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…
Cash-strapped Italy looks to tax church-owned properties
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.…
Free webcast targets school marketing 'do's and don'ts'
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…
Districts work together to train leaders, plant churches on Mexico border
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…
Positions (March 2012)
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…
Items wanted, available (March 2012)
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…
Pressure Points (March 2012)
With Dr. Bruce Hartung This column continues the discussion of the February 2012 “Pressure Points” concerning spiritual warfare, which is available at http://reporter.lcms.org/?19589. Following are two responses to last month’s column (both in italics), and my comments about each of…
Requests for reinstatement (March 2012)
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…
Ohio Lutherans assist with tornado cleanup, recovery
By Sarah Schafer A group of 17 members from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Cincinnati, gathered after worship Sunday, March 4, and traveled half an hour to help homeowners in Clermont County, Ohio, clear debris left by a March 2 tornado…
Court: Pharmacists can't be forced to dispense morning-after pill
(RNS) — A federal court on Feb. 22 struck down a Washington state rule that requires pharmacists to dispense the morning-after pill even if it violates their religious beliefs. Religious liberty advocates cheered the decision. They have decried the 2007 state…
Both sides gear up in N.C. gay marriage fight
WILMINGTON, N.C. (RNS) — As the only Southern state without a constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage, North Carolina is the next battleground, with religious groups on both sides bracing for a high-stakes fight on May 8. Against a recent string of…
Alabama bill would allow religion classes off campus
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — A bill in Alabama would allow churches or ministries to teach a religion class to public school students off campus, so long as parents and school boards give permission and the churches are responsible for transportation…
International school heads meet first time with Board
ST. LOUIS — The heads of the three Synod-owned international schools in Asia met together for the first time with the church body’s Board of Directors in an hour-and-a-half session during the Board’s Feb. 16-17 meeting here. They are Kevin M.…
Dawkins says he's not entirely sure God doesn't exist
LONDON (RNS) — A controversial Oxford University professor billed by many as the world’s “most famous atheist” now says he is not 100 percent sure that God doesn’t exist — but just barely. In a 100-minute debate with Archbishop of Canterbury…
Repairs, funds are slow-going at damaged National Cathedral
WASHINGTON (RNS) — It took 83 years to build the iconic Washington National Cathedral, but a rare East Coast earthquake last summer took just seconds to send carved stone finials tumbling from the heavens to the ground below. Now, six months…
Re-branding a religion hard, not always successful
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…
