ENI for the latest news about churches and religion.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, told the bishops' biennial assembly on 1 February that the widening of the gap between rich and poor is "a matter of serious concern for the church."
Posted on 2 February 2012 @ 12:00 am
Roman Catholic bishops in Malawi have endorsed a government move to allow men to get circumcised in hospitals as a prevention measure aimed at HIV/AIDS.
Posted on 1 February 2012 @ 12:00 am
A group of theologically conservative American Christian leaders is joining with animal rights defenders to advocate against cockfighting, calling the practice of watching and betting on roosters who fight to the death antithetical to biblical values.
Posted on 31 January 2012 @ 12:00 am
It is harvest time for strawberries in the northern Philippine town of La Trinidad, so strawberry farmer Alice Rivera will start repaying a loan extended by a Geneva-based ecumenical church loan fund.
Posted on 30 January 2012 @ 12:00 am
posted on May 2, 2011 in In Song
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With some regret, and some words of thanks, I take my leave, and take on a new challenge as a missionary for the United Methodist Church, U.S.A., to the World Council of Churches in Geneva.
posted on April 15, 2011 in In Song
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In this living faith, unauthorized and not published by Wood Lake books, in the beginning Presbyterians started life in Canada as Settlers. Some say we’ve been settling ever since.
posted on April 1, 2011 in In Song
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There are many talented people in the Presbyterian church. They could be, should be sharing their gifts as part of a national and denominational strategy for making our worship vibrant and joyful, and for effectively sharing our faith. Are they? And is there a strategy?
posted on March 15, 2011 in In Song
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One thing is sure: one size no longer fits all. This variety in our worship and our music will require more from church musicians and more, not less, support, imagination and deep theology from our congregations.
posted on March 3, 2011 in In Song
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There is an energy, a hungry spirit of enquiry at the Calvin Symposium on Worship, held each January in Grand Rapids. The Symposium shows a passionate commitment to exploring and supporting the arts of worship that we Presbyterians can learn from.
posted on February 25, 2011 in In Song
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There’s a small book in my bookshelf called “Canadian Vibrations”. Actually, it’s called “Canadian Vibrations Canadiennes,” a unabashedly bilingual collection of traditional Canadian folksongs along with songs by Canadian singer-songwriters.
posted on February 1, 2011 in In Song
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“Living Faith” presents as solid theology of the Bible. What about “beloving” as well as believing the scriptural text. Here are more ideas for authentic and faithful worship.
posted on January 15, 2011 in In Song
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Worship is a temporal art which reflects the value we place on time. What kind of time are we as a denomination spending on strong congregational singing?
posted on January 5, 2011 in In Song
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Here are some ideas about worship and congregational song that I’ve begged, borrowed, stolen and (what’s more important) used in past years that have made worship more vital and joyful.
posted on December 15, 2010 in In Song
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“Tradition” is a word that’s as loaded as a Christmas stocking. These two CDs, each in their own way, shine their light on the traditions of Christmas – and deserve a spot in someone’s stocking.
posted on December 1, 2010 in In Song
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The well-documented and sad state of community singing is thrown into sharp relief during this most musical of seasons. Building a singing culture is the same as building a hockey culture, but without the gaps in the front teeth.
posted on November 15, 2010 in In Song
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These carols speak to our time in fresh ways, and bring needed balance whenever we fear nostalgia and greeting-card sentiments rule our Yule.
posted on November 1, 2010 in In Song
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When all the restructuring is done and the reports are in, it still comes back to loving, worshipping and enjoying God. That still involves the simple and subversive act of singing together.
posted on October 15, 2010 in In Song
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Today I suggest a few more psalm paraphrases that merit attention.
posted on October 1, 2010 in In Song
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More how-to comments on some contemporary and global songs in the Presbyterian Book of Praise. Listening to songs and artists of the same genre is a key ingredient in presenting the music on its own terms.
posted on September 15, 2010 in In Song
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How do you get the right style when leading worship songs rooted in popular and dance music? It comes down to rhythm. Here are some practical helps, with links to online videos.
posted on September 1, 2010 in In Song
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I wonder if we suffer, not from a lack of faith, but from a poverty of imagination. Or do we accept what is dysfunctional because of our fierce loyalty to the church? Here are some more hymns to balance and shape us anew.
posted on August 15, 2010 in In Song
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Hymns shape us in ways deeper than our expressed theology—sometimes for good, sometimes not. Here are some hymns that should be shaping us. Agree? Disagree?
posted on August 1, 2010 in In Song
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Angus Sutherland, minister at Doon Presbyterian in Kitchener, Ont., is also a multi-instrumentalist: bagpipes, penny whistle and guitar. He is also a song and hymn writer.
posted on July 15, 2010 in In Song
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Hymn Societies, both local and international, keep lovers of congregational song in touch with what’s new and what’s familiar in hymnnody. Those who attend Hymn Society conferences find them invigorating and exhausting-and then they return with new ideas and new energy to their local congregations.
