Lots to choose from in the current Church Times, but imagine walking from Boston to Chicago–a bit farther than that, actually–to make a point about carbon footprints. Eighteen people walked 1,000 miles, through Northern Ireland and around Britain, in the Cut the Carbon walk, sponsored by Christian Aid, that ended on Tuesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
American Public Televison’s news and features program In the Life kicks off its 16th season with a report on the crisis in the Episcopal Church.
If you have ever seen “Jesus, save me from your followers” as a bumper sticker, then you’ve seen a symptom of a real problem. David Kinnaman’s new book (co-authored with Gabe Lyons), UnChristian, paints the picture revealing what may be the true cause of declining mainline church attendance in the 21st Century.
At the recent Anglican Missions Conference in New Zealand, the Rev. Mark Brown presented a workshop on ‘Anglican Ministry in a Technological Age.’ He’s adopted it for the web, and posted it over at his blog for the Anglican Church in Second Life. Read on for more information on these technologies and for information about the Episcopal Cafe in Second Life and Facebook.
Louie Crew, writing at his site, offers an insight on why it’s so important to choose your media channels wisely: the more wordy a given document (in this case, the report from the Joint Standing Committee), the less likely people are to actually read it. In addition, he adds, when hundreds of journalists are at your fingertips, that’s a great opportunity to give them Good News.
From the wires: While the Anglican Communion worldwide contemplates the U.S. House of Bishops response on the matter of, among other things, same-sex blessings, one Anglican synod in Canada—Ottawa—is tackling the issue head-on next week at their annual meeting.
Picture in your mind a stereotypical pastor. Regardless of denomination, gender, or age, the pastor you’re picturing is probably at least a little bit overweight. It makes sense, really. Pastors are, by and large, holding jobs with irregular hours that take place mostly in offices or homes. They drive cars from one place to another. Most hosts will feel like they should offer the pastor a slice of coffee cake, at least, if not a full meal with dessert!
Francis broke radically with his wealthy class and its lifestyle in 1206, when, standing publicly before his own bishop, with his father looking on unhappily, he threw off his garments, the signs of his wealth and social standing, and revealed himself to be wearing a hair shirt, the sign of a new commitment to poverty on his part.