Fact, doctrine and gospel. It is not enough to 'proclaim Jesus'. For there are many different Jesuses being presented today. According to the New Testament gospel, however, he is *historical* (he really lived, died, rose and ascended in the arena of history), *theological* (his life, death, resurrection and ascension all have saving significance) and *contemporary* (he lives and reigns to bestow salvation on those who respond to him). Thus the apostles told the same story of Jesus at three levels -- as historical event (witnessed by their own eyes), as having theological significance (interpreted by the Scriptures), and as contemporary message (confronting men and women with the necessity of decision). We have the same responsibility today to tell the story of Jesus as fact, doctrine and gospel. --- From "The Message of Acts" (The Bible Speaks Today) John R.W. Stott

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
October 2, 2009

I am pleased to announce that Virtueonline's website www.virtueonline.org is now available in multiple languages. Just click on the GOOGLE TRANSLATES link on the right hand side of the website and pick the language of your choice. There are 34 languages from whichto choose. Once you select your language, wait a few seconds for the translation to occur. We believe this will facilitate a better understanding of what we are trying to communicate to the wider Anglican Communion. Thank you for your continuing consideration and reading of VOL. Each day thousands come to the website to get the latest news, news analysis and much more about the Anglican Communion.

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Charles E. Bennison, the deposed BISHOP OF PENNSYLVANIA, is trying desperately to get his old job back. However, The Episcopal Church has denied him a new trial. A court of the Episcopal Church rejected a request from the deposed bishop for a new church trial on grounds that newly discovered letters written by the victim, decades ago, contradicted some of her testimony at the trial. The trial court ruled that the letters were not material and "would not have changed the outcome of the trial."

No date has been set for the appeals hearing which will be his last. That panel, composed of bishops, will pronounce the final fate of Bennison that could see him forever banned from entering an Episcopal pulpit again. Since Bennison's suspension, or "inhibition," as bishop in October 2007, the diocese has been administered by the 10-member diocesan standing committee. It is now under former Long Island Bishop Rodney Michel for the next three years.

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The BISHOP OF LOS ANGELES, J. John Bruno formally apologized to Hindus saying that evangelizing them was unacceptable. The Hindu American Foundation acknowledged the efforts of Bishop Bruno along with the Rev. Canon Gwynne Guibord and the Rev. Karen MacQueen, for "electrifying Hindus last year after issuing a formal apology for centuries-old acts of religious discrimination including attempts to convert them."

The Hindu American Foundation honored Guibord and MacQueen, the two Los Angeles area priests, with its 2009 Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Religious Pluralism at the foundation's sixth annual Capitol Hill banquet.

Suhag Shukla, managing director of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an advocacy group devoted to religious diversity, said, "Our shared message could not be clearer -- pluralism and human rights are universal concerns. Looking back on five years of bringing a loud and clear voice to our nation's leaders, we are optimistic that Hindu Americans across our nation see this foundation as a key stakeholder and an institution that reflects their own coming of age." You can read the full story in today's digest. *****

The Episcopal Bishop of the DIOCESE OF WESTERN NEW YORK, J. Michael Garrison has deposed four priests and two deacons from St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church, Tonawanda. A letter dated Sept. 19th said that the Rev. Arthur Ward, Jr., John E. Commins, Richard Molison as well as Deacons Edward Kaczmierek and John Reitz had abandoned the communion of The Episcopal Church and are now formally deposed. All three priests and two deacons deny they have abandoned the Communion of the church and are now under the authority of the Anglican Church in North America.

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The DIOCESE OF LOUISIANA is looking for a new bishop following the retirement of Bishop Charles E. Jenkins.

The official slate of candidates for the 11th Bishop of Louisiana are:

* The Rev. Kurt Dunkle, rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, Florida
* The Rev. Paul A. Elliott, rector, St. Michael & All Angels Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia
* The Rev. Paul A. Johnson, rector, Christ Church, Glen Allen, Virginia
* The Rev. Ken Ritter, rector, Trinity Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
* The Rt. Rev. Michael G. Smith, bishop, Diocese of North Dakota
* The Very Rev. Morris K. Thompson, dean, Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington, Kentucky

A priest in the diocese told VOL that Smith, who is Bishop of North Dakota, is the only orthodox choice and a diocesan favorite. Dunkle is a raging liberal. He is backed by several on the inside. He was Bishop John Howard's hatchet man in the Diocese of Florida. He has been ordained for five years with one year in parish ministry. He is a nasty, incompetent liberal. It will be between Smith and Ritter. Small church vs. large church smack down. Laity in the diocese want the outsider Smith who has been working as a part time bishop in the diocese. Ritter has large church support with large clergy staffs. The other four are throw-ins, said the source.

