"For YouTube, read PewTube" - Should Churches Do This?

"For YouTube, read PewTube"

by Jonathan Wynne-Jones ("London Telegraph")

London, England - The video-sharing website most used for pop promotions, film trailers and personal "vidcasts", is set to become the next tool in the Church of England's battle to curb declining attendances.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is planning to use the site to broadcast his sermons in an attempt to make the Church more relevant to the internet generation.

A video will also be put on YouTube later this month urging other churches to advertise the contemporary style of their services and suggesting ideas introduced under the Fresh Expressions initiative, which was set up by Rowan Williams.

"The potential of YouTube is enormous," a Lambeth Palace spokesman said. "It provides limitless access to what any minister has to say. You have to preach where people are listening."

Up to 100 million clips are viewed daily on YouTube and it has almost 20 million visitors each month.

While the rate of decline in attendance at Church of England services has slowed recently, it lost 100,000 worshippers between 2000 and 2002 – nearly eight per cent. In particular, it has seen the average age of its congregations rise as the number of young people in the pews has dropped.

The Rev Steve Croft, team leader of Fresh Expressions, said that YouTube could provide the perfect way to reach teenagers.

About 300 alternative schemes have been established under the initiative, including services in pubs, cafes and buses.

The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part V

Articles 32-39, "Miscellaneous"

XXXII. Of the Marriage of Priests
that bishops, priests, and deacons are not commanded to celibacy but may marry at their own discretion;

XXXIII. Of Excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided

XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church
that uniformity is not necessary, but that openly flouting accepted church traditions that are not unscriptural deserves rebuke, as threatening good order; and that national churches have authority to change rites of human origin;

XXXV. Of the Homilies
that two specified books of homilies should be read in churches (includes a list of homilies by Thomas Cranmer and other key bishops);

XXXVI. Of Consecration of Archbishops, Bishops and Other Ministers
that the ordination rite set out in the reign of Edward VI (the "Edwardine Ordinal") is valid and lawful;
:In the American Prayer Book, this is: "Of the Consecration of Bishops and Other Ministers."

XXXVII. Of the Civil Magistrates
that the Monarch is the supreme power in England, and not subject to any foreign power; that the Monarch does not administer Word or Sacrament, but has the power to rule both church and secular estates;

XXXVIII. Of Christian Men's Goods, which are not common
that private property is affirmed, though all should give what alms they can from what they have;

XXXIX. Of a Christian Man's Oath
that rash swearing is forbidden, but not swearing in a court of law.

The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part IV

Articles 19-31, "Corporate Religion"

XIX. Of the Church
that the visible Church of Christ is the congregation of those who preach the Word of God and minister the sacraments; and that the Eastern and Roman Churches have erred in matters of faith as well as practice;

XX Of the Authority of the Church
that the church has authority both in ceremonial matters and in controversies of faith, but cannot lawfully ordain anything against Scripture, or expound Scripture inconsistently, or enforce any non-scriptural belief;

XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils
that they can only be called by secular rulers, and are capable of error, so that their ordinances are only authoritative so far as they have scriptural authority;

XXII. Of Purgatory
that the Roman Catholic doctrines of purgatory, pardons (e.g. indulgences), the adoration of images and relics, and the invocation of saints, are unscriptural inventions;

XXIII. Of Ministering in the Congregation
that only those publicly and legally authorized should preach or minister the sacraments;

XXIV. Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth

XXV. Of the Sacraments
that there are two sacraments ordained by Christ in the Gospel, Baptism and the Eucharist ('the Supper of the Lord'), the other five rites so called being merely later corruptions, or states of life allowed in the Scriptures but not divinely ordained; and that the consecrated elements are to be partaken, not venerated in themselves; and that they have a wholesome effect only on those who partake worthily;

XXVI. Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament

XXVII. Of Baptism
that it is a sign of Regeneration and the instrument by which one becomes a member of the Church and receives grace; and that the baptism of young children is to be retained;

XXVIII Of the Lord's Supper
that the Body and Blood of Christ are partaken in the sacrament; but that the doctrine of transubstantiation is unscriptural and gives rise to superstition; and that reservation, elevation, or veneration of the sacrament is not of Christ's ordinance;

XXIX Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper
that the wicked and unbelievers who take communion do not partake Christ but are condemned (see manducatio impiorum);

XXX. Of both kinds
that lay people ought to receive the wine as well as the bread;

XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross
that Christ's sacrifice once made is perfect satisfaction for sin, and so the Mass is not to be regarded as a sacrifice for sin;

