WORLDWIDE PHOTOS LTD The Religious Media Agency

WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW

November 14, 2002

INDEX

AUSTRALIA: 1. GIFT APPEAL LAUNCHED IN MELBOURNE (UnitingCare) 2. CHRISTMAS BOWL VISITORS AROUND AUSTRALIA (NCCA) 3. SALVOS LISTEN IN DROUGHT AREAS (The Slvtn Army News) 4. ARMENIANS CELEBRATE 1700 YEARS (NCCA) 5. DROUGHT WILL HIT CHRISTMAS DINNERS (Anglicare NSW) 6. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HIGHEST FUNDRAISER (Mission Australia)

OVERSEAS: 7. CRISIS IN ETHIOPIA (Christian Herald) 8. TENNESSEE TOWN DIGS OUT (Disaster News Ntwrk ) 9. BELARUS’ CONTROL OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES (Church Times) 10. REACHING A FRESH GENERATION (Challenge Weekly) 11. ATHLETES RUN FOR PEACE IN AFRICA (UMNS) 12. ADOPTIVE CHILDREN FACE A ‘SAD DAY’ (Christian Herald) 13. REMARKABLE RESPONSE TO GOSPEL (Challenge Weekly) 14. FRANCE IN ‘WAR AGAINST THE POOR’? (Christian Herald) 15. WEB SITE’S SEARCH FOR ‘SAINT INTERNET’ (ENI)

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1. GIFT APPEAL LAUNCHED IN MELBOURNE (UnitingCare) Drought, bushfire and rough times in country areas means Australia’s largest welfare provider, UnitingCare, is gearing up for its toughest Christmas on record. On Tuesday, November 12, UnitingCare joined with Target stores Australia-wide in launching the 11th annual SHARE Christmas Gift Appeal in Melbourne. UnitingCare’s National Director, Lin Hatfield Dodds, said: “For many families Christmas will be a time to survive, rather than celebrate. We are aiming for 100,000 gifts nationally, so please add a stranger to your Christmas shopping list.” The SHARE Christmas Giving Tree will be up in all Target stores until Christmas Eve. For more information: UnitingCare, phone: (03) 9251 5250; Fax: (03) 9654-4110.

2. CHRISTMAS BOWL VISITORS AROUND AUSTRALIA (NCCA) Two prominent international church leaders are visiting Australia in November and December at the invitation of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Bernard Sabella, from the Middle East Council of Churches, is in Australia to promote the Christmas Bowl program. But he has a far more important message for Australians. “Christian and Muslim organisations are already working together to provide relief to suffering people,” he said. “That co-operation must increase. We must wake up. We must work together. The world is a small place. What happens in Palestine, or in Bali, or in Australia or in New York affects every one of us.” The other guest, Matthew Wale works for the Solomon Islands Christian Association Peace Committee, mediating in ethnic conflicts and engaging with militia, police and government on the peace process. He is a leader in the Solomon Island’s new-born civil society movement, which arose at a time when the parliament was under extreme duress and constitutional accountability was non-existent.

3. SALVOS LISTEN IN DROUGHT AREAS (The Slvtn Army News) The Salvation Army’s rural chaplain, Envoy Bill Sweeting reports that The Salvation Army is listening carefully to the needs of rural communities to identify the best response. Many farmers have no money left for hay, and are struggling to keep the power and telephones connected. These are lifelines for people in the bush. Rural communities will be feeling the effect of the drought – losing crops, poor yields, etc. – for at least 12 months. With no crop, there is little to sustain them over the year ahead.

4. ARMENIANS CELEBRATE 1700 YEARS (NCCA) As part of the 1700th anniversary of the conversion of Armenia to Christianity, Armenia’s spiritual leader will visit Australia between 14 and 26 November, 2002. Armenia was the first nation to embrace Christianity as a state religion in CE 301. His Holiness will visit Armenian communities in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as meet the Prime Minister, State Premiers and Governors. His Holiness Karekin II was born in Armenia in 1951, and ordained a priest in 1972. He served parishes in Austria, Germany, and Moscow. Ecumenical Services celebrating the visit will be held in Sydney on 19 November in St Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral at 7:30 p.m, and in Melbourne on 25 November at St Michael’s Uniting Church, Cnr. Russell and Collins Streets, Melbourne at 6.00 p.m.

5. DROUGHT WILL HIT CHRISTMAS DINNERS (Anglicare NSW) As ANGLICARE prepares to embark on its crucial Christmas Appeal, it is bracing for a busier than hoped for festive season, with thousands of families unable to cover the increased financial costs caused by the drought. ‘Traditionally, many families in Australia struggle financially during the Christmas period because they simply can’t cover the added costs of living or have a limited fixed income, which restricts effective budgeting,’ stated Mrs Dearne Cameron, ANGLICARE General Manager of Communications. Over the next two months, over 4,000 families will visit an ANGLICARE Emergency Relief centre in Sydney or Wollongong seeking assistance. Requests for this support have increased significantly over the last twelve months, with the intake of families in some centres doubling. To fund this crucial work, ANGLICARE needs to raise almost $2 million from its Christmas appeal. Individuals wishing to support this work can donate by calling 13 26 22.

6. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HIGHEST FUNDRAISER (Mission Australia) Mission Australia has named a local Moruya High School student as its highest fundraiser for Winter Sleepout 2002 in Southern NSW and ACT. Briony Taylor has been recognised as the highest fundraiser in Southern NSW and ACT, ahead of more than 800 people across the region that participated in this year’s event. Last week, Briony was presented with a ‘Sleepout’ Pack, which included a range of camping equipment and a certificate of appreciation.

