US view: Still time to address Lambeth invitations

THE President of the House of Deputies in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the US, the Revd Gay Clark Jennings, has suggested that there is still time to “resolve the situation” after it was announced that same-sex partners would not be invited to the Lambeth Conference (News, 22 February). At a meeting of the Church’s Executive Council last weekend, Ms Jennings said that, if the Communion was “not yet able to hold a global meeting of Anglican bishops and spouses to which everyone is invited, then I think we should not be holding global meetings of Anglican bishops and spouses”. If it was not resolved, she said, “I think that the day is coming when we will need to take a hard look at where and how we invest the resources of the Episcopal Church across the Anglican Communion.”

Kinsman of Amin apologises for martyrdom

THE family of Janani Luwum, the Archbishop of Uganda who was murdered on the orders of the dictator Idi Amin, and is acclaimed as a martyr in Anglican calendars, met and were reconciled with kinsmen of Amin on the 42nd anniversary of the murder, it has been reported. The Ugandan Black Star News website stated that Canon Stephen Gelenga, who is from Amin’s Kakwa tribe, gave an emotional apology. “What happened during the reign of Idi Amin, who is my kinsman, we still feel the pain after 40 years,” he said. “As the new generation, we need to put to end all the bad past and we move forward as reconciled Ugandans. Ugandans cannot heal this country if we pay evil for evil.”

Appeal for Anglican market traders after fire in Burundi

THE Archbishop of Burundi, the Most Revd Martin Nyaboho, has made an appeal after fire destroyed the main market in Matana, which is considered the birthplace of Anglicanism in that country. He said: “Most of the people who are making trades here are members of the Anglican Church in Burundi,” and appealed for generous support for the rebuilding effort, ACNS reported.

New centre planned for Bethlehem

THE Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Revd Suheil Dawani, met the Mayor of Bethlehem, Anton Salman, last Friday to discuss plans for a World Anglican Centre in Bethlehem. The diocese in Jerusalem owns a property near Manger Square, off Milk Grotto Way, but has no churches in Bethlehem, owing to an agreement made with the Lutheran Church in the missionary era. If established, the centre would be the first official Anglican presence in the town, the diocese said.

Alexa heeds sermon and spends more than a penny

A SERMON by Phil Brookman at the Memorial Road Church of Christ, Oklahoma City, in the United States talked about the depersonalisation of everyday life, including shopping, and he spoke the words “Alexa, order toilet paper.” Members of his congregation who had the sermon streamed online at home discovered afterwards that their Alexa device had been listening and had placed an order to the value of $28, Religion News Service reported.

‘Positive sign’ that Tearfund leaves Egypt

TEARFUND is to end its presence in Egypt after 25 years at the end of this month, it has been announced. Its head of Eurasia and North Africa, Sarah Newnham, said: “This is a positive sign: countries don’t have to stay where they are in terms of poverty. Things can and do change for the better.”