Bankrupt Evangelical Megachurch May Get a Roman Catholic Makeover

GARDEN GROVE, CA — The Crystal Cathedral, once a symbol of America’s evangelical movement where thousands of congregants attended services each Sunday, may be about to make a major religious conversion: The Roman Catholic Church is looking to buy the headquarters of the bankrupt megachurch.

The Diocese of Orange has offered $50 million to buy Crystal Cathedral’s 40-acre campus and convert the landmark church into a Catholic cathedral, part of a plan to allow Crystal Cathedral Ministries, which operates the church, to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings.

The diocese’s offer is one of several plans to be considered by the Crystal Cathedral Ministries board when it meets Thursday, before another hearing in bankruptcy court on Monday. Other plans would convert parts of the campus into a university health sciences center or apartments.

The diocese would renovate the interior to create an altar and other elements of a Catholic cathedral, but would leave the glass-paned exterior of the church, designed by Philip Johnson, largely unaltered.

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Prayer Service Held for Boy Struck by Lightning

CAMBRIDGE, MD - Hundreds of people attended a prayer service Wednesday night in Cambridge for Ryan Summers, 11, of Cambridge, who was struck by lightning Saturday afternoon.

Ryan is the son of Brett and Jamie Summers.

During Wednesday's service, the Rev. Michael Reddig, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, read from an e-mail sent by Jamie Summers and signed by the Summers family, Ryan's parents and two sisters, Taylor and Perry.

In the e-mail, Mrs. Summers said, "Ryan remains stable with the damage to his lungs as our main concern.

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Cross on NJ Lawn Becomes First Amendment Flashpoint

LIVINGSTON, NJ - It started as a simple gesture.
But it could have implications far beyond the quiet Livingston street where Patrick Racaniello affixed a wooden cross on a tree in his front yard.

Township officials say Racaniello’s display, which he intended as a celebration of Lent, violated an ordinance that generally prohibits postings on a structure, including a tree, "calculated to attract the attention of the public."
Advised of the ordinance, Racaniello removed the cross. The Sterling Drive resident, though, then built a second, much larger cross that he planted on his property — just within the township’s 10-foot right-of-way. Racaniello, again facing fines, took down that cross, too.
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Mennonite Group Works to Rebuild Homes, Spirits

LITITZ, PA - Rebuilding a community from the ruins of natural disasters requires more than hammers and strong arms. There's emotional damage, too, and those repairs can be the biggest challenge.

That's one key lesson that members of the Mennonite Disaster Service have learned over 61 years responding to the devastation and heartbreak of earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. The group has a simple, hands-on mission getting people back in their homes but they know they'll do much more.

"We see ourselves as facilitators," said Kevin King of Lititz, Pa., the group's executive director. Volunteers often show up ready with hammers or chain saws, only to find that the first thing people need is someone to talk to.

MDS has sent teams in recent months to help rebuild towns in tornado-ravaged Alabama, Mississippi, and Joplin, Mo., as well as help flood victims in Minot, N.D. It has had crews working in Louisiana and on the Mississippi and Alabama coasts since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005.

And while some Mennonites and Amish have a tradition of not interacting with modern society, that isn't the case during disasters. The group works with state and federal agencies as well as other churches and secular aid groups.

MDS, with administrative offices in the Lancaster County, Pa., borough of Lititz, has about 3,000 Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ congregations throughout the U.S. and Canada that contribute volunteers and funds. In 2010, the group's total U.S. revenue was about $3.7 million.

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Another Town to Give Up Lord’s Prayer

Tradition continues to fall here on DelMarVa. One more symptom of the cultural decline of our great nation. It appears that Rock Hall will be joining Salisbury and Sussex County in jettisoning the Lord’s Prayer from its council meetings:

Thursday night, Mayor Bob Willis announced as the meeting started that the recitation might be the last: "We need to give this a good hard look, see what our options are, and where we want to go with this, with opening up the town meeting with the Lord's Prayer."

Town resident Gren Whitman contacted Willis by letter June 10, asking the council to pick an alternative to the Lord's Prayer, which he said is specifically denominational.

If prayers at government meetings endorse one religious group, they are unconstitutional.

At the beginning of the meeting, Whitman joined everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance, and sat down during the prayer.

