The Christian life is not just our own private affair...

The Christian life is not just our own private affair. If we have been born again into God's family, not only has he become our Father but every other Christian believer in the world, whatever his nation or denomination, has become our brother or sister in Christ. But it is no good supposing that membership of the universal Church of Christ is enough; we must belong to some local branch of it. Every Christian's place is in a local church, sharing in its worship, its fellowship, and its witness.
...John R.W. Stott  image by Smythe Richbourg

The US's Education Bubble

December 5, 2011
By Doug Hornig and Alex Daley, Casey Research

In the world of finance, there is always talk of bubbles – mortgage bubbles, tech stock bubbles, junk bond bubbles. But bubbles don’t develop only in financial markets. In recent years, there's been another one quietly inflating, not capturing the attention of most observers.

It's an education bubble – just not the one of student debt that has graced the pages of the New York Times and so many other publications in recent months.

The problem is not that we are overeducating ourselves as many would have you believe. Rather, it’s that we are spending a fortune to undereducate ourselves.

The United States has always been a very educated country. But it is becoming less and less so, especially in the areas that matter to our individual and collective economic futures. Our undereducation begins with a stubbornly high dropout rate among secondary education students. About a quarter of those who begin high school don't finish.

In an educational system where graduation from high school at a minimum level often means no grasp of mathematics beyond basic arithmetic, no training in basic personal finance, and no marketable professional skills, this is an obvious problem We can and should do more to prepare high school graduates for the world they now live in. the rest

Not only are foreigners attending our schools in record numbers, they are far more apt to pursue high-level degrees than US students. Foreign students constitute 2.5% of bachelor's degree students, 10% of graduate students, and 33% of doctoral candidates.

Leaving Rwanda: Breakaway Anglicans Break Away Again

Dispute between African bishops and Anglican Mission in the Americas prompts U.S. leadership to leave body.
Bobby Ross Jr.
Christianity Today
12/07/2011

An 11-year-old denomination that has prided itself on its submission to majority-world leadership broke away from that leadership Monday. Amid a dispute over authority, bishops in the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMIA) resigned from their positions in the Anglican Church of Rwanda.

More than a decade ago, the association of churches launched as an alternative to the Episcopal Church. In 2000, Emmanuel Kolini, the archbishop of Rwanda, and Moses Tay, the archbishop of Singapore, ordained two Americans—Charles Murphy and John Rogers Jr.—as missionary bishops to the United States. The maverick bishops' assignment: to promote orthodox teaching and practice in the wake of infighting among American church members over sexual ethics.

Under the oversight of the Church of Rwanda, the South Carolina-based AMIA has grown to more than 150 congregations in the United States and Canada, with 100-plus additional church plants and mission endeavors in the works, AMIA spokeswoman Cynthia Brust said. the rest

MCJ: FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY

Lawmakers Blast Administration For Calling Fort Hood Massacre 'Workplace Violence'

December 07, 2011

Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence and suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home.

During a joint session of the Senate and House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, the Maine Republican referenced a letter from the Defense Department depicting the Fort Hood shootings as workplace violence. She criticized the Obama administration for failing to identify the threat as radical Islam. the rest

The chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, said the military has become a "direct target of violent Islamist extremism" within the United States.

Anglican Perspective: Matthew 18

December 7, 2011

Recently, some Episcopal Church leaders requested a meeting with the bishop of South Carolina. They claim to be using the guiding principals found in Matthew 18 for dealing with conflict within the church however they overlooked an important step. This week, Canon Ashey examines the text of Matthew 18 and how we can possibly win our brothers over when in conflict with them.

Christmas Flash Mob - Merrily On High

posted December 7, 2011

The beautiful voices of the American Festival Chorus recently stunned shoppers on Black Friday with a Christmas flash mob of the holiday classic song Merrily On High.

A.S. Haley: In the School for Hypocrites

December 7, 2011

Scene: In a classroom of the College for Bishops. A teacher is just finishing his lecture to the assembled Bishops, who are all from Province IV of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

David Booth Beers: . . . And so that is pretty much what I have to tell you. As your guest lecturer today, I have introduced to you, the bishops of Province IV, both the newest and the oldest among you -- [pauses and waves at the Bishop of Southeast Florida] hi, Leo -- the exciting new world of the revamped Title IV Canons of the Episcopal Church, with a special emphasis on what the changes mean for diocesan bishops. I will now be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Bishop in front row (raises hand): You said that we are now all operating under the new Title IV of the Canons, which went into effect last July 1, but what about the Diocese of South Carolina? Mark Lawrence isn't here -- but I heard that they objected to the new Title IV taking effect in their diocese.

