Everyday Faith

New (and hopefully improved) Everyday Faith

2008-04-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

Faith requires change, so I am trusting in the system and moving the blog to The Times' new website. It has its own blogging software, which should boost visibility, and that is one of the points of this exercise (If a journalist writes, and no one reads it, does it matter?). So as of today, I'll be moving to that location: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=EVERYDAYFAITH

I'm still figuring out how the new site works and the best way to structure things. But I can tell you that it's much easier to comment. So I look forward to hearing from more of you on the new page!

Passover and converts

2008-04-18T14:30:00.001-05:00

In all the other religious excitement going on now, I nearly missed Passover, the Jewish holiday which remembers the Exodus.

A friend of mine is in the process of converting and she's trying to figure out exactly what she needs to do for her first Passover. Jews don't usually make a big deal of the sacrifices the week entails, but it can be pretty extensive. The law requires that the house be emptied of all bread products with leavening -- which includes rice and corn syrup. Many Jews have a seperate set of dishes and cookware so the food is not contaminated. My friend has emptied most of the bread from her pantries and found kosher for Passover Diet Coke, so I think she's set.

It made me realize that people new to a faith tend to get caught up in the rules and regulations. They want to make sure they are doing everything "right." Those rules certainly have a point -- usually, the goal is to bring us closer to God -- but when does it become too much? When do we commit the sin of scrupulosity or legalism?

Local reactions to the pope

2008-04-18T10:59:00.001-05:00

Even over the phone, I could tell Monsignor Earl Provenza was glowing this morning when he called to tell me about his couple of days in DC with the pope.

"I sense a fresh air," he said. "The window was opened to hope."

As the diocesan administrator he was able to attend the meeting with the bishops on Wednesday which has received significant attention because of the pope's mention of the sexual abuse scandal. Provenza said he was frank but fatherly in talking about the crisis, which has understandably shaken the faith of many.

"He said his heart was so heavy but he said we need to extend help to victims, move forward and I see goodness in the horizon," Provenza said. "A a priest I was very pleased that he said this. He surely wasn't hiding anything."

The atmosphere for the welcome ceremony and Mass was electric, he said, as more than 45,000 people gathered for worship. They clapped, responded and cheered. Provenza also appreciated Pope Benedict's attention to the shortage of priests.

"Any young man to hear him they will be encouraged to think about priesthood," he said.

I also heard from Casey Simpson, a member of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, who attended Thursday's Mass with his 11-year-old daughter. Part of his story made it in today's paper, but here's more.... Simpson was particularly impressed by the emphasis placed on unity of people regardless of race and culture. The Mass included people of all hues, and the pontiff spoke in Spanish toward the end of his sermon. Simpson thought it was a direct comment on the controversy over immigration laws.

The experience also renewed his zeal for his faith.

"The man is inspired by God," he said. "I need to pay more attention."

The day was not all cheering the pope. He saw some protesters, but was particularly struck by a priest who stopped to talk to them.

"He’s trying to show the protester the love of the risen Christ," Simpson said. "He was doing what I’m supposed to be doing too by loving those who would oppose me as a Christian."

Analyzing the pope

2008-04-17T09:18:00.009-05:00

I founda few more websites offering some interesting reaction and insight on the pope.

The Washington Post/Newsweek blog On Faith, gives a broader perspective with commentary from ardent supporters to anti-pope ex-Catholics.

Thanks to beliefnet's David Gibson, I just found the American Papist -- another young Catholic blogging about the church. He had a particularly cool entry of photos of popes and presidents.

And somehow in all this I forgot about the ever-insightful John Allen of National Catholic Reporter, who has been covering all things Vatican for years.

Bishop update

2008-04-17T09:18:00.006-05:00

While we're talking about all things Catholic, I have some more details on the new bishop's ordination. Everything will be held May 19 at the Convention Center.

The Cathedral looks big from the outside, but if you start bringing in family and friends of Bishop-elect Duca, all the priests/religious of the diocese, community representatives, and just Catholic folks who want to welcome their leader, it fills up quickly. So the Convention Center isn't as pretty, but we just saw that even a ballpark can be sacred space.

Mass will be at noon and a reception will follow. I'll let you know more as I hear....

Papal Mass no. 1

2008-04-17T09:18:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful worship service. I had the webcast of the Mass in Nationals up off and on for the last couple of hours and it was a great example of Catholic worship. It's even more cool that we can share this experience across the globe.

His homily (sermon) was full of encouraging words but also a call to constant conversion. The theme of his visit was hope and today's gospel reading (which provides the basis for the sermon) was from John 20, when Jesus appears to the disciples. Here's a few excerpts:

"The Church in America can rightfully praise the accomplishment of past generations in bringing together widely differing immigrant groups within the unity of the Catholic faith and in a common commitment to the spread of the Gospel. At the same time, conscious of its rich diversity, the Catholic community in this country has come to appreciate ever more fully the importance of each individual and group offering its own particular gifts to the whole."

