NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — Minister Ray Cannata’s mission is almost complete. Four years ago he set out to eat at every restaurant in New Orleans. By mid-September, he’d already checked 719 eateries off his list and only had 10 meals…
U.S. Christians rally around Iranian pastor
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Religious freedom advocates rallied Sept. 28 around an Iranian pastor who is facing execution because he has refused to recant his Christian faith in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. The British-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has asked international…
New Jersey leads U.S. in 'till death do us part'
(RNS) — Poor New Jersey — derided for “Jersey Shore,” aggressive driving and talking too fast. But when it comes to happily ever after, the Garden State is No. 1. A recent U.S. Census report shows the Northeast — and…
Beer, wine not on church's list of immoral investments
BERLIN (RNS) — New guidelines issued by Germany’s largest Protestant body advised parishioners to not invest in companies that make hard liquor, while beer and wine producers are fine. The guidelines, issued by the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church in Germany, are…
Is there a death penalty-sized hole in Catholicism's 'seamless garment'?
(RNS) — Is Catholic opposition to the death penalty losing traction as opposition to abortion, gay marriage, contraception and other causes become the defining “pro-life” issues for the American hierarchy? That’s what some Catholics are asking after the bishops’ Pro-Life…
Report says trends for U.S. churches mostly pointing down
(RNS) — American congregations have grown less healthy in the last decade, with fewer people in the pews and aging memberships, according to a new Hartford Seminary study. But there are also “pockets of vitality,” including an increase in minority…
Supreme Court hears religious hiring case
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday, Oct. 5, on religious exemptions to employment law, and advocates for greater church autonomy say several justices seemed to be on their side. Those justices focused on the motivation…
Mother cares for her son's Amish victims
LANCASTER, Pa. (RNS) — Terri Roberts was eating outside with a co-worker on a bright October day when an ambulance wailed nearby and a helicopter swooped overhead. As she often did at a sirens’ sound, Roberts said a quick prayer.…
Pentagon: Chaplains can celebrate gay marriages
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Military chaplains can lead same-sex marriage ceremonies on and off military bases, the Pentagon announced Sept. 30 in a move that closely followed the repeal of a ban on openly gay service members. “A military chaplain may…
Churches lose fight over Alabama immigration law
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (RNS) — A federal judge jolted the national immigration debate on Sept. 28 by approving most parts of Alabama’s aggressive immigration law that religious leaders had called the “meanest” in the nation. In a ruling hailed by many…
Hofman to direct LCMS fund development
Mark D. Hofman of St. Louis will begin serving Oct. 31 as the Synod’s executive director of fund development. Hofman currently serves as director, special projects, and senior gift officer for Concordia Seminary, St. Louis — a position he has…
Hosanna-Tabor: Church business — government business, too?
Yesterday, Oct. 5, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in one of the most important church-state First Amendment cases in decades. “Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” concerns an LCMS congregation and…
CPH offers resources for Reformation, Halloween
Concordia Publishing House is offering a variety of resources that are designed to help congregations learn more about the Reformation and celebrate the special observance on Oct. 31. Among Reformation resources are the following new books, released this year: Luther:…
Video invites exploring church-work vocations
What a Way aims to bolster recruitment and retention of church workers in the Synod.
LWML produces DVD-based Bible study
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and its partner, Artesian Ministries, have produced an eight-lesson, DVD-based Bible study series titled “Your Strong Suit.” Written by Artesian Ministries author Donna Pyle, the new Bible study was videotaped this spring before a live…
'Values voters' still motivated by gay marriage, abortion
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Amid a political climate dominated by economic concerns, social conservatives are as concerned as ever about issues like abortion and gay marriage, a leading conservative activist said Sept. 27. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council…
