The mother of all cathedrals

August 27, 2010 marks the 100th birthday of the late Mother Teresa, the beloved Catholic nun who devoted her life to serving abandoned children in India. Catholic Radio and Television Network (CRTN) is currently broadcasting a short documentary called 'On New Foundations' on YouTube. The documentary describes Blessed Mother Teresa Cathedral, which is being constructed in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. This is the area where Mother Teresa grew up. Although the area is predominantly Muslim and has seen many religious conflicts, the documentary suggests most local Muslims have no objections to the building. The building is partly funded by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

Rock the airwaves

Crossroads Christian Communications is partnering with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to produce a two-hour Rock the River special. Rock the River is a Christian rock concert tour aimed at reaching youth who normally do not attend church. The tour stopped in three Canadian cities in August. The special was broadcast on the Crossroads Television System (CTS) station in Calgary on August 22, the day after the Rock the River concert in Calgary. It will be broadcast on August 29 at 9:00 pm on the CTS Edmonton station the day after the Rock the River concert in Edmonton. The special will be rebroadcast by CTS in Ontario later in the fall.

Food for Pakistan

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) is contributing over $2 million in initial food aid to Pakistan, with food kits containing rice, lentils, flour, oil, sugar, salt, tea and spices being distributed to flood victims. CFGB is a cooperative initiative of Canadian Christian relief and development agencies. Two CFGB partners, Christian Reformed World Relief Canada and Presbyterian World Service & Development, are taking care of the actual distribution through local partners in Pakistan. However, other CFGB partners - including Canadian Baptist Ministries, Emergency Relief & Development Overseas, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Primate's World Relief & Development Fund, and World Relief Canada - have also contributed funds from their Foodgrains Bank accounts.

Continue article >>

Power of the spoken Word

At a Prayer Canada meeting in North Vancouver in June 2009, André Lim told stories about the power of reading the Bible. For instance, when a woman in Indonesia promised her son money if he would read the whole Bible, her maid's son asked to be included; he insisted on reading out loud, and his whole family became Christians. This story led others at the prayer meeting to want to read the Bible out loud in the greater Vancouver area. The event happened September 12, 2009, with 70-80 people participating. People read from their balconies, in their backyards, in parks, in public places and at midnight from nearby Cyprus Mountain. Some who were travelling read in Indonesia, Amsterdam and New York. The effort is being repeated this September 11 and is spreading to other cities. Glenn Houghton, one of the organizers, said, "It is like washing the city with the Word, healing and cleansing it." He said the organizers do not tell people where and when to read, allowing readers to be led by the Spirit to divine appointments. However, those wishing to participate can be assigned a portion of Scripture of whatever length they choose by emailing ReadtheWord@mayiprayforyou.com

Sing for the future

The Canadian Tenors will present 'Voices for Bulembu' September 17-18 at the Mission Hill Family Estate in West Kelowna, B.C., and September 19 at the Chan Centre in Vancouver. Bulembu is an abandoned, AIDS- ravaged town in Swaziland, Africa. It was bought in 2006 by a group of entrepreneurs with the goal of restoring it to a vibrant, self sustaining community that could bring hope to the nation. The vision includes caring for 2,000 orphans and fostering the development of a new generation of leaders. The Canadian Tenors raised $945,000 for the cause in 2009. This year, they will be joined in the concerts by Wil Campa and emcee John Mann of Spirit of the West.

Anglicans go south

Archbishop John Chew Hiang Chea, primate of the Anglican Province of Southeast Asia, will speak September 18-19 at Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver. Chew is the new chair of the Global South Primates Steering Committee, a conservative group which represents a majority of Anglicans in the world. Good Shepherd is one of dozens of conservative Anglican churches in Canada that have broken away from the Anglican Church of Canada to align with Anglican churches in the Global South. Chew's visit is primarily to encourage development of The Anglican Relief and Development Fund Canada, the new relief and development agency created by conservative Anglican churches in Canada.

August 26/2010