"I have come to proclaim anew, as Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, risen from the dead, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, and established as judge of the living and the dead (cf. Acts 2:14ff.). I have come to repeat the Apostle's urgent call to conversion and the forgiveness of sins, and to implore from the Lord a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in this country."

"The world needs this witness! Who can deny that the present moment is a crossroads, not only for the Church in America but also for society as a whole? It is a time of great promise, as we see the human family in many ways drawing closer together and becoming ever more interdependent. Yet at the same time we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society: signs of alienation, anger and polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening of the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations; and a growing forgetfulness of Christ and God. The Church, too, sees signs of immense promise in her many strong parishes and vital movements, in the enthusiasm for the faith shown by so many young people, and also in the number of those who each year embrace the Catholic faith, and in a greater interest in prayer and catechesis. At the same time she senses, often painfully, the presence of division and polarization in her midst, as well as the troubling realization that many of the baptized, rather than acting as a spiritual leaven in the world, are inclined to embrace attitudes contrary to the truth of the Gospel."

"It is in the context of this hope born of God's love and fidelity that I acknowledge the pain which the Church in America has experienced as a result of the sexual abuse of minors. No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse. It is important that those who have suffered be given loving pastoral attention. Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the Church. Great efforts have already been made to deal honestly and fairly with this tragic situation, and to ensure that children - whom our Lord loves so deeply (cf. Mk 10:14), and who are our greatest treasure - can grow up in a safe environment. These efforts to protect children must continue."

"Those who have hope must live different lives! (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). By your prayers, by the witness of your faith, by the fruitfulness of your charity, may you point the way towards that vast horizon of hope which God is even now opening up to his Church, and indeed to all humanity: the vision of a world reconciled and renewed in Christ Jesus, our Savior. "

Papal Mass underway

2008-04-17T09:18:00.001-05:00

You can see the Mass here. I'm amazed at how a ball park can be turned into a sacred space. I'll have excerpts/impressions later...

Who needs charisma?

2008-04-16T09:34:00.003-05:00

It was bound to happen in the first few seconds of any TV story or the first few paragraphs of most print accounts of the pope's visit: some mention of Pope Benedict XVI's "lack of charisma" especially in contrast to his predecessor John Paul II.

ABC News was making that statement last night as I edited a story about the 15th anniversary of the destruction of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco. I had to think to myself, is charisma really necessary for a religious leader?

Granted there have been plenty of holy men, who were well liked and attracted a crowd -- JPII, Billy Graham, Rick Warren. But more often than not, it seems that when religious leaders are described as "charismatic" bad things happen. Think David Koresh, Jim Bakker, Jim Jones.
Benedict may not be a rock star, but he is a deep theologian and thinker. Even more appropriate to his office, he is a teacher, capable of translating complex ideas into ordinary language. We need more of those, in all denominations.

I have visited lots of new churches, where the worship services are full of glitz and flash and the pastor is a laid back, easy to talk to guy. But they are startling in the lack of substance. One pastor even told me he didn't think theology was important. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something inappropriate.

In a way, that pastor can't be blamed. As a society we seem hung up on the idea of likability and convenience. It's even permeated the presidential election. Tell me what I need to know in two minutes or less. How do you get people to sit in church or even in a Bible study at home and wrestle with complex issues?

Polls show deep disagreements between American Catholics and the teachings of the church. I wonder how many of them have tried to understand why the church teaches what it does or if they have dismissed it was being "out of touch."

Slowly though, we're seeing a change. Those denominations that are growing -- Pentecostals, Mormons -- demand much from their members. And I've talked to plenty of friends who want substance from their spiritual leaders. They want to be challenged. Personally, I am much more impressed by local pastors who have a great grasp of their theology even if I don't agree with it.

Maybe that is what American Christians can learn from Benedict XVI. Ideas and theology are important, and they are not easily grasped. We must be less concerned with high-tech, high-energy and more concerned about what we believe, why we believe it and how it can change the world.

Montessori and "liberal religion"?

2008-04-15T14:50:00.002-05:00

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church will recognize the Montessori School for Shreveport with its annual Ralph Waldo Emerson Award.

In the past that award has recognized "individuals or organizations in the wider Shreveport-Bossier community that best exemplifies the principles and practices of liberal religion." I'm not sure exactly what they mean by liberal religion, but recipients have included Sister Margaret McCaffery of Christian Services, Dr. Peter Huff of Centenary College, Shreveport civil rights attorney John Hodge and the Rev. Mack McCarter of Community Renewal International.

The Montessori school is not at all connected to any faith tradition but it does promote individuality, diversity, respect for children and the belief that “the path to world peace is through children.”

Head of the School, Angie Day will accepting the award at the 11 a.m. church service on Sunday, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport.

Questions for the pope

2008-04-15T10:47:00.004-05:00

Pope Benedict XVI will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base to be greeted by President Bush and a host of church dignitaries. His visit has already begun with some statements to the press on the plane.

