The Rev. Charles T. Smith, who turns 80 May 26, has been in his swimming pool once in the 10 years he and wife Eula Lee have lived in Lake Sherwood Acres off Coursey Boulevard. “He loves looking at the water,” Eula Lee Smith said. “The pool’s cleaned every week, but he sees a little bit … Continue reading →

Walking pneumonia helped LaToya Williams stop running – from God. “I got to the point where it was just me and the bed,” she said. “I could barely get up.” Her serious bout with pneumonia two years ago, Williams said, “was a period of me talking to God and God … Continue reading →

Women’s Conference: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Greater Arlington Baptist Church, 5445 Nicholson Drive, co-sponsored by Straightway Ministries with such speakers as the Rev. Marva Coleman, and evangelists Tammy T. Dugas and Mary Sutton. $10. Women’s Conference: 9 a.m., Clear View Missionary Baptist Church, 10657 Alco Ave., with the Rev. Barbara Baugh, Cynthia Brooks and … Continue reading →

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A U.S. court has ordered that all gated communities in Puerto Rico find a way to grant access to Jehovah’s Witnesses so they can proselytize. Communities with guards already had to let them in. Now those without guards manning gates must … Continue reading →

LAKELAND -- The biblical story of Deborah, a female prophetess who judged Israel, is said to illustrate how God used a strong woman to engineer a military victory that resulted in 40 years of peace. The Rev. Mary Whitley Moss admires Deborah as her Biblical heroine. “If I … Continue reading →

Many in London gathered May 2 in St. Paul’s Cathedral with Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, to mark the 350th anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. The book dates to 1549, when a document drafted by Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, was put in place and use of … Continue reading →

SATURDAY --Pre-Mother’s Day Brunch: 9 a.m., Shady Grove First Missionary Baptist Church, 16443 Plank Road, Baker. --Vacation Bible School Workshop: 9 a.m., The Women of McKowen Baptist Church, 1255 Louise St. --South Louisiana Lemonade Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jordan United Methodist Church, 4619 Stearns St., a learning program that teaches young children how to … Continue reading →

Soon after Catholic Charities disaster aid workers arrived in Joplin, Mo., following the catastrophic, May 22 tornado, children were telling them stories of butterflies. “As we were talking to folks that only had half of a house and were living under tarps, and no running water or anything left of their life other than … Continue reading →

Only 25 years after Louisiana became a state, some folks started what is believed to be the first organized church in Livingston Parish. This weekend, the historic Hebron Baptist Church, 24063 La. 16 in Denham Springs, is holding its 175th year anniversary festivities with fun, fellowship, food, a concert and special service. “Everybody’s really going all … Continue reading →

CANCELED --Prayer Luncheon: Originally scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Widow Son Lodge No. 10 Masonic Hall, 58280 Meriam St., Plaquemine, by the Tempie Chapter No. 58 Order of Eastern Star. SATURDAY --Garage Sale for Missions Projects: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, 17510 Monitor Ave., in the church's Friendship Building. Jambalaya dinners, including a green salad and a roll, … Continue reading →

The Rev. Keith Hawes, a Baton Rouge native, is the new pastor of Maranatha Fellowship, 1433 Sharp Lane. He joined the church in mid-April, replacing the Rev. Mike Cowart who left in January. Hawes has returned to Baton Rouge after serving as a pastor in Roseland. Continue reading →

Technically, the American Guild of Organists is a secular organization. But take into account where most of the nation’s organs are located and how they are used, and there’s an obvious faith connection. “Even though it’s a secular organization, in a way, it’s a religious organization,” said Dan Talbot, secretary-treasurer of the guild’s Baton Rouge Chapter. Continue reading →

ANGOLA – Biblical accounts of the crucifixion describe Jesus Christ as hung on a cross between two thieves. In “The Life of Jesus Christ,” the men portraying the two thieves are actually convicted murderers and the man portraying Jesus is serving a 20 years-plus sentence for armed robbery. The two-hour, two-act passion play features … Continue reading →

Aglow groups from Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee will gather in New Orleans in June for two days of speakers and worship sessions at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel and Resort, 555 Canal St. The regional gathering opens at 7:30 p.m. June 22 … Continue reading →

A wave of prayer offered by Southern Baptists for their home state of Louisiana will break on the Capitol steps Sunday evening, just hours before the state’s bicentennial is officially celebrated. Louisiana has a half-million Southern Baptists in more than 1,600 churches in 64 parishes and many of the churches have been … Continue reading →