The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part III

Articles 9-18, "Personal Religion"

IX. Of Original or Birth-sin
that it is not merely in following Adam's example of disobedience, but inherent in human nature, and all deserve God's wrath; and that though there is no condemnation for the baptized believer, yet the lusts of the flesh are still sinful;

X. Of Free Will
that only by the grace of God in Christ can we turn to God in faith, do good works, and "have a good will";

XI. Of the Justification of Man
that we are accounted righteous by God only by faith for the merit of Christ, not by our good works;

XII. Of Good Works
that good works of a believer are pleasing to God and make a living faith known;

XIII. Of Works before Justification
that works done before one is justified are not pleasing to God, do not bring grace, and as not commanded by God, "have the nature of sin";

XIV. Of Works of Supererogation
that it impious to suppose that one can do more good works than God commands or requires;

XV. Of Christ Alone without Sin

XVI. Of Sin after Baptism
that the baptized believer is capable both of committing mortal ("deadly") sin, and of being forgiven upon true repentance;

XVII. Of Predestination and Election

XVIII. Of Obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ
that only in the name of Christ is one saved and not by following the law of nature or of another religion;

The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part II

Articles 1-8, "The Catholic Faith"

In the order given in the Book of Common Prayer (with a brief summary when the title is not wholly clear), they are:

I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity
that there is one God, eternal Maker of all, in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;

II. Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man
that the Son took man's nature of the substance of the Virgin, so Godhead and Manhood were joined indivisibly in one Person, who truly died both for original guilt and for the actual sins of all;

III. Of the going down of Christ into Hell

IV. Of the Resurrection of Christ
that Christ truly rose from death and took again a body of flesh and bones, wherewith he ascended to heaven and sits until the Last Judgment;

V. Of the Holy Ghost
that the Holy Ghost proceeds from Father and Son, of one substance with both;

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scripture for Salvation
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought necessary and requisite to salvation. The canonical books are then listed, with the Apocryphal (or deuterocanonical) books recommended (quoting Jerome) ''for example of life and instruction in manners; ... [but not] to establish any doctrine'

VII. Of the Old Testament
that it does not contradict the New, but Christians are bound only by the Moral Commandments, not the Mosaic Law of rites and ceremonies nor the civil precepts;

VIII. Of the Three Creeds (Nicene, Athanasian, and Apostles' Creed)

Today in History: State of Israel Proclaimed (1948)

In November of 1947, the UN voted on a Partition Plan for Palestine, calling for the formation of two states, one Jewish and one Arab, in what had been a British-administered territory. The Arab leadership rejected this plan, arguing that it violated the rights of the 67% of the population who were not Jewish. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared in the territory that the Partition Plan allotted. The next day, 6 Arab states declared war on Israel.

Basically these Arab States were rewarded for their acts of war by being clobbered, and Israel doubled its size with their Victor's Spoils.

1948 War of Independence - the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

Immediately following the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Jordanian, and Lebanese forces invaded the newly formed state on all fronts. In a desperate and costly war characterized by use of makeshift armaments and resourceful tactics, Israel eventually repelled the attacking armies, and then advanced its forces to occupy some of the territory set aside under the Partition Plan for the Arabs and for the City of Jerusalem. A cease fire agreement was signed between the two sides, with the current front line becoming the boundary between Israel and the Arab territories. As a result of the 1948 war, Israel controlled all the territory allotted to them under the Partition Plan, much of the territory allotted to the Arabs under the Plan, and half of what was to be the UN-administered City of Jerusalem. The remaining Arab territories were the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; the West Bank was administered by Jordan, while the Gaza Strip was administered by Egypt.

In 1949, under UN auspices, four armistice agreements were negotiated and signed at Rhodes, Greece, between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The 1948-49 War of Independence resulted in a 50% increase in Israeli territory, including western Jerusalem. No general peace settlement was achieved at Rhodes, however, and violence along the borders continued for many years.