7. CRISIS IN ETHIOPIA (Christian Herald) Aid agencies Tearfund and Christian Aid warned this week that food shortages caused by drought are tightening their grip in Ethiopia, where up to 15 million people could face starvation in the coming months. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that without a massive international relief effort, his country could face a crisis on the scale of the famine that killed nearly one million people in 1984.

8. TENNESSEE TOWN DIGS OUT (Disaster News Ntwrk ) Rescue workers combed the wreckage at Mossy Grove, Tennessee, for survivors Tuesday as stunned townspeople tried to come to terms with the devastation surrounding them. A powerful tornado annihilated parts of this tiny town, located about 40 miles west of Knoxville. The tornado touched down between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Sunday. Preliminary reports from the scene classified the tornado as an F5, the most destructive type of tornado, with winds greater than 200 mph. A Church World Service (CWS) representative was deployed to Mossy Grove to assist with developing a long-term interfaith response. A Lutheran Disaster Response representative and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee were assessing damages in co-ordination with CWS. The Tennessee Baptist Convention activated disaster relief units state-wide to offer aid and assistance to victims in dozens of communities. Brian Holloway, who pastors a church near Mossy Grove, said the devastation was unbelievable. “The heart of Mossy Grove is gone,” he said. “Huge oak trees about six feet in diameter were sucked out of the ground and tossed down the road.”

9. BELARUS’ CONTROL OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES (Church Times) All unregistered religious activity will be outlawed in the former Soviet republic of Belarus from next week. The ban was signed into law by the President, Aleksandr Lukashenko, on 31 October. Under the new law, foreigners are banned from leading religious organisations; all religious publications must be censored; and only religious communities that have been registered for at least 20 years may teach their faith. Even religious meetings in private homes, except in certain circumstances, will be unlawful. The Full Gospel Union of 64 registered Pentecostal churches in Belarus has said it will challenge the ban through the courts if it is applied to deprive organisations of registration which have it now.

10. REACHING A FRESH GENERATION (Challenge Weekly) A new 21st century edition of one of the world’s best known gospel booklets has recently been released by Castle Publishing, in New Zealand. The launch of the new 40 page edition of The Reason Why, is being marked by the acclaimed musical of the same name. The aim of both the reprinted tract and the musical is to reach a fresh generation of New Zealanders with the good news about Jesus. The modern design and contemporary testimonies (including well known New Zealand sports people), should give the new edition booklet, a wide appeal to today’s young people.

11. ATHLETES RUN FOR PEACE IN AFRICA (UMNS) About 1,500 runners braved 90-degree heat and a difficult course to compete Nov. 9 in the inaugural Africa University International Peace Marathon. The marathon, launched as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the founding of Africa University, was aimed at promoting peace in Africa. The United Methodist-related school’s yearlong observance will culminate with several events Nov. 15-17. The race attracted the best of Zimbabwe’s junior and senior middle-distance runners and wheelchair athletes. High school teams and amateurs ran in the half-marathon and relays, while more than 450 youngsters from primary schools turned out for a special fun run. “We’ve had a great turnout and wonderful support for this first marathon,” said Augustine Dzathor, the Africa University lecturer and alumnus. “We wanted a mass event with lots of participation from ordinary people, youth and the community, and we certainly got that.”

12. ADOPTIVE CHILDREN FACE A ‘SAD DAY’ (Christian Herald) Christian campaign groups in Britain described the House of Lords’ decision to extend joint adoption of children to cohabiting couples as a “further victory for political correctness”. CARE and the Evangelical Alliance said they enthusiastically supported the majority of the Adoption and Children Bill, but hoped that the best interests of the child, rather than the “rights” of adults are put first.

13. REMARKABLE RESPONSE TO GOSPEL (Challenge Weekly) An outstanding youth rally was held last weekend where many made first time commitments. Pastor and international evangelist, Greg Laurie, spoke about the prodigal son to more than 500 young people at the Bruce Mason Theatre in Takapuna, Auckland. His direct and simple message was given in a way that the young people could relate to. When he made his appeal for people to come forward to receive Jesus into their hearts, 120 young people responded, many were making first time commitments. Counsellors were stretched to pray and talk with everyone who responded. The Greg Laurie executive have since made the comment that the way these people responded was remarkable, and unlike anything they had ever seen before. While Greg Laurie has done concerts all around the world, to thousands of people and seen hundreds respond, they have never seen such a large immediate response to his call to come forward.

14. FRANCE IN ‘WAR AGAINST THE POOR’? (Christian Herald) The French Protestant Federation has strongly criticised a proposed law on internal security for how it might affect the nation’s Gypsies. The legislation includes provision for a fine or even imprisonment for parking caravans on property without authorisation. The country’s Senate is expected to review the bill this month. The Gypsy Evangelical Mission said the draft law was a ‘scandal’.

15. WEB SITE’S SEARCH FOR ‘SAINT INTERNET’ (ENI) A 7th-century saint widely seen as the Vatican’s front runner in the search to find a patron saint for the Internet has been rejected by cybernauts, according to a survey of Internet users launched on an Italian Web site. St Isidore, a Spanish bishop and a leading intellectual of the church who died in 636, had been suggested to the Vatican in 1999 as a possible patron saint for the Internet. He had compiled a form of encyclopaedia, Etymologies, with a structure similar to what is now known as a database.

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