Latest news with #PresbyterianChurch
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Presbyterian Church in Ireland members meet women living in war zones as part of conference
Members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland have returned from Lebanon after taking part in a special conference of Christian women who continue to be impacted by war and conflict. Rev Dr Liz Hughes, the former convener of the church's council for global mission, and Heather Clements, convenor of the council's global mission committee, took part in 'The unheard voice: women's persevering witness in war' conference, which brought together women from Lebanon, Syria and Transcarpathia in western Ukraine, along with Hungarian speaking reformed communities in central Europe. Mrs Clements said: 'Of the 24 participants who attended, some were pastors, or pastor's wives, and others were women who were in leadership in their congregations. We heard of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war, for others it was coping with Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, or surviving Isis death squads.' Rev Dr Liz Hughes said: 'Each of the women felt deep sadness for what conflict had done to their countries, family and church families. 'It was an incredible privilege to see just a glimpse of what God sees: the silent, resilient and courageous persevering strength that you often find in women hidden in the pages of the Bible.'
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Body language expert reveals the 'near-obsessive desire' behind Biden's stare at Trump during Pope Francis' funeral
Joe Biden was babysitting President Donald Trump by keeping a close eye on his successor at Pope Francis ' funeral, a body language expert spilled to the The former president was seated just five rows behind the current US leader, but that didn't stop Biden from giving him the death stare as he kept him in his sights throughout the proceedings. 'Despite being a couple of rows back, Biden's long stare in Trump's direction suggests a near-obsessive desire to watch his successor in the role he still clearly believes should be his,' body language expert, Judi James, told the 'Biden's most recent speech showed no abatement of the resentment and animosity and disbelief that this man is in his job.' The Democrat made his first political appearance since leaving the White House to slam Trump over social security, where the politician asked the president: 'Who in the hell do they think they are?' The only thing that broke Biden's worth-a-thousand-words stare was when a woman moved in front of him, blocking his view of the 47th US president. Ironically, both the 46th and 47th presidents were out of dress code for the religious event, as Biden was caught wearing a blue tie and Trump a blue suit. The dress code required men to be dressed in in a black suit with a white shirt and black tie. Lucky for them, their wives, who accompanied them, were up to par with the female dress requirements, as both were spotting wearing stunning black looks with matching lace veils. Despite Biden keeping a close eye on his Republican counterpart, the two avoided any public interactions at the ceremony. It is unclear if they met up behind the scenes. Trump and wife Melania sat in the front row, despite earlier speculation that the conservative would be snubbed with a lesser seat due to his and Francis' tensions over immigration. Joe and Jill were visible behind them, seated far behind the current world leaders. Trump, on his way to Rome, said a meeting with his predecessor in the Oval Office was 'not high on my list.' Trump also revealed he hadn't known that Biden and wife would also be at the basilica for the service. 'Oh he is? I didn't know,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One. Biden is Catholic and is only one of two US presidents who practiced the faith after John F. Kennedy. Trump was confirmed in the Presbyterian Church and considers himself Protestant. When asked if he would meet with the former president, Trump replied: 'It's not high on my list. It's really not.' The two men had a bitter rivalry in the 2020 election, which Biden won, and then again in the 2024 contest until Biden dropped out of the race. Trump ultimately won a second term. Biden has called Trump a threat to democracy. Trump has questioned Biden's mental capabilities and blamed him for the high inflation and shaky stock market. Another contentious point Republicans have had with Biden is seemingly apparent physical ailments. And Biden continued to fuel those rumors on Saturday as he appeared frail and struggled to walk unaided. Biden was caught clasping onto the priest's forearm and his wife's hand as he made a rare public appearance at the Vatican's Saint Peter's Square. He appeared to struggle down the steps at the ceremony.
