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Roundtable upset Mainline Christian leaders from the ELCA, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and other denominations sent an Oct. 8 letter asking Congress to re-evaluate U.S. aid to Israel in light of alleged human rights viola- tions. That triggered some Jewish leaders to back out of an Oct. 22-23 meeting of the Christian-Jewish Roundtable. According to the Con- gressional Research Service, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, mostly in military aid and contracts.


Missionary age lowered The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints announced it is lower- ing the age of full-time missionary service to 18 for men (down from 19) and 19 for women (down from 21). The church hopes the change will dramatically increase the ranks of its missionaries, currently more than 58,000 worldwide. It will also bring sweeping changes to an array of areas—from university sports recruiting to college admissions, family finances to dating and mar- riage patterns, missionary prepara- tion and training to career planning.


S.C. diocese secedes


After continuing disagreements over gay and lesbian clergy, as well as same-sex unions, the Episcopal Church’s Diocese of South Carolina announced Oct. 17 that it will leave the denomination—the fifth to do so. The announcement came after the denomination’s 18-member dis- ciplinary board for bishops ruled in September that South Carolina Bishop Mark Lawrence could no longer act as an ordained Episco- pal priest. Accusing the church of practicing “the false gospel of indis- criminate inclusivity,” Lawrence had removed references to the national


IMAGE USED WITH THE PERMISSION OF TOM MAAKESTAD


A tree for Wittenberg A


ment—Witten- berg, Germany. “Through


t his we’re bringing partic- ipants from the Global South to encounter not just the his- toric Luther, but contempo- rary Lutherans from around the world,” said center director Arden Haug. The first 500 contributors of $100 or more


will receive a print by landscape art- ist Tom Maakestad, titled “The Wit- tenberg Apple Tree.”


s the 500th anniversary of the Reformation approaches in 2017, the ELCA Wittenberg Center (www. elca.org/wittenberg) launched a $50,000 fundraising effort to support its scholarships and study opportu- nities in the birthplace of the move-


church in church and civil docu- ments. He also issued deeds releas- ing the diocese’s and denomination’s claims to parish property.


Sharing the bounty Two years ago, Christ Lutheran Church, Michigan Center, Mich., encouraged members to create their own ministries. Dave and Sally Urbaniak had an idea that went beyond the table at church where people left tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini to share. The “Bountiful Produce Wagon” got its start when Dave towed an old wooden wagon to the church and anchored it in the grass where it was accessible from


The limited edition prints feature words from Martin Luther: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces I would still plant my apple tree.”


Send gifts (write “Wittenberg Center” on the memo line) to: ELCA, 39330 Treasury Center, Chicago, IL 60694-9300.


the sidewalk and parking lot. A sign announced: “If you have it, give it! If you need it, take it! FREE!” When the hot sun came out, the final piece of the wagon’s identity was quickly added: wooden praying hands to shield the produce from the sun and


10  Quote


If any religious leaders say … that the hurricane is God’s punishment against some group, they’re idiots. God’s ways are not our ways.


James Martin, a priest and


contributing editor of America magazine, tweeting about Hurricane Sandy.


December 2012 9


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