In Historic Move, U.S. Episcopal Church Installs Its First Black Presiding Bishop

By Reuters 2 Nov, 2015 08:48 EST

Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina was inducted on Sunday as the first black leader of the U.S. Episcopal Church during a ceremony in the nation's capital where he called for economic and racial unity.

Curry, 62, was installed as the presiding bishop of the branch of the 80 million-member worldwide Anglican Communion at the Washington National Cathedral during a morning service.

In an impassioned sermon, Curry called on people of all races, economic classes and beliefs to unite and conquer the world's challenges.

"We are God's children, all of us," he said. "No matter our race, no matter our religion, no matter our class, our stripe, our type, we are God's children."

Curry also exhorted the church, with 2 million members, to strive for a more just society: "We have been sent and called into this world not to settle for what is, but to dream and work for what shall be."

Curry's installation comes as U.S. race relations have been strained over the past year. A series of high-profile killings of unarmed black men at the hands of white police officers has sparked renewed national debate over fairness in America's criminal justice system.

In June, tensions were further inflamed when nine black parishioners of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, were shot to death by a white gunman in a massacre authorities said was racially motivated. The AME Church is an independent black Protestant denomination rooted in the Methodist Church with an Episcopal form of governance.

Curry was elected and confirmed the presiding bishop and primate in June at the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, where church leaders also voted overwhelmingly to allow same-sex couples to wed in Episcopal services.

Curry had served as the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina since 2000.

A native of Chicago, Curry assumed the post from Katharine Jefferts Schori, who ended her nine-year term as the first woman to lead the church.

Curry is the first person of color to be a top leader in the U.S. Episcopal Church, which is the 14th-largest U.S. religious denomination, according to the National Council of Churches.

(Writing by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Steve Gorman and Richard Chang)

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

In Historic Move, U.S. Episcopal Church Installs Its First Black Presiding Bishop

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.