Churches in Africa are being urged to speak out more forcefully about sexual violence against women, an issue highlighted by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Speaking at a United Nations conference in New York, Annan said there has been progress in the past decade with regards to women's rights, but further action is needed to stop violence against women. "That means leadership in showing, by example, that when it comes to violence against women and girls, there are no grounds for tolerance and no tolerable excuses."

A story in the March issue on executive salary increases at the church's national offices should have noted that pay raises for associate secretaries slated to begin next January are contingent upon acceptance of a proposal from Assembly Council to General Assembly that would cement responsibility for setting national staff compensation with the council.

In the midst of rising violence in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, an American nun was shot dead by what are believed to be contract killers. Dorothy Stang, a 74-year-old missionary living in Brazil for 30 years, worked to defend the forest and peasant farmers from illegal ranchers, loggers and landowners.

Rev. Andrew Johnston (far right) of St. Andrew's, Ottawa, delivered the homily at an ecumenical worship service in Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa Jan. 23 marking the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity." Johnston is president of the Christian Council of the Capital Area.

As was first reported in the July 2004 Record Dorothy Henderson was awarded the 2005 Educator of the Year by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators. She received her award at the association's annual convention held in Vancouver in February. Henderson is Associate Secretary for Christian Education for the national church. Among other things, she was honoured for her work on leadership development and intergenerational worship resources.

The Life and Mission Agency Committee has nominated Rev. Richard Fee for the position of General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency. His name will be presented to General Assembly in June for approval. Fee is currently the Director of Presbyterian World Service and Development and Moderator of the 130th General Assembly. He would succeed Rev. J.P. Ian Morrison who is retiring later this year.

The Presbyterian Record is pleased to welcome a new circulation manager, Deborah Leader. Born in Toronto and currently living in Mississauga, Leader comes to 50 Wynford from a full-time circulation position with Canadian Homes and Cottages. An active volunteer with the Girl Guides of Canada, she is looking forward to warmer weather so she can enjoy her summer home on Lake Erie in Wainfleet, Ont. Leader replaces Eva Breeze, who retired from the Record after 14 years of service.

Military chaplains may soon have to wear insignias on their uniforms that will apply to all faiths. Chaplains currently wear a Maltese Cross on their caps — a feature of the badge worn by all Canadian forces chaplains since the three services united in 1968. "It's still in the development stage, but we're seriously considering it," said Col. Stan Johnstone, director of chaplain policy, at the Chaplain's General Office.

In the midst of peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, several organizations have been criticised for trumpeting divestment in companies involved in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Moshe Fox, an Israeli embassy official in the United States, was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying: "While maintaining that this recommendation is neither one-sided nor anti-Jewish, it is clearly both."

Presbyterians' generosity to the Asia tsunami relief fund has surpassed the million-dollar mark. As of March 14, $1,196,772 had been donated to Presbyterian World Service and Development. More than $755,000 of that will be matched by the federal government.

The seven Presbyterian Members of Parliament have each declared their position on same-sex marriage. See their parliamentary websites for the full statements.

The questions kept coming. And coming. For an hour, Rick Fee, director of Presbyterian World Service & Development, assured the female caller that her donation would be well spent. Her concerns are not unique. Other PWS&D staffers fielded similar calls. After giving nearly $926,000 to tsunami relief, Presbyterians want to be certain their money is well spent.

I fled both the church and the small town in which it was located as soon as I graduated from high school. I looked back with disdain upon the rather simple activities of the church, the uncritical acceptance of what I perceived to be church members' idiosyncrasies and the dogged determination to keep the dwindling congregation alive.

Congregations who fail to implement the church's proposed volunteer screening and training policy may find themselves without insurance to cover abuse claims. The warning comes from Michael Petersen of Marsh Canada Insurance. Petersen said the coverage "is not a warranty" against possible slip-ups or oversights in abuse protocols. He said the possibility exists for a congregation to make a claim and, if found not to be in full compliance with the guidelines, refused compensation.

Congregations contributed more than $8.7 million to Presbyterians Sharing for 2004 — an increase of $7,000 from the previous year. Gifts from individuals helped the ministry surpass its target of $8.8 million.

Once the debris is cleared away, bodies are buried, emergency food and supplies are handed out and immediate wounds and illnesses are tended to, the long process of rehabilitation and reconstruction to tsunami-ravaged countries must begin. "We're well into rehabilitation now," said Rick Fee, director of Presbyterian World Service & Development. "We're beginning to look at more long-term issues."

A private Christian graduate school has received permission to grant masters and doctoral degrees in philosophy. Established in 1967 the Institute for Christian Studies describes itself as, "a school in the Reformed tradition, committed to self-critique and continual change." Pursuing a Christian approach to philosophy, the humanities and social sciences are the school's main endeavours.

Among these seven follicly blessed students at the Toronto School of Theology in the mid-seventies are a future moderator and two bishops. From left, the dapper Rick Fee, PCC Moderator; Heather McGregor, now a YWCA Toronto executive; Caroline Lockerbee, Presbyterian minister in Burlington, Ont.; Jack Archibald, Ottawa Presbyterian minister; Colin Johnson, Anglican bishop of Toronto; David Danner, Episcopal priest in Massachusetts; and Jim Wingle, Roman Catholic bishop of St. Catharines.

Assembly Council has approved a pay-hike for national church executive staff to bring them in line with comparable positions in the Toronto area. As of Jan. 1, 2005, the church's top three general secretary positions — principal clerk, chief financial officer and general secretary of the Life and Mission agency — are receiving a clergy stipend of $82,300, up from $65,249. Non-clergy receive another 15 per cent to compensate for the clergy housing tax deduction.

A prominent Toronto minister has been charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a teenager for an alleged incident 15 years ago. Rev. Robert Fourney, minister at Glenview, the largest Presbyterian church in Toronto, and former moderator of East Toronto Presbytery appeared in Collingwood court on Feb 1. He is scheduled to appear again March 8, when a date for a preliminary hearing is expected to be set.