MC News
NEWS RELEASEMadison, WI – Madison will mark the conclusion of the nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign to end abortion with a prayer service outside of the East Side Madison Planned Parenthood located at 3706 Orin Road, at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, November 4th.
Live ultrasound images of a baby squirming in a mother’s womb were shown to attendees at last night’s annual banquet of the CareNet Pregnancy Center of Dane County. The demonstration highlighted the services offered free to women facing unplanned pregnancies, using state of the art digital equipment that was received and installed earlier this year at CareNet’s facilities on the east side of Madison.
Last Friday, I joined five other evangelical Protestant leaders for an intense and rewarding half-hour conversation with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Our goal was to assure her of our support as she navigates the treacherous waters of Middle East politics—particularly as she arm-wrestles the various parties toward the summit planned for the beginning of December in Annapolis. The Bush Administration is hoping that foundations can be laid for an enduring, peaceful two-state solution in Israel-Palestine conflict.Read more of this story.
One church building is home to a congregation that is the oldest in Madison, tracing its origins to a downtown lodging house in 1837. And now First United Methodist Church has just renewed its commitment to be, in its words, "Downtown for Good."Another church building is about to be home to one of the city’s younger but fastest-growing congregations. Blackhawk Church currently is moving into a new facility at the west edge of the city, renewing its commitment to provide a spiritual home for people on the move.Read more of this story.
On Sunday, about 70 million Lutherans around the world, joined by Christians of many Protestant denominations, commemorated the Reformation.This liturgical festival, marking Martin Luther’s 16th century challenge to papal authority by nailing 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, inspired the Protestant Reformation that changed the course of Western civilization.Read more of this story.
The Lake Edge United Church of Christ on Buckeye Road was filled with celebrants yesterday afternoon, attending the ordination of Phil Haslanger. Haslanger comes to the clergy after serving 35 years in journalism. "We came to celebrate the transformation of a man of many beautifully written words into a man of the Word," said Rev. Jerry Hancock, who knows a little bit about career changes.
COMMENTARY Many of those outside of the Christian faith think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind – that Christianity in our society is not what it was meant to be. We’re seen as hyper-political, out of touch, pushy in our beliefs, and arrogant. And the biggest perceptions of all are that we are homophobic, hypocritical, and judgmental. Simply put, in the minds of many, modern-day Christianity no longer seems Christian.Read more of this commentary.
TEMECULA, Calif. — Under a heavy blanket of ash-laden air, Daphne Berlin, the Red Cross public information officer for Riverside County, was heading back to the command post assess the latest developments in a series of wildland fires hopscotching Southern California.Although unsure what that day’s fire activity would bring, of one thing Berlin was certain, she could count on the assistance of area churches.Read more of this story.
DALLAS (ANS) — The 35 days of “I-35: Highway of Holiness,” will begin this weekend with pre-kickoff events in Laredo, Texas, and Duluth, Minn., the ends of the interstate. The I-35 initiative is part of Light the Highway, a movement organizers hope will bring spiritual reformation to cities, regions and ultimately nations. Read more of this story.
Across the country, fall is high season for "church shopping," as people in search of a new faith community to call home set about the task of finding one. But that doesn’t mean they’re showing up, singing hymns, shaking hands and sampling doughnuts at a different church each week.Read more of this story.