Mrs. Ellen Lee Bridewell Elliott went to be with the Lord on 17 August 2011. Mrs. Elliott was born in Beauregard, Mississippi, on 18 April 1917. Her father was Mr. Nathaniel Weeks Bridewell and her mother was Mrs. Bettie Duncan Bridewell.

Mrs. Elliott had six brothers and sisters. Her brothers are Lt. Francis Bridewell, killed in World War II; Nat Bridewell, deceased; Dr. Ross Bridewell; and Major Joseph Bridewell. Her sisters are Charlotte Swain and Clarissa Cordre.

Mrs. Elliott’s education included an AA degree from Montreat Anderson College in Black Mountain, North Carolina; a BA from North Western State University in Louisiana; and a Masters in Religious Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia. Following that, she took extensive post-graduate work.

She was married to the Rev. Mr. Edwin Powers Elliott, Sr., in 1946 at Clifton Forge Presbyterian Church. Rev. Elliott, founding pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Manassas, died in 1998. Rev. and Mrs. Elliott moved to Manassas in 1962 when he was called to be pastor of the Manassas Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Elliott was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Mrs. Elliott’s children are the Rev. Dr. Edwin Powers Elliott, Jr., died 11 October 2009, and Francis Moxom Elliott.

Mrs. Elliott worked in churches in four states along with her husband and taught in the public schools in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. She was Guidance Counselor at Parkside Junior High School for many years until her retirement.

Following her formal retirement, she worked as editor and circulation manager for the Christian Observer Magazine, founded 1813, until her second retirement in 2007.

Mrs. Elliott is survived by her second son, Francis; his wife, Grace D. Arnold Elliott; and their four sons: Benjamin Elliott and his wife, Lisa E. Elliott; Adam Elliott; James Elliott; and Lee Elliott. Also surviving are Edwin P. Elliott, Jr.’s widow, Anne B. Elliott, and their three daughters: Laura Elliott, Rebecca Zadell and her husband Jerome, and Dr. Elizabeth Elliott.

The funeral will be at Reformed Presbyterian Church on 27 August 2011 at 10 a.m. Donations may be made to the Reformed Presbyterian Church at 9400 Fairview Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110. The phone number is 703-361-2300.

+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 20110, christianobserver@christianobserver.org

[2] Fremont Presbyterian Church of Sacramento, California, Discusses Leaving PCUSA for the EPC

A 22 August 2011 article by Jennifer Garza in The Sacramento Bee titled “Fremont Presbyterian Members Begin Meetings on Possible Split from National Body” reports that the congregation of Fremont Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)) met 21 August 2011 to begin discussions on whether the church should leave the PCUSA and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). Three additional congregational meetings will be held before a final vote is expected to be taken in October 2011.

In a July 2011 non-binding vote, the Fremont session unanimously voted to leave the PCUSA because of the denomination’s non-adherence to biblical standards including the 2010-2011 vote of PCUSA presbyteries to remove the Fidelity and Chastity Standards for ministers and elders.

If the Freemont church, which averages 1300 weekly worshipers, votes to leave the PCUSA , Freemont will be the sixth church in the PCUSA ‘s Presbytery of Sacramento to leave the PCUSA and join the EPC.

+ The Sacramento Bee, 2100 Q Street, Sacramento, California 95816, 916-321-1000, Contact Page

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005

+ Presbytery of Sacramento, 9983 Folsom Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95827, 916-414-2080, jwilkins@sacpresby.org

+ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 17197 North Laurel Park Drive Suite 567, Livonia, Michigan 48152, 734-742-2020, Fax: 734-742-2033, webmaster@epc.org

[3] United Reformed Church Minister Angry at Minority in Church of Scotland Opposed to Homosexual Ordination

A 12 August 2011 article by Lorraine Waddell in the Lennox Herald titled “Dumbarton Minister’s Anger in Gay Ordination Row” reports that United Reformed Church minister the Rev. Daniel Cheyne of Dumbarton, Scotland, is angry with what the minister terms a “minority” within the Church of Scotland who follow the Bible too closely in regard to the minority’s opposition to the ordination of homosexual ministers.

Cheyne attributes the minority opposition to a “misunderstanding of the word of God. They have used ancient texts in the Bible and have taken them out of context….You can’t use them in the 21st century.”

