SOUTH HAMILTON, Mass. (RNS) — Repentant for having spent a generation bowing at the altars of church growth and political power, concerned evangelicals gathered recently to search the soul of their movement and find a new way forward. That evangelicals,…
From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap
STAFF CHANGES • Dennis Martin, to New Hope Church, Locust Grove, as pastor. • Vernon Gilmer Jr., to Amelia Church, Amelia Courthouse, as pastor. • Don Reid, to Mechanicsville Church, Gordonsville, as pastor. MISSION MOMENT: A mission team from Millfield…
Muddy Creek celebrates 235 years
POWHATAN — Long before Facebook and the internet, electricity and televisions, and tractors and cars stood a small country church in Powhatan County. Founded before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Muddy Creek Baptist Church is known as one…
EDITORIAL: Guns and good news
It comes as no surprise that there are many ways to share our faith. Recently, however, I witnessed two extremes. On Thursday of last week, I received an email containing a link to a Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary chapel service….
BTSR celebrates first homecoming
RICHMOND — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond celebrated its first homecoming on Oct. 16-17. Students mingle in Virginia Hall during homecoming activities at BTSR. Alumni from the classes of 1994 through 2009, current students, faculty and staff gathered to renew…
International adoptions not always easy, says Virginia couple
International adoptions are full of joys and pitfalls. Virginians Robert and Pat Saunders, who adopted two children from Russia, didn’t find the road easy. (See story in the Religious Herald, Feb. 8, 2007.) Their experience parallels Brenda’s in several ways….
Leland sets enrollment record
FALLS CHURCH — The John Leland Center for Theological Studies has set a record enrollment for the fall semester. Led by an increase in master’s degree students and a record number of diploma students, Leland set an all-time enrollment record…
Long journey from Siberian orphanage to Williamsburg home
Everyone knows it takes courage to adopt a child. It takes twice as much courage if you are a single woman adopting a child in a foreign land. Seven years ago, Brenda Lee, an ordained chaplain in Williamsburg, embarked upon…
Grandparents claim bragging rights for adopted children from overseas
HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — Wade and Nellie Paris of Harrisonville, Mo., know the blessings of adopting children of a different culture. Now they are grandparents to international adoptees. In 1971, they adopted 7-month-old Susan from Korea. Then in 1975, they adopted…
Multicultural adoptive families ask: How to celebrate child’s heritage?
Couples who adopt children of another race — either internationally or domestically — determine what aspects of the child’s culture to incorporate into the family’s life. Studies show that children who learn about their heritage have higher self-esteem and a…
One big happy family! Multicultural adoption increasing among Americans
Transracial adoption has become chic. Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt adopted children from Ethiopia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Pop singer Madonna adopted children from Malawi. And that has brought increased attention, pro and con, to transracial adoption — both…
Additional charges filed against Baptist camp director
HERTFORD, N.C. (ABP) — A North Carolina Baptist camp director arrested in July and charged with two counts of sex offenses against a child now faces additional felony charges. Steve Carter A grand jury in Perquimans County, N.C., handed down…