CHARLESTON SHOOTING
Songs, prayer accompany 1st service at church since shooting
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) β Members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, have welcomed the world back into their sanctuary for the first Sunday service since a gunman opened fire during a Bible study and killed nine church members.
Messages of love, recovery and healing were interspersed throughout the service. For added security, police officers stood watch.
The Rev. Norvel Goff, a presiding elder of the 7th District AME Church in South Carolina, led Sunday’s service. He was appointed to lead the historic Charleston church after Emanuel’s senior pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, was shot and killed. A black sheet was draped over Pinckney’s usual chair, which sat empty Sunday.
Goff said, “Through it all God has sustained us and has encouraged us. Let us not grow weary in well-doing.”
As Emanuel’s congregation belted out a gospel hymn, church bells rang throughout downtown Charleston.
Sound:
176-a-12-(Rev. David Cousin, Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn, at church service)-“to heal us”-Rev. David Cousin, of Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn, told parishioners that they must turn to love in the day of this tragedy. ((note quality)) (21 Jun 2015)
< 179-r-31-(Sound of choir, at Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn)–Sound of choir, at Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn. ((note quality)) (21 Jun 2015) < 177-a-05-(Rev. David Cousin, Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn, at service)-“racist and injust”-Rev. David Cousin, of Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn, told parishioners evil never takes a day off. ((note quality)) (21 Jun 2015) < 175-w-36-(Julie Walker, AP correspondent, with Rev. David Cousin, Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn)–At church services around the country, the nine killed at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina are being remembered and mourned. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. (21 Jun 2015) < 178-a-13-(Nathaniel Howard, parishioner, Bridge Street AME Church in Brooklyn, at church service)-“that flag down”-Nathaniel Howard, who is from South Carolina, but lives in New York, told parishioners that he’s praying for everyone touched by the tragedy and wants the Confederate flag taken down. ((note quality)) (21 Jun 2015) < 159-w-33-(Warren Levinson, AP correspondent, with DaLisa Hutchinson, Emanuel A.M.E. Church parishioner)–The historic black church wounded by a mass killing has reopened its doors to the congregation. AP correspondent Warren Levinson reports. (21 Jun 2015) < 161-a-17-(Shann Laribo (shawn LA’-rih-boh), Charleston resident, in AP interview)-“moment like this”-Charleston resident Shann Laribo says Charleston’s spirit of forgiveness comes from a higher power. ((note length of cut)) (21 Jun 2015) < 160-a-06-(Cindy Brown, Charleston resident, in AP interview)-“this represents America”-Charleston resident Cindy Brown says she’s gratified to see people from around the country visiting the church. (21 Jun 2015) < 141-a-09-(Norvell Goff, Presiding Elder, preaching at Emanuel A.M.E. Church service)-“of God’s church”-Presiding Elder Norvell Goff says he was relieved to have the church they call Mother Emanuel reopened for services. (21 Jun 2015) < 142-r-23-(Norvell Goff, Presiding Elder, preaching at Emanuel A.M.E. Church service)–Presiding Elder Norvell Goff reads the names of all the dead. ((note length)) (21 Jun 2015) < 144-a-17-(Norvell Goff, Sr., presiding elder, Edisto District of the State Conference of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in sermon delivered at church’s first worship service since shooting)-“margin of life”-The Reverend Norvell Goff, Sr. vows that he and others will hold their elected officials accountable to do the right thing in the wake of last week’s deadly church shooting. ((note length of cut)) Updated: 06/21/2015-01:34:36 PM ET (21 Jun 2015) < BERKELEY BALCONY COLLAPSE Irish priest, official thank Bay Area for support SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β Irish officials are thanking San Francisco Bay Area Catholics and others for the support and care given to the families of six young people killed when a balcony collapsed in Berkeley last week. Ireland’s Minister of State for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan thanked those who helped the Irish families while they were in the Bay Area during a Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church on Sunday. He says their support helped the grieving relatives cope with their loss. Father Brendan McBride of the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center in San Francisco says four of the bodies have returned to Ireland and that another will be taken home on Monday. A sixth victim was buried Saturday in Sonoma County, where she was from. McBride urged those present Sunday to keep praying for the families of those died and the seven who remain hospitalized. ITALY-POPE-SHROUD OF TURIN Pope pauses in silent prayer before Shroud of Turin TURIN, Italy (AP) β Pope Francis has paused in silent prayer before the Shroud of Turin on special display in the Italian city’s cathedral. Francis on Sunday was the latest of hundreds of thousands of people who have come this year to view the burial linen some believe covered the body of Jesus. Francis sat for several minutes before the shroud, contained in a special protective glass case. He lowered his head at times in silent reflection and occasionally gazed up at the 14-foot cloth. Then he took a few steps, placed his hand on the case, and walked away without comment. The shroud’s display began April 19 and runs through June 24. Skeptics believe the cloth bearing the image of a crucified man is a medieval forgery. ITALY-POPE-HOLOCAUST Pope: ‘Powers’ did nil when Jews were taken to Auschwitz TURIN, Italy (AP) β Pope Francis has denounced what he calls the “great powers” of the world for failing to act when there was intelligence indicating that Jews, Christians, homosexuals and others were being transported to death camps in Europe during World War II. He also decried “how many Christians suffered” and died in gulags later in Russia under the Stalin dictatorship. The pope made his impromptu remarks during his visit to Turin, Italy, when he told young people he understands how they find it hard to trust the world. Francis said: “The great powers, they divided Europe like a cake” in the 1930s and 1940s. The pope lamented that in today’s world “everything is done for money.” He also said arms merchants and manufacturers who advocate peace are hypocrites. POPE-PHILADELPHIA-SHRINES Catholic shrines team up to draw pilgrims during pope visit PHILADELPHIA (AP) β Four Roman Catholic shrines in the Philadelphia area see a big opportunity in the upcoming visit of Pope Francis, so they’ve teamed up to market themselves. They’ve printed brochures, developed a local commercial and plan to buy billboard space. Officials hope attendance will soar in September at the Miraculous Medal shrine and the national shrines of St. John Neumann, St. Katharine Drexel and St. Rita of Cascia (KAH’-shah). They say their main goal is evangelization. But if they can boost gift shop sales, expand mailing lists and create buzz that will attract more visitors, even better. The pope will be in Philadelphia on Sept. 26 and 27 following the church’s triennial World Meeting of Families. U OF HARTFORD-MOSAIC UNCOVERED Team led by U of Hartford finds ancient Israel mosaic floor WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) β The University of Hartford says archaeologists have uncovered an ancient mosaic floor at a Greek Orthodox church in Nazareth, Israel. The university says the mosaic floor appears to be from one of the earliest churches in the history of Christianity. It was uncovered recently at the Church of the Annunciation by archaeologists led by Professor Richard Freund and Maha Darawsha of the University of Hartford and Shalom Yanklovitz at Israel’s Haifa University. According to tradition, the angel Gabriel announced the forthcoming birth of Jesus at a spring or well that Mary was visiting to get water. It’s where the Greek Orthodox put their church in the Byzantine period. The mosaic floor is believed to date to the fourth century and was uncovered with radar and other technology. YOGA DAY Millions worldwide take to their mats on Yoga Day NEW YORK (AP) β Millions of people have celebrated the first International Yoga Day, rolling out their mats and striking complex postures on city streets, squares and classrooms around the world. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spread his mat among rows of people at New Delhi’s main thoroughfare, which was transformed into a sprawling exercise ground. New York’s busy Times Square was closed off to traffic as several hundred yoga enthusiasts took to their mats. In Taipei, more than 2,000 participants rolled out mats and performed 108 rounds of the “sun salutation” β the sequence of poses often practiced at the beginning of a routine as the sun rises. Other cities where people celebrated Yoga Day include Austin, Texas, Tel Aviv, Israel, Beijing and Mexico City. Many believe that yoga, the ancient form of exercise, is the best way to calm the mind and the best form of exercise for the body. Sound: 100-a-15-(Sereena Burgess, Omm Space Institute, in AP interview)-“fun with yoga”-Sereena Burgess says thousands of yoga practitioners have held a mass yoga session celebrating the first International Yoga Day at a seaside urban park in the Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo. (21 Jun 2015) < 101-a-12-(Anil Trigunayat (ah-NEEL’ tree-goo-NAH’-yaht), India’s ambassador to Jordan, in AP interview)-“in 192 countries”-India’s Ambassador to Jordan Anil Trigunayat says the United Nations has unanimously decided to declare June 21st the International Day of Yoga. (21 Jun 2015) < 099-a-14-(Y.K.Sinha (SIHN’-hah), Indian high commissioner in Colombo, in AP interview)-“and the soul”-Y.K.Sinha says he has joined yoga enthusiasts in Sri Lanka to mark the inaugural International Day of Yoga. (21 Jun 2015) < 102-a-11-(H.E.L.D. Ralte (RAHL’-tee), Indian ambassador to the Philippines, in AP interview)-“to popularize it”-Indian Ambassador to the Philippines H.E.L.D. Ralte says he believes yoga is the best way to calm the mind and the best form of exercise for the body. (21 Jun 2015) < 103-r-12-(Sound of music as yoga enthusiasts practice yoga, at session in Beijing run by Indian yoga teachers)–Sound of relaxation music as yoga practitioners follow instructions of Indian yoga teachers at a session organized in the Chinese capital. (21 Jun 2015) < BRITAIN-SUMMER SOLSTICE Thousands at Stonehenge mark summer solstice LONDON (AP) β Thousands of revelers, new-agers and self-styled Druids have descended on the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice β the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Wiltshire Police say about 23,000 sun-watchers gathered on the Salisbury Plain about 80 miles southwest of London on Sunday. Police say the event was peaceful with only nine arrests for drug offenses βfewer than in the past. Visitors leaned on the stones, dancers swirled on the grass and revelers took selfies as part of the free-form celebrations. Stonehenge is an icon of Britain, and one of its most popular attractions. It was built in three phases between 3,000 B.C. and 1,600 B.C. and its purpose remains a mystery. Sound: 097-v-32-(Marta Migdalek (mihg-DAH’-wehk), AP correspondent)–Thousands have descended on the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. AP correspondent Marta Migdalek reports. (21 Jun 2015) < 098-c-18-(Marta Migdalek (mihg-DAH’-wehk), AP correspondent)-“to one another”-AP correspondent Marta Migdalek reports thousands of people have gathered at the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. (21 Jun 2015) < FRANCE-SALAFI RISE Austere brand of Islam on rise in Europe, stirring concerns PARIS (AP) β European authorities say the latest Islamic trend is an increasing concern. Salafism, an Islamic movement based on a literal reading of the Quran, is on the rise in France, Germany and Britain. Its imams preach austere piety, its tenets demand strict separation of men and women, and some of its most radical adherents are heeding the call to join the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. In Germany, there are currently about 7,000 Salafis, nearly double the 3,800 estimated four years ago. About 100 French mosques are now controlled by Salafis, more than double the number four years ago. In Britain the numbers are on the rise, too. Experts say Salafis in France have been waging a campaign of stealth to take over mosques. In Germany, authorities view all Salafis as extremists. Critics say police monitoring often infringes on Muslims’ freedom of worship.
