By Sarah Schafer A four-person LCMS team began meeting Oct. 31 with district leaders in areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy, which struck the U.S. Eastern Seaboard Oct. 28-29. Team members are the Rev. Glenn Merritt, director of LCMS Disaster Response; the Rev.…
Synod offers resources for congregations reaching out in Sandy's wake
By Kim Plummer Krull As he prepared to travel to the East Coast on Wednesday (Oct. 31) to help LCMS districts and congregations reach out in communities battered by Superstorm Sandy, LCMS Director of Disaster Response Rev. Glenn F. Merritt suggested…
Massachusetts Supreme Court to hear Pledge of Allegiance case
(RNS) — Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court has agreed to hear the appeal of a non-religious family that’s challenging the mandatory daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in their children’s classrooms. The family, who are secular humanists, claim that the phrase “under…
LCMS districts assessing hurricane damage
By Sarah Schafer LCMS districts are beginning to assess damages and identify needs caused by Hurricane Sandy Oct. 29 along the Eastern Seaboard. As of Oct. 30, no deaths among LCMS members had been reported, and it was not yet known…
'Schools Week' celebration includes request for videos, banners
Materials designed to help LCMS schools celebrate “National Lutheran Schools Week” Jan. 27-Feb. 2 are available free online. The materials are based on the theme, “Baptized for This Moment,” from Acts 2:38-39, the same theme as the one chosen for the…
LCMS districts, congregations prepare for Hurricane Sandy
By Sarah Schafer LCMS districts and congregations along the East Coast are preparing for Hurricane Sandy and two other storm fronts expected to strike the region late Monday or Tuesday, Oct. 29 or 30. “Each district is implementing necessary precautions and alerts,”…
Monks win latest round in bid to sell caskets
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — In a sometimes harshly worded ruling, a federal appeals court Oct. 23 smacked down the Louisiana funeral board’s continued attempts to prevent a group of monks from St. Joseph Abbey from selling their hand-crafted caskets. “The great…
Parents accept daughter's rare illness as 'God's will'
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Eric and Ruth Brown believe nothing about daughter Pearl Joy’s life is a mistake. They say God gave Pearl her bright red hair and wide blue eyes, as well as the genetic disorder that created a cleft…
DNA experiment yields great promise, high ethical risks
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) — Future generations could be stripped of mutations like hereditary blindness or maternal diabetes, after a breakthrough study at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). But the new technique is also one short step from genetic design of…
Billy Graham faces backlash over Mormon 'cult' removal
(RNS) — The Rev. Samuel Wynn admired Billy Graham and his evangelistic association for decades, joining its spiritual crusades and urging fellow Christians to do the same. But no more. “I will never again support anything by the Billy Graham Evangelistic…
'Being present' most important for disaster response
By Kim Plummer Krull ST. LOUIS — Sporting his U.S. Army uniform, the Rev. Rod Armon looks like he’s prepared should a disaster hit anywhere near Doniphan, Neb., the community where he serves as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church.…
George to continue as Concordia, Bronxville, president
Concordia College — New York in Bronxville, N.Y., announced Oct. 24 that its president for the past 13 years, Dr. Viji D. George, has agreed to continue in that post and that the college’s board of regents has terminated its…
South Carolina diocese defecting from Episcopal Church
(RNS) — The Diocese of South Carolina announced Oct. 17 that it has disaffiliated from the Episcopal Church, escalating a long-running skirmish and setting the stage to become the fifth diocese to secede from the denomination. South Carolina said the split…
Judge: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association didn't discriminate
(RNS) — A North Carolina judge has ruled the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) did not discriminate against a former black employee. Kimberly McCallum worked for the Charlotte, N.C.-based BGEA from 2003 to 2007 and filed suit in 2009. While working on…
Report: Knights of Columbus, allies are leading funders of anti-gay-marriage drives
(RNS) — The Knights of Columbus, a wealthy and influential Catholic charitable organization, is a leading funder in the push to make same-sex marriage illegal in four states that have ballot measures on the issue this fall, a coalition of…
Washington gay marriage fight has money, 'daunting' odds
SEATTLE (RNS) — In the headquarters of Washington United for Marriage, a large collage displays a list of the high-powered sponsors backing the ballot-measure campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. They include such iconic businesses as Amazon, Google and…
