British faith groups reclaim St. George as symbol of inclusivity, not symbol of hatred Bob Allen (ABP) — The Baptist Union of Great Britain joined other faith groups in a letter reclaiming St. George’s Day, celebrated April 23, from right-wing…
Navigating church conflict is focus of conference
The Virginia Network of Interim Ministers will sponsor a conference May 3 on conflict transformation in local congregations. “Navigating the Storms of Church Conflict” will be held in English Hall at Eagle Eyrie from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. just…
Author asks, how would Jesus have treated the followers of the world’s major religions?
In his 2012 book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?, emergent church author Brian McLaren purposely evokes an old joke about, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But instead of introducing a joke, McLaren…
Chase City church pilots service project for Virginia’s Concord Baptist Association
CHASE CITY, Va. — Twelve different service projects were conducted in and around Chase City April 13 as 55 volunteers from Concord Baptist Church there piloted an Operation Inasmuch project for the Concord Baptist Association. Chase City congregants launch balloons…
SBC’s Richard Land to lead Charlotte seminary after retiring as ERLC head
CHARLOTTE (ABP) — Richard Land, who last year announced plans to retire in October after 25 years as president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, has been named president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, a non-denominational school…
Taking Jesus’ words to heart, church sends volunteers across Radford in acts of service
RADFORD, Va. — The patrons of a Radford laundromat thought the seven women wearing red T-shirts and handing out quarters Saturday, April 20, were pranksters or a crew from a reality television show, but they soon learned that they were…
New Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive shares vision on five-city tour of Virginia
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive coordinator Suzii Paynter kicked-off a five-city tour April 20-25 of CBF churches in Virginia. First Baptist Church in Richmond hosted a gathering Saturday evening, April 20, for local pastors and supporters. Paynter shared with the group…
HeraldBeat: Tracking Baptists across the Mid-Atlantic
Accepted a new call? Been ordained? Church celebrating an anniversary? Mission trip or project that you would like highlighted on the HeraldBeat page? Send info to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Transitions ON THE MOVE Sam King, to Hardy…
Paynter, ‘CBF 2.0’ visit Fla. gathering
By Jeff Brumley The promise from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida during its spring meeting Friday and Saturday was to “Re-vision, Re-Imagine, Renew” the Fellowship – and Suzii Paynter delivered. In light-hearted and serious moments, CBF’s new executive coordinator…
Haiti trauma tool works in Newtown
By Bob Allen A tool designed to help pastors deal with trauma following the 2010 Haiti earthquakes is translating well into other cultures, said a Mercer University professor who used the storytelling-based exercise April 26 with clergy in the Newtown,…
Wayland fires CFO for alleged theft
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist university has fired and sued its chief financial officer over alleged financial mismanagement. Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, filed a civil lawsuit April 24 against James E. Smith in Hale County District Court,…
CBF supports Newtown-area clergy
By Bob Allen Four-and-a-half months after the mass murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Newtown-area chaplains, counselors and clergy gathered April 26 at a Baptist church in nearby Wilton for a conference…