David Booth Beers: Yes, we (that is, Mary Kostel and I) are looking into that as I speak. Suffice it to say that his position is not going to fly. So long as Bishop Lawrence and his Diocese are Episcopalian -- and one of the points we stress in the courts is that, although people may decide to leave the Church, dioceses never can -- they are equally subject to the canons approved by General Convention.  the rest

Province IV Bishops Seek a Meeting with South Carolina Bp. Lawrence

NASA's Voyager spacecraft explores solar system's edge

Dec. 5, 2011

A long-running NASA spacecraft that’s been exploring the fringes of the solar system has entered new territory.

The space agency said Monday the Voyager 1 spacecraft is in a new region of the solar system that’s different than what it’s been studying the past five years.

New evidence presented at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco shows Voyager 1 has reached a point where the sun has little influence.

Voyager 1 still has a little ways to go before it leaves the solar system and enters interstellar space — or the space between stars. the rest

image/NASA

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

Pearl Harbor's 70th anniversary remembered in US

Survivors of Pearl Harbor Attack to be Laid to Rest at Ships

Pearl Harbor 70th Anniversary Celebrated With Somber Ceremony ...

Facebook Flaw Means Anyone Can See Private Photos

December 06, 2011
FoxNews.com

A surprising security hole in Facebook allows almost anyone to see pictures marked as private, an online forum revealed late Monday.

Even pictures supposedly kept hidden from uninvited eyes by Facebook’s privacy controls aren’t safe, reported one user of a popular bodybuilding forum  in a post entitled “I teach you how to view private Facebook photos.”

Facebook appears to have acted quickly to eliminate the end-run around privacy controls, after word of the exploit spread across the Internet. It wasn’t long before one online miscreant uploaded private pictures of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg himself -- evidence that the hack worked, he said. the rest

Atheist Leader Complains About U.S. Troops Praying Together Before Combat Mission

By Pete Winn
December 5, 2011

(CNSNews.com) - The man pushing to get the military to install “atheist chaplains” in the armed forces told government-subsidized National Public Radio that military officers should not be praying with their men before going out on missions.

Jason Torpy, president of the Military Atheists and Free Thinkers Association, told “All Things Considered” over the weekend about an incident in 2003 or 2004, in which his commander gathered his team together to pray before the Army unit deployed -- rather than make preparations for the mission. the rest

Torpy said his commander was “dishonoring” his command by praying, which he said was a "religious wedge."

Sperm donor children speak out

by Christine Dhanagom
Mon Dec 05, 2011

There are only four things Alana Stewart knows about her father: he has blonde hair, blue eyes, a college degree, and his assigned number at the sperm bank where he sold half of Alana’s genetic code is 81.

She is one of an estimated 30,000 – 60,000 children conceived each year in the United States through sperm donation. A former egg donor herself, Alana is now a vocal critic of the practice, which she calls “the violent act of buying and selling a child.”

Her story, featured in the upcoming documentary Anonymous Father’s Day, is becoming more and more common. Many of the children conceived through sperm donation are now adults, and some of them are speaking out against the practice that brought them into existence. the rest

Macy's: 'transgenders' trumps religious beliefs

Charlie Butts
OneNewsNow
12/6/2011

Macy's is accused of firing an employee who objected to allowing a cross-dresser to use women's dressing rooms in one of its stores.

Natalie Johnson observed a man exiting a women's dressing room in one of San Antonio's several Macy's stores and politely told him he could not re-enter because it was for the exclusive use of women. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel tells OneNewsNow the male customer -- who was wearing make-up and girl's clothing -- angrily responded that he was a "female."

"Then [he] contacted the management and said that this was an LGBT-friendly store," the attorney explains. "And to Natalie Johnson's surprise, management took the customer's position and affirmed that it is an LGBT-friendly store and said that according to their policy, 'transgendered' people can change in any dressing room they want." the rest

Queen's role as head of Church of England 'may no longer be appropriate'

The Queen’s role as head of the Church of England may no longer be “appropriate” following changes to the law of succession, a group of MPs has suggested.
By Rowena Mason
06 Dec 2011

Reforms agreed earlier this year by Commonwealth countries would create a potential conflict of interest because they allow a monarch to marry a Roman Catholic, said a parliamentary committee.