Everett Parker doesn’t know how many singers will show up to perform with his “Unified Community Choir” Sunday afternoon for the Sounds of CommUNITY concert sponsored by the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge. Parker doesn’t know who they will be or how much time they will have spent preparing. And he won’t know until the … Continue reading →

A highlight of my recent visit to the beautiful historic district of Santa Fe, N.M., is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, named for the patron saint of the city. Franciscan friars entered New Mexico in 1598 and founded a church in Santa Fe in 1610. Spaniards were forced out of … Continue reading →

SATURDAY --Car Wash and Garage Sale: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., True Light Baptist Church, 3836 North St. $10 per car or truck also includes cleaning the interior. The sale will include such items as clothes, shoes, home decor and toys. --Women's Conference: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 2800 Wyandotte St., with evangelists Gwendolyn Landry and Christine Banks … Continue reading →

Hindu Vedic Society members, ready to move the religious and cultural education of their children somewhere other than a small trailer behind their temple, are building a new children’s and cultural hall. But first they needed permission to build from the land — or rather from the divinity within the land. “A lot of people think … Continue reading →

Katie Brazelton, an author, minister and life coach with connections to the Rev. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California, will be the featured speaker for the Women Praying for Women spring prayer breakfast at 9:30 a.m. April 28 at Boudreaux’s, 2647 Government St. “The mission of Women Praying for Women is to … Continue reading →

SATURDAY --Car Wash and Garage Sale: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., True Light Baptist Church, 3836 North St. $10 per car or truck and jambalaya, hot dogs and nachos for sale. --Louisiana Skeeter Run - Change the World: 7:30 a.m., Perkins Road Community Park, 7122 Perkins Road, for Imagine No Malaria, an initiative of the United Methodist Church dedicated to eradicating malaria … Continue reading →

From a rent house in Lutcher, Rosedale is a long way to drive to church. But as the part-time priest for the historic Episcopal Church of the Nativity, the Rev. Jerry Phillips, a retired teacher, regularly makes the journey from St. James Parish to lead services for the small congregation in Iberville Parish. Such are … Continue reading →

AMERICAN GRACE: HOW RELIGION DIVIDES AND UNITES US By Robert D. Putnam
and David E. Campbell Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, $19.99 softcover University scholars Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell have delved into the fabrics and … Continue reading →

SATURDAY --MidCity Prayer Breakfast: 8 a.m., Piccadilly Restaurant, 3164 Government St., with Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church’s Pastor’s Support Ministry as host and 1st Circuit Court of Appeal Judge John Michael Guidry as speaker. Food bank donations will be collected. $10. --Business Leadership Conference by Women Redefining Women: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., United … Continue reading →

As the sun rose Sunday on an old Moravian cemetery in North Carolina, 310 musicians with trumpets, tubas and trombones played in unison while thousands sang, “Hallelujah, praise the Lord” in an Easter scene mostly unchanged since before the Revolutionary War. The Moravian churches in Winston-Salem — a city famous for tobacco, … Continue reading →

Jessica Barré has been anticipating for nearly a year Saturday night’s Easter Vigil service, when she will finally become a fully initiated member of the Roman Catholic Church. Barré, 28, grew up in Dry Prong as part of a mostly non-practicing Baptist family and was never baptized. She will be among around 400 … Continue reading →

The lighted cross in front of Carol Bourgeois’ Baton Rouge home is her way of casting Easter in the same light and importance to the Christian faith as Christmas. “It is simple but displays for all who ride by the reason for this season,” Bourgeois said of the nearly 6-foot cross. Continue reading →

Spring Family Fest: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Miracle Place Church, 2080 Main St., Baker, with free pancake breakfast, giveaways, live music, inflatable attractions, food and egg hunts. Drive-Thru Prayer Line: 10 a.m. to noon, First Pentecostal Church of Livingston, 29586 South Frost Road, Livingston. No need to get out of the car. Just roll … Continue reading →

Faulk and Meek General Contractors, of Baton Rouge, has received a prestigious Alliant Build America Award for renovation of the historic St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Brusly. Owners David Faulk and John Meek went to the Associated General Contractors of America convention in Honolulu last … Continue reading →

OAKLAND, Calif. — An administrator at a small Christian university where seven people were killed this week said Wednesday she was the alleged gunman’s primary intended target after she rejected his repeated requests for a refund of his tuition. Ellen Cervellon, director of the nursing program at Oikos University, said she wasn’t on campus Monday … Continue reading →