There is a big difference between Rock Hall, Sussex County and Salisbury. In Rock Hall’s case, Whitman was man enough to stand up and object. In Sussex County they were threatened with a lawsuit. In Salisbury, our city council, sans councilwomen Debbie Campbell and Shanie Shields, thought that somebody MIGHT be offended.

Sussex should have waited UNTIL a law suit was actually filed. Salisbury should have not done anything. While we commend Mr. Whitman for his gumption, Rock Hall should also stand firm; at least until (or IF) a lawsuit is filed.

For all of you naysayers out there – I can’t wait until the Pledge of Allegiance goes as well. One more tradition gone. One more step down the ladder of cultural decline.

Campus Ministry Drops ‘Christ’ From Name

One of the nation’s most prominent Christian ministries has decided to take Christ out of its name – a move that has generated cries of political correctness from within the evangelical community.

Campus Crusade for Christ International announced this week that it will change the name of its U.S. Operations to “Cru” in early 2012.

“We felt like our name was getting in the way of accomplishing our mission,” said Steve Sellers, the vice president for Campus Crusade, noting that the ministry will still be committed to “proclaiming Christ around the world.”

Sellers said researchers found that 9 percent of Christians and 20 percent of non-Christians were alienated by the name Campus Crusade for Christ.

The organization was founded in 1951 by Bill and Vonette Bright and today has 25,000 staff members serving in 191 countries. Bright died in 2003, but his widow offered support for the name change in a video posted online.

“When Bill Bright started the organization, he told his wife that someday they would have to change the name,” Sellers said. “As early as the late '70s and '80s he was looking at making the name change.”

Sellers said several factors were involved in the name change – including overseas sensitivities.

“Our name was becoming more and more of a hindrance,” he told Fox News Radio. He specifically mentioned the word crusade.

“It’s reverted back to some of its meaning related to the Middle Ages – forcing Christianity on different parts of the world,” he said.

As for removing Christ from their name, the Campus Crusade for Christ website states:

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Congressman Says He’ll Zero Out VA Official’s Job

Culbertson Cites Allegations of Ban on “God” and “Jesus” At Veterans’ Funerals

The Houston congressman heading the panel with jurisdiction over the Houston National Cemetery vowed Wednesday to "zero out" the salary of the cemetery director to force her dismissal by the Department of Veterans Affairs in an escalating dispute over alleged religious censorship at burial services.

Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee panel that handles financing for the cemetery, said he would use the pending $78 billion military construction appropriations legislation to eliminate director Arleen Ocasio's salary starting Oct 1.

Ocasio said she did not want to comment on Culberson's threatened action, adding, "Nobody has indicated anything to me about that."

The five-term lawmaker said he secretly attended a burial service July 8 at the 419-acre cemetery, where he heard members of a voluntary honor guard from Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4 and National Memorial Ladies describe alleged interference by cemetery officials in Christian recitations that included references to "God."

"I'm working aggressively behind the scenes to make sure that the person in charge of the cemetery is fired because she has been deliberately and repeatedly preventing families from having the VFW recitation said over their grave," Culberson said.

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Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Philadelphia archbishop Cardinal Justin Rigali today, sending him into retirement as the archdiocese faces accusations that it covered up a long-running priest sex abuse scandal.

The pope named conservative Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput to succeed him.

The brief Vatican announcement said the resignation of the 76-year-old Rigali was for reason of age. He submitted it on his 75th birthday in April 2010, as required by church law, but the pope did not immediately act on it.

But the Cardinal has been under pressure for his handling of the sex-abuse scandal. In his eight-year tenure, a pair of grand jury reports, one in 2005 and one released in February, have rocked the archdiocese by accusing church officials of covering up abuse allegations against priests.

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Churches Debate Whether to Marry Gays

After same-sex marriage becomes legal here on July 24, gay priests with partners in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island will head to the altar. They have to. Their bishop set a nine-month deadline for them to marry or stop living together.

Next door, meanwhile, the Episcopal bishop of New York says he also expects gay clergy in committed relationships to wed "in due course." Still, this longtime supporter of gay rights says churches in his diocese are off limits for gay weddings until he receives clearer liturgical guidance from the national denomination.

As more states legalize same-sex marriage, religious groups with ambiguous policies on homosexuality are divided over whether they should allow the ceremonies in local congregations. The decision is especially complex in the mainline Protestant denominations that have yet to fully resolve their disagreements over the Bible and homosexuality. Many have taken steps toward acceptance of gay ordination and same-gender couples without changing the official definition of marriage in church constitutions and canons. With the exception of the United Church of Christ, which approved gay marriage six years ago, none of the larger mainline churches has a national liturgy for same-sex weddings or even blessing ceremonies.

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Bachmann Left Church at Pastor’s Request

The conservative church that Michele Bachmann officially left days before launching her presidential campaign said Friday that the Minnesota congresswoman’s decision came at their request.

“The impetus came from the church,” said Joel Hochmuth, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the denominational organization that includes the church. “For the pastor’s sake, he wanted to know where he stood with the family.”

Michele Bachmann claims disaffected democrats make up a part of the tea party movement, which is generally associated with the far right. Is there truth to her claim?

Bachmann (R) had stopped attending Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church two years ago but did not formally end her membership until June 21, a date first reported by CNN. The timing raised questions because it came shortly before she formally kicked off her presidential campaign in Waterloo, Iowa, and because the church has taken controversial stands on Catholicism and homosexuality.

Candidates have often come under fire for the religious company they keep. During the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama was forced to disavow his affiliation with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright after videos emerged of Wright’s more controversial sermons, which included statements critical of the United States and what many considered to be slurs against white people.

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Religious Freedom Group Sues Perry Over Planned All-Day Prayer Event in Texas

A Wisconsin-based religious freedom group is suing Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a possible Republican presidential contender, in an effort to block his promotion of and participation in an all-day Christian prayer event to be held Aug. 6, arguing that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

The Freedom From Religious Foundation, which claims more than 16,000 members, including 700 in Texas, filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday in Houston, contending that Perry’s actions violate the Constitution's Establishment Clause by “giving the appearance that the government prefers evangelical Christian religious beliefs over other religious beliefs and non-beliefs.”

“We always say, beware prayer by pious politicians,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, who co-directs the group with her husband, Dan Barker, a former evangelical Christian minister who is now an atheist.

“Nothing fails like prayer,” she said. “It’s the ultimate political cop-out.”

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Salisbury Prayer Vigil?

Here are the quote from Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton’s press release:

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. announces that today, Monday July 11th, a prayer vigil will be held on the front steps of the Government Office Building at 5:30 PM. Local Clergy will be on hand to pray for Salisbury and its elected officials.

I’m all for prayer.  I’m totally supportive of Ireton, or any other elected official, calling our citizens to prayer.

However …

Ireton has a long record of engaging in political theater.  While I certainly can’t question his faith or his religious beliefs, I find it  interesting that he has chosen to call for this NOW.

It’s a lot like the little boy who cried “wolf”.  Every event that Ireton orchestrates is designed for one of two goals – promoting HIS political prospects, or attacking those that he considers political enemies (or both).

Take a break Jimmy!  Let it rest for a while.  Then, start holding events that are designed to help the city and your constituents rather than promote yourself or detract from you opponents.  Your constituents will appreciated it  and your “Sincerity Score” will move above its current rock bottom levels.

Liberals, Democrats More Likely to Disbelieve Bible

Liberals and Democrats are more likely than conservatives, moderates, Republicans and independents to believe the Bible is nothing more than a book of fables and legends made up by man, according to a new Gallup poll.

Since George Washington was inaugurated in 1789, American presidents have traditionally placed their left hand on the Bible when they take the oath of office and swear to defend the Constitution of the United States.

Uniquely, President Barack Obama took the oath of office twice. The first time, at his formal inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20, 2009, Chief Justice John Roberts made a mistake in the wording of the oath--which is prescribed by the Constitution--and Obama followed him in making the error. At thate event, Obama placed his left hand on the Bible while taking the oath. The next night at the White House, Chief Justice Roberts again administered the oath to Obama, this time wording it correctly. When Obama took the oath a second time, however, he did not place his hand on the Bible.

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NY Archbishop Worried That Polygamy May Be Next Battle

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan says he's worried that the next step in the marriage debate will be another redefinition to allow multiple partners and infidelity.

Writing on his blog Thursday, Dolan also lamented the anti-Catholic venom that surfaced in the gay marriage battle, saying he's worried that "believers will soon be harassed, threatened, and hauled into court" for their convictions.

He also apologized to those in the gay community who may have been offended by the church's stance, saying he's honored that so many gays are at home in the Catholic Church and that his goal from the start was "pro-marriage, never anti-gay."

New York became the sixth and largest state to legalize gay marriage on June 24.

from the Associated Press

Doomsday Preacher’s Radio Show to Be Replaced

The California radio preacher who predicted the world's end on May 21 has been moved to a nursing home, where he is recovering from a stroke he suffered last month.

Harold Camping's daughter confirms her father recently moved from an area hospital to a skilled nursing facility. He is undergoing rehabilitation there to regain his strength following the June 9 stroke.

Camping's Family Radio network is working to replace the 89-year-old's show, Open Forum, with interim programming. The station has been playing repeats since his stroke.

It's unclear if the show will return.

Camping predicted Judgment Day would occur, first in 1994 and again in May. His media empire spent millions of dollars, some culled from followers' donations, over seven years on billboards and other publicity for his 2011 predictions about the spiritual Rapture in May and the end of the world in October.

from Weird News

Sussex County Council Sued Over Prayer at Meetings

On Tuesday we asked why practices such as beginning a meeting with prayer or saying the Pledge of Allegiance are fast becoming a thing of the past.  One locality that still practices these civil niceties is now under fire.  The Sussex County Council is being sued to end its practice of beginning meeting with the Lord’s Prayer.
The leftist group – Americans United for the Separation of Church and State – has filed suit against our neighbors because one woman “felt uncomfortable”.  I’m sure she will be REAL welcome after this.
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Methodist Minister Receives Sanction for Same-Sex Wedding

An openly-gay United Methodist minister was suspended from her religious duties for 20 days after elders decided on Thursday that she violated church doctrine by performing a same-sex wedding.

Rev. Amy Delong was also required to write a paper about how she should deal with issues that "create an adversarial spirit" within the church, according Rev. Tom Lambrecht, representing the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church.

"We feel good that it recognizes that there was a violation of church law and that there is a punishment levied," Lambrecht said of the decision.

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Church Again Prevented from Constructing New Building

A committee of the Prince George’s County Council has denied a water permit change that would have allowed a Seventh-day Adventist congregation to move forward in its nearly decade-long battle to build a new church.

The council’s Committee on Transportation, Housing and Environment on Thursday voted 4 to 0 against granting a water permit category change to Reaching Hearts International Ministries.

The Rev. Michael Oxentenko called the decision “religious discrimination.”

Reaching Hearts bought a 17-acre parcel in Laurel in 2002. The church applied to the council, which also functions as the county’s zoning panel, for a “category change” that would allow it to connect water and sewer lines to the property.

But the council never moved to approve the application. As a result, the church filed a discrimination lawsuit against the county in federal court. The church said the council was using zoning regulations to prevent it from building.

Three years ago, the church won a federal appeal of a $3.7 million discrimination verdict against the county.

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Cuccinelli Urges Clergy to Speak Out

Virginia's attorney general Thursday urged pastors and other church leaders to speak out politically, telling them that failure to do so concedes the battle over Christian values to "the other side."

"You can speak to any issue in America from the pulpit, full-throated, ears pinned back," Ken Cuccinelli told about 250 clergy at a "Christian Citizenship and Godly Government" breakfast.

The event was sponsored by the Virginia Christian Alliance. Donald Blake, chairman of the Richmond-based conservative organization, said Cuccinelli was invited to speak because church leaders are looking for assurance that they can talk about political issues without risking their tax-exempt status.

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CA School District Cancels Fundraiser Over Bible Verse

A California school district has canceled a fundraising program featuring memorial bricks, scuttling proceeds of $45,000, after two women submitted Bible verses in their tributes.

The two women, Lou Ann Hart and Sheryl Caronna, had filed a court complaint in January against the Desert Sands Unified School District after the district blocked them from placing the Bible verses on bricks to be installed in walkways at Palm Desert High School in Palm Desert, Calif., about 10 miles east of Palm Springs. The women sought an injunction against the district to compel it to allow the scripture bricks.

Instead, school district officials have decided to rescind the fundraiser and refund money of every community group or individual who purchased a memorial brick, according to a court filing last week with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The move has angered advocates of religious freedom in the public sphere.

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