FAITH BRIEFS
St. Francis topic of lecture

Advertiser Staff

Leilani Madison, a professor of literature at Hawai'i Pacific University, will discuss "St. Francis as Peacemaker" in a lecture at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Spiritual Life Center.

Madison will talk about her pilgrimage to Assisi last summer, and share her discoveries about the saint who saw through the distorted spirituality of the Crusading period and reached out to Muslims.

The Spiritual Life Center is on the second floor of the First United Methodist church office at Beretania and Victoria street.

For more information: Spiritual Life Center, 1020 S. Beretania St., 523-1170 or spirlife@lava.net.

Conference set for Feb. 26-28

The theme for the next Hawaiian Island Ministries conference, which will be Feb. 26 to 28 at the Hawai'i Convention Center, will be "Walk on Water."

Speakers will include nationally known faith leaders David Cho, Leith Anderson, Tony Campolo, Jack Deere and H.B. London.

For information: 988-9777 or himonline.org.

House OKs pension change

WASHINGTON — The House moved last week to change pre-World War II securities laws to allow church pension programs to pool their assets with private and government pension plans as a means of increasing retirement savings.

The legislation, passed 397-0, amends current law so that church pension plans can participate in "collective trusts" where corporate and other secular pension plans join together for investment purposes in stock and nonstock areas.

Thousands of church plans, set up so clergy and lay church employees can save for retirement, cannot now "reap the benefits of collective buying power," said Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., sponsor of the bill with Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn.

She said their bill would make it easier for church plans to diversify their investments and to share transaction costs with other pension plans.

The bill must still be considered by the Senate.

Author to speak Sept. 14

Author Alan Cohen, who has written 20 inspirational books, including "The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore," will speak at the Unity Church at Diamond Head's 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services on Sept. 14 on the topic, "Right Where You Are."

The Maui resident will present a three-hour workshop, "Think Big — Settle for More," at 2 p.m. Sept. 14; $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

For reservations: 735-4436.