| Show i - - - -'- 0C2 The Salt Lake Tribune ftbit ' The issue of homosexuality is so divisive within the United Methodist Church it could harbor the danger of explicit disunity or schism according to a new church report The titled In Search of Unity was prepared Feb during a theological dialogue in Dallas that included 23 participants who expressed a wide range of views on homosexuality It now has been handed over to a steering committee for final editing and is expected to be released in early March Methodists Make News J 19-2- 0 four-memb- er TOLERANCE MARKED French religious leaders joined French President Jac-qpChirac on Feb 18 for a Ceremony in Paris marking the 400th anniversary of King Henry IVs Edict of Nantes which ended the French reli-giowars by giving Protestants civil equality with Catholics ?s well as the freedom to praecipe their religion But 87 years after it was signed King Louis XIV revoked it prompting a new wave of persecution against Protestants that sent many fleeing to neighboring countries Chirac said the revocation of the edict is a reminder t peace can never be taken for granted Ecumenical News Intl HEALING PRAYER Bill Bright the evangelical Christian leader who founded Campus Crusade for Christ International and other evangelical leaders are calling on Christians to pray America back to God in a nationwide fast from March 1 to April 9 a period overlapping much of the season of Lent the period between Ash Wednesday (Feb 25) and Easter Bright likens fastings effect on prayer to the atomic bombs effect on World War II it brings just as dramatic a result he asserted Fasting with prayer opens the floodgates of heaven Religion News Service : 'STANDING FIRM - After a yearlong review the Jewish Council for Public Ad ffairs on Wednesday its opposition to school vouchers claiming that the use 'of taxpayer funds to help students attend private schools would undermine public education The JCPA coordinates community relations for 13 national and 122 local Jewish groqps While most American Jewish groups long have opposed school vouchers in recent years politically conservative and religiously Orthodox Jews have sought to get IKe organizations to reaf--firme- ZT News Service THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Less than a year after it hired a new senior pastor Salt Lake City's historic First Presbyterian Church is looking for one again We would call it a bad match in our Pressaid the Rev Marvin byterian language Groote executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Utah It does happen from time to time The downtown church hired the Rev Bill Alexander as senior pastor last spring following a yearlong selection process to replace the Rev Donald Baird who left in 1995 to accept a pastorate in Sacramento Alexander left after the congregation voted to dismiss him Feb Bisbop Richard Holloway of Edinburgh head of the Scottish Episcopal Church said the British government should consider rethinking Britains drug laws There are more than echoes here of the ancient culture of sin and witchcraft that hold certain substances or natural activities to be wrong in themselves inherently wicked he said Holloway is the latest of a growing number of "religious and secular leaders questioning Britains current drug laws especially involving marijuana Last May the general assembly of the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) endorsed a call for a royal com- mission to look into tiie legalization of marijuana Z Religion News Service BY JULIA LIEBLICH RELIGION NEWS SERVICE WORCESTER Mass Barbara Roy is a devout churchgoing Christian who doesnt be- lieve in divorce Shes convinced God condemns divorce And shes been divorced three times Matrimonial failure has taken its toll A real estate broker and host in cenpopular cable-Ttral Massachusetts Roy makes jokes about her marital record to beat potential critics to the punch And though shes raised seven children and dotes on her 10 grandchildren shes convinced shes unfit to influence teen-ag- e girls Im not a good role model she says Divorce is tough enough without the burden of theological Anglican Archbishop Ndungane of Cape Town the successor of d Tutu has proposed a single Anglican Church to unite lu Des-lhon- all of Africas Anglicans Ndungane suggested that Anglicans could retain their regional autonomous structures while striving for the establishment of an Episcopal Church of Africa that transcended boundaries Such a Church would be one of the I worlds largest uniting Southern Africa Tanzania Burundi 'Uganda Sudan Nigeria West Africa and provinces covering 'the Congo and North African regions Episcopal Ne&s Service al I For Prayer Day: reticent There are many variables but the bottom line is that the senior pastor can do anything that