OAKLAND, Calif. — One Goh’s life was on the skids even before he became the suspect in the nation’s biggest mass school shooting since Virginia Tech. He was chased by creditors. He grieved the death of his brother. In January, he was expelled from Oikos University, a small Christian … Continue reading →

OAKLAND, Calif. — A gunman opened fire Monday at a Christian university in California, killing at least seven people, wounding three more and setting off an intense, chaotic manhunt that ended with his capture at a nearby shopping center, authorities said. The gunfire erupted around midmorning at Oikos University. Heavily armed officers swarmed the school … Continue reading →

When the Rev. Oren Conner needs a role model, he finds one in the Scriptural accounts of the Apostle Paul. “I believe that Paul was one of the most frustrating human beings, because they couldn’t shut him up,” Conner said. “They said, ‘Stop preaching,’ and he said ‘No.’ They said, ‘We’ll throw you … Continue reading →

Jews around the world begin celebrating the feast of Passover at sundown Friday, April 6. The festival dates to biblical times, and its beginnings can be found in Exodus at the end of the plagues that forced the pharaoh of Egypt to allow the Israelites to leave with Moses. Continue reading →

Catholic Life Television is now offering for sale DVD copies of the series “Born in the Spirit of Faith” that chronicles the history of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The six-episode series follows the Diocese as it was formed in 1961 and documents the changes … Continue reading →

Holy Week Lenten Day of Prayer: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rosaryville Spirit Life Center, 39003 Rosaryville Road, Ponchatoula, with the Rev. Michael Burke as presenter. $35 includes the noon meal. (225) 294-5039. Smart Growth is Smart Business: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saint James Episcopal Church, 205 N. Fourth St., a Center for Planning Excellence lecture … Continue reading →

CENTRAL – The Rev. Dennis Terry finds himself in what he describes as “tornadoes” of attention, “bunches of them,” after video clips of his sermon Sunday evening went viral across the Internet and network talk shows this week. In the days since, the Baton Rouge area Southern Baptist preacher has been labeled “bigoted,” “anti-Muslim” and … Continue reading →

Bells are still ringing at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Midcity. They’re just not the authentic sounds of the bells that Maria “Re” DiVincenti enjoyed from her childhood in the early 1960s to about year ago, when the bells were taken out of service and replaced by electronic bells. “Not to hear the sound … Continue reading →

Ann Trousdale sees children as possessing a natural yearning for spiritual growth, and for her, properly fostering spiritual development lies at the heart of education. Trousdale, associate professor of education at LSU, focuses her research on children’s spirituality through literature. A pioneer in the field, she receives speaking invitations throughout the world. In June, … Continue reading →

Parking Lot Sale: 8 a.m. to noon, Faith Presbyterian Church, 12855 Old Hammond Highway, a multifamily benefit for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University participants. Fourth District Missionary Association Sunday School Conference: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Greater New Guide Baptist Church Christian Education and Family Life Center, 3328 Adams Ave. Courses offered include Focus on … Continue reading →

As the earth is revitalized with the growing of new life in the spring, three Methodist ministers are seeking to make Lent a time of revitalization among the young adults touched by their Baton Rouge ministries. The Revs. Juan Huertas, of St. John’s United Methodist, Drew Sutton, of the LSU Wesley Foundation, and Katie McKay Simpson, of … Continue reading →

The life of the historical Jesus and the parables attributed to him have been the scholarly focus of John Dominic Crossan for almost half a century. The author’s just-released “The Power of Parable” combines the two once again. And, like his previous works, it will most likely prompt debate — beginning with the book’s subtitle: “How Fiction … Continue reading →

A packed house of more than 1,300 people filled Greenwell Springs Baptist Church on March 1 to hear Steven Curtis Chapman. Many of them also were there to hear the tall slender man behind him. For bass player Brent Milligan the concert was a homecoming. Milligan, who … Continue reading →

Promotional text for Sunday’s Poverty Forum, sponsored by the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge, states what might sound like the obvious: “Increasing income is a key solution to poverty.” “It’s such a no-brainer,” said the Rev. Robin McCullough-Bade, federation executive director. “But it’s not always obvious and easy to navigate to a healthier place financially. Continue reading →

CERTIFICATE OF PROGRESS CLASSES: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pointe Coupee Parish Christian Education Leadership School, 12861 La. 416, Lakeland, with Henry Goines teaching Holy Spirit Led Evangelism; Albert Green teaching Survey of Revelation; Irma Miller teaching Effective Bible Reading and Olton Scott teaching Baptist Doctrine. $10. And ... The Glory Fell Worship Conference: 9 … Continue reading →