Florida offers free Covid testing
AN EPISCOPAL church in Orlando, Florida, Christ the King, has been offering free Covid-19 tests in the evenings for people — often in low-paid jobs — who are unable to take tests at daytime clinics owing to work or childcare responsibilities. Testing equipment is provided by the Florida Department of Health, but the Co-Rector of Christ the King, the Revd José Rodríguez, has had to recruit nurses to carry out the tests, paid for by a grant from the Hispanic Federation Florida and Southeast. Last weekend, 406 people were tested in the church. The church has funding for three more weekends.
Bishop attacked and injured in South Sudan
A BISHOP in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan was injured during an attack on a church compound in Bor Town, in Jonglei State, during the early hours of 22 January, the Primate, the Most Revd Justin Badi Arama, reports. Archbishop Arama said that two people were injured, including one bishop. He did not name the bishop, nor give details about who had carried out the attack, but criticised “some senior politicians from Jonglei” who were “misleading innocent citizens to practise such evil acts against the Church”.
French translations of Common Worship published
FRENCH translations of Common Worship morning and evening prayer have been published on the website of the diocese in Europe. The translations were made by the Joint Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee for France, an official body set up by the diocese in Europe and the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference of France. The Bishop in Europe, Dr Robert Innes, has authorised a trial of the translations in the diocese for one year, pending final authorisation from the House of Bishops.
Close Guantánamo Bay camp, President Biden told
MORE than two dozen religious leaders in the United States have called for the closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp. Writing to President Biden and members of the US Congress, on 11 January, they say: “We now know that many of the people sent to Guantánamo were never involved in terrorism in the first place. Even today, 20 years after the prison was opened, most of the prisoners have never been tried or convicted of any crime.” Signatories include representatives of the National Council of Churches (USA); T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; and the Islamic Society of North America. The letter talks of “the sustained immorality of holding people without trial”, particularly at the cost of half a billion dollars each year, “or over $13 million per prisoner per year”.
Worshippers killed in crush in Liberian church
AT LEAST 29 people — including 11 children and a pregnant woman — were killed in a crush during an all-night service in a Pentecostal church in Liberia last week. A police spokesman told the BBC that members of a street gang, some carrying knives, entered the church as the service was ending, causing panic among worshippers. One person had been arrested in connection with the incident, the BBC reported.