CBC
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Canadian slide guitarist Ellen McIlwaine is a music legend you probably never heard of
Singer, songwriter and slide guitarist Ellen McIlwaine should have been a household name. She played with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Taj Mahal. Internationally renowned DJs like Fatboy Slim sampled her sound. Yet, her story is largely forgotten. Meet singer, songwriter and slide guitarist Ellen McIlwaine | Goddess of Slide 20 days ago Duration 3:18 An original documentary from documentary Channel, Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine, offers an intimate look at McIlwaine's journey from humble beginnings as a child adopted by missionary parents to a powerhouse on the stage. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, McIlwaine moved to Japan at the age of two with her adoptive parents. It made for a unique multicultural upbringing, particularly for someone growing up in the 1950s and '60s. Ellen played piano for her father's Presbyterian Church and listened to international music on the family's radio box. In 1963, the McIlwaine family moved back to the United States. Her parents enrolled McIlwaine in an ultra-religious college in Bristol, Tennessee. She did not last there. "My father sent me to this little tiny religious college in Bristol, Tennessee. I think he was trying to keep me safe. There were no cars on campus, no dancing, no holding hands, no public display of affection, no smoking… for the girls. The boys could smoke anywhere they wanted; the girls could only smoke in their rooms. And so I broke the rule," McIlwaine muses. When Ellen discovered the guitar, she soon began to play in coffee houses and finally dropped out of college to pursue her dream of being a musician in New York City. "One of the girls in the dorm had a guitar. And so I went up to the top, there was like a really echoey attic part of the dorm, and I played the guitar and I sang and I thought that's it, I want to play music!" McIlwaine continues. Eight months after arriving in New York, McIlwaine was already a fixture in the Greenwich Village music scene. She opened for some of the biggest blues legends in the world, like Odetta, Richie Havens, and Mississippi John Hurt. Then, something extraordinary happened. An artist named Jimi Hendrix approached McIlwaine after one of her sets at the infamous Cafe Au GoGo to ask if he could sit in with her on stage. For six magical nights, McIlwaine and Hendrix ignited the stage together. Singer Ellen MciLwaine talks about her childhood | Goddess of Slide 20 days ago Duration 0:30 "I poked my head in one room and there was this woman on stage. She started playing and it just radiated from the center of the universe. I mean, the centre of your soul. It doesn't get any better than that," explains American blues musician Taj Mahal on first seeing McIlwaine perform. McIlwaine's voice was powerful, her stage presence was captivating and she was doing what no other woman in the 1960s was doing: playing the slide guitar. A style of guitar playing that involves holding a hard object – the slide – against the strings was something only guys did when McIlwaine entered the music scene. She did not get the memo. "I watched Randy California take a string and soak it in lighter fluid and blow the neck off a wine bottle and play bottleneck guitar, and I thought, I could do that! Nobody taught me anything, I just kind of banged around on it and came up with my stuff," McIlwaine explains. McIlwaine made her way to Woodstock, where she became the lead singer and slide guitarist of the psychedelic band, Fear Itself. Their 1968 self-titled album was produced by legendary music producer Tom Wilson (Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground). Although the album was well-received by critics and music lovers, the band felt unsupported by their label. Their producers wanted the band to change the roster, their style and their setting (East Coast for California). Frustrated, McIlwaine went her separate way. Soon after, she signed a three-record deal with Polydor Records. Things were looking up. In a few short years she released two solo albums – Honky Tonk Angel in 1972 and We The People the following year – and contributed to the now classic 1974 double-compilation album from Polydor, The Guitar Album. The record featured greats like Eric Clapton, Roy Buchanan, Rory Gallagher, T-Bone Walker, and Link Wray. Ellen was the only female guitarist on the album. At Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1973, while opening for American funk band Mandrill, McIlwaine had a breakthrough. Here, Ellen performed and recorded her live signature protest song, "We The People", dedicated to the Lakota Massacre at Wounded Knee. This song elevated Ellen to cult status as she demonstrated her powerful skills as a slide guitarist. And her unique scat singing – in Japanese – blew audiences away. Fans talk about how McIlwaine was a powerhouse performer on stage. While critics and peers alike adored McIlwaine, the record industry was not as kind. Creative differences and contractual disputes led to the cancellation of a promised third album with Polydor Records. This was a huge blow to her career. Ellen may have experienced Canadian culture at the Canadian Academy International School in Kobe in the 1950s, but her love affair with Canada began in earnest in Montreal. She recorded her album, The Real Ellen McIlwaine, in 1975 with the Ville Emard Blues Band at Studio Six. At the time, things seemed destined to