person wants so long as he or she is a strong pulpit person he said Its key with First Presbyterian The music program and a strong pulpit draws and keeps our key membership Buterbaugh also was miffed that Alexander failed to attend the graveside service in January of Mae Closson Baker a longtime church member who died Jan 13 at the age of 96 whom he described as known for her divinity candy and big smile Buterbaugh said the situation probably was no more than a faux pas but said the senior minister must be on the ball and that his or her first responsibility is to the congregation Christian women from Madagascar the island off the coast of East Africa gathered their cultural traditions and the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the theme of next months World Day of Prayer theme Each year Christian women from a different locality throughout the world develop the World Day of Prayer service Last year it was Korean women This year it is women from Madagascar Who Is My Neighbor is the theme of the event which takes place March 6 throughout the world In Utah worship services will take place in Ogden and Sandy Ogden worship begins at 9:30 am with registration at New Zion Church 2935 Lincoln Ave Cost is $1 Refreshments follow the service Sandys service begins at the same time with $1 registration qt Community of Grace Presbyterian Church 2015 Newcastle Drive A $4 brunch follows at noon Call self-effaci- condemnation Hanlon-Swe- tt said Judith founder of Chris- tian Singles a fellowship of mostly evangelical Protestants and traditional Catholics which Roy attends in Worcester Mass It is one of a growing number of such groups throughout the nation Many men and women in these fellowships say that when their marriages broke up they felt they had failed God and their spouses had failed them While Islamic Jewish and liberal Protestant groups permit divorce without condemnation the Roman Catholic Church teaches that a true marriage ends only in death So do evan- 561-102- Roy was just 16 when she first married and 17 when she had her first child Her husband began staying out all night Saturday and berating her for going to church Sunday She stayed in the marriage for 10 years until she realized that God wanted more for me and my children than the life I was leading When her next two marriages ended each after more than a decade she blamed herself for failing to listen to Gods calling in choosing a Christian mate Such said DAngona is a devastating result of divorce among Christians Not only didnt we get the life we wanted we screwed up in Gods eyes As awareness of spousal abuse has increased more clerics have been counseling parishioners against living with partners who harm them psychologically and physically Before the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s said Sister Beth Butler of who include F Lee Bailey yers and expressed confidence that Lyons can continue to lead one of the nations largest black denominations Pray if you dont do anything else that I find the means to get them paid Lyons said as Bailey and two other lawyers stood behind him No church money will be used to pay the attorneys said Roscoe Cooper the conventions general secretary Prosecutors in Florida say Lyons stole hundreds of thousands BULLETIN BOARD CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST The Rev Robert L Jackson Pastor Bob of Acts Full Gospel Church in Oakland Calif will be the keynote speaker at the Spring Renewal and Evangelism Conference of Deliverance Temple at 1311 S 900 West in Salt Lake City on March 4 5 and 6 Julie MalakieReligion News Service Barbara Roy who has been divorced three times says God forgives her more easily than she can forgive herself the Canon Law Society of America in Washington Support groups try to help individuals make sense of breakups that may seem senseless How can believers behave so badly? And why cant God help Christians keep their marriages intact? DAngona says hes read everything he can find on divorce and he still finds it tough to explain theologically In the early days I would be home at night praying and shaking my fist at God he said Later he came to believe divorce isnt part of Gods plan and humans are responsible for ruining their relationships of dollars from the convention and defrauded the League The United Church of Christ Congregational will have a Lenten Soup Supper on Sunday 6 pm at the church 3550 Hamson Ogden For more information call 1 394-385- EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Diocese will offer an y workshop on Sacred Dance and Movement Meditation today 10 amto 4 pm Cathedral out of nearly $250000 it had donated to rebuild black churches in the South that had been burned last year Lyons opened a secret bank account and diverted church funds