Author: Gordon Govier

MADISON – Armed with a recent federal appeals court ruling, Christian student groups are challenging University of Wisconsin campuses’ decisions to refuse to recognize them over their allegedly discriminatory membership requirements. Read more. Additional story at WorldNetDaily.Additional commentary.Story becomes a political football.

MADISON-Each August, thousands of students move in and out of downtown apartments. In an effort to minimize the mess and maximize the benefit to the community, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a coalition of local partners, including the City of Madison, Goodwill Industries and St. Vincent de Paul, are working together on the Moving Days campaign to encourage students to donate usable items to local charities.

CHARLOTTE — Death is not bad.Sara White is telling you this while having lunch recently. Reminders of her work as a real estate agent come with several calls to her cellphone and a 20-second pitch to the waiter. The previous night she threw a surprise 18th birthday party for her daughter, Jecolia, a warm-up for the high school graduation fest she was planning. Read more.

HOLLYWOOD, CA (ANS) — This week, in the wake of the media storm over Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic comments during a drunk-driving arrest, one of the six major Hollywood studios will release a comedy starring self-described lefty Will Farrell, called TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY. A satire of the NASCAR racing scene, the movie is a racist, bigoted work that ridicules the Bible Belt, Southern white men, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the family, and American masculinity. Read more.

Americans cannot be easily characterized as conservative or liberal on today’s most pressing social questions. The public’s point of view varies from issue to issue. They are conservative in opposing gay marriage and gay adoption, liberal in favoring embryonic stem cell research and a little of both on abortion. Along with favoring no clear ideological approach to most social issues, the public expresses a desire for a middle ground on the most divisive social concern of the day: abortion. Read more.

Churches in 125 locations throughout North America will be hosting the renowned Leadership Summit next week through live satellite broadcasts from Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill. And this year’s exclusive feature is U2’s leading man Bono. Read more.

COMMENTARYOn Saturday, the late Reggie White will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The "Minister of Defense" — he was an ordained minister who had a passion for Christian evangelizing during his stellar playing career — will be extolled for his quarterback-sacking prowess, service to the community and commitment to his family and Christian faith. Read more.

MADISON — Planning for the future of the Diocese of Madison and the cathedral were the two main topics of discussion at the July 8 meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) held at the Bishop O’Connor Center. Read more.

WESTMINSTER HOUSE, abutting fraternity row just off the University of California’s Berkeley campus, is a dorm with a mission: “Share the ‘Good News’ of God’s love in Jesus Christ.” To explain: Three years ago, Westminster House, a home owned by the Presbyterian Church since 1911, added accommodations for 126 students, complete with wireless access and T-1 ports. The dorm was the brainchild of the Rev. Randy Bare, the campus pastor, and has drawn admiration and imitation from campus ministries across the country. Pres House, a church and community center bordering Library Mall at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, began…

Marlene Paprocki was navigating through life's choppy crosscurrents when Aglow caught her eye on the horizon. There were women from many Christian traditions gathering for enthusiastic song and worship. They were open to being moved by the Holy Spirit. Speakers were faith-centered. Personal growth was a priority. So was Christ's "great commission" of outreach to others. And she was drawn to the monthly meetings. Read more.