Sign of the times: A ‘dad’ is tenth most popular Christmas list request for children: …a survey of their typical lists for Father Christmas has shown many have more serious concerns, requesting “a dad” instead. A study of 2,000 British parents found most children will put a new baby brother or sister at the top … Continue reading »
Child Shootings – Not Just in Connecticut
Richard Fernandez at Belmont Club makes some good points on children being shot: Statistically most children killed are from the inner cities and mostly black. The Children’s Defense Fund notes that the firearm injuries rate for children and teens is 5 per 100,000 for whites and 51.1 per 100,000 for blacks. And most of the … Continue reading »
A Great Time to Be a Pastor
I’ve recently come across two articles that illustrate why this is a great time to be a pastor. Or, for that matter, a follower of Christ. Presbyterian leaders in Pittsburgh reeling from latest exodus: At least 200 other churches have similarly left the 1.9 million-member Presbyterian Church (USA) since 2007. The most prominent issue was … Continue reading »
Will the Last Congregation to Leave…
…turn out the lights? Another one bolts for the exit. I don’t think they’re going to be the last. The church in Richland became one of 20 southwestern Pennsylvania congregations to vote to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) and join the EPC. Of the 400 members who voted Sunday, 368 voted to leave; only 31 … Continue reading »
This is a truly horrifying crime, and not just because I work in a church. An elementary school music teacher shot his ex-wife while she played the organ during church service and, after leaving briefly, returned and shot her again to ensure she was dead, police said. Congregants eventually overpowered Gregory Eldred, ending the shooting … Continue reading »
Ross Douthat offers some welcome relief from all the post-election GOP bashing. This part caught my eye: The liberal image of a non-churchgoing American is probably the “spiritual but not religious” seeker, or the bright young atheist reading Richard Dawkins. But the typical unchurched American is just as often an underemployed working-class man, whose secularism … Continue reading »
Stained Glass in a Small World
I don’t know who did the stained glass at Turnagain United Methodist Church in Anchorage, Alaska: but it looks a lot like the stained glass at Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Yucca Valley, California:
Assorted Links
Some of the many things I’ll never get around to blogging: A picture of the Appian Way, just like Paul walked on. 10 Things First-Time Church Visitors Don’t Want to hear. And, related, Eight Terrible Church Visits. Ed Stetzer is blogging (in tiny installments) about laypeople and the mission of God. Part three: customers to … Continue reading »
Important Cases Go to Court
The PC(USA) G.A. Judicial Commission to hear three major cases. One is a ruling by the Los Ranchos Presbytery to reinstate the old “fidelity and chastity” clause of the Book of Order at a more local level. The Synod ruled such resolutions were constitutional. So it’s being appealed. This is the “tails you lose, heads … Continue reading »
A Woman’s Right to Choose
Apparently, women in China are going to have a right to choose whether to have an abortion. This is a great pro-life victory: Following international outcry, China’s Population and Family Planning Commission issued an order to ban the use of forced abortion when enforcing its one-child policy. The directive is being hailed as a significant … Continue reading »