to himself and two mistresses according to a criminal complaint filed in Pinellas County Fla It also alleged that Lyons inflated church membership by as much as 8 million people to boost donations Lyons said he was encouraged by the support he received Church of St Mark 251 E 100 South Salt Lake City Registration is $5 and lunch is included To RSVP or for more information call or An workshop on the Foundation Studies in Christian Ethics will be held today 10 a m to 3 pm Tuttle Center 80 S 300 East Salt Lake City Registration is $5 and lunch is included To RSVP or for more information call 1 Divorce is not the unforgivable sin said Whiteman who holds two-da- y workshops in churches meant to be followed by ongoing support groups God can still use you Even if you are the guilty party there is forgiveness Hanlon-Swe- tt agrees: I had a marriage and I screwed up and broke the sacrament But Im not going to give the second half of my life to bitterness and beating myself up I dont want to make divorce easy or OK but I want to be able to forgive and go on Thats the balance I work with in Christian Singles How do you accept the past and go on with grace? 23-ye- 322-413- Wednesday night at the church where he has been pastor for 27 years Bethel Metropolitan Church in St Petersburg Fla Lyons 55 who could face 30 years in prison is free on $100000 bail A former church worker Bernice Edwards also was charged with theft for allegedly helping Lyons defraud several banks She was arrested Wednesday in Milwaukee where she lives At a court appearance Thursday bail was set at $5000 on the condition that Edwards go to Florida within 24 hours Mormon Letters will be held today Westminster College 1840 S 1300 East Salt Lake City Registration will take place at 8 am with sessions beginning at 9 a m The luncheon with the conference is $15 for those not An evening social featuring readings from award winners will be held at Karen Moloneys home 6:30 pm 453 N West Capitol Street Salt Lake City or METHODIST EVANGEUCAL John Guest and the Gloriana choir will perform Friday 7:30 pm Eccles Center for the Performing Arts Park City High School Park City Guest will speak on Experiencing Hope in a Skeptical World For more information call 5 Julia at D 647-585- The Utah School of Jewish Studies presents Matt Goldish professor of history at the University of Arizona speaking on the impact of the secret Jews of Amsterdam on Modem Age Thinking on Sunday 7:30 pm Unitarian Church 569 S 1300 East Salt Lake City A $5 donation is suggested First United Methodist Church will have a Lenten Organ Meditation and luncheon featuring Carol Smart Thursday 11:30 am at the church 203 S 200 East For more information 6 call Lent begins Monday for Utahs Eastern Orthodox Christians a day known as Clean Monday or the Monday of cleansing or purification in which the faithful begin a spiritual and moral purification in preparation for Easter For a number of other Utah Christians Roman Catholics and most Protestants Lent began last Wednesday The reason for the discrepancy lies in how the Eastern and Western churches calculate Easter Orthodox Christians calculate the date of Easter in accordance with the Council of Nicaea in 325 which decreed that Easter must be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon of the vernal or spring equinox and after the Jewish Passover This year Easter will be April 19 while it is April 12 in the Western churches The Rev John Kaloudis head priest of Salt Lakes Greek Orthodox parish said church members seek the spiritual and moral purification of Lent through fasting prayer meditation repentance attending religious services and by partaking of the sacraments of communion and confession Utahs Orthodox Christian community is a diverse one In addition to Greek Orthodox parishes in Salt Lake City Ogden and Price there are three more Orthodox groups in the Salt Lake Valley: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox and Orthodox Church in America strengthen marriages will take place in Salt Lake City April 8 To call or 24-2- 964-806- 786-155- 0 The Cottonwood Presbyterian Church will host an Interdenominational Choir Festival including itself the St James Episcopal Church' Holladay United Church of Christ and the LDS Butler West Stake on Sunday 7 pm at Cottonwood Presbyterian Church 1580 E Vine Street For more information call The Transition Support Group will cover the topic Where Are You Now With Mormon-ism- ? Wednesday 7:30 pm First Unitarian Church 569 S 1300 East Salt Lake City 328-872- PRESBYTERIAN MISCELLANEOUS The Utah Atheists will show a video titled Women and Christianity from the 1997 Atheist Viewpoint series Sunday 11:30 am The Encore Grill 2080 W North Temple Salt Lake City The Bible Broadcasting Network on KYFO Ogden (1490 