It said that if a future heir to the throne were raised as a Catholic, there would be an “obvious difficulty” in that person becoming head of the Anglican Church on their succession.

Under current laws, the Queen is required to “join in communion” with the Church of England and take on the role of Supreme Governor, promoting Anglicanism in Britain.

The report, by the political and constitutional reform committee, said: “The scenario does beg the question of whether it remains appropriate for the monarch to be required to be in communion with the Church of England. the rest

U.K.: Gang of Muslim women who savagely beat non-Muslim woman let off because "they weren't used to drinking because they're Muslims"

By Andy Dolan and Katherine Faulkner
6th December 2011

A gang of Muslim women who attacked a passer-by in a city centre walked free from court after a judge heard they were ‘not used to being drunk’ because of their religion.

The group – three sisters and a cousin – allegedly screamed ‘kill the white slag’ as they set upon Rhea Page as she waited for a taxi with her boyfriend. the rest

Mobile euthanasia teams being considered by Dutch government

Plans to introduce mobile medical teams that can euthanise people in their own homes are being considered by the Dutch government.
By Simon Caldwell
06 Dec 2011

The teams of doctors and nurses would be sent out from a clinic following a referral from the patient's doctor.

The proposals were disclosed by Edith Schippers, the health minister.

In a written answer to questions from Christian Union MPs she said that mobile units "for patients who meet the criteria for euthanasia but whose doctors are unwilling to carry it out" was worthy of consideration.

"If the patient thinks it desirable, the doctor can refer him or her to a mobile team or clinic," the minister wrote.  the rest

AMiA bishops break with Rwanda

Chuck Murphy says the AMiA is doing a 'new thing' and ready to go out on its own
December 6, 2011
By George Conger

Bishop Chuck Murphy has rejected the godly admonition of Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje and he and the members of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) House of Bishops have broken with the Church of Rwanda.

In a letter dated 5 Dec 2011, Bishop Murphy and the AMiA House of Bishops announced that the Lord “is now doing” a “new thing” and that its bishops had decided to reject the discipline and oversight of Anglican Church of Rwanda .

Whether the clergy and congregations of the AMiA will follow their bishops into schism and out of the Anglican Communion is not known at this time. However by this second secession in eleven years along with the adoption of a distinct Roman Catholic ecclesiology and sacramental theology, the AMiA appears to have given up its claim of being Anglican in order to follow its leader, Bishop Murphy.

In his letter to Archbishop Rwaje, Bishop Murphy reminded the Rwandan leader that there was “no covenant from the Anglican Mission to the Province” of Rwanda, nor did the Rwandan canons contain a “canonical mandate” for the erection of the AMiA. Since its inception, the only links the AMiA had with Rwanda was the “personal relationship” between Bishop Murphy and the Archbishop of Rwanda, and the “voluntary submission to the Canons and Constitution of Rwanda by the Anglican Mission and its clergy as renewed annually at each year’s AMiA Winter Conference in the renewal of ordination vows." the rest

Resignation letter

Stand Firm        Titusonenine         Anglicans Ablaze

Over 20,000 Sign Petition Over Banned Bibles at Military Hospital

By Brittany Smith
Tue, Dec. 06 2011

The Family Research Council issued a petition Monday over a ban on Bibles and religious materials at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Although Walter Reed, the military’s largest hospital for military personnel and veterans, says it lifted the ban on Friday after Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) gave a speech criticizing the move on the House floor, FRC says it’s not convinced.

FRC sent out an Action Alert stating, “While we're glad that hospital officials are working on changing the policy, the change has yet to be implemented. Given the recent track record of the Obama Administration's disrespect for religious liberty in the military, nothing is certain. We need your help to show military leaders that the American people will not stand for Bible bans such as the one at Walter Reed. the rest

Cello Wars

Anglican Unscripted Episode 20

December 5, 2011

Kevin and George discuss the very latest news from the Province of Rwanda and its relationship with AMiA. They also talk about interpreting Church Canons and the miracle from the Diocese of South Carolina. Peter Ould discusses the dirty little secret of the Church of England -- don't worry, we have the same secret here in America. And, finally AS Haley talks about another Bishop being deposed last week.

