VT Faith Community's Online News - August 2009

Other Faith Common Articles

Faith Common is the email newsletter of the Vermont Ecumenical Council & Bible Society (VEC). PLEASE POST IT in your house of worship. To be added to this newsletter mailing list or to submit news, please send an email to the VEC office at info@vecbs.org.

PRAYER INTENTION
Dear Father, In the name of Jesus Christ your Son, we unite our prayers that you will send your Holy Spirit to enlighten all the members of our government so that they will act wisely and morally to provide true health care for those in need of it.

ELCA & UMC FULL COMMUNION AGREEMENT
At the church-wide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Minneapolis on Aug. 20th, ELCA delegates overwhelmingly approved the full communion agreement with the United Methodist Church (UMC) in a historic vote. The United Methodists' top policy-making body approved the same agreement at their 2008 General Conference in Texas. "We are walking through a door of opportunity together. The opportunity is to more visibly embody the Biblical unity of the Body of Christ and increase our capacity to share in Christ's ministry to transform the world," said United Methodist Council of Bishops' President, Bishop Gregory Palmer. The ELCA now has established full communion relationships with six denominations. This is the first full communion agreement for the UMC.

PEACE FESTIVAL
This festival is sponsored by Koinonia of Vermont and will be held at the Blue Gentian Lodge in Londonderry, Vermont on Sunday, September 20th from 2 - 5 pm. It will celebrate the annual International Day of Peace sponsored by the UN. Local groups working for peace will be represented and there will be music and light refreshments. Call Lisa at 802-824-5908 or email: BlueGentian@comcast.net for more information.

2ND ANNUAL SING FOR PEACE CONCERT
This concert is organized and sponsored by Robert and Louise Decormier of Vermont's Counterpoint. It will be at the Burlington Unitarian Universalist Society Meeting House, top of Church Street, on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 pm. Seven Vermont choruses will participate including: Counterpoint, Sounding Joy, Maple Jam, Bella Voce, Pumpkin Hill Singers, Syrinx, and Essex Children's Choir. Admission is free, however, donations are encouraged. All the proceeds from donations and sales will go to Kids4Peace Vermont.

ORGAN RECITAL FEATURING DAVID OGLETREE
The Shelburne United Methodist Church is dedicating their new Trillium Masterpiece pipe combination organ. They will have a dedicatory organ recital on Sunday, September 27th at 4 pm which will feature David Ogletree. Mr. Ogletree, a graduate of Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, has played numerous programs including on NPR. In 2005, he was commissioned by the Virgil Fox Foundation to play a solo organ recital in NYC in honor of the 25th anniversary of the death of renowned organist Virgil Fox. The organ was a gift of Robert and Marcia Nappi in memory of their parents. The recital is free and open to all. A reception in the fellowship hall of the church will follow. At the 9/27 Sunday morning service, many organ selections will be included, and Rev. Greg Smith will lead the liturgy of dedication recognizing the gift of this instru- ment. Call the Shelburne United Methodist Church at 802-985-3981 for more information.

VT INTERFAITH ACTION ORGANIZING WORKSHOP
Learn how your faith can be a force for justice. Vermont Interfaith Action (VIA) will teach the basics of faith-based community organizing on Sat., Oct. 17th at Bethany United Church of Christ in Randolph from 10 am - 3 pm, with registration starting at 9:30. VIA is an interfaith coali- tion of congregations, and other people of conscience, from Barre, Burlington, and Montpelier. The workshop will include an introduction to VIA's model of mobilizing grassroots and tools for organizing meetings with public officials to hold elected representatives accountable. Lunch is included with the $10 registration fee. The deadline for registration is Oct. 7th. To register and find out more, contact VIA at 802-651-8889 or email: office@via.org or go to: www.viavt.org

CROP HUNGER WALKS in VERMONT

• Sept. 27: Fair Haven, Contact: Rev. Hudson-Knapp, 265-8864
• Oct. 4: Barre, Contact: Nancy Fowler, 476-3065
• Oct. 4: Middlebury, Contact: Patti Hallam, 388-1561
• Oct. 10: Charlotte, Contact: Nancy Pricer, 425-4515
• Oct. 11: Bennington, Contact: Lorna Cheriton, 447-1383
• Oct. 11: Lake Fairlee, Contact: Rev. Gail Dimick, 333-4429
• Oct. 11: Northfield, Contact: Rev. Paul Hoffman, 485-9215
• Oct. 18: Burlington, Contact: Lucy Samara, 862-5010
• Oct. 18: Manchester area, Contact: Martha Thompson, 362-3473
• Oct. 18: Rutland, Contact: Rev. Tracy Weatherhogg, 775-4301
• Oct. 25: Brattleboro, Contact: Rev. Lise Sparrow, 257-2776

VEC MEETINGS TRUSTEES
Thursday, September 17th, 9:45 am COUNCIL: Thursday, September 17th, 1 - 4 pm