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,…
Confirmation of Alito would shift court firmly to right, experts say
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush's nomination of federal appeals judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court could shift the court firmly to the right — immediately and for decades to come — on issues such as abortion rights and the…
Waco pastor Kyle Lake killed in freak baptism accident
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Kyle Lake, 33-year-old pastor of the innovative University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, was electrocuted and died Oct. 30 after he grabbed a microphone while in a baptistry full of water. According to eyewitness reports, Lake…
Experts warn electrocution dangers lurk around church baptistries
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Electricity and water create a potentially deadly combination, but metal — not microphones themselves — present the greatest danger to people in baptistries, according to acoustic and church-building consultants. The issue came to the forefront when…
Missouri Baptists narrow membership to exclude CBF, moderate churches
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (ABP) — The Missouri Baptist Convention is no longer open to churches that support any other organization considered to compete with the state convention or the Southern Baptist Convention. The changes will shut out congregations that participate in…
Baylor will reduce board size; is it efficiency or politics?
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University regents approved a charter change to downsize the school's governing board from 36 to 16 members over nine years and agreed to a 7.8 percent tuition hike for 2006-07. Chairman Will Davis of Austin…
Foundation names Hurst donor relations director
Former pastor Rick R. Hurst has been named director of donor relations of the Virginia Baptist Foundation Inc. Hurst was pastor of the former Weatherford Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond. Hurst has been pastor of churches in Georgia, Kentucky and…