From what he said to reporters and other writings, this pope is not afraid to address hard issues. According to the New York Times story, the Vatican chose the questions the pontiff answered on the plane and it was issues of pedophilia and immigration. He did not mince words when talking about the scandal: "Who is guilty of pedophilia cannot be a priest,” he said.

I'm also currently listening to his book Jesus of Nazareth, and I saw the same trend. In his exegesis of The Lord's Prayer, Benedict acknowledges that the beginning of the prayer "Our Father" is hard for those who have not had a good example of father. As well, he asks the question "what about God as mother?" It's clear this is a man so confident and rooted in his theology that he sees the answers to these difficult questions.

As he meets with members of other religions and denominations and address the youth at a seminary, difficult questions will be a consistent theme through his visit. In his blog yesterday, Gary Stern of the Gannett suburban papers had some great questions. What questions would you have for the pope?

The pope is coming!

2008-04-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

We're just more than 24 hours from Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the United States, and both secular and Catholic media sites are in a frenzy.

The trip to Washington DC and New York is centered around an address to the United Nations, but his itinerary also includes meeting with President Bush, public Masses in both cities, meeting with leaders of various faith traditions, a youth rally, prayer at Ground Zero and the pontiff's 81st birthday (April 16).

A video message released last week expounds on the theme for the week, "Christ our Hope," which continues the subject of his second encyclical. It struck me that he's speaking to a much wider audience than just Catholics. In the message to Americans, the pope said: "I have chosen as the theme of my journey three simple but essential words: “Christ our hope”. Following in the footsteps of my venerable predecessors, Paul VI and John Paul II, I shall come to United States of America as Pope for the first time, to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition."

Locally, I know we have a few people that have tickets to one of the Masses, and I will do my best to catch up with them later in the week to see what it was like.

In the meantime, if you're looking for more coverage, here's some recommendations:
* Conference of Catholic Bishop's site has official news.
* Beliefnet has a blog by pope watcher and biographer David Gibson.
* Lohud.com, our sister site in the NYC suburbs has an extensive site with stories, charts, blogs, etc.
* And of course, Whispers in the Loggia is on the ground in DC. Palma does a particularly good job of printing the full text of the pope's speeches, etc.

And feel free to comment and discuss the pope's message and the spectacle of it all.

Let the weddings begin

2008-04-09T16:49:00.003-05:00

This is the year of the wedding for the Haag family. My brother, my oldest cousin and I (that's three of the four grandchildren on that side) are preparing for nuptial bliss.

My brother starts the trend this weekend. I'm excited for him, and I adore my soon to be sister-in-law. As we've done all the preparations, it also made me realize how important it is to have faith to lean on at this time. The whole idea of marriage is saying there is something bigger than you now. That might just be the relationship, or for people of faith, it would be God. Even though I haven't experienced marriage myself, that would be my thought for them: when life gets tough, remember you're not in this for yourself, but for God and each other.

Now, I turn to you -- what is your advice to those of us preparing for marriage?

Changing Times

2008-04-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

After more than five years on the religion beat here at The Times, I'm starting a new adventure. I'm now a full time editorial writer as of this week.

Don't panic. I will not let down the two dozen of you or so that read this page regularly. Everyday Faith will remain, and I'll probably keep my hand in some faith-related reporting, but it will just be on a different scale. The Conversations, or opinion, section certainly lends itself to lots of great stories about the intersection of faith and life (think the current election or the ways churches are involved in creating social change). It also might allow me to write about more theological questions. I can envision something about suffering or forgiveness. Day to day religion coverage will be handled by the Metro staff.

Obviously, I'm still trying to figure out what my role will be, but I'm excited for the challenge and the chance to use my skills in a different way. We'll still be talking faith and religion here and in the pages of The Times, and as always, I look forward to your thoughts.

Thank you, Ethan

2008-04-07T08:19:00.003-05:00

Ethan Powell never learned to walk or probably to talk very much. He spent much of his 16 months of life in pain as his tiny body battled leukemia.

Yet, he was one of the most powerful evangelists this area has seen. The night of his diagnosis, Ethan's father, Ben, set up a website asking for prayers. Within weeks, it became a phenomenon as tens of thousands of people across the country checked in to read the daily progress reports from St. Jude Hospital in Memphis. Ethan's picture appeared around town at bone marrow drives and benefits. Throughout, the Powells kept reminding us that "Prayer Works!"

For whatever reason, the miracle of a cure was not realized for Ethan. It's tempting to say that we didn't pray enough or didn't have enough faith. But I would still consider him a miracle worker. It's a miracle his parents had such faith that they would share their story so openly. It's a miracle that leukemia has received renewed attention and people were willing to give their own bone marrow if it would help. It's a miracle that so many people came together to pray.

We are all still praying, for the family and for a cure.