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In the DIOCESE OF COLORADO, a priest told VOL this week that ultra-liberal Bishop Rob O'Neill is replacing new clergy coming to cardinal parishes in the diocese like Grace Church, Colorado Springs and Christ Church in Denver with priests-in-charge, not rectors. What is going on seemingly unnoticed is that O'Neill is revolutionizing the diocese by replacing conservative rectors who worked with vestries to priests-in-charge who work for the bishop, at his pleasure, and under his thumb. "He is developing an ecclesiastical dictatorship," said the priest.

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A new Anglican Church, Christ the King was formed in Albuquerque, NM this week. A majority of the members of St. Mark's-on-the-Mesa Episcopal Church are leaving their church property and endowments worth over $2 million to form a new parish, Christ the King Anglican Church.

This past Sunday, the former priest-in-charge of St. Mark's, The Rev. Roger Weber, along with two other clergy members, eight of ten staff members, and eleven of twelve members of the church governing board (vestry) announced their decision to leave the Episcopal Church and form the new Anglican parish. They will become part of the Anglican Church in North America, which was recently formed in response to widespread un-biblical teaching and practice in The Episcopal Church (U.S.) and the Anglican Church of Canada.

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The FELLOWSHIP OF CONFESSING ANGLICANS - NORTH AMERICA (FCA-NA) are on the march in the US. An organizational meeting was held in Monroe, Louisiana, last Sunday. More than 100 folks attended with standing room only. It was impressive, said the source.

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A retired Nigerian bishop living in US has been charged with soliciting a prostitute. The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Omosebi, bishop of Kano from 1990 to 1998, Church of the Province of Nigeria, and licensed by the Diocese of Southern Ohio, has been charged with soliciting a prostitute, according to WCOP 9 TV News in Cincinnati. Benjamin Omosebi is well-known at the St. Simon of Cyrene Church in Lincoln Heights. After hearing Omosebi was one of the 14 people arrested for allegedly soliciting a prostitute, people who attend the church said they were caught off-guard, yet they are trying to stay positive.

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Elected to take up the leadership of the ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF NIGERIA, the Primate-elect Archbishop Nicholas Okoh has already started drawing media attention. Recently, he was reported as speaking out powerfully against the country's rulers. Speaking in Abuja, the nation's capital, on the country's independence, he berated Nigeria's leaders for the plight of the country, cautioning that unless they mend their ways, the country would remain stagnant. Unless leaders of the country change their attitude, have the fear of God, shun thuggery, ballot box snatching, political assassinations and treasury looting, Nigeria would remain backward, "even if it celebrates its 1,000-year anniversary." The father of five and retired lieutenant-colonel in the Nigerian Army, Nicholas Okoh will assume the Anglican mantle of leadership in March 25 next year.

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The ARCHBISHOP OF YORK took his government to task for failing to take advantage of effective Christian initiatives to solve the growing crime problem in the U.K. out of fear of being labeled religiously discriminating. The Most Rev. Dr. John Sentamu was quoted as saying that the government needs to recognize the "power of the Gospel" which has transformed former gang members into "model citizens."

The Archbishop said "The Government has been blinded to the real worth that is actually being done by those groups whose values are rooted in the soil of faith. If we are to be serious in tackling the challenges presented by these gun and knife carrying gangs, we need to examine and support those initiatives that have succeeded where faith has played a major role, rather than minimizing the role of faith in transforming lives and communities."

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Enrollment for the fall semester at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, has increased about 40 percent from fall 2008 registration. "We celebrate a significant surge in enrollment at Seminary of the Southwest," said the Very Rev. Douglas Travis, dean and president. "Director Jennielle Strother and assistant Beth Robertson, our new recruiting and admissions team, have done wonderful work for our seminary." One hundred eleven seminarians have begun their 2009-10 academic year studies including 46 new students. Sixteen new seminarians from eight Episcopal dioceses are enrolled in the master of divinity degree program. An additional six students are in a one-year diploma program that is open to people with a varied background in theological study or lay ministerial experience. Southwest's Center for Christian Ministry and Vocation (CCMV) has welcomed 10 lay people into its new master's degree in spiritual formation program.

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Resources available for H1N1 preparedness. With the onset of flu season, and related concerns about H1N1, many dioceses in The Episcopal Church are actively reviewing the most current data and have posted information on their websites in order to make decisions based on local practices and safety concerns in our church communities. To link to diocesan websites: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/directory.htm

Extensive information about preparing for H1N1 and other potential pandemic influenza outbreaks is available on Episcopal Relief & Development's website www.er-d.org. This site links to strong examples of pandemic preparedness plans and offers resources that can help people to provide for congregational gathering needs should an outbreak occur. Additionally, Episcopal Relief & Development posted Planning for Pandemic Influenza, available at http://www.er-d.org/PlanningforPandemicInfluenza

The United States Government offers H1N1 Flu: A Guide for Community and Faith-based Organizations at http://flu.gov/professional/community/cfboguidance.html includes a section, Vulnerable and Hard-to-Reach Populations, as well as links that congregations who may serve a homeless population may find especially useful: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/homeless.htm

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