My widowed mother is retired and survives on Social Security. After many years of living alone, she met a wonderful man she loves dearly. They want to marry, but because of potential loss of Social Security income, they are thinking…
Laura McDaniel nominated executive of Virginia WMU
RICHMOND — Laura S. McDaniel has been recommended to become executive director/treasurer of Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia. McDaniel, who has been WMUV's interim executive director/treasurer since February 2007, was selected by the organization's board of trustees on June 13….
Alma Hunt, missions advocate, dies
ROANOKE — Alma Hunt, one of Baptists' best-known missions advocates, died June 14 in a Roanoke hospital. She was 98. The Virginia native gained national recognition in 1948 when she became executive secretary of the Birmingham, Ala.-based Woman's Missionary Union,…
Foundation celebrates scholarship awards
RICHMOND — The Virginia Baptist Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $70,625 to 41 recipients for 2008-2009 at its Scholarship Recipient's Reception June 8 at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center. The scholarship reception was a first-time event for the Foundation, drawing a…
Establishment candidate wins presidency
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Atlanta-area pastor Johnny Hunt was elected Southern Baptist Convention president over five contenders on the first ballot June 10, returning control of the 16 million-member denomination to its conservative establishment. On the first day of the 2008…
SECOND OPINION: Thankful on the Fourth
The Fourth of July! This unique, and perhaps most popular, American holiday conjurers up visions of fireworks, political speeches, baseball games and backyard barbeques. This holiday provides an opportunity for Americans to express our patriotism, celebrate what is good about…
Bluefield College awards music scholarships
RICHMOND — Bluefield College awarded 13 $1,000 music scholarships to high school Baptist students during the Virginia Baptist All-State Youth Choir sponsored by the Virginia Baptist Mission Board at Derbyshire Baptist Church in Richmond. The recipients were Lauren Coburn of…
Building relationships is key to ministry to nontraditional families
How should a congregation respond to an unmarried cohabitating couple's request to join the church? Churches likely will face this and other tough questions as society's definition of family continues to change. “This isn't the church our parents grew up…
Resolution could shrink SBC rolls further
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention, struggling with a membership decline nationwide, passed a resolution June 11 that could significantly shrink church membership rolls even further. Messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis also turned back efforts to…
SBC targets Texas church over homosexuality
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — A Fort Worth, Texas, church, which long ago cut back its support of the Southern Baptist Convention, nonetheless could be ousted from that body because it welcomes homosexuals. The possible ouster of Broadway Baptist Church, along with…
Pastor challenges parents and offers incentive to tie the knot
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Daneisha Dunbar was never so happy to see her children cry. But there they were: 13-year-old Jheran, 10-year-old Aryn and 5-year-old Taryn, shedding tears and squealing with joy at the news that their mommy and daddy are…
CBF Bible study generates debate
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's 18th annual General Assembly included among the more than 60 workshops a series of three Bible study sessions led by John Killinger, executive minister and theologian in residence at Marble Collegiate Church in…