WASHINGTON (ABP) – A former state senator-turned-filmmaker was honored April 8 by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for pioneering legislation for the rights of crime victims. Brooks Douglass, currently touring the country with his feature film, Heaven’s Rain, which tells…
Death Row inmates’ families find refuge at Hospitality House
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (ABP) — Two young men spent the day listening to music and weaving beaded bracelets, laughing and talking, seemingly nonchalant. That abruptly changed when their grandmother entered the room cursing angrily, shouting, then sobbing uncontrollably. She had witnessed…
Volunteer service bridges the generation gap
DALLAS (ABP) — Intergenerational volunteer programs benefit both youth and elders, studies show. For young people, spending time with older adults can improve their social skills, boost their school performance, introduce an element of stability into their lives and cut…
Common values, mission draw Christians together across lines of age
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Community usually is defined by the word “common.” What do people hold in common that draws them or binds them together? The way believers “do” or embody the church often is defined in communal terms. Whether…
Relationship-building vital to bridging gulf between generations at church
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — A gap exists between generations in the church, experts seem to agree –and building strong relationships may be the way to bridge it. “There is difficulty in reaching across generations,” said Chris Gambill, congregational health…
Ministering together the first step toward intergenerational community
IRONTON, Mo. (ABP) — Churches often segregate their members along age lines. Sunday morning usually sees children in one wing in age-graded Bible study, with adults in another area and often split up age segments. But many congregations will cross…
Churches intentionally seek to bridge the generation gap
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Many congregations have members from several generations, but often one generation dominates either in leadership or in numbers. Some churches seek out ways to bridge generation gaps because they value the contributions each generation offers and what each can learn…
American Baptists denounce Quran burning
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) – American Baptist leaders joined at regional and national levels in a joint statement April 8 denouncing the burning of a Quran at a Florida church. The general executive council of American Baptist Churches USA called…
Easter: Did you ever wonder …?
DALLAS (ABP) — Any church that ever presented an Easter pageant understands the questions: How should the Last Supper be staged? How many women should approach the empty tomb? How many angels should they encounter there? And many Sunday school…