AM) will now carry the programming of Red de Radiodifusion Biblica along with its current Christian programming (RRB-Spanis- all-da- UTTER-DA- Orthodox Christians Start Lent Monday 278-461- 9 O JEWISH CONGREGATIONAL 5 the organization sponsors The others are May Fellowship Day and World Community Day in November all-da- y Holladay Baptist Church will serve a pancake breakfast on Sunday 830 to 10 a m at the church 2780 E 3900 South Also the church will start a week of prayer for North American Missions O 272-066- World Day of Prayer is one of three major annual celebrations 322-413- 1 Compiled by Megan Crotty and Matt Sartwell or 1941 Lyons Asks for Prayers to Help Him Pay Legal Bills NASHVILLE Tenn The Rev Henry Lyons charged with stealing church money that had been donated to rebuild burned black churches insisted Thursday that hes not the monster portrayed in the media Lyons at a news conference at the headquarters of the National Baptist Convention USA here did not address the racketeering and theft charges filed against him in Florida on Wednesday But convention leaders said they have set up a legal defense fund to help Lyons pay his law 7 thodox and other Christian the Metropolitan (marriage) Protestants Still Catholics divorce at the same rate as the general population And according to a study Barna by the California-base- d Research Group born-agai- n Christians and Christian fundamentalists are more likely than 278-502- women in the United States and Puerto Rico that was organized in Tribunal of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile Ala divorced Catholics were very much looked down on based on the strong Catholic belief that when youre divorced youve failed even if the marriage was abusive Today divorced Catholics are welcome in most churches and they may receive the Eucharist unless they remarry without getting their first marriages annulled About 50000 annulments are granted in the United States each year according to gelical and fundamentalist 4 for reservations The theme is familiar to Christians figuring in the gospels and Jesus parables such as that of the Good Samaritan It also figures in Madagascan culture through the concept of Fihavanana a bond and unity between people a sharing of sorrow and happiness A portion of World Day of Prayer offerings will be used for grants in Madagascar among them an ecumenical center where adolescents and young women can develop skills and find spiritual education Church Women United is an ecumenical movement of Protestant Roman Catholic Eastern Or- thereafter BAPTIST AFRICAN CHURCH? me Church member Jim Buterbaugh was less to go through divorce leaving many believers to contemplate a life of solitude or sin Paul DAngona considered such a life as he looked out from the pulpit of his idyllic New England church He was a pastor who believed divorce was a sin and his wife had announced she was leaving I felt like it wasnt the right thing to be leading people and have such a disastrous relationship at home I resigned shortly he said Devout Struggle With Feelings of Having Failed God ' s s8iisiw Divorced Christians Face Crises of Faith -- ! t Saturday February 28 1998 fund-raisin- 15 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RETHINK DRUGS Njon-Igonku- RELIGION 9 " se I dont think there was any one event that triggered it" Groote said My view is that the skills Bill brought to the office and the needs of the church were not the same Its as simple as that The Rev Russ Durler a retired pastor is doing some administrative work to relieve pressure on First Presbyterians staff Groote said the congregation will have to hire an interim pastor and begin its search process again Alexander declined to comment except to agree with Groote that it was a bad match The church is involved in a major g campaign to raise $4 million to $6 million to restore its stately red sandstone facilities on South Temple but officials said Alexanders dismissal should not affect it BY PETER SCARLET GAY SCHISM? draft document $ First Presbyterian Votes to Dismiss Pastor gLvl I - JT L-V Y SAINTS The Annual itonference of the Association-o- f NONDENOMINATIONAL A manage encounter weekend designed to The Presbyterian Men of Salt Lake will spon- sor a series of Lenten Luncheons beginning Wednesday noon Japanese Church of Christ 268 W 100 South Salt Lake City The featured speaker will be Rev Marty Geisel Pastor of American Fork Presbyterian Church Cost is $5 To RSVP call 1 363-325- A theatrical smorgasbord a scene recital of faith-relate- d will be held Friday vignettes at Salt Lake Citys First Presbyterian Church 12 C SL at 7 pm The event is a fundraiser for-scholarship for Utah Institute of Biblical Stud- ies a Salt Lake City school that offers classes for clergy anday people college-lev- |
