WASHINGTON (ABP) — In the first day of their new term, the Supreme Court declined to review a decision by a California court requiring some religious charities to provide their employees with health insurance for contraceptive drugs. Beginning their 2004-2005…
Virginia man collects 13 million can tabs for kidney dialysis
HARRISONBURG, Va. (ABP) — Bryan Acker is a collector. He doesn't collect autographs or postage stamps or fine art. Acker collects tabs from aluminum cans. During the past 10 years, he's collected over 13 million of them, helping kidney dialysis…
Like Senate, House fails to pass gay-marriage ban
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The House of Representatives followed the Senate's lead Sept. 30 in defeating a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban marriage — and, arguably, marriage-like benefits — for same-sex couples. A House version of the Federal Marriage Amendment…
Kerry attacks, Bush defends Iraq war in first debate
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush and his challenger, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) spent much of their first debate Sept. 30 trading charges over the justification for the war in Iraq. In a format designed to focus on foreign-policy and national-security…
SBC, BWA leaders disagree on appeal to churches
NASHVILLE (ABP) — A Baptist World Alliance fund-raising appeal directed to Southern Baptist Convention churches has drawn criticism from Morris Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee. In a letter to BWA officials, Chapman claimed the effort violates denominational policy….
Cooperative, American Baptists send relief for Jeanne’s Haiti victims
ATLANTA (ABP) — In the wake of yet another disaster in Haiti, two Baptist groups have released funds to help the storm-ravaged nation. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has donated $10,000 to aid World Vision in its relief efforts following devastation…
BJC board changes name during annual meeting
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs will become the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty after the agency's directors approved a name change Sept. 27. Holding their annual meeting in Washington, D.C., representatives of the national…
Prominent North Carolina church leaves Southern Baptist Convention
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) — One of North Carolina's most prominent churches has joined the list of congregations leaving the Southern Baptist Convention. First Baptist Church of Greensboro voted Sept. 15 to remove all denominational affiliation from its bylaws and cut…
Georgia church with female co-pastor leaves association over BF&M adoption
ROME, Ga. (ABP) — North Broad Baptist Church in Rome, Ga., has left the Floyd County Baptist Association after the group adopted a statement of faith that, among other things, bans female pastors. Members of the church reportedly left the…
Little Rock pastor to become full-time Arkansas CBF head
LITTLE ROCK (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas has chosen Ray Higgins of Little Rock as its first full-time paid coordinator. Higgins, pastor of Little Rock's Second Baptist Church for the last 10 years, will begin as coordinator…
‘Aiding Spaces’ proves reality TV can inspire churches to ministry
GRAPEVINE, Texas (ABP) — If healthy families begin with healthy homes, then one Dallas-Fort Worth-area church recently gave several families a large shot in the arm. To celebrate the congregation's fifth anniversary, members of 121 Community Church in Grapevine remodeled…
Baylor narrowly votes to postpone call for Sloan’s termination
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University regents voted to postpone indefinitely a call for President Robert Sloan's resignation, and they unanimously rejected a request by the university's faculty senate to hold a faculty-wide referendum on Sloan's administration. After a motion…