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Hallo again at the beginning of the Church's new year. A number
of you sent us interesting Advent links, which we've assembled in a special seasonal section. From Advent calendars
to readings, music to activities for young people, we've tried to bring you the best
of recent Advent material on the Net. Do continue to make us aware of resources as
you come across (or develop) them.
Finishing up just before Advent Sunday was the Church of England's General Synod.
We're delighted to offer you a special report by Simon Sarmiento, the
section editor for the UK-Europe area of Anglicans Online.
Many of you have some responsibility for communication in your parishes. The Wire offers practical help on all matters relating to the Church and communications.
According to the editor, 'recent articles have included bits on copyright, the internet,
reprographics, mobile phones, and fax machines. In addition, there is a monthly digest
of religious programmes from the BBC for home consumption as well as BBC World Service
for readers abroad. Each month we offer a small supply of religious clip art for
free, by arrangement with the publisher'. (And some good clip art, I might add: a
rather rare commodity.)
We came across yet another interesting and handsomely designed Bible site, 'Navigating the Bible', developed originally to help young Jewish boys and girls prepare for their
Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The Pentateuch section includes the Five Books of Moses along with
commentaries; there is a comprehensive glossary and an atlas. Each Sedrah (Torah
reading), Maftir (last reading) and Haftarah may be viewed in Hebrew and in English.
In addition, you can downloan audio files, sung by a professional cantor: a marvellous
opportunity to hear Hebrew chanted. The sites many links repay study -- I was pursuing
descriptions of biblical plants and lost an hour.
In Canada, the 'Locusts and Wild Honey' web site is directed to survivors of abuse
who have connections to the Anglican Communion. A newsletter, written
solely by survivors, and a network encourage communication, build
links, and help educate the wider church community about
the issues of abuse.
If any of you chance to be in Washington DC in the near future, do stop at the Hirshhorn Museum's exhibit of 62 works by English artist Stanley Spencer (on till 11 January).
From a delightful review by a thoughtful Anglican: 'Most of the paintings in the
show are religious in nature -- visionary renditions of Jesus's life, set in the
everydayness of his English village home. So, for example, you have Christ preaching,
but within the context of the Cookham Regatta; or Christ carrying the cross through
the streets of Cookham. Other works have a religious tinge: 'Love Among the Nations',
painted 1935 way ahead of its time, shows ecstatic outpourings of embraces between
members of all races. Some of his work attempts to fuse the erotic and the religious
-- a warning to those of you who might be startled or offended. But even his landscapes
and gardens, besides being a horticulturalist's delight,
are infused with love for God's creation'. (Somehow Spencer seems like an artist
appropriate for this time of the church's year.) And with that -- a blessed Advent
to all.
See you next Sunday
Cynthia McFarland
cmcf@justus.anglican.org
Last updated: 30 November 1997
URL: http://anglican.org/online
This web site is maintained privately by volunteers. It is not a sanctioned
organ of any official church body, though does list links to official church sites
and documents. ©1997 Society of Archbishop Justus
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