Cheyne cites several Old Testament texts including:

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you beat him with a rod he will not die.” (Proverbs 23:13)

“Behold I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring them out to you and do them as you please.” (Genesis 19:8)

“Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!” (Psam 139)

Cheyne concludes: “We are citizens of the 21st century and we can no longer accept the words of ancient writings. If we are to accept the Biblical imperative we could easily find ourselves either in trouble with the local social work department or facing long prisons sentences….I think the church has got to be inclusive, not an exclusive club…The church must accept everyone, irrespective of their gender. I think everyone’s got gifts they can use for good. We should recognise that….It is a medical fact that people do not choose their sexuality. In the same way they are born with 10 fingers and toes they are born with their sexuality….There are many people who are gay and exercise a loving and pastoral ministry within the church. And we thank God for their gifts, dedication, care and commitment. Let’s move away from those ancient texts that cause nothing but misunderstanding and deeply rooted prejudice.”

+ Lennox Herald, 53 High Street, Dumbarton, G82 1LS Scotland, 01389-742-299, marcmclean@s-un.co.uk

+ United Reformed Church, Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT, England, 020-7916-2020, Fax: 020-7916-2021, urc@urc.org.uk

+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722

[4] American Psychiatric Association Working to Legitimize Pedophilia

A 15 August 2011 article by John Rossomando in The Daily Caller titled “Conference Aims to Normalize Pedophilia” reports that a 17 August 2011 American Psychiatric Association (APA) meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, explored “ways in which minor-attracted persons [pedophiles] can be involved in the DSM 5 revision process” and how to change society’s view of pedophiles to one of tolerance.

The DSM is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The manual is scheduled to be updated in 2013, and is characterized by Rossomando as the APA’s “bible of mental illnesses”.

+ The Daily Caller, 1050 17th Street Northwest # 900, Washington DC 20036, 202-466-3004, media@dailycaller.com

+ American Psychiatric Association, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825, Arlington, Virginia 22209, 703-907-7300, apa@psych.org

[5] Failed 21 August 2011 Bombing Attempt on Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Kirkuk, Iraq

A 21 August 2011 article on Ankawa.com titled “Failed Attempt to Bombing the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Kirkuk” reports that police in Kirkuk, Iraq, on 21 August 2011 disarmed a bomb placed against a wall of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The bomb contained petrol, Curtin explosive [possibly ammonium nitrate fertilizer – ed.], and detonators.

The article notes that attacks against churches in Kirkuk, Iraq, have increased in recent weeks, and have included two successful and two unsuccessful bombings.

The Banner of Truth Trust notes that the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Iraq consists of five congregations in the cities of Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Mosul, the latter city having a church founded in 1840.

+ Ankawa.com, english@ankawa.com

+ The Banner of Truth Trust, P.O. Box 621, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013, 717-249-5747, info@banneroftruth.org

[6] None Dare Call It Obamanation

Pamela Geller, executive director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative and Stop Islamization of America, publishes a blog called Atlas Shrugs where in recent days she has featured several articles about the 2011 White House Ramadan “Iftar” Dinner hosted by U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama:

In ‘WH Ramadan Dinner: Obama Honored the Sacrifices that Muslim Americans Made on 911’ of 12 August 2011, Geller states:

“The idea of [Obama] talking only of the Muslim who died on 911 or the Muslim first responder that died on 911 (if there were more, you’d have heard about it) is classic Islamic supremacism. Every death was an incalculable loss, every death an attack on this country.”

“If Obama and the Islamic supremacist machine is so insistent on pointing that out, why not point out that, according to Islam, they died as martyrs in an act of jihad? Further, why is the motive behind these acts of war, jihad, prohibited from the national conversation or more specifically, this dinner?”

“This is sedition. This speech by the President of the United States in the wake of the single largest loss of life in one day by devout Muslims in the act of jihad is treason.”

In ‘Obama’s Ramadan Dinner Guest List Hides Attendance of Stealth Jihadists Tied to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood’:

Geller references the Jihad Watch article ‘Obama’s Iftar guest list omitted attendees with links to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood’, then quotes Neil Munro in The Daily Caller of 11 August 2011:

“The White House’s published guest list for this year’s Ramadan Iftar dinner…. excluded the names of several controversial advocates who have attended the event in the past, including some who…did attend…”

“…Haris Tarin, the Washington director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, whose invitation was kept off the published list.