Alarming rise of Muslim 'honour attacks' in the UK as police reveal thousands were carried out last year

by Daily Mail Reporter
3rd December 2011

Nearly 3,000 so-called honour attacks were recorded by police in Britain last year, new research has revealed.

According to figures obtained by the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (Ikwro), at least 2,823 incidents of 'honour-based' violence took place, with the highest number recorded in London.

The charity said the statistics fail to provide the full picture of the levels of 'honour' violence in the UK , but are the best national estimate so far.

The data, taken from from 39 out of 52 UK forces, was released following a freedom of information request by Ikwro. the rest

Church of England bans hosting civil partnership ceremonies

The Church of England will not allow its churches to be used for civil partnership ceremonies unless the full General Synod gives consent, it says.
3 December 2011

A new law which allows civil partnership ceremonies to be conducted in places of worship in England and Wales comes into effect on Monday.

The Church said it would not host them just as a "gentlemen's outfitter is not required to supply women's clothes".

The government said no religious group would be forced to hold ceremonies. the rest

October Baby: A Pro-Life Movie Showing the Pain of Abortion

by Kelly Clinger
11/2/11

Excerpt:
I didn’t know much about October Baby except that it was a movie about a girl who found out she was an abortion survivor. To my surprise, the film is much deeper than that.

October Baby follows Hannah (played by Rachel Hendrix) as she goes on a journey to find her biological mom…AND find herself. The exchanges between Hannah, her adoptive parents and her best friend, Jason, all paint a sobering, truthful picture about wondering who you are and where you come from.

Without even knowing that she was adopted or the survivor of an abortion, Hannah grew up feeling like something just didn’t fit. She felt like an outsider, and she built walls to protect herself. She had all of the symptoms of living through trauma…even though the trauma all occurred earlier than her memory could take her. the rest

One of the most powerful scenes in the movie for me was when Hannah tracks down the nurse from the abortion clinic, played by Jasmine Guy. I don’t want to give anything away here, so I’ll just say that I was STUNNED at the honesty of what the nurse shared. She talked about the truth of what goes on in abortion clinics. I cried and cried. The truth HAS to be told, and the makers of October Baby were not afraid to tell it.

Devotional: Behold! I have engraved you on the palms of My hands!"

Behold! I have engraved you on the palms of My hands!"

Isaiah 49:16

"Behold," says Immutable One, "I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." Not on the mountains, colossal as they are, for they shall depart; on no page of nature's vast volume, for the last fires shall scorch them; not on blazing sun, for he shall grow dim with age; not on glorious heavens, for they shall be folded together as a scroll. But on... the hand which made the worlds, the hand which was transfixed on Calvary, the hand of might and love; I have engraved you there! No corroding power can efface the writing, or obliterate your name! ...John MacDuff image

Study: 40% of Kids Who Attempt Suicide First Try in Elementary or Middle School

By Bonnie Rochman
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Almost 40% of kids attempting suicide make their first try in middle or even elementary school, according to research that suggests that kids who think they want to kill themselves are considering it long before previously assumed.

About 1 in 9 children have attempted suicide before their high school graduation, but learning that they're making plans as early as elementary school is especially chilling.

In a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers at the University of Washington surveyed 883 young adults ages 18 or 19 about previous suicide attempts and learned that 78 — close to 9% — had tried to commit suicide.

Suicide attempt rates rose steeply at age 12 — around sixth grade — and peaked two to three years later. The 39 teens who said they had tried to commit suicide multiple times reported first attempting when they were as young as 9, which is the average age of a third-grader. Teens who said they had tried just once were more likely to have attempted suicide later, in high school.  the rest

Church of Scotland rejects same-sex marriage proposals

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Church of Scotland has given an unequivocal 'no' to the Scottish Government's proposal to redefine marriage.

In its response to the Scottish Government's consultation, the Kirk said the proposal "fundamentally changes" the historic understanding of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman.

"Scriptural references to marriage, whether literal or metaphorical, all operate under this understanding," it said. the rest

Dolly scientist: abandon embryonic stem cell research-leads to tumors

Posted on Dec 2, 2011
by Michael Foust

LA JOLLA, Calif. (BP) -- The scientist who led the team that cloned Dolly the sheep has urged fellow researchers to forego embryonic stem cell research -- which he says is fraught with practical problems -- and pursue more promising types of research.

