Religious news & social issues News
Ethiopia drought Ethiopia is experiencing a severe drought after two seasons of failed rains caused by El Nino. The drought has triggered a rise in food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in many areas of the country. UNICEF reports that nearly 6 million children require food assistance. Lutheran Disaster Response committed $70,000 to work with the Lutheran World Federation to provide for immediate hunger needs and mitigate the effects of the drought in eight districts in Ethiopia.
wrote: “Girl Scouts is exhibiting a troubling pattern of behavior and it is clear to me that as they move in the ways of the world it is becoming increasingly incompatible with our Catholic values.” He asked parishes that allow Girl Scouts to meet on their property to discuss with troop leadership his concerns and implement “alternative options for the formation of our girls.”
Amid drought, the Lutheran World Federation’s Department for World Service Ethiopia works with community members to provide small-scale irrigation projects.
Girl Scout alternatives St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson issued a letter Feb. 18 calling on parishes to seek alternatives to Girl Scouts as an extracurricular activity for Roman Catholic girls. Citing issues such as reproductive rights and abortion, Carlson
8 APRIL 2016
Support for students David B. Zellmer, bishop of the South Dakota Synod, publicly opposed a bill approved by the state Senate that would require transgendered students to use school bathrooms, locker rooms and shower facilities that correspond to their biological sex rather than the gender with which they identify. In urging Gov. Dennis Daugaard to veto the bill, Zellmer wrote: “This is a bill that ostracizes transgender students, putting them at risk in our schools. These are the children of our own families, congregations and communities. Let our love for them lead us to take action for their protection.” The bill was vetoed March 1.
Diluting refugee welcome Germany’s Christian churches that have greeted waves of Middle Eastern refugees are limiting the flow now that public opinion toward the newcomers has turned from welcoming to wary. Since September, Roman Catholic and Protestant church
leaders have backed Chancellor Angela Merkel’s original open- door policy to Syrians, but a spree of migrants sexually harassing women in Cologne has snapped the public’s patience. Germany is now finding ways to control the number of arrivals.
Caemmerer dies Renowned artist and teacher Richard R. Caemmerer Jr., 82, died Feb. 16. A maker of stained glass, sculptures, frescoes and tapestry designs for churches, Caemmerer was liturgical consultant and designer for more than 600 churches throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa and Japan. He taught art and theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago for 19 years and was professor of art at Valparaiso (Ind.) University from 1958 to 1980. With his wife Elizabeth, he co-founded the retreat center and studio Grünewald Guild in 1980.
By ELCA publications staff and Religion News Service
Stained glass: Richard R. Caemmerer
© LWF/DWS/ACT Ethiopia/P. Jeffrey
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