(RNS) — A Virginia judge has ordered seven congregations that broke from the Episcopal Church to return all property to the local diocese — from valuable land to sacred chalices — by April 30. The Diocese of Virginia had wanted the…

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Israeli postal workers outside Tel Aviv are refusing to deliver thousands of copies of the New Testament and other Hebrew-language Christian materials. Israel media reported March 6 that dozens of religious and secular Jewish mail deliverers jointly informed…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — When it comes to financial advice in these tough economic times, more Americans today would rather take advice from business mogul Donald Trump than from the Bible. According to a survey conducted in February by two biblically oriented…

By Paula Schlueter Ross How can The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod — an overwhelmingly white, Anglo church body with a nonwhite membership of less than 5 percent — become more multicultural? How can the historically German LCMS help African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans…

By Roland Lovstad Like starting a mission in a foreign country, Gospel mission on the U.S.-Mexico border is a process of planning and coordination, especially when three LCMS districts are doing the work. Since beginning about 10 years ago, Frontera (Spanish…

Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) will host a free “Best Practices School-Marketing Lab” webcast March 13 that Lutheran school principals and marketing, communications and admission staff might find helpful. During the 45-minute program, three Lutheran school principals “will each share an…

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pinched by the global recession and tough-love budget demands of the European Union, the Italian government is looking for extra revenue, and has its eyes set on commercial properties owned by the Roman Catholic Church. On Feb.…

FLORISSANT, Mo. (RNS) — A Catholic school music teacher who was fired after church officials learned that he planned to marry his male partner has been fired from his other job as a music director at a suburban Catholic church. Al…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The number of mosques in America has jumped 74 percent since 2000, and the majority of them — 56 percent — espouse a less-than-literal approach to interpreting Islam’s holy texts. These are some of the findings of a…

HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. (RNS) — Saul Timisela was ordered to report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Newark early March 1 morning to be deported. Instead, the Indonesian Christian took sanctuary at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, where…

Note: Reporter cannot accept notices about items offered for sale or that people wish to purchase. Items described as “Wanted” or “Available” are sought or may be obtained for shipping costs only. Notices may be sent to Jennifer Duffy at…

The following institutions of the Concordia University System (CUS) are seeking candidates for positions: Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich., seeks to fill the position of Family Life director. Concordia College–New York, Bronxville, N.Y., seeks a director of the Nursing Resource…

NORMAN W. SCHAEFFER, Lincoln, Neb., has applied for reinstatement to the Ministers of Religion–Ordained roster of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. LOUISE MARIE TIEMANN, Fenton, Mo., and ELLEN KAY GOTTSCHALK, Fort Wayne, Ind., have applied for reinstatement to the Ministers of…

NEW YORK (RNS) — Did leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) hurt their missionary cause by opting not to change the denomination’s name to something a bit more, well, marketable? Maybe, but as the advertising executives of Madison Avenue here…