[Editor’s Note: This issue of Presbyterians Week is late because the editor, whose secular employment is that of an information technology administrator, spent the better part of the past few days and nights dealing with the consequences of the adage: “To err is human; to really foul things up you need a computer.”]
Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] Christian Observer Highlights for July 2011
[4] Robert H. Schuller Voted Off Crystal Cathedral Board of Directors
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[1] Christian Observer Highlights for July 2011
New articles for July 2011 in the Christian Observer include:
-- Freedom Depends On Moral Foundations – by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – transcript of a 3 July 2011 radio broadcast where secular forces currently undermining morality and biblical tenets for encouraging morality are contrasted, and how the undermining of moral foundations endangers the freedom of the individual and the nation; and,
-- Calvinism or Pluralism In Education? by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – the effects of Calvinistic influences vs. pluralistic influences on public education;
Plus, regular features including weekly Sabbath School Lessons and Westminster Shorter Catechism lessons by Christian Observer Assistant Editor Dr. Robert LaMay, and Daily Devotionals by T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.
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+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 20110, christianobserver@christianobserver.org
[2] World Vision Beijing Office Pressures Shouwang Church Member Employee to Quit Job so that World Vision China Programs Will Not Be Affected
After the government of the Peoples Republic of China in April 2011 evicted the Shouwang Church from its leased meeting space, the church members began holding worship services outdoors in defiance of the Chinese government’s intention to shut down the church. One of the Shouwang Church members is Sister Xia Xiaoqiu, who additionally is an employee of the Beijing, China, office of World Vision.
The Beijing World Vision office is now pressuring Sister Xia Xiaoqiu to resign her position after telling Xiaoqiu that “…the problems of your personal faith affect our work and our organization’s development in China.”
A petition of support for the Shouwang Church is available at:
http://www.helpsw.org/p/helpshouwang.html
+ Betty Chu, Coordinator, Sign Petition for Shouwang, 202-695-4455, HelpShouwang@gmail.com
+ World Vision, P.O. Box 9716, Dept. W, Federal Way, Washington 9806, 888-511-6592, info@worldvision.org
[3] Summer of Mercy 2.0 to Provide Prayerful and Public Witness at the Germantown, Maryland, Clinic of Late-term Abortionist Leroy Carhart
The Maryland Coalition for Life, Operation Rescue, the Christian Defense Coalition, and the local churches of Maryland, putting into practice Amos 5:15a “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate:”, are coordinating the ‘Summer of Mercy 2.0’, which will include between 30 July and 7 August 2011, nine days of prayer, rallies, teaching, worship, and public witness in Germantown, Maryland, at the office of late-term abortionist Leroy Carhart.
The ‘Summer of Mercy 2.0’ is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the ‘Summer of Mercy’ in Wichita, Kansas, where over 50,000 pro-life activists gathered in 1991 to cry out to God for an end to abortion.
The theme of the event in Germantown is: "Do you believe prayer and public witness can end abortion? We do!”
Michael Martelli, the Executive Director of the Maryland Coalition for Life, comments: “Leroy Carhart came to Maryland because it is one of the most pro-abortion and unregulated states in the country. Carhart has turned our great state into ‘Ground Zero’ in the battle for the lives of the next generation.
“We believe that the all-powerful and sovereign Creator of the Universe makes no mistakes, and will use ‘Summer of Mercy 2.0’ to end the barbaric practice of late-term abortion once and for all.”
Shady Grove Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America) Senior Pastor the Rev. Charles Bail, adds: “As a local pastor, we welcome the opportunity to stand for life in our community during ‘Summer of Mercy 2.0’. Our community needs to know that we truly love and care for pregnant women in crisis and that we will help them so they are not left to think their only alternative is to take the life of their own child.
“Our community needs to know that in the shadow of our nation's capitol the barbaric practice of late-term abortion is being performed. The Church cannot remain silent while seven month old viable children in their mother's wombs are being destroyed.
“I look forward to uniting with numerous churches in praying and pleading for the protection of children and standing for their basic right to life.”
A schedule of events for ‘Summer of Mercy 2.0’ is available here:
http://summerofmercy.com/events.html
+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ Maryland Coalition for Life, 13230 Executive Park Terrace, Germantown, Maryland 20874, 410-775-6670, info@mdcoalitionforlife.com
+ Operation Rescue, Post Office Box 782888, Wichita, Kansas 67278, 800-705-1175, Fax: 916-244-2636, info@operationrescue.org
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org
[4] Robert H. Schuller Voted Off Crystal Cathedral Board of Directors
A 3 July 2011 article by Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register titled “Schuller Ousted from Crystal Cathedral Board” reports that the Rev. Robert H. Schuller has been voted off the Crystal Cathedral (CC) (Reformed Church in America) board after trying to expand the size of the board to include other than paid CC staff members that hold a majority on the board.
Schuller’s son the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, who himself was ousted three years ago from the position of CC senior pastor, said that paid staff members dominating the board is a “serious conflict of interest”.
The CC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2010, owing US$7.5 million to unsecured creditors.
+ Orange County Register, 625 North Grand Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92701, 877-469-7344, thorne@ocregister.com
+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org
