The church's core beliefs and practices, including those related to Christ, the Bible, women's ordination and relationships, are featured in the ad on page 9A of the newspaper and on the Episcopal Church's website, Anne Rudig, director of communication, said in a Nov. 20 news release.

"We want to herald and share our welcoming message," she said.

"In the past few weeks, news about various religions has focused more about who's excluded from certain practices than who is included," Rudig noted. "We follow Christ and believe that he's very clear that all are welcome. We strive to 'love our neighbors as ourselves.'"

The Rev. Canon Charles Robertson, canon to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, said in the same release that "we are celebrating the fact the Episcopal Church recognizes that God doesn't differentiate between the gifts of men or women, lay or ordained. We want people to know who we are and to make their own, informed decisions."

The ad is the first in a series of materials that will be made available to dioceses, congregations and provinces as an overall communication strategy for the church is developed, Rudig said.

Centering on the theme "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You," various sizes of the ad are available in English and Spanish here to dioceses, congregations and provinces at no cost. Space is provided in the ad for customization of church and web site address.

Additional print, radio and other materials will soon be made available to dioceses and congregations, the release said.

Rudig called the ad an important tool "in our efforts to tell our own story," while Robertson said "we want to be bolder and more proactive about letting people know that the Episcopal Church has so much to offer."

"Our message continues to be that we welcome you into this adventurous life and reasonable faith in Christ...whoever 'you' may be," Robertson said.

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San Francisco, CA (November 17, 2009) – In 1909, when Star of the Sea School in San Francisco was formed, the City was well on its way to recovery after the disastrous 1906 earthquake. All around the City, residents and institutions like the Cliff House and the Palace Hotel were celebrating their rebirth. Fashion, too, was having a rebirth, with a new silhouette emerging from the fashion houses of Paris: the pigeon-breast shapes popular at the turn of the century were giving way to a narrower, straighter silhouette. Amidst this backdrop, Star of the Sea School was established by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and their legacy lives on in this thriving inner Richmond school turning out many of this city's finest and most fashionable students.

To celebrate its centennial, Star of the Sea is presenting 'An Evening of Stars', a centennial fashion show modeled by Star of the Sea alumni and families on December 6, 2009. The event takes place from 4:30-5:30 at the school gymnasium on 8th Avenue between Geary and Clement in San Francisco, followed by a boutique with proceeds benefitting the school.

After leaving behind the traditional navy blue and white uniforms of Star of the Sea, alumni have donned clothing as varied as furs, football helmets and vestments, although to our knowledge none have worn all those items at the same time. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, we present some notable Star of the Sea alumni and reflect on their fashion choices.

Perhaps the best-known of all Star alumni is Grace Ethel Cecilia Rosalie Allen, better known as Gracie Allen, who according to her bio loved to shop and had a fondness for furs, beautiful clothes and ¾ length sleeves. Although early records are murky, due in part to birth certificates and documentation being lost in the 1906 earthquake, and also in part to Gracie's coyness, she was born in the late 1890s and graduated from Star of the Sea in 1914. She's best known as the zany partner to George Burns, and was a gifted comedienne beloved by many. She passed away in 1964. Today Star of the Sea's computer lab bears her name, from a gift given by her estate.

John Talesfore graduated from the Star of the Sea grammar school in 1974. His fond memories of Star include 'Hot Dog Day' once a month, and endless fights with seagulls for scraps left unguarded. A fashion plate who 'never met a mirror he didn't like', according to his father, Talesfore was widely known for his platform shoes, cow bells and silky polyester shirts on the rare and much-anticipated free dress day. He went on to study architecture for two years at Cal, before realizing he might have a vocation to the priesthood. He was ordained a priest in 1989, and now serves as pastor at St. Mary's Cathedral. 'When I found out that black is always in style, that's when I made the logical choice of profession,' says Father Talesfore. He also claims the snazzy Star of the Sea uniform got him hooked on fashion, but we think he's just humoring us.

'I can honestly and proudly say that anything I have been given spiritually and academically is founded in my Star of the Sea education,' said Father Talesfore.

Another Star alumnus favors shoulder pads and a football helmet. He is Zac Lee, starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Lee, the son of an NFL quarterback, graduated from Star of the Sea in 2001. He was a standout in Star athletics and continued his prowess at St. Ignatius, where he was a 3 year starter in both football and baseball, and the first SI player in 23 years to be named offensive player of the year in the West Catholic Athletic Conference. He went on to star in both football and baseball for one year at City College before making his big Midwest move.

Classic clothes of the 20s, 30s and 40s will be featured in the Star of the Sea Fashion Show, and perhaps none wears them better today than cabaret singer Mary Cleere Haran. Haran, whose performances were lovingly covered in Entertainment Weekly in 1999, is another alumna that Star is proud to call its own. She covers the great American songbook, and has performed in prestigious clubs from coast to coast, including the Algonquin in New York.

Star of the Sea joins with all of its alumni to celebrate 100 years of academic excellence, teaching life values and looking good while doing so. To learn more about the centennial celebration and the fashion show, contact Star of the Sea:

Telephone: 415-221-3399 (Centennial Hotline for information and messages)
Email: alumni@staroftheseasf.com
Website: www.staroftheseasf.com/centennial

# # #

About Star of the Sea
Founded in 1909 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Star of the Sea Schools include the preschool and elementary school under the authority of the parish, serving a diverse population of girls and boys. Our schools are nurturing, dynamic, and constantly evolving environments that support academic achievement, develop moral and spiritual character, and encourage students to be globally aware and become lifelong learners and problem solvers. Star's graduates are consistently accepted to and excel in San Francisco's top Catholic, public and private high schools, including Sacred Heart Cathedral, Saint Ignatius, Riordan, Mercy, ICA, Lowell, and University. Star of the Sea is located at 360 9th Avenue in San Francisco's inner Richmond neighborhood.

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When asked about how she started her virtual assistant business, Ms. Snyder said: 'I was trying to find a position where I could use my administrative skills, but in this economy, that was hard. I had lots of people asking for my help with their computers, setting up forms, bookkeeping, etc., so I made the decision to venture forth on my own.' Virtual Office Partner's focus is on serving small businesses, non-profits and churches.

Ms. Snyder's education includes 60 hours working toward an accounting degree, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Religious Education from Covington Seminary in Rossville, Georgia and a diploma in Business and Office Technology from Swainsboro Technical School. She has also attended various computer schools learning Microsoft Access in order to pass the Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) exams.

NACVAS founder, Ann Brown, added: 'Pam has been so active within our organization in a very short time. She has been a frequent participant in our member forums, for instance, and is always willing to share her talents and experience as a virtual assistant. We are blessed to have her and celebrate that the focus is on her this month.'

The National Association of Christian Virtual Assistants (NACVAS) is the first national organization to support Christian VA's, and its mission is to empower its members to grow professionally and spiritually through fellowship, training, and support.

For more information, visit http://NationalAssociationofChristianVirtualAssistants.org.

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For more information on Bev and Robinson and their book "Convergence", visit http://www.FullnessOnline.org

To learn more about Vance Russell and his book "Victory at the Gates", visit http://www.AriseMinistries.com

To order the books online, visit http://www.RoyalPressInternational.com, Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble (www.BarnesandNoble.com)

Press Release written and distributed by Best Online Results http://www.BestOnlineResults.com.

Media Contact Information:

Ras and Bev Robinson
Fullness in Christ Ministries
PO Box 136117
Fort Worth, TX 76136


Vance Russell
Arise Ministries International
8231 Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78757
Phone: 512.451.8260

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"The 'post' terms, thrown about vigorously by pundits, send out signals that the problems of our society related to gender and race have magically flown away in an unseen balloon," write the editors.

In the Fall 2009 edition, "Race, Feminism, Our Future," editors and writers take on race and feminism, two of the most provocative social, political and cultural topics of our times. The edition is a series of big-picture articles and visionary ideas.

In "Taking on Postracialism," Rinku Sen tackles the idea of postracialism and argues that just because a black man was elected President of the United States doesn't mean racial equality has been achieved. Sen says implementing policies to end racism won't erase it.

"Most Americans don't see racism as a system enabled by rules and structures," writes Sen. "They have no idea that when we lay seemingly race-neutral policies on top of the history of explicitly racist policy, the racial gap remains in place or grows."

To address racism and work toward achieving real racial justice Sen advocates re-framing the postracial discussion.

In "Birthers and Birchers: Hiding Behind Stars and Stripes," Loretta J. Ross makes a link between those who deny Obama's citizenship (birthers) and nativist, racist sympathizers (Birchers, named after members of the John Birch Society.) Ross warns that to ignore the far right allows the further spread of deceitful misinformation.

"We need to build a united human rights movement that won't allow wedge politics to divide us," writes Ross, who is the National Coordinator at SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective and a Consulting Editor on this edition of On The Issues Magazine.

Serena Garcia, Communications Coordinator at SisterSong, also consulted on this edition.

In a unique featured artist piece, Faith Ringgold narrates a multimedia slideshow of her story quilt, "How The People Became Color Blind and We Came to America." Ringgold is well known for her vast body of work that often combines painting, quilted fabric and storytelling.

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"To all the activists, all the organizers, all the people who helped make this day happen, thank you for your years of advocacy and activism, pushing and protesting that made this victory possible," said Obama during the ceremony. "You know, as a nation we've come far on the journey towards a more perfect union. And today, we've taken another step forward. This afternoon, I signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

The act, part of a defense spending bill, gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence in instances where the perpetrator has victimized a person based on his or her actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability, in addition to race, color, religion, and national origin which are currently covered.

"I think God was smiling and moving with every stroke of the pen as Obama signed this legislation," Caldwell said. "I think passage of this legislation gives the country the opportunity to press the pause button to say enough is enough. No more violence."

Not long after Caldwell became bishop he was asked to preside at Shepard's funeral. Shepard had served as an acolyte in the Wyoming diocese and was a member of the University of Wyoming Canterbury Club, a Christian university group, at the time of his torture and murder in 1998.

Shepard's murder brought international attention to the limitations of U.S. hate crimes statutes at the local, state and federal levels. In 2007, Congress passed bills to reform existing hate crimes law to allow state and local governments more control and accountability over such cases. But the bill, added as an amendment to the Defense Reauthorization Bill, was dropped when former U.S. President George W. Bush said he would veto the defense bill if it included the amendment.

James Byrd, Jr., an African American, was brutally murdered in Jasper, Texas, in 1998, in what was termed a "lynching," by three white men, two of whom received the death penalty and the third was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.

In addition to including sexual and gender identity, the legislation also gives the Justice Department greater oversight of state and local criminal investigations where bias is involved, and makes grants available to fund training, prevention campaigns and to assist in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.

The FBI reported 7,624 single-bias hate crime offenses in 2007. Of those, 51% were race-based. Ranked second and third were those based on religion (18%) and sexual orientation (17%) in its most recent report on hate crimes.

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Los Angeles, CA – October 23, 2009 Jean Welles has a dream. She has dedicated her energy to helping Christians around the world draw closer to our God through helping to train up new worship leaders. Just in time for Christmas, She has released a new course which helps guitar players of all levels with their finger picking skills.

Welles, who graduated with a Masters Degree in Guitar Performance from USC, has been teaching guitar for over 30 years. In 2001, she made her technique available to a wider group and released the first Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class™ video.

'Our courses are now in around 1500 stores and 56 countries that I know of,' says Welles. Her series of DVDs and videos are designed to help individuals and families quickly learn how to play the guitar in the comfort of their own homes.

At the heart of all of her work, Welles says, is her commitment to Christ. In addition to teaching and coaching guitar players all over the world, she is a worship leader in the Los Angeles area, and her video series has been used by hundreds of churches to train new worship leaders. By combining popular Worship, excellent technique and step-by-step instruction, Welles has helped tens of thousands of people explore new ways of incorporating music into their worship.

The newest addition to the Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class™ series is a new book and DVD entitled 'Mastering Finger Picking.' This course includes all-new material and is designed to help worship guitar students of all levels improve their finger picking skills.

Welles explains, 'The new course is easy enough for a newer player to learn from, and will also be beneficial for people who have been playing the guitar for many years.'
The course centers around honing one's finger picking technique through exercises, and then progresses into song accompaniments and solos. Included are Christmas songs, classical pieces, Christian hymns and even a flamenco solo.

The book and DVD are available now.

A worship leader and guitar coach in the greater Los Angeles area, Jean Welles has been responsible for helping over 100,000 people learn to play the guitar for worship. In addition to the Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class™ series, Ms. Welles sponsors yearly worship songwriting contests for both children and adults. This year's contest will be held in November. More information is available at http://worshipguitarclass.com.

Contact:
Jean Welles
Jean Welles Worship Guitar
11664 National Blvd. #275
Los Angeles, CA 90064
1-800-391-5412
jean@worshipguitarclass.com
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In Looking for Love, Cusella shares the incredible and sometimes shocking story of a woman who survived sexual abuse, depression, and gambling. She endured what she refers to as a kind of trial by fire, experiencing love, fame, money, and success, only to discover that none of it could fill the emptiness inside her.

Today the author is a faith-filled evangelist with a passion for giving. But Cusella's life wasn't always this way.

After achieving the wealth she'd craved, Cusella discovered that life had become hollow and meaningless, her identity stripped away by the shallow, superficial trappings of the fame she'd achieved so young. From the bright lights of the stage as a much sought after Stevie Nicks look-a-like and popular feature performer in nightclubs, Cusella finally hit rock bottom—and suffered the pain and hopelessness that follow when everything is taken away.

'I'm a survivor,' says Cusella. 'Though many times I felt totally defeated, even suicidal, someone kept me going. Eventually I discovered who that someone was, turned my life around, and was reborn.'

After losing everything she'd worked for—including her will to live—Cusella's spirit was nearly broken; her life almost came to a tragic end. But, she says, God saved her life.

'I was ready to take my own life,' says Cusella. 'But then I had a vision, and heard a voice. It was the voice of God; I felt His presence all around me as He encouraged me to go on living.'

Today Cusella is a multi-faceted, faith-filled woman—a gifted author, talented musician, and anointed speaker—who has committed her life to helping others discover God's redeeming love.

Looking for Love is the story of a troubled early life, and the desperate search for love in all the wrong places. Tested over and over again by excruciating challenges, it was finally through God's grace that one courageous woman began to live the life she was meant to live.

Cusella has committed her life to helping others discover the love they have always sought, but never had the courage to find. Now a humble servant of God, she is a role model for others who've become lost along the way.

About Cheryl Cusella

Today Cheryl Cusella lives in California, and has completed three years at Moody Bible College where she is studying towards her bachelor's degree in biblical counseling. She is an anointed evangelist, gifted author, passionate speaker, and talented singer. Forever Changed is the title of her soon to be released CD. Cusella believes she has been entrusted with a unique gift to share God's love with audiences throughout the nation. For more information about Cheryl Cusella visit online at www.cherylcusella.com.

Media Contact
Susan M. Zahn
WDC Media PR
Toll-Free: 1-877-862-3600
office@wdcmedia.com
www.wdcmedia.com

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