change. Her performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival and her first international tour in Australia in the early 1980s secured her status as a true musician for almost a decade. Her album Everybody Needs It, recorded in 1982 in Chicago with longtime friend and legendary singer and bass player Jack Bruce of Cream, garnered awards and accolades. But McIlwaine was a functional alcoholic, and inevitably the pressure got to be too much. Her self-esteem was at an all-time low, and gigs were not materialising. McIlwaine was broke and in bad shape. Luckily, a close friend who had just gotten herself sober convinced her to attend an AA meeting. McIlwaine never drank again. Constantly moving from one city to another, McIlwaine became a Canadian citizen in 1987. Her sense of belonging to a new country allowed her to pursue her career on her own terms. She remained on the margins, but she felt accepted and immersed herself wholeheartedly in the Toronto music scene. She even made an appearance on MuchMusic in 1987 to promote her new music video. She would eventually settle in Calgary in 1992. McIlwaine's talents began to be noticed by a new brand of musicians in the 1990s – the DJs. In 1998, British sensation Fatboy Slim incorporated McIlwaine's powerful guitar riffs from her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" into his song "Song For Lindy." In 2001, Japan's Mondo Grosso invited McIlwaine to write and sing on their single, "Don't Let Go." Japanese DJs Kenichi Yanai and Kei Kobayashi were so enamored by McIlwaine's sound that they invited her to tour with them in Japan. But by the mid-2000s, now in her 60s, McIlwaine's career was on the decline. As the years passed she received fewer invites to perform on the folk and jazz festival circuit. Royalties from previous album recordings were non-existent and there were no new recordings on the horizon. In 2009, McIlwaine took a job as a bus driver for a private girls' school in Calgary. She barely earned enough money to live. Just before McIlwaine died of cancer in June of 2021, the documentary film about her life had just gotten the green light. There was talk of travelling for the filming and even getting back on the stage. Those plans never came to fruition. Instead, the producers behind Goddess of Slide were determined to make this film now more than ever. The film became an homage to a slide guitar pioneer who helped pave the way for the next generation of female musicians. The film's participants eagerly agreed to sit down for an interview to gush over a spirited and talented musician, songwriter and singer who deserved more respect from the music industry…and a spot in the music history books.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protestant denominations cutting staff, trying new ideas amid declines in members and money
When the Episcopal Church recently announced cuts to its national staff, it was the latest in a long-running cycle among historic U.S. Protestant denominations — declines in members leading to declines in funding and thus in staff. And it wasn't alone. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) also announced recent cuts to staff at its headquarters and in its global missions program. The United Methodist Church, after undergoing a major schism, has settled into a historically low budget, having cut its numbers of bishops and other positions. While the circumstances vary from one denomination to another, there are some common threads. Several Protestant denominations are losing members, particularly the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and other historic mainline groups that have not only been aging and shrinking but have suffered schisms as they moved in more progressive directions. At the same time, the number of nondenominational churches has grown over the past decade, as have the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated. As a result, denominations have had to do less with less — not only cutting budgets to balance the bottom line, but making strategic changes and trying out new ideas. Widespread skepticism of institutions Despite their different structures, 'every one of these national bodies really have to deal with changing social contexts and ethos,' said Scott Thumma, co-director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. 'A lot of that has to do with the skepticism around national organizations and institutions.' In their heyday, denominational offices oversaw mission organizations that sent large numbers of church workers to far corners of the world. They put out officially sanctioned hymnals, devotional guides, magazines and Sunday School materials. They organized big national conventions that set — and fiercely debated — policy and doctrine. They set standards for how ministers were trained, credentialed and disciplined. They ran historical societies and pension funds for ministers. The Southern Baptist Convention 's Cooperative Program, marking its 100th anniversary this year, is a testament to the traditional idea that it's more efficient to pool everyone's money and trust leaders to allocate it wisely. The convention still runs a large missions program. But its churches aren't sending as much as they used to. The SBC has also declined in membership. and it faces unique challenges such as litigation following a report on sexual misconduct. Its Executive Committee, which trimmed its staff in 2023, is putting its Nashville office up for sale. Nowadays, not only has trust in centralized leadership faded, but there often are fewer church members to support programs and activities. Many denominational churches are acting more like nondenominational ones — downloading music or Sunday School lessons from independent rather than official sources. Episcopal Church cuts Last month, the Episcopal Church announced the layoff of 14 workers, with another 16 retiring this year under an incentive program. Another 13 vacant positions are being eliminated. Other staffers are being trained to take on new roles, and the denomination projects it will have a net total of about 110 full-time workers by next year. 