As a result of this war, about 711,000 Arab refugees were created (according to the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine[1]) and over 800,000 Jewish refugees were created. The latter figure includes all Jews who fled or were expelled from Arab states after Israel was created. Pro-Palestinian sources call these people emigrants, rather than refugees. Pro-Israeli commentators hold that the Jewish exodus from Arab lands, many of which communities had been established for more than 2000 years, came as a result of violence and persecution. About 600,000 of the Jewish refugees settled in the State of Israel, having neither intention nor willingness to return to their source countries; many of the Arab refugees, and their descendants, remain to this day in refugee camps run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

On July 5, 1950, the Knesset passed the Law of Return which granted all Jews the right to immigrate to Israel. Even prior to the passing of that law, immigrants flocked to Israel, some assisted by Israeli authorities. From 1947 to 1950 some 250,000 Holocaust survivors made their way to Israel. "Operation Magic Carpet" brought thousands of Yemenite Jews to Israel.

The early years were not easy for the newly founded state, and a state of austerity was put into force in 1949, not to be fully annulled until 1959.

The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part I

Part of a Series - Part I

The Thirty-Nine Articles are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine. The articles were established by a Convocation of the Church in 1563, under the direction of Archbishop Matthew Parker, using as a basis the Forty-Two Articles written under the direction of Thomas Cranmer in 1552 and passed under Edward VI in 1553. Adherence to them was made a legal requirement by parliament in 1571. They are printed in the Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican prayer books. The Test Act of 1673 made adherence to the Thirty-Nine Articles a requirement for holding civil office in England (an act which has since been repealed). Clergy of the Church of England are still required to take an oath that the doctrine in the Articles is "agreeable to the Word of God," but the laity are not, and other Churches of the Anglican Communion do not make such a requirement.

The Articles were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but as a statement of the position of the Church of England over against the Roman Catholic Church and against dissident protestants. The Articles also argue against some Anabaptist positions such as the holding of goods in common, and the necessity of believer's baptism. The reason for the imposition of the 39 articles at this point in British history was that, since the separation with Rome, it had not been possible to find a protestant consensus. The establishment was concerned by the rise in influence of dissenters who wanted the reformation to go much further, and, for example, to abolish hierarchies of bishops. The democratic threat could be calmed down by imposing a compromise position - the thirty nine articles.

John Henry Newman, in his Tract 90, written before his conversion to Roman Catholicism, attempted to show that the Articles could be interpreted in a way less hostile to Roman Catholic doctrine.

Outside the Church of England, Anglican views of the Thirty-Nine Articles vary. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America regards them as an historical document and does not require members to adhere to them.

Anglican priest John Wesley adapted the Thirty-Nine Articles for utilization by American Methodists in the 18th century. The adapted Articles of Religion remain official United Methodist doctrine.
Content of the document

The Articles highlight some of the major differences between Anglican and Roman Catholic doctrine, as well as more conventional declarations of a Trinitarian Christianity. They are divided (according to command of Queen Elizabeth I) into four sections: Articles 1-8, "The Catholic Faith"; Articles 9-18, "Personal Religion"; Articles 19-31, "Corporate Religion"; and Articles 32-39, "Miscellaneous."

A Wisconsin Monestary - Order of Julian of Norwich

Not many of us are aware that Wisconsin has a number of Episcopal Monestaries. The "Order of Julian of Norwich" is one:





Order of Julian of Norwich

A contemplative monastic order in the Episcopal Church. They are currently located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The order is open to both men and women. It is contemplative in that its purpose and goal is simply the practice and teaching of silent and intercessory prayer. The Order follows the traditional monastic vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, and adds a fourth vow: Prayer. Monks and nuns live in the same monastery on equal status under the same vows.

The Rule of Life for the Order of Julian is a minimal document that describes only the most basic obligation of the vows. Thus what we call our Customary is actually what other Orders call their Rule of Life. It covers everything from Silence, to the Habit, to Enclosure, Composure, Hospitality and the Vows. We invite you to download the attached PDF file of our Customary. It is a long document — around 55 pages (480k), but it is the most adequate description of the principles by which we live and the practices we use to fulfill them.

The OJN Customary Document Downloads from HERE

President gets it Right about the Power of Prayer

Prayer Has the Power to Change History, Says Bush


"Prayer has the power to change lives and to change the course of history," President Bush said Thursday in comments marking the National Day of Prayer.

Speaking at the White House, he quoted America's first president, George Washington: "It's the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore his protection and favor."

"For two centuries," Bush said, "Americans have answered this call to prayer. We're a prayerful nation. I believe that makes us a strong nation."

The president said Americans pray " to give thanks for the blessings the Almighty has bestowed upon us," for the strength to follow God's will "and for forgiveness when we fail to do so," to acknowledge God's sovereignty, and "to offer petitions."

"The greatest gift we can offer anyone is the gift of our prayers, because our prayers have power beyond our imagining," he said.