Episcopal Church OKs Same-Sex Blessings; NZ Church: We Need to Talk About Marriage; Episcopal Church Convention ‘declines to take a position’ on Anglican Covenant; NZ Cathedral deconstruction on hold, PM says; Church charities rush aid to flood-damaged Assam state in India; Kenya: Churches Security Tightened After Attacks
Episcopal Church OKs Same-Sex Blessings; Largest U.S. Denomination To Do So
NPR – With a vote Tuesday evening by its House of Deputies, the Episcopal Church became the largest U.S. denomination so far “to officially sanction same-sex relationships,” as CNN’s Belief blog writes.
The Associated Press says that “supporters of the same-sex blessings insisted it was not a marriage ceremony despite any similarities. Called ‘The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant,’ the ceremony includes prayers and an exchange of vows and rings. Same-sex couples must complete counseling before having their unions or civil marriages blessed by the church.”
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/07/11/156597630/episcopal-church-oks-same-sex-blessings-largest-u-s-denomination-to-do-so?ft=1&f=1016
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18792315
NZ Church: We Need to Talk About Marriage
That’s what the General Synod decided in Fiji this afternoon.
Without dissent, and after a debate that at times included displays of raw emotion, the synod passed a resolution that “asks Episcopal Units to hold conversations in our church and with the wider community about the nature of marriage.”
http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2012/7/11/ACNS5146
USA – Episcopal Church Convention ‘declines to take a position’ on Anglican Covenant
ACNS – The House of Bishops concurred with the deputies July 10 to affirm their commitment to building relationships across the Anglican Communion, especially through the Continuing Indaba program, and to decline to take a position on the Anglican Covenant.
http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2012/7/11/ACNS5146
NZ Cathedral deconstruction on hold, PM says
ACNS – Prime Minister John Key has confirmed the deconstruction of Christ Church Cathedral is on hold while the Anglican Church considers an independent report saying it can be saved.
http://www.aco.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2012/7/11/Cathedral-deconstruction-on-hold-PM-says
Church charities rush aid to flood-damaged Assam state in India
ENI – Churches and Christian charities have joined the massive relief effort in Assam state in the northeast region of India, which recently experienced a devastating flood that has claimed over 125 lives and left nearly three million people homeless.
http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5787
Kenya: Churches Security Tightened After Attacks
ACNS – Security has been beefed up in most churches following last week’s twin bombing on two worship centres in Garissa. A spot check on churches in Nairobi yesterday revealed that all worshippers were being screened, with some centres hiring services of uniformed security personnel.
http://www.aco.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2012/7/11/Kenya-Churches-Security-Tightened-After-Attacks