WASHINGTON — The celestial sounds of handbells rang loudly when 542 ringers chimed together Aug. 29 to play the national anthem before a crowd gathered for a game at Nationals Park in Washington. The mass choir, organized by a regional…
Muslims hope Gov. McCrory will veto bill prohibiting state’s judges from considering ‘foreign law’
(RNS) — North Carolina Muslims hope they can persuade Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, to veto a bill that prohibits state judges from considering “foreign law.” “It’s going to be tough,” said Rose Hamid of Charlotte. “But I do believe…
Concert at Campbell University Divinity School’s OASIS event draws largest crowd in conference’s his
BUIES CREEK, N.C. — “Who says worship can’t be fun?” Jim Davidson asked with a smile and a wink, talking about his experience at last month’s Carnegie at the Creek concert at Butler Chapel. “You have this wonderful time of…
N.C. music minister wins worldwide song contest
The minister of worship at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville, N.C., is London-bound after winning a worldwide worship music contest. Giles Blankenship On Aug. 6 Integrity Music Europe named Giles Blankenship’s You Are There winner of its 2013 “Search…
N.C. educator to be president of Kentucky’s Georgetown College
(ABP) — Longtime North Carolina educator M. Dwaine Greene has been named president of Georgetown (Ky.) College. Greene, 56, has been academic vice president and provost since 2001 at Campbell University. He succeeds former president Bill Crouch, who retired June…
Festival aims to overcome theological differences, address social issues
HOT SPRINGS, N.C. (ABP) — The third-annual Wild Goose Festival opened in early August in the mountains of North Carolina, with organizers and many participants hoping the outdoor gathering will heal divisions between conservative, progressive and moderate Christians. National leaders…
Woman follows her parents into ministry, despite ups and downs of life as preacher’s kid
(ABP) — Now and then, a preacher's kid follows a parent into the ministry. But when the moment of decision came for Leah Anderson Reed, she decided to follow both her father and mother into ordination. Reed, 27, was ordained…
N.C. governor allows anti-Shariah bill to become law as Okla. judge strikes down similar measure
(RNS) — North Carolina became the seventh state to prohibit its judges from considering Islamic law after Gov. Pat McCrory allowed the bill to become law without formally signing it. McCory, a Republican, called the law “unnecessary,” but declined to…
New book by Wake Forest divinity school professor recounts church gardening as peacemaking ministry
BREVARD, N.C. (RNS) — Fred Bahnson’s first bit of advice when he started planning a church garden eight years ago came from an elderly tobacco farmer who grabbed a handful of soil, rolled it around in his fingers and shook…