Another $1 million for Philippines I
n June, ELCA members pro- vided another $1 million to Lutheran World Relief for con-
tinued disaster response in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. The ELCA sent an initial $1
million shortly after the typhoon s t ruck Nov. 8. The storm killed more than 6,200 people, destroyed 1 million homes and affected more than 14 million people. Gifts from Lutherans have
supported cash-for-work pro- grams, food distribution, shelter materials, cooking supplies and debris removal. The recent funds will help
LWR support and develop “live- lihood opportunities for people in the fishing industry, seaweed farming and in other areas,” said
9
in the U.S. and Canada. The Mora- vian Church and the ELCA are full communion partners.
UCC boycotts team The United Church of Christ Central Atlantic Conference asked its 40,000 members not to buy Washington Redskins tickets or wear souvenir gear until the football team’s name is changed. Passed unanimously on June 14, the resolution also calls on the team to change its name and refrain from using American Indian imagery. “Changing the name ... will not solve the problems of our coun- try’s many trails of broken promises and discriminatory isolation of our Native American communities,” John Deckenback, conference min- ister, said in a statement. “However, a change in the nation’s capital can
10
www.thelutheran.org send a strong message.”
Treaty sought In June, ACT Alliance urged the U.N. Human Rights Council to develop a legally binding international treaty that would hold corporations responsible for human rights viola- tions. Pauliina Parhiala, deputy gen- eral secretary for the alliance, said it’s time for legal recourse. “We have seen people kicked off their lands with empty promises from transna- tional corporations,” she said. “They lose access to livelihoods, clinics, schools and more, with no repercus- sions on these corporations. This is exploitation and a clear violation of human rights.”
Don’t tout religion Two sociology studies found that
Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director for ELCA Global Mission. Partnering with LWR “embod-
ies the moral axiom of ‘sustainable, sufficient, livelihood for all’ ” and points to the ELCA’s strong sup- portof the agency’s programmatic work, he said. Jeff Whisenant, LWR interim
president and CEO, said, “We appre- ciate the confidence that the ELCA’s $2 million investment in LWR’s pro- gramming demonstrates in our work. With profound gratitude, we thank our partner the ELCA for recogniz- ing the ongoing need and providing additional resources to allow us to reach even more people.” The ELCA and LWR work in the
Philippines with a network of organi- zations including the National Coun- cil of Churches in the Philippines and other ecumenical partners.
graduates who included a religious mention on a résumé were less likely to hear back from potential employ- ers. The studies used fictitious résu- més sent to employers who posted on the CareerBuilder website to fill entry-level jobs in sales, informa- tion technology and other fields. Researchers tested the categories of Roman Catholic, evangelical Chris- tian, atheist, Jewish, pagan, Mus- lim (which faced the sharpest dis- crimination) and a made up faith. Researcher Michael Wallace said, “We are a fairly religious country … [yet] we don’t like it when religion is brought into public places such as the workplace or schools.”
Court avoids dispute The U.S. Supreme Court in June let stand a ruling that says a school acted unconstitutionally when it held grad- uation ceremonies in a megachurch. Elmbrook School District. v. Doe involved a Milwaukee suburban high school that rented the nondenomi- national Elmbrook Church for its graduations multiple times through 2009. In 2012 the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals called the events “offensive” and “coercive.” The church’s banners, pamphlets, Bibles and other religious materials remained in the sanctuary during the ceremonies. As is their custom, the justices didn’t give a reason for declining to hear the case.
Bishop lends support Jeff Barrow, bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, was one of 400 religious leaders who called on President Barack Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency to limit carbon emissions from coal- burning power plants. Barrow told local media: “The environment has been a topic that’s been very impor- 12
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52