That's because he believes other research likely will overtake embryonic stem cell research.

Ian Wilmut spoke to a crowd of stem cell researchers Nov. 29 in La Jolla, Calif., telling them that because embryonic stem cells tend to lead to tumors, scientists should spend their time on non-embryonic forms of research, particularly on a new method called direct reprogramming. In direct reprogramming, scientists avoid stem cells altogether and, for instance, reprogram a skin cell directly into a nerve cell. Researchers have had success doing just that with lab mice. It has the support of ethicists who have opposed embryonic research.
the rest

"This is Dolly's daddy, the guy who cloned Dolly the sheep," Prentice said. "He's turned away from cloning, he's turned away from embryonic stem cells, and he's pointing towards reprogrammed cells."

Bethlehemian Rhapsody

Senate Poised to Legalize Sodomy and Bestiality in U.S. Military

By Pete Winn
December 1, 2011

(CNSNews.com) – The Senate this evening is poised to vote on a defense authorization bill that includes a provision which not only repeals the military law on sodomy, but also repeals the military ban on sex with animals--or bestiality.

On Nov. 15, the Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved S. 1867, the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision to repeal Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Article 125 of the UCMJ makes it illegal to engage in both sodomy with humans and sex with animals. the rest

UK’s top Catholic bishop endorses gay civil unions despite Vatican condemnation

by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
12/01/2011

(LifeSiteNews.com) - According to The Tablet, the Archbishop of Westminster, England, has publicly expressed support for homosexual civil unions, a move that appears to put him at odds with a clear Vatican decree against supporting such unions confirmed by Pope John Paul II and then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict) in 2003.

The Tablet reports that, while acknowledging that marriage and civil partnerships are not equal, Archbishop Vincent Nichols stated in a press conference late last month: “we would want to emphasise that civil partnerships actually provide a structure in which people of the same sex who want a lifelong relationship [and] a lifelong partnership can find their place and protection and legal provision.”

“As a Church we are very committed to the notion of equality so that people are treated the same across all the activities of life,” Nichols is reported to have said. “The Church holds great store by the value of commitment in relationships and undertakings that people give. Stability in society depends upon the reliability of commitments that people give. That might be in offering to do a job but especially in their relationships with one another. Equality and commitment are both very important and we fully support them.”

According to The Telegraph, Nichols said that he is “very disappointed” with the government’s plans to move in the direction of legalizing homosexual “marriage.” the rest

Pro-life nurse asked to assist abortion told: ‘You just have to catch the baby’s head’

by Thomas Peters
Wed Nov 30, 2011

As we’ve reported, a dozen pro-life nurses in New Jersey are fighting for their right to follow their conscience and not be forced to assist at abortions.

This quote in The Washington Post by one of the nurses stopped me in my tracks when I read it:

One of the nurses, Fe Esperanza R. Vinoya, said a manager told her: “‘You just have to catch the baby’s head. Don’t worry, it’s already dead.’ ”

Can you imagine anything more horrific than being forced to “catch” a dead baby’s head? A baby who only minutes before was alive in its mother’s womb?

Pro-abort writers and bloggers are hysterically (I don’t use the word lightly) attempting to attack these women’s motives. the rest

Thousands of Muslims Attack Christians in Egypt, 2 Killed, Homes and Stores Torched

11-30-2011

(AINA) -- Thousands of Muslims attacked and besieged Copts in elGhorayzat village, population 80,000, killing two Copts and severely wounding others, as well as looting and torching homes and businesses. A quarrel between a Copt, John Hosni, and Mahmoud Abdel-Nazeer, who later died in hospital, turned into collective punishment of all Copts in the majority Christian village of elGhorayzat, in the Maragha district of Sohag province. Muslims vowed not to bury Abdel-Nazeer until John Hosni is punished. Mr. Hosni fled from the village with his family, "fearing a wholesale massacre of Copts," reported activist Mariam Ragy.

