Tag Archives: christian

ELCA leaders applaud Congress’ passage of child nutrition bill

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From www.elca.org“Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) applauded the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of federal legislation that invests $4.5 billion in child nutrition programs,” according to an ELCA press release. ”The legislation was approved Dec. 2 during the lame-duck session this week, as Congress prepares to adjourn for the holiday season.”

“ELCA members across the country were part of a coordinated effort to pass the bill. Top leaders of several Christian denominations, including the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, wrote to U.S. House leaders earlier this week, urging the legislation’s adoption. Hanson also spoke about the legislation in a Nov. 1 meeting faith leaders’ meeting with President Obama in Washington.”

“‘This bill is an exciting victory for hungry children. After a largely gridlocked year, passage of this bill is a positive sign that Congress can work together in the best interests of Americans,’ Hanson said.”

Read the full release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4686

Fargo, Bismarck dioceses launch TV campaign to bring people back to church

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A scene from the national TV advertisement, "Epic."

“The Bismarck Catholic Diocese will unveil a multifaceted welcome mat soon for those who have drifted away from the church,” according to an article from The Bismarck Tribune printed in today’s Forum.

“The ‘Catholics Come Home’ TV commercials will air statewide from Dec. 17 to Jan. 30 for both the Bismarck and Fargo dioceses; they are financed separately by each diocese.”

Read more: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/300828/publisher_ID/1/

Talk about it: http://topics.areavoices.com/2010/12/05/fargo-bismarck-dioceses-launch-tv-campaign-to-bring-people-back-to-church/

Christian Post: Last-minute finalist wins first place in national Bible Bee contest

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Liesl Lawrence - from www.christianpost.com

“A National Bible Bee contestant who was unexpectedly added last minute to the competition’s final round ended up taking home the coveted first place prize on Saturday,” reports the Christian Post.

Liesl Lawrence of Georgetown, Texas, was named the 2010 National Bible Bee champion after she was allowed to join the senior division finals as the sixth contestant.

“… Lawrence was supposed to the be fifth finalist but she had been disqualified due to an error in judges’ scoring materials.

“She was added back in after organizers of the event discovered that some of the judges’ scoring materials did not reflect different variances of the Kings James Version that were circulated by the National Bible Bee.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/aRqiuY

Christian Post: Hillsong Church begins holding gatherings for its first branch in the United States

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“Hillsong Church has been expanding its locations at home and abroad. The Australian-based megachurchrecently announced a new extension site for one of its main campuses and began holding gatherings for its first church location in the United States,” reports the Christian Post. “The Pentecostal church has four main campuses across Sydney and international branches in London, Kiev, Cape Town, Stockholm, Paris, Moscow, and now New York City.”

Hillsong may be best known for the popular praise and worship associated with it, including the Sunday morning standard “Shout to the Lord.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/9Xwgat

More info related to the the ELCA’s draft social statement on genetics

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The Forum ran a story today on a church that voted to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. There was a sense in that rural North Dakota congregation that the ELCA was making statements that went against farmers. If you want to take a deeper look at the issue, here are some additional resources related to that story.

Fargo-Moorhead Interfaith center to hold discussion on three views of Jesus

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The second in a series of interfaith dialogues sponsored by the Center for Interfaith Projects in Fargo-Moorhead features a discussion of “Three Views of Jesus: Muslim, Christian and Jewish.” Panelists are Dr. Ahmed Kamel (Sunni Muslim), the Rev. Sue Koesterman (ELCA Lutheran) and Dr. David Myers (Reform Jew). The discussion is 2 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Community Room of the Fargo Public Library, main branch at 102 3rd St. N. For more information, call (701) 388-7368.

Philosopher J.P. Moreland challenges Stephen Hawking’s new book

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J. P. Moreland

Christian philosopher and Biola University professor J.P. Moreland writes:

“In their recent book, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow claim that the laws of nature are consistent with the universe popping into existence from nothing, and in fact, they affirm that this is exactly what happened … Apparently, this desperate move results from the fact that they recognize that the universe had a beginning and they want to deflect the need for a transcendent Cause to explain the universe’s origin.  To my knowledge, they do not argue that the laws of nature themselves created the universe, and that’s a good thing.  Why?  Because the laws of nature are formal causes that direct the “flow” of causation, but they are not efficient causes that produce anything whatsoever.  Thus, this claim, if made, would be a simple category fallacy.  However, their actual claim is just as egregious, and that for two reasons.”

Read more: http://www.jpmoreland.com/2010/09/22/scientism-makes-scientists-laughable/

Video from Sunday’s ‘Town Hall’ with ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson will be available online this week

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Mark Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, held a town hall question-and-answer forum today (Sunday). On-demand video and transcripts from the event will be posted on  the ELCA website Wednesday, Sept. 22.

Visit www.elca.org/townhall

If you missed the previous forum with Hanson on March 7, it’s still online at the above URL.

I’ll post a reminder after Sunday’s forum hits the web.

Thanks for reading…

Star-Tribune: Three lesbian pastors from Twin Cities welcomed as ELCA clergy

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“Three pastors from the Twin Cities who are lesbians in committed relationships were embraced Saturday as Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors. The Reverends Anita Hill, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart were inducted during a service presided over by St. Paul Bishop Peter Rogness at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,” the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

In 2009, the ELCA voted at its biannual Churchwide Assembly to allow individuals in committed same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy. Hundreds of congregations in the ELCA have explored the possibility of exiting the denominations in the wake of the assembly. The ELCA has at more than 10,0o0 congregations.

Read the full story: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/103204234.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs

Read the ELCA press release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4638

NPR: Secretary of Defense called Florida pastor Terry Jones

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates

The Pentagon’s press secretary says that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called Florida pastor Terry Jones and “urged the Pastor not to proceed with it,” NPR reports.

Press secretary Geoff Morrell released the following in a statement: “Secretary Gates reached out to Pastor Jones this afternoon. They had a very brief phone conversation during which the Secretary expressed his grave concern that going forward with the Quran burning would put at risk the lives of our forces around the world, especially those in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he urged the Pastor not to proceed with it.”

Jones was spearheading a protest in which copies of the Quran, Islam’s holiest text, would have been burned on Sept. 11. He has since canceled that protest.

See the full NPR post: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/09/09/129760129/terry-jones-got-call-from-defense-secretary-gates?ft=1&f=103943429&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Here’s a story on The Forum’s website if you want to know more about the Quran-burning controversial in general and today’s news: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/290567/