Week Ending 10/03/22

Quiet Interfaith Network Aids Migrants

Religion News has an article on the way interfaith groups are essential to provide services to migrants from initial arrivals in the  U.S. to resettlement services, providing shelter, food, furnishings and the information needed to negotiate work and livinging in a community. whatholds thisnetwork together is a belefthat their faith calls them to work for social justice. The author mentions Episcopalians several times in the article.  You can read  more here.

Presiding Bishop Curry Catches Covid-19

Presiding Bishop Curry has announced that he has an active case if covid-19 virus.  He has been fully vaccinated and boosted, and is receiving appropriate treatment.  He is continuing meetings by zoom until he is cleared and feeling well again.  He has had a very  busy schedule recently including several consecrations of bishops indifferent parts of the country.  For the full announcement go here.

Bishop of Rio Grande Decries Shooting of Migrants

The Episcopal Church is onrecord as supporting migrants and also supporting gun control.  The recent unprovoked shooting in West Texas of two migrants (one of whom died) by two brothers who had a track record of violence towards immigrants led the Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande to issue a strong statement asking the FBI to investigate the shooting as a hate crime,and to investigate the conditions at private migrant detention centers lkike the oine run by the shooter.  The statement linked the current migrants to several incidents inthe Bible and also to recent mass shootings.  Episcopal News Service has the full statement here.

 

Canadian Primate Says Church Shouldn't Oppose Assisted Dying

Archbishop Linda Nicholls,primate of the Anglican Church of Canada thinks it would be unproductive for the church to objectto the 2021 law passed allowing medically assisted deaths.  It has recently been extended to include mental illness. Rather the church should focus on pastoral care and making sure that appropriate care is fully available to all those with chronic illness, especially those who might be considering a medically assisted death.  By ensuriing that full care is available and that they have pastoral support the church can assure that people are not feeling pushed to choose "MAID" (Medical Assistance In Dying). The Canadian Church's Anglican Digest has a good discussion and critique of the Archbishop's statement.

Hurricane Ian Leaves Florida Parishes Rebuilding

Episcopal Church members and parishes in Southwestern Florida and strugglibg to assess damages to their buildings while helping the many who were displaced and lost homes or belongings during Hurricane Ian.  Several parishes sustained physical damage.  Rebuilding is complicated by the fact that some parishioners and clergy are storm refugees and dealing with their own personal losses.  The death toll from the storm continues to rise, and flooding in Florida and other parts of the East Coast continues to add to the storm's damages.  The Episcopal News Service has an initial article on the damage here.

 

Continuing Stories

Scottish Bishop's Suspension Reinstated

The Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, Ann Dyer, has been facing complaints about bullying.  She was suspended from duties by the Scottish Primate until the disciplinary process has been completed and she has been cleared or a suitable penalty  assessed.  Dyer appealed and thus was allowed to continue her duties until a Church Synod confirmed her suspension.  That happened this last week and she is once again suspended until the processes have been comleted.  Update reported on that here.

Hong Kong Police Film Attendees at Service for Queen Elizabeth

A chilling message was sent to Anglicans in Hong Kong when the police filmed those who attended an evensong service in honor of  the deceased Queen Elizabeth II.  The return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule happened during Elizabeth's long reign, but since the return, the Chinese government has increasingly ignored guarantees of freedom of speech and assembly that were a part of that agreement, and cracked down on Christian churches which are seen as remnants of western colonial rule.  Update has covered past issues with the government.  The implications of the filming of attendees is discussed in this article from Anglican.ink