A consultation on gender, power and leadership, sponsored in part by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, was held in Kenya over the summer. I was privileged to participate, along with 48 others from 17 countries, including seven students from St. Paul's United Theological College (the other co-sponsor) in Kenya.

ENI — Leaders of Britain's Hindu community are expressing disbelief and outrage at claims by two English church ministers that yoga should be banned from churches. Amarjeet-singh Bhamra, a Hindu spokesperson in Britain said, “It is very disappointing that such medieval-like irrational prejudice is still allowed to flourish in the Christian church in 21st century multicultural Britain.”

ENI — Claire Randall, a lay Presbyterian leader and the first woman to serve as general secretary of the US National Council of Churches, is being remembered for her leadership of the council during a turbulent era.

After 24 years of helping to fight hunger around the world, Canadian Foodgrains Bank has distributed its one-millionth tonne of food. That's enough to fill more than 15,000 box cars with bags of grain—a train that would stretch approximately 290 kilometres.

The National Presbyterian Museum, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, is open Sunday afternoons until Dec. 16. The museum stores over 400 years of artifacts from the Presbyterian Church including missionary memorabilia, Communion tokens, books and clerical robes. It also features a reproduced minister's study with numerous out-of-print books including writings by John Calvin and Institutes of the Christian Religion, published in 1608. A small 19th-century chapel, featuring oil lamps and a pump organ, provides a place for groups to worship while stepping back in time. Admission is free though donations are appreciated. To make an appointment call 416 469-1345, or email presbymuseum@sympatico.ca. The museum is located at 415 Broadview Ave., Toronto.

Lindsey Hepburn is the Presbyterian Church's new Mission Interpretation Coordinator. The Glenview, Toronto, member is a Dalhousie graduate with an honours degree in International Development and Spanish. Hepburn has participated in a few short term mission programs and brings great enthusiasm to developing this portfolio. The mission interpretation coordinator helps congregations experience mission by facilitating short term mission trips, study tours and volunteer experiences in Canada and overseas for congregations and individuals; connecting mission speakers with congregations, including international staff, short term volunteers, participants in study tours, and national church staff; and preparing resource material to help congregations and individuals learn how they can do mission at home, nationally and internationally. Hepburn started in September, replacing Barbara Nawratil who has moved into the finance office.

The man who fought ceaselessly to have a suicide barrier erected over one of Toronto's most notorious bridges was honoured by the city with a memorial plaque in July. Al Birney, who died of a heart attack in June, 2006, was described by his friend Rev. Greg Dickson, as “absolutely sold out for Christ. He didn't care what people thought. He just wanted everyone to know that Jesus was foremost in his life.” The two participated in a weekly men's prayer group at St. Andrew's, Scarborough.

ENI—LIBYA — “People are respecting us. They accept us. We are free,” said Roman Catholic Bishop Giovanni Martinelli of growing religious freedom in Libya. For three decades, following the 1969 revolution led by Moammar Gadhafi, the tiny Christian community in this overwhelmingly Muslim country faced restrictions and hostility. But a new wave of religious freedom is sweeping the country.