Remembering a great dreamer

2008-04-02T15:42:00.005-05:00

40 years doesn't sound like a round number, but 40th anniversaries are key. Many times it is the last big anniversary where the majority of the players in an event are still alive. So today, we stop to remember a man and an era that forever changed our history: the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King.

You can still visit the spot. At Christmas, I went to see my parents in Memphis and I took my brother and our respective fiance(e)s on a trip through the historic sites of the city. The Lorraine Motel - now the National Civil Rights Museum - was a must see even though the museum was closed (it was Christmas Eve).

Without a doubt, it is one of the eeriest museums I have ever visited. Just south of all the new construction and development downtown is a relic. Time appears to have stopped at April 4, 1968. It's got the same aqua colored doors and the same model cars that were parked out front. the only thing new is a giant wreath in front of room 306, marking the spot where the Civil Rights leader was slain.

All around the motel life has moved forward, but this place always remembers and tries to shout above the nearby clubs, restaurants and galleries: Something important happened here! Please remember and don't let it die here!

Whether we have fulfilled that mission is a topic for another day. But I'll let history speak for itself, and maybe call you to remember through these images and the following excerpt from Rev. King's "Mountaintop" speech. (Complete audio and text can be found here)

"If I were standing at the beginning of time, with the possibility of taking a kind of general and panoramic view of the whole of human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, "Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?" ...

Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty, and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy."

Now that's a strange statement to make, because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding.

Something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee -- the cry is always the same: "We want to be free."

And another reason that I'm happy to live in this period is that we have been forced to a point where we are going to have to grapple with the problems that men have been trying to grapple with through history, but the demands didn't force them to do it. Survival demands that we grapple with them. Men, for years now, have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence. That is where we are today.

And also in the human rights revolution, if something isn't done, and done in a hurry, to bring the colored peoples of the world out of their long years of poverty, their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole world is doomed. Now, I'm just happy that God has allowed me to live in this period to see what is unfolding. And I'm happy that He's allowed me to be in Memphis....

Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation....

I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! "

Religion and the election

2008-04-02T15:42:00.003-05:00

Charles Haynes brings up an oft-asked question in today's Conversations section: Does religion matter when we choose a president?

Haynes is a first amendment scholar, who I have talked to before, so I don't doubt his legal opinion. Basically he said it shouldn't matter, but he glossed over what I see as the deeper question people are really asking. It doesn't matter as much what religion they profess, but how do they practice it. Do they really believe and follow all that their faith proclaims?

The faith itself can tell you a lot. For instance, I tend to lean toward being socially conservative and economically liberal. I believe we rise and fall together as a society, so we should be helping each other out and raising up those on the bottom. Much of that is informed by my Catholic faith. Similarly, I would expect a Baptist, whose theology is more focused on individual responsibility and salvation to be socially and economically conservative and to lean a little more on the pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality while still being compassionate.

So how well you believe that faith tells me a lot more about your future decisions than if you just check a box marked Episcopalian or Jewish. Rudy Giuliani and John Kerry claim to be Catholics, but their beliefs and actions demonstrate that they reject much of what the church teaches. That raises even more alarming questions in my mind. Similarly, I don't agree theologically with Mormonism, but if Mitt Romney is a faithful Mormon, then I feel I can trust where he's coming from.

What do you think? Should religion matter in the presidential election and how do you evaluate it?

Why is this bishop a big deal?

2008-04-02T15:42:00.002-05:00

I went t get my haircut last night, and I was telling my hairdresser that I was exausted from all the bishop news yesterday. And she asks why is he so important? Then I got paranoid that I hadn't adequately explained it so I actually called work later to tweak the story.

And I thought I would explain a little more here. Basically a bishop is a leader of a geographical region, or diocese. He is a priest who gets promoted and is the head teacher, preacher and pastor of an area.

He is particularly important because Catholics believe in "apostolic succession." After Jesus' death, the 12 apostles spread out across the known world to preach the good news. And Catholics believe that those teachings and practices have been handed down from leader to leader ever since. If you look up former Bishop William Friend on Catholic Hierarchy (which is pretty cool, if you're into Catholic politics), you can find the bishop that ordained him, and the one who ordained that bishop, and so on all the was to the 16th century. Before that, choosing Bishops was a little less formal process, plus I'm guessing the records get foggy.

So Catholic faithful see the bishop as the person trusted by the church - past and present - to carry on its teachings and lead the people to God. In the case of Shreveport, that means supervising 44 congregations and 40,000 believers.

More from Bishop-elect Duca

2008-04-01T13:18:00.014-05:00

The hard thing about print is you can't write everything, so here's some more excerpts from the morning events with the new bishop.

* He noted that everywhere he went people were smiling. I can verify. Everyone is thrilled to have him and I heard more than one person say something along the lines of "he's everything we wanted."

* He's Italian -- rare for a bishop in Louisiana -- and true to that he was already looking forward to trying local restaurants. Apparently, some of his family members own a deli in Dallas.

