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Whether it’s welcoming a new life, preparing for a life to end or dealing with the anguish or uncertainty of injury, surgery or disease, patients and families often turn to hospital chaplains for help with their mind, body and spirit. Despite a national decline in church attendance, or perhaps because of it, hospital chaplain programs are on the rise. More than 65 percent of hospitals in the U.S. had chaplains in 2016, up from 53 percent in 2002, according to the American Hospital Association. Madison’s four main hospitals have had chaplains for years.
New research from Barna Group showcases the breakdown of the most Catholic and Protestant, both mainline and nonmainline, cities in America as part of its ongoing tracking of religious demography. The cities report, which was released last week, examines the distribution of the denominational makeup of American cities and towns and uses data based on online and telephone interviews with nationwide random samples of 76,505 adults conducted over the course of seven years, concluding in 2016.
My APB for 17 missing children—all wanted by First Presbyterian—resulted in two sightings and the discovery of a 173-year-old family tree, full of life and legacy of faith. Little Josh, last seen in our Sunday school in the 1990s pushing just 4-ft tall, now fills the door at church, to say: I am one of the “missing children” you have been searching for!
The presentation was titled “How to Talk about God without Starting a Fight” but it could just as well have been called “How to Report on Cat Cults and Snake Handlers.” Veteran religion reporter Bob Smietana was at Upper House on the University of Wisconsin campus and he brought along tales of the unusual stories he has covered over the years.Smietana is senior writer for Facts and Trends, a publication under the Southern Baptist Convention umbrella. Prior to that he was at Christianity Today, and six years as the Nashville Tennessean’s religion writer. His recent freelance writing include articles on…
MADISON (WKOW) — After years of work to end homelessness in Madison, local organizations say they’re finally seeing results. Although shelters in the area have been at capacity for years, many families who have no home have been able to turn their lives around as those resources helped them. Organizations like The Road Home, The Salvation Army and the YWCA are now collaborating on their programs to make the best use of the resources and give people one centralized place to go for the help they need.
“Even though violence is at an all-time low, these events are on the rise,” Madison police officer Matthew Magolan told members of Westwood Christian Church on a recent evening, as a special meeting was held at the church to learn how to respond to an active shooter. Churches as well as schools and businesses have been the scene of these shootings, which have become more and more common since the Columbine school shooting on April 20, 1999. Learning how to respond to such an event is prudent, and the Madison Police Department offers the training free as a public service…
Just two days after (Madison-based) InterVarsity Christian Fellowship filed a lawsuit against Wayne State University, the Detroit school decided to let the chapter regain its official status on campus once again—one of the quickest initial victories in a string of legal battles over Christian groups at public colleges. Last year, InterVarsity lost its recognition as a student group at Wayne State, the third-largest school in Michigan, over requirements that its leaders affirm the organization’s Christian beliefs. The school viewed the belief requirement as a violation of its nondiscrimination policy.
Nicole Baker Fulgham knows what it is like to grow up in poverty. She knows what it is like to teach children in poverty. And she knows what her faith tells her: “We are made in God’s image. I can’t believe that God would only give potential to white, wealthy kids.” So she has devoted her career to mobilizing people of faith to support public education reform and to close the academic achievement gap. She spoke on Saturday at the 2018 Kingdom Justice Summit, held at Upper House. (Selfless Ambition was one of the co-sponsors.) There were representatives of about…
“To talk about justice, one has to read the story (the biblical narrative) and immerse yourself in the story” says Tim Mackie, the creative director for The Bible Project, on Friday Night at the Upper House on the campus of UW-Madison. This was the first of three events for the Kingdom Justice Summit this weekend. Mackie along with Propaganda, a Los Angeles native rapper and spoken-word poet, were invited to discuss the theology of justice. The two sat down for 90 minutes and talked about what it means for be about kingdom justice as the church.
The Madison Christian Giving Fund announced that its campaign for 2017 concluded with $135,400 raised and they have allocated $135,400 to 25 Christian organizations to meet some of Madison’s most challenging issues in 2018. The Madison Christian Giving Fund is a new organization with a board of 20 volunteer members seeking to organize a central funding source for Christian based agencies. One hundred percent of the money raised through workplace payroll deductions, private donations and social media campaigns will be distributed to Christian based agencies that meet community needs while encouraging a gospel message of hope as part of their…