WASHINGTON (RNS) — Six feet above the vaulted entranceway to Washington National Cathedral, the rough contours of Rosa Parks’ face are taking shape. Using a motorized hammer and chiseling tools that date back centuries, stone carver Sean Callahan is working…
Religious persecution more prevalent, more severe in Muslim countries
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The New Year’s Day massacre at a Coptic church in Egypt. Christian converts facing the death penalty in Afghanistan. Swastikas painted on a Jewish synagogue in Venezuela. As the headlines deliver fresh stories of the persecution of…
Belmont adds sexual orientation to anti-discrimination policy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Belmont University trustees voted Jan. 26 to add sexual orientation to the historically Baptist school’s anti-discrimination policy. In December Belmont parted ways with a successful women’s soccer coach after she told her team that she and…
Enshrined in a cathedral’s stone
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Six feet above the vaulted entranceway to Washington National Cathedral, the rough contours of Rosa Parks’ face are taking shape. Using a motorized hammer and chiseling tools that date back centuries, stone carver Sean Callahan is working…
RIGHT or WRONG? Words matter
Words matter. So, I felt put off when speakers at a Baptist meeting filled the air with ministerial jargon, insider language, clichés and sexist comments. Can such misuse of language help explain the decline in church attendance and Christian commitment?…
What makes ministry to older adults more effective?
Ministry to older adults must take many forms, depending upon the make-up of the group a church is trying to reach. As the U.S. population ages, congregations will have even more opportunities to engage older adults. Richard Martin, newly retired,…
Challenge for churches: How to care for caregivers
As churches minister to the most elderly and infirm among members, some also seek ways to serve their caregivers — often family members — who often labor around the clock. Frank Fain, director of educational services for The Baptist Home…
No single size or shape fits ministry to all older adults
Pretend for a moment a congregation has called you as youth minister and includes all individuals from 3 to 30 years old as your group. What is your reaction? Most people wouldn’t expect a youth worker to deal with such…
How senior are senior adults?
Jan. 1 not only marked the beginning of a new year, but also saw the first Baby Boomers turn 65 years old. And congregations face the evolving challenge of finding ways to minister with and to them. Bill Pigott, state…