'Our goal was to meet the emerging financial reality but also to determine how we can continue to serve the church as it's becoming something different than it was,' Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said in an interview. 'It's creating networks on the ground," he said. "It's paying attention to what is new and working, and lifting that up.' Some of the shift in strategy will involve looking at ways to support local dioceses and parishes, which are 'better equipped to know what their needs are," Rowe said. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) cuts The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) cut 12 positions from its central offices late last year. It also enacted a major change in its approach to global missions earlier this year, eliminating the position of mission co-worker, or those who worked directly in other countries in schools, churches or other ministries. The church will retain workers who will maintain regular contacts with Presbyterian and other churches overseas, as well as interfaith contacts, while also working with diaspora communities in the United States. The world mission staff reduced from 79 to 44, according to a church announcement last month. The changes are difficult, acknowledged the Rev. Jihyun Oh, executive director of the PC (U.S.A.)'s Interim Unified Agency, a recently consolidated office overseeing a range of denominational work. The denomination is roughly a third of its size when it took its current form in the 1980s, following a reunification of northern and southern branches. And while many members had increased their giving to missions over the past two decades, the net effect of fewer members was a decline in funds. It was important, Oh said, to reorganize now, before a financial crisis required a more drastic cut. Meanwhile, some of the countries where mission workers once were assigned now have well-established Presbyterian churches, she said. 'The church's witness and ministry is not coming to an end,' she said. 'There can be resurrection and renewal in a different sort of way." That renewal might be measured not so much by numbers but "in terms of impact, in terms of partnerships, in terms of other ways that we will actually be called to live out faith in this time.' She hopes church members understand that 'God's not done with us." United Methodist Church cuts In the United Methodist Church, giving to denomination-wide ministries fell by about 13% to $91 million in 2024, according to its General Council on Finance and Administration. That didn't cause an immediate shock because the denomination has been preparing for such declines in recent years. It underwent a years-long schism in which a quarter of its churches left by the end of 2023. Many joined a more conservative denomination before the UMC's General Convention in 2024 removed its longstanding bans on ordaining and marrying LGBTQ people, while continuing to allow church conferences in other countries to set their own rules. United Methodist denominational agencies currently have 503 full-time employees, down 36% since 2016, according to the council. Thumma said that even though 'organized religion' gets a bad name these days, that's not the full story. 'You have people who are still interested in spirituality, some sort of gathering around something higher than themselves, but not in these particular forms,' he said. 'There are a lot of religious and denominational leaders who realize that, but the question is what forms or structures are going to resonate with those folks.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Protestant denominations cutting staff, trying new ideas amid declines in members and money
When the Episcopal Church recently announced cuts to its national staff, it was the latest in a long-running cycle among historic U.S. Protestant denominations — declines in members leading to declines in funding and thus in staff. And it wasn't alone. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) also announced recent cuts to staff at its headquarters and in its global missions program. The United Methodist Church, after undergoing a major schism, has settled into a historically low budget, having cut its numbers of bishops and other positions. While the circumstances vary from one denomination to another, there are some common threads. Several Protestant denominations are losing members, particularly the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and other historic mainline groups that have not only been aging and shrinking but have suffered schisms as they moved in more progressive directions. At the same time, the number of nondenominational churches has grown over the past decade, as have the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated. As a result, denominations have had to do less with less — not only cutting budgets to balance the bottom line, but making strategic changes and trying out new ideas. Widespread skepticism of institutions Despite their different structures, 'every one of these national bodies really have to deal with changing social contexts and ethos,' said Scott Thumma, co-director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. 'A lot of that has to do with the skepticism around national organizations and institutions.' In their heyday, denominational offices oversaw mission organizations that sent large numbers of church workers to far corners of the world. They put out officially sanctioned hymnals, devotional guides, magazines and Sunday School materials. They organized big national conventions that set — and fiercely debated — policy and doctrine. They set standards for how ministers were trained, credentialed and disciplined. They ran historical societies and pension funds for ministers. The Southern Baptist Convention 's Cooperative Program, marking its 100th anniversary this year, is a testament to the traditional idea that it's more efficient to pool everyone's money and trust leaders to allocate it wisely. The convention still runs a large missions program. But its churches aren't sending as much as they used to. The SBC has also declined in membership. and it faces unique challenges such as litigation following a report on sexual misconduct. Its Executive Committee, which trimmed its staff in 2023, is putting its Nashville office up for sale. Nowadays, not only has trust in centralized leadership faded, but there often are fewer church members to support programs and activities. Many denominational churches are acting more like nondenominational ones — downloading music or Sunday School lessons from independent rather than official sources. Episcopal Church cuts Last month, the Episcopal Church announced the layoff of 14 workers, with another 16 retiring this year under an incentive program. Another 13 vacant positions are being eliminated. Other staffers are being trained to take on new roles, and the denomination projects it will have a net total of about 110 full-time workers by next year. 'Our goal was to meet the emerging financial reality but also to determine how we can continue to serve the church as it's becoming something different than it was,' Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said in an interview. 'It's creating networks on the ground," he said. "It's paying attention to what is new and working, and lifting that up.' Some of the shift in strategy will involve looking at ways to support local dioceses and parishes, which are 'better equipped to know what their needs are," Rowe said. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) cuts The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) cut 12 positions from its central offices late last year. It also enacted a major change in its approach to global missions earlier this year, eliminating the position of mission co-worker, or those who worked directly in other countries in schools, churches or other ministries. The church will retain workers who will maintain regular contacts with Presbyterian and other churches overseas, as well as interfaith contacts, while also working with diaspora communities in the United States. The world mission staff reduced from 79 to 44, according to a church announcement last month. The changes are difficult, acknowledged the Rev. Jihyun Oh, executive director of the PC (U.S.A.)'s Interim Unified Agency, a recently consolidated office overseeing a range of denominational work. The denomination is roughly a third of its size when it took its current form in the 1980s, following a reunification of northern and southern branches. And while many members had increased their giving to missions over the past two decades, the net effect of fewer members was a decline in funds. It was important, Oh said, to reorganize now, before a financial crisis required a more drastic cut. Meanwhile, some of the countries where mission workers once were assigned now have well-established Presbyterian churches, she said. 'The church's witness and ministry is not coming to an end,' she said. 'There can be resurrection and renewal in a different sort of way." That renewal might be measured not so much by numbers but "in terms of impact, in terms of partnerships, in terms of other ways that we will actually be called to live out faith in this time.' She hopes church members understand that 'God's not done with us." United Methodist Church cuts In the United Methodist Church, giving to denomination-wide ministries fell by about 13% to $91 million in 2024, according to its General Council on Finance and Administration. That didn't cause an immediate shock because the denomination has been preparing for such declines in recent years. It underwent a years-long schism in which a quarter of its churches left by the end of 2023. Many joined a more conservative denomination before the UMC's General Convention in 2024 removed its longstanding bans on ordaining and marrying LGBTQ people, while continuing to allow church conferences in other countries to set their own rules. United Methodist denominational agencies currently have 503 full-time employees, down 36% since 2016, according to the council. Thumma said that even though 'organized religion' gets a bad name these days, that's not the full story. 'You have people who are still interested in spirituality, some sort of gathering around something higher than themselves, but not in these particular forms,' he said. 'There are a lot of religious and denominational leaders who realize that, but the question is what forms or structures are going to resonate with those folks.'