* "Every time I read something, I'm encouraged by the depth of the programs here." Duca especially noted the Greco Institute, the adult education arm of the diocese.

* Ecumenism has been part of his ministry for several years. He is part of the American Religious Town Hall meeting TV program, which brings ministers of several faiths to discuss issues.

* Being a shepherd means he will "walk with the people, not so far ahead that they have to look up to you."

* He also celebrated his first Mass, surprising some of the regulars at the Cathedral's noon service. It was his first time to wear the purple (pink?) skull cap of the bishop, which he was a little resistant to until he was assured it was appropriate.

* In his homily, he referred to the first reading assigned for today from Acts, which talks about the early Christians sharing everything they owned.

"Those who are ordained are ordained to share that gift with the whole community," he said. "You begin to understand its not with the parish, or the diocese but the whole church. I am beginning to experience that kind of giving. I do that with a joy in my heart...."

"When we are faithful to our commitments they will drag us through life in an unexpected way.. I pray I will be everything God wants me to be and everything you desire for a bishop."

Coincidence?

2008-04-01T13:18:00.009-05:00

The pope's mission prayer intention for the month of April is "That the future priests of the young Churches may be constantly more formed culturally and spiritually to evangelise their nations and the whole world."

And the same day he names the rector of a seminary to lead the Diocese of Shreveport. I think Benedict is trying to tell us something...

First impressions

2008-04-01T13:18:00.004-05:00

So far the news is good for Bishop-elect Michael Duca, as he marks the halfway point in his whirlwind, introductory tour of the diocese.

The Catholic Center was all smiles and twitters this morning as people through around words and phrases like affable, easy going, extroverted, perfect match and mission minded to describe the new bishop of Shreveport. Duca first appeared at a press conference and seemed very comfortable behind the microphone and willing to answer questions.

It could just be he was thrilled to finally admit the news. The papal nuncio called him two and a half weeks ago, and he was sworn to secrecy.

He also looked a little overwhelmed, like he was still trying to figure out exactly what he does next, but that's understandable. From what he said, he's clearly a man who believes God will lead him as he goes.

Bishop watch comes to conclusion

2008-04-01T06:05:00.004-05:00

Monsignor Michael Duca, rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary in Iring, Texas, will be the new bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport.

Here is the official announcement from the Vatican (the English version should be posted later this morning. And here is a little more scoop on the new shepherd from the ever-present and very helpful Rocco Palmo.

Bishop-elect Duca should be present at this morning's press conference and I'll certainly have more to share here and at shreveporttimes.com.

UPDATE: Here's the official release from the Diocese of Dallas.

What's so bad about marriage?

2008-03-26T15:58:00.003-05:00

Slate published an astonishing piece on the decline of marrriage, increase in out-of-wedlock births and its affects on society. I've wanted to write a story about this for years, but I can't seem to wrap my head around it.

So I turn to you. Why is this happening? Is it a lack of faith? A too lenient society? The prevalence of sex in the media?

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T16:50:00.002-05:00

Fasting and penance are done and Christians can now celebrate the hope of Easter -- that they too have a promise of eternal life.

I had some friends over and celebrated with the requisite ham, wine and chocolate bunnies. And then my fiance and I went into ancient epic movie mode. We both got each other "The Ten Commandments" for Easter (this thinking alike is not supposed to happen until after we're married!), so we settled in for the nearly four hours of biblical imagery and special effects.

As we talked exchanging the duplicate film, I realized how many other Eater-related movies are out there. Soe here's aew of my recommendations:

Quo Vadis - Takes place in Rome during one the reign of Nero, when Christians were persecuted. A Roman soldier falls in love with a Christian girl. It also features St. Peter in his post-Christ role as evangelist and church leader.

Ben Hur - Conversion of a Jewish merchant living in Judea at the time of Christ. Also starting Charlton Heston.

The Passion of the Christ - I actually can't watch this any more. The year it came out I had to see it about three times for work, and I can't take it. But it is a compelling picture of the crucifixion and the suffering of Christ.

Any others out there?

Blessings for Holy Week

2008-03-20T13:30:00.002-05:00

We have come to the holiest few days of the Christian year.

The 40 days of Lent are nearly behind us and we are hunkering down for the intensity of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Services of a variety of denominations and styles abound, and are listed here (all that typing is apparently my final Lenten penance).

For those of you who are not Christian or don't come from a liturgical tradition that holds special services for these days, here's my abbreviated Holy Week glossary:

Holy (or Maundy) Thursday: Services this evening officially end Lent. The scripture attached to the day centers around Jesus's last supper. He gathers for the Passover seder with his disciples and does two astonishing things. First, he washes their feet - a gesture usually performed by a lowly servant - and says go and do likewise. In other words, our job is to serve others. Many services will incorporate foot washing. Later in the meal, he takes the bread, blesses it and said "Take, eat; this is my body." This is seen as the institution of communion or the Lord's Supper.

Good Friday: The day Jesus died. Many somber services will reflect on the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. For Catholics, it is a day of fasting.

Holy Saturday: Saturday tends to get a little overlooked. In terms of remembering as a way to kind of relive the events of Jesus' death, it should be another somber day. Jesus is still in the tomb, so to speak. After sundown, the mood changes. In the Catholic church, this is the time we begin to celebrate Easter and we baptize and confirm those adults who are joining the church.

Easter: The holiest day of the year. Christians believe Jesus has risen from the dead. Sermons will usually reflect on the glorious occasion and how Jesus's resurrection gives us hope for the same joy after death. We are through fasting and can rejoice.

Face of Louisiana religion

2008-03-13T14:32:00.004-05:00

The Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Survey has generated lots of buzz about its conclusions that people are don't seem to be committed to their denominations anymore.

Yesterday's Conversations section featured a piece by Peter Huff, Centenary religion professor, analyzing this trend.

The survey has some interesting data specific to Louisiana. Here's a few tidbits:

* 31 percent of the state's population considers themselves Evangelical (which includes Baptists, Pentecostals and several non-denominational churches)

* 28 percent of Louisianians are Catholic

* 20 percent belong to historically black churches

* 8 percent are unaffiliated, compared to 16 percent nationwide

On a national level the survey compared religions on various demographic levels, and here's a few of those conclusions:

* More people in the 30 to 49 age group are likely to be unaffiliated than those in the 18-29 group.

* Jehovah's Witnesses and Catholics are the most racially diverse groups.

* Hindus and Mormons are most likely to be married and least likely to be divorced

* Women are the majority of members in Christian churches and men are the majority in non-Christian traditions

Have fun digging through yourself. Any insights? Please share.

Lent and Greek marketing

2008-03-10T13:14:00.004-05:00

Just as most Christians are counting the days until their Lenten sacrifices end, the Greek Orthodox begin Great Lent today.

And these folks don't play when it comes to fasting and prayer for the season. The churches will add at least two special prayer services during the week, and they basically adopt a vegan diet (so no meat or dairy products) for 40 days.

For that reason, it's all the more impressive that the women of the Ladies Philoptochos Society (which serves the poor) of St. George Greek Orthodox Church are hosting a bake sale on March 20 -- Holy Thursday for Western Christians. Sweet breads, cookies and baklava will all be available. If I were them it would all be too tempting, but I'm sure there's a better market for their wares during Western Holy Week.

Nuns and the law

2008-03-05T15:54:00.005-06:00

This story reminded me of one of my favorite movie lines. In "Dead Man Walking," a state trooper pulls over Sr. Helen Prejean (played by Susan Sarandon) for speeding. He took one look at her and said:

"I never gave a ticket to a nun before. I gave a ticket to a guy from the IRS one time. Got audited the next year. I'll tell you what, this time I'll let this one slide, but keep your speed down, yeah?"

Muslim market

2008-03-05T15:54:00.004-06:00

The Muslim community in Shreveport can no longer be ignored. When a community can support a grocery store, it's stable and probably growing.

Two new Lebanese restaurants have opened in town in recent weeks, and one, Mona's (just off Line Ave.) also has a grocery store component. I love Middle Eastern food, so we checked it out for dinner and wandered through the exotic spices and cheeses in the store section.

Much to my surprise there was a bag of marshmallows labeled "halal." I stopped and waved them at my fiance -- he should be used to me getting excited about semi-obscure religious customs. Halal is the Muslim version of kosher. As Jews in Shreveport will tell you, it can be difficult to keep kosher here, since there's no kosher grocery store.

Until now, I don't know if you could get anything that was officially halal. Now, you can at least get marshmallows, and I'm guessing other products will follow.

God, belief and morality

2008-03-04T08:54:00.003-06:00

Now that the Centenary Forum has concluded and everyone has had a chance to respond to the lecture by Erik Wielenberg, a philosophy professor from DePauw University, I'll take the opportunity to give my two cents.

Wielenberg argued that God is not necessary to have a sense of objective morality. I have had a hard time constructing a response because I've never taken any philosophy and I don't speak that language. I can come at it from a theological perspective, so that's what I'll try here.

In a way, I think Wielenberg is correct. You don't have to believe in God to live by a specific moral code. I have known plenty of non-believers, who still have a highly developed sense of right and wrong and who would normally be considered "good people."

However, God's existence doesn't depend on our belief. In the prologue to the Gospel of John, the writer says "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." God is there in our lives and our decisions and the world around us whether or not we believe.

Wielenberg is operating under a faulty assumption of who or what God is. He said in his lecture that if there is a God, it is an external force who guides creation. He tends to impose human characteristics on God, who is clearly operates in ways unknown to people. I believe God is much more infused in his own creation.

God did not just create morality and truth -- God IS morality and truth. In the book of John, Jesus says "I am the way and the truth and the life." And, by definition, objective morality or objective truth assumes that there is only one truth. Therefore, whenever we seek truth whether in Christianity, Islam or atheism, we will find God.

48 Hours revisited

2008-02-22T15:30:00.003-06:00

Over the past few months, I've written about my involvement in the case of Herb Whitlock and Randy Steidl, two men wrongly convicted of murder in Paris, Ill.

They're both free and CBS will air an updated version of "48 Hours Mystery" with our story at 9 p.m. Saturday. If anything, this was our contribution to their freedom -- raising awareness of the situation. So check it out - you'll see me as a college senior running around small-town Illinois.

Atheism and the Methodist academy

2008-02-22T15:30:00.002-06:00

When the Rev. Betsy Eaves sat in front of me at last night's Centenary Forum, I figured she would be the perfect person to respond to the evening's speaker for the story I was writing.

Instead, she was nervous and chose her words carefully. All day she had been assaulted by e-mail from people wanting to know why a Methodist college was bringing an atheist to campus. The liberal college was obviously trying to brainwash students, the e-mails said.

The speaker at the center of the controversy is philosophy professor Erik Wielenberg, of De Pauw University. He visited the Methodist college to talk about values and God as part of the annual Centenary Forum. Specifically, he addressed the question: is God necessary for morality? Wielenberg, also an atheist, made an intelligent argument, (I'll respond more later) and he presented it well judging by the good questions that were asked and the fact that the students were paying attention.

After listening to him, I was confused by the vehement reactions Eaves was receiving.
Isn't the college the perfect place for these sort of discussions? Aren't students supposed to be challenged and confront the other?

It is through those challenges that we are forced to understand and articulate what we believe. Fear of these ideas is just a sign that we do not trust our own faith or that of the students. And I know Eaves, as chaplain, does all she can to promote faith and encourage students to take ownership of their beliefs.

The Forum seems to be a brilliant concept because it has reaction built in. Unlike many lectures, this one will not stand on its own. For the next week, everyone will have a change to mull over his argument and at 7 p.m. Monday, two students and two community members will give their response.

Through that discussion I expect many people will surprise themselves to find they have an even deeper understanding of what they believe and why.

Lutherans coming together - eventually

2008-02-20T11:08:00.004-06:00

It's hard for anyone to acknowledge their current operations aren't working. For churches, it can be especially painful.

But two Missouri Synod Lutheran churches in Shreveport decided they might be stronger together than continuing to operate alone. Our Savior on Bert Kouns and Redeemer on Shreveport-Barksdale have already been sharing a pastor for about a year, so combining programs, congregations and eventually buildings wasn't much of a leap, said the Rev. Perry Culver, pastor.

"What it came down to was with me preaching at both churches, and the talk of not having enough resources, we realized it doesn’t have to be this way," he said.

They'll be able to eliminate some duplication in committees and councils and some of those folks can put their energies to outreach and growth. Together, the churches would have a congregation of about 250.

The next step is to choose a name and develop a mission statement. Then they'll start thinking about property. The plan is to sell the current buildings and build new -- probably in Southeast Shreveport.

For now, the congregations will continue to worship separately, although Culver expects some church mixers and combining some programs. When one of the buildings is sold, they will combine worship.

It takes a lot of guts to make these moves, and I know it’s hard for founding members to abandon a building they poured so much life into. But Culver said he's got great reactions from members.

"Everyday I get calls about names," he said. "People want to get involved where maybe haven’t been involved in the past."

Enlarging territory

2008-02-18T10:18:00.002-06:00

Remember the "Prayer of Jabez" that was super-popular a few years ago?

That's how I've felt for the last week as I've tried to get used to my new temporary position. I've been expanding my territory and learning new skills and trying to think about issues in a different way. I'm really enjoying the opportunity, but I need to get back on track with my blogs. Keep passing me stories, and I'll do my best to make them reality.

So here's a few notes that I missed last week:

*Two Missouri Synod Lutheran churches have voted to merge. I've talked to the pastor and I'll have more on this in a later post.

* Update on Speed Sunday at Ellerbe Road Baptist Church: the church bulletin reported that 24 vehicles from as far away as Dallas participated in the car show. And they had an increase of 94 people in attendance compared to a normal Sunday service.

* Bishop Larry Brandon, pastor of Praise Temple Full Gospel Cathedral attended the 56th annual Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on Feb. 7. It sounds like an amazing event with religious, governmental, business and military leaders present. President Bush addressed the group about the importance of prayer:

"The people in this room come from many different walks of faith. Yet we share one clear conviction: We believe that the Almighty hears our prayers -- and answers those who seek Him. That's what we believe; otherwise, why come? Through the miracle of prayer, we believe he listens -- if we listen to his voice and seek our presence -- his presence in our lives, our hearts will change. And in so doing, in seeking God, we grow in ways that we could never imagine."

Temporary change in duties

2008-02-07T12:29:00.002-06:00

Today starts a bit of a shift for me here at The Times. I'm not going anywhere, but for the next two months my byline and work will be appearing more in the Conversations section of the paper.

A colleague will be on medical leave, so I'll be filling in over there. I'm really excited for the chance to learn some new skills and explore some issues -- religion and otherwise -- in a little more depth.

Religion briefs and bulletins will remain part of my job. But the daily religion news will probably shift to whichever reporter is available. I'm going to do my best to maintain the blog, so that we do keep some religion presence in the paper -- plus I just like doing it.

So please, continue to send me your story ideas (dhaag@gannett.com) and we'll do our best to get your news out there. Some of it might even fit in the Conversations section. And like I said, this is just temporary, so I'm sure I'll be haunting your sanctuaries again soon.

Evangelists' next target: NASCAR fans

2008-02-07T12:29:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure if there's a convention-wide effort here, but at least two local Baptist churches have latched onto a NASCAR theme for their latests evangelism efforts.

Since Jan. 12, Brookwood Baptist's pastor the Rev. Mark Sutton has been leading a sermon series titled, "Speed." With sermon titles such as "The Race," "Pit Crew," and "The Crash," he uses the analogy to talk about living a Christian life with good friends and how to change your life when its gone off track. Apparently, the sanctuary is also decorated with NASCAR memorobilia. The series continues through Feb. 17.

And this weekend, Ellerbe Road Baptist Church is hosting "Speed Sunday," a "Sunday with a strategy" to reach out to unbelieving NASCAR fans. A car show will begin the morning during the normal Sunday School hour, and NASCAR Champion Lake Speed will speak. They aren't having a formal srvice but a "gathering" so Speed can share his story, people can ask questions and the gospel can be presented.

I'm intrgued by how the strategy works for them. I guess I assumed -- wrongly? -- that most NASCAR fans were already Christian, since the sport originated just up the road from the Rev. Billy Graham's hometown. But You certainly can't deny the popularity of NASCAR, so maybe it will attract some attention.

What do you think about using something like NASCAR to spread the gospel?

A shift for values voters?

2008-02-07T12:29:00.000-06:00

I have a feeling this news from the Romney campaign is going to make the faith questions in this year's election even more interesting...

What do you think? Have you even thought about religion/faith/values as you ponder your choices in Saturday's primary?

Bishops weigh in on Louisiana ethics reform

2008-02-06T09:09:00.002-06:00

The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops is encouraging the governor and legislature to make some substantial changes during the upcoming special session on ethics reform.

In a statement released today Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans spoke for the seven dioceses of Louisiana. He cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church which states: "Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it."

He then reminded officials of the goals of the code and said: "Unfortunately, Louisiana has a sad history of corruption at all levels of government. This is harming the common good in various ways. First, it discourages our citizens from participating in the political process itself. Secondly, it convinces out-of-state business interests that it would be a mistake for them to invest in our state."

"We urge the new state Legislature to work with Governor Jindal to pass legislation that provides improved clarity in the way state government operates. The public needs to see this occur in three areas: (1) personal finance disclosure by public officials, (2) campaign finance disclosure, and (3) spending by lobbyists."

Lenten blessings to all

2008-02-06T09:09:00.001-06:00

The party is over, and today Christians start our reflection and soul-scrubbing to get ready for Easter.

While Lent is probably most associated with the Catholic church, since it has all sorts of rules for eating and what not, it is not an exclusively Catholic celebration. And this year, it seems to me, more churches are getting in the spirit of the season. Maybe they just did a better job of telling me what they're doing, but I noticed more Bible studies and other special Lenten devotions.

To me, Lent is more about spending more time with God than giving something up (although I'll do some of that too), so all of these extra prayers provide structured ways to increase prayer. Here's some that have crossed my desk for y'all to consider:

BARKSDALE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1465 Patricia Drive, Bossier City: 7 a.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Lenten breakfast.

BROADMOOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 19. Lenten worship and Bible studies for all ages.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, 875 Cotton St., Shreveport: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup Days with soup, desserts and coffee. Cost: $3.

FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 4750 Barksdale Blvd., Bossier City: 7 a.m. weekdays, Holy Communion. 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, supper and small group studies with activities for children.

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 2115 Line Ave., Shreveport: 6 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Bible study on The Fruit of the Spirit.

LAKEVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5550 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5 p.m. Sundays through May 4. Lenten Bible study, "The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ."

ST. MARY OF THE PINES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays through March 21. Lenten Fish Fry. Plates are $6 or a 1 pound fish only plate for $9. 6 p.m. Feb. 17-19, Lenten Mission with the Rev. Tim Hurd.

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 4175 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Vespers prayer service.

Super Tuesday - Louisiana Style

2008-02-04T11:52:00.001-06:00

Folks in the rest of the country are worried about picking up votes, while we're worried about catching beads and that last piece of King Cake.

Jim McGill, a long time instructor at the Diocese of Shreveport's Greco Center, gave an incredible presentