "Wink with the 400th of Quebec". Various spiritual traditions were present to demonstrate through word and action the expression of the festival in celebrating their faith. In addition to the faithful of various Christian Churches, followers of other spiritual traditions present in Quebec - indigenous spirituality, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hindouism, Baha'ie, etc. took part in this interreligious gathering. Within the same framework the Historical Society of French and Quebec Protestantism organized a meeting on the history of free-Protestants in Quebec on May 23-24 to underline the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city, not simply as an historical date, but as the beginning of a French-speaking Protestant presence which has endured up to the present. (Translated from Aujourd'hui Credo)


The urgency of an environmental spirituality was the theme of a conference organized by UNITAS in Montreal on May 4. A discussion followed the conference was animated by André Beauchamp, a theologian and environmental consultant. (Translated from Aujourd'hui Credo)


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Atlantic


The General Secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, made the first official visit to Newfoundland from April 3 to 6, 2008. Secretary Hamilton was the invited guest of the St. John's and Area Council of Churches, which was celebrating their 10th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Rev. Dr. Hamilton participated in a number of events and was the key note speaker at the St. John's and Area Council of Churches Annual General Meeting. Of particular importance in this address was the ongoing work of the CCC on their G8 Initiative, which calls on religious people and their leaders to challenge the G8 nations to do better for the sake of the world's most vulnerable people. The General Secretary later preached at St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church the theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity "Pray Without Ceasing". She also visited with the local Presbyterian Presbytery and was delighted to witness the vibrant ecumenical work in the St. John's area. (The Canadian Council of Churches)


The Churches of the West Prince Christian Council in the small farming and fishing town of Alberton, Prince Edward Island, have recently joined forces to sponsor nine members of the Lawrence family who fled Sudan fearing political persecution. Volunteers provides the family with language training, guidance on school enrolment, help with bank, tips on meal preparation and the use of household appliances as well as food, clothing and furniture. Mwaka Lawrence is thankful for the support he and his family have received. (United Church Observer)


The 25th Anniversary of l'Arche Cape Breton was celebrated from 25 to 29 June with a series of events including a Quilt show, an Art Show, a Fashion Show featuring clothing from the Ark Store, and The Hope Chest, a play depicting the Founding Story of l'Arche Cape Breton and concluded with a Thanksgiving Prayer Service. L'Arche Cape Breton is an ecumenical Christian Community made up of people with developmental disabilities and those who wish to share life with them. The Community is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's vision of community, based on a life of simplicity, sustained by the work of one's hands and nourished by the mystery of God's presence in all religions, races, and creeds. (L'Arche Cape Breton)


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