ENI – A group of indigenous people from all over the world has urged the Lutheran World Federation to establish a program to help uplift the lives of a group of people often not accepted in mainstream societies.

Resolving complaints from former students of Indian residential schools is getting trickier as time goes on. The federal government has been sending out $8,000 compensation cheques to former students over the age of 65, but has rejected numerous claimants, saying there isn't any proof they attended a residential school. To make matters worse, the first of nine provincial court hearings, held in Toronto at the end of August and required to okay the federally-approved Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, criticized the process.

Safe water is critical for survival. That's why Water Partners: Safe Water for All invites children and youth to “board a water craft” and zoom around the world visiting Tanzania, India, Indonesia, Nicaragua and the Cariboo Region of British Columbia. At each stop, the youth will discover how five of the Presbyterian Church's partner countries are ensuring safe water, and how the church is helping them. Through Bible lessons, personal stories, crafts, recipes, music and games, young people and their leaders will raise money for water projects and learn how they can participate in keeping water safe in their own community. A water challenge, given in calendar format, helps children learn how their daily actions impact water supply and what they can do to make a difference. Written by Anne Miller, the resource was mailed free of charge in the August PCPak but extra copies of the booklet (along with a DVD or VHS) can be purchased from the Book Room by calling 1-800-619-7301. – Dorothy Henderson and AM

ENI – “Why is it that religious institutions and religious leadership seem to be an obstacle for peace-building rather than a solution?” asked Rabbi David Rosen, international director of inter-religious relations with the American Jewish Committee and the International Jewish Committee at the Assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Kyoto.

ENI – The World Council of Churches, a grouping of 348 mainly Protestant and Orthodox denominations, representing more than 560 million Christians, concluded its central committee meeting in early September with statements on several world issues:

ENI – The Rev. Soritua Nababan, a Christian leader in the world's most populous Muslim nation, says the stereotyped idea of Islam tied to “oil and terror” should be rejected and he believes strengthening Muslim moderates in their own communities through dialogue can help reduce conflict.

ENI – The World Summit of Religious Leaders, the largest interfaith gathering to meet in Russia since the time of the Cold War, closed its July meeting by passing a resolution condemning terrorism, economic inequality, environmental abuses and the denigration of moral values in the modern world.

“I saw a lot of girls reflected in me,” Betty Makoni of Zimbabwe told the Record during a visit to Canada last year. “Exactly what they worried about was what once worried me. It was hard to explain why I wanted to do this, but in my heart, I felt that if I accomplished this mission, then I will have lived life to the full.”

On the verge of recommending a synod of Korean-only presbyteries, the church polity committee of the Presbyterian Church (USA) had second thoughts. “Creating a separate synod based on ethnicity would open the door to Pandora's box,” said Tres Adams III, a theological student advisory delegate from Pittsburgh Seminary.