NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — What do you do when you run a homeless shelter and the city has evacuated all the homeless? That's the situation facing Tobey Pitman, director of the Brantley Mission Center in New Orleans. As the city…
Cutting socials programs is wrong way to balance budget, religious leaders say
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Religious leaders are calling on the consciences of members of Congress to avoid cutting social-welfare programs and taxes at the same time. “This is the message going out [from Congress]: In response to Hurricane Katrina, we're going…
Thousands of mourners ’embrace beauty’ in life of electrocuted Waco pastor
WACO, Texas (ABP) — For many, it was only appropriate to remember Kyle Lake on All Saints Day, two days after the 33-year-old pastor of University Baptist Church died after being electrocuted while standing in the church's baptistry. “Kyle, in…
Baptist ‘brewhaha’: Leaders deny reports volunteers refused to pass out water
CLEWISTON, Fla. (ABP) — Southern Baptist disaster-relief leaders are denying reports, spread widely across the Internet, that a group of their volunteers in Florida refused to give water to victims of Hurricane Wilma because it came from a beer-brewing company….
Methodist court defrocks lesbian minister, reinstates pastor who denied gay member
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Conservatives in the United Methodist Church scored several victories on Reformation Day Oct. 31, but liberals viewed them more skeptically. A divided nine-member Judicial Council, the highest court in the hierarchical denomination, defrocked a Philadelphia minister for…
Court hears case on Christian sect’s use of hallucinogen in worship
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Hearing a case on All Saints' Day, the Supreme Court struggled with the rights of a tiny Christian group whose members believe the road to sainthood is lined with cups of a hallucinogenic tea the federal government…
Civil-rights pioneer in civic, Baptist life in Texas dies
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — As national civil-rights champion Rosa Parks lay in honor in the United States Capitol Oct. 31, a local pioneer in advancing the cause of racial justice died in Texas. Volma Overton, a longtime civil-rights activist in…
Conference to offer youth multidimensional view of faith
ORLANDO (ABP) — More than 1,600 youth from Baptist, Episcopalian and Presbyterian traditions will get a three-dimensional view of Christianity during a youth conference in January. And, oh yes, they get to go to Disney World. “Faith in 3D” is…
Classified Ads for November 3, 2005
Tour beautiful IRELAND: Galway, Dublin, Waterford, Killarney, Connemara, Sligo, Limerick. May 22-June 2, 2006. For brochure, call Susan or Terry Welborn at 804-272-7547. Music Minister: Mentow Baptist Church – Part-time staff position. Send résumé to Mentow Baptist Church, 3282 Mentow…
Church & People News for November 3, 2005
Staff Changes David and Melissa Fox, to Marshall Church, Marshall, as co-pastors. Henry Styron, to North Pamunkey Church, Orange, as pastor. James Kopco, to Winn's Creek Church, Halifax, as pastor. Perry Clore, to Sharon Church, Scottsville, as pastor. Jerry Stanley,…
Virginia Baptists to join Baptists in India in carrying out ministry there
Cover Story for November 3, 2005 Virginia Baptists have carried out ministries in India for years-most recently in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami that hit the nation last December. Now those efforts are resulting with a full-blown missions partnership…
Virginia Baptists brave crowds at Martinsville’s NASCAR track to share gospel
Cover Story for November 3, 2005 By Jim White Before dawn on Sunday, Oct. 23, a dozen or so Virginia Baptists representing Henry County Baptist Association were already brewing coffee and stacking hundreds of donuts beneath their tent beside Gate…