“Mohamed Magid also attended but did not appear on the White House’s publish list. Magid is imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society mosque in Northern Virginia and the current president of the Islamic Society of North America [ISNA].”

“…court records…show that the federal government designated ISNA an unindicted co-conspirator during the 2008 trial of Texas Muslims who smuggled money to the Hamas terror group….”

+ Atlas Shrugs, writeatlas@aol.com

+ Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch

+ The Daily Caller, 1050 17th Street Northwest # 900, Washington DC 20036, 202-466-3004, media@dailycaller.com

+ Muslim Public Affairs Council, 110 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Suite 210, Washington DC 20002, 202-547-7701, Fax: 202-547-7704, contact@mpac.org

[7] Jihadists Urged to Bomb Military Funerals as New Way to Bring Terror to America

A 19 August 2011 The Daily Mail article titled “Jihadists Urged to Bomb Military Funerals as New Way to Bring Terror to America” reports that the Ansar al-Mujahedeen web forum is hailing the 2009 Fort Hood massacre as a triumph, is urging jihadists using suicide vest bombs to strike America by bombing the funerals of U.S. service members killed in action, and to instructing prospective suicide bombers to hide the vest bombs under fake military uniforms to more easily get close to funeral dignitaries such as military officers and state officials.

+ The Daily Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, England, 020-7938-6000, news@dailymail.co.uk

[8] Religion Communicators Council Calls for Civil Discourse Regarding the Tenth Anniversary of the 11 September 2001 Attacks

In a 7 August 2011 statement, the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) urged journalists and bloggers to “pursue accuracy, respect and understanding of people of all faiths and faith communities…” in news coverage of the tenth anniversary of the 11 September 2011 attacks.

The RCC called “for responsible discussion of religion and of all faith groups, seeking the understanding and acceptance of religious communities…” because the anniversary of the 2001 attacks could “bring about painful recollections of terrorism and its effects,” and that reports about the attacks “could become heated and distorted as it intermingles the religious identity of participants in those heinous acts.”

+ National Council of Churches, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 880, New York, New York 10115

+ Religion Communicators Council, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1355, New York, New York 10115, 212-870-2985, Fax: 212-870-2171, rccrprc@rcn.com

[9] First Congregational Church of Webster Groves [Missouri] (UCC) to Host Muslim Speaker on Sunday 11 September 2011

The First Congregational Church of Webster Groves [Missouri] (United Church of Christ) is commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 11 September 2001terrorist attacks on the United States by a Sunday 11 September 2011 program titled “Peace Be Upon You!”, described as “an interface exploration of common purpose and collaboration designed to move us from tolerance to empathy.”

The keynote speaker will be Khaled Abdul Hamid, creator of the blog Khaled Hamid Forum: Just Some Thoughts of an American Muslim on Politics, Religion, and Muslim Community Issues.

+ National Council of Churches, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 880, New York, New York 10115

+ United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, 216-736-2100, ogm@ucc.org

[10] Reformed Family Worship Book Available for Free Download

Christian Observer editor Ginny Youmans has updated her Reformed Family Worship Book to optionally include a planner section for the 2011-2012 school year, and is making PDF versions of both available for free download at:

http://thousandhillsfarm.com/rfwb/index.html

+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 20110, christianobserver@christianobserver.org

[11] August 2011 Reformation Voice Available for Download

The August 2011 Reformation Voice is available for download at the Heidelberg Reformation Association website.

+ Heidelberg Reformation Association, Rev. Howard Sloan, Secretary, 5543 Business 220, Bedford, Pennsylvania 15522

[12] Free Preview of July/August 2011 “The Outlook” Available Online

The July/August 2011 issue of The Outlook is available for free preview at:

http://issuu.com/reformedfellowship/docs/outlook_july_august_2011-6-200?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed

+ Reformed Fellowship, Inc., 3363 Hickory Ridge Court Southwest, Wyoming, Michigan 49418, 616-532-8510, editor@reformedfellowship.net