The events started on Monday, November 28, when John Hosni, a building supplier, had a quarrel with his neighbor, Mahmoud Abdel-Nazeer (48), over some steel rods and cement Mr. Hosni had left in the street to use for erecting a wall around his house. This was perceived by Mr. Abdel-Nazeer as extending the home into the street, which is public property. "Instead of reporting this building transgression to the police or local authorities, Abdel-Nazeer took the matter in his own hands and brought some Salafists and torched the store and the home of the Copt," said an eyewitness.

In the altercation between the neighbors, Mr. Hosni hit Abdel-Nazeer in the head with a wooden branch, which lead to his death later in hospital.

Angry Muslims murdered two Christian brothers, Kamel Tamer Ibrahim (55) and Kameel Tamer Ibrahim (50), in revenge. The brothers were not a party to the altercation. Kamel Tamer, who was defending his shop from looting, was murdered in front of his wife. His brother was also murdered in front of his wife for defending his home (video of the murdered Copts. WARNING: contains highly graphic content)...

...After killing the Copts, Muslims went on a rampage, looting and burning Christian owned homes and businesses. the rest

Obama Administration Bans Knowledge of Islam

by Raymond Ibrahim
November 30, 2011

The Obama administration's censoring of photographs of the late Osama bin Laden, lest they offend Muslims, is one thing; but what about censoring words, especially those pivotal to U.S. security?
The Daily Caller reveals that "the Obama administration has been pulling back all training materials used for the law enforcement and national security communities, in order to eliminate all references to Islam that some Muslim groups have claimed are offensive."

The move comes after complaints from advocacy organizations including the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and others identified as Muslim Brotherhood front groups in the 2004 Holy Land Foundation terror fundraising trial. In a Wednesday Los Angeles Times op-ed, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) president Salam al-Marayati threatened the FBI with a total cutoff of cooperation between American Muslims and law enforcement if the agency failed to revise its law enforcement training materials. Maintaining the training materials in their current state "will undermine the relationship between law enforcement and the Muslim American community," al-Marayati wrote. Multiple online sources detail MPAC's close alignment with CAIR. In his op-ed, Al-Marayati demanded that the Justice Department and the FBI "issue a clear and unequivocal apology to the Muslim American community" and "establish a thorough and transparent vetting process in selecting its trainers and materials."

Accordingly, after discussing the matter with Attorney General Eric Holder, Dwight C. Holton said "I want to be perfectly clear about this: training materials that portray Islam as a religion of violence or with a tendency towards violence are wrong, they are offensive, and they are contrary to everything that this president, this attorney general and Department of Justice stands for. They will not be tolerated." the rest

Senate lets chaplains opt out of gay weddings

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Wednesday Nov 30, 2011

The Senate voted Wednesday to ensure military chaplains are not forced to perform gay marriages if they oppose that for reasons of conscience.

However, wording of the measure could make this a more far-reaching piece of legislation. It makes no specific reference to gay marriage, but instead says that a chaplain, “who as a matter of conscience or moral principle does not wish to perform a marriage, may not be required to do so.” That could apply not only to gay marriage but to other situations that might involve conscience and principles.

The chief sponsor of the legislation, however, has been clear about the intent.

“This amendment will allow the chaplains of our armed forces to maintain the freedom of conscience necessary to serve their nation and their religion without conflict,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. “Protections for military chaplains should be guaranteed in any policy changes being implemented.”

The measure was approved by voice vote and with no debate as an amendment to the Senate’s version of the 2012 defense authorization bill. the rest

With few parishioners, historic Chicago Episcopal church is closing

11/30/2011
By BEN MEYERSON

After nearly 130 years as one of the Near West Side’s richest landmarks, the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany is closing its doors.

The massive structure at 201 S. Ashland Ave. had a congregation that dwindled down to almost nothing. Only five to seven people were showing up every Sunday, and what few parishioners remained came to the decision in early November that it wasn’t sustainable to keep the building open.

With such a small group of parishioners, it was impossible to fill the coffers just to meet the basic needs of the church, according to one of the congregation’s leaders, Nikki Shields.

“While the Episcopal Diocese has been extraordinarily generous over the years, we’re faced with huge expenses just to keep the heating system up,” Shields said. “We’re going to disperse as a congregation and go our own ways.”

Indeed, in its last year, the church couldn’t even afford to keep a pastor in the church, and parted with its former leader, Rev. Meigan Cameron, in January. Instead, they went down the little-tried path of being a self-led congregation. the rest