RICHMOND, Va. — Though she’ll miss her nearly 10 years on the staff of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia, Laura McDaniel says she’s eager to begin a new role “building bridges” among leaders in the Spence Network. “We will be…
In what she calls a ‘holy moment,’ minister’s father is first person she baptizes
VINTON, Va. — As Brittany Riddle stood in the baptismal waters at Broadway Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., on Dec. 30, she told the congregation that the last time she was in that baptistery was at 12 years of age…
First woman pastor of church with Lottie Moon ties finds inspiration in historical connection
SCOTTSVILLE, Va. — Scottsville Baptist Church, a Virginia congregation closely associated with iconic Baptist missionary Lottie Moon, called its first woman pastor — Katie McKown — last fall, continuing a long tradition of female leadership in the church. The church,…
Emancipation Proclamation’s 150th is impetus for essay contest aimed at high school students
RICHMOND — The 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation has inspired an essay contest sponsored by the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. Francis Bicknell Carpenter’s 1864 painting, First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons) “How…
Aging pushes congregations to fiscal brink
Things were looking bleak for Orange Grove Baptist Church and its aging membership when Greg Shoemaker arrived as its pastor about a year ago. Located just north of Pascagoula, Miss., the congregation and community around it had been hit hard…
Some aging churches are mergering with younger, multi-cultural congregations in order to stay alive
Things were looking bleak for Orange Grove Baptist Church and its aging membership when Greg Shoemaker arrived as its pastor about a year ago. Located just north of Pascagoula, Miss., the congregation and community around it had been hit hard…
CBF churches in D.C., Md. offer ‘great resources’ for larger CBF movement, says regional leader
BOWIE, Md. — Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches in Maryland and the District of Columbia have significant human and financial resources to share with the national CBF movement and they need to “tap into that” to impact the organization, members of…
CBF churches in D.C., Md. offer ‘great resources’ for larger CBF movement, says regional leader
BOWIE, Md. — Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches in Maryland and the District of Columbia have significant human and financial resources to share with the national CBF movement and they need to “tap into that” to impact the organization, members of…
CBF churches in D.C., Md. offer ‘great resources’ for larger CBF movement, says regional leader
BOWIE, Md. — Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches in Maryland and the District of Columbia have significant human and financial resources to share with the national CBF movement and they need to “tap into that” to impact the organization, members of…
The gospel roots of the ‘Godmother of rock ‘n’ roll’
(RNS) — Before Elvis and Chuck Berry and Johnny Cash. Before Aretha and Whitney and Beyonce. Before the blues met gospel and conceived rock ‘n’ roll, there was Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The first gospel superstar, Tharpe was a guitar hero…
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 Darden Battle, to Black…
White smoke, black pope? The public likes the idea
(RNS) — Will the conclave electing a new pope next month have an “Obama moment” and pick someone from Africa or Latin America or Asia for the first time in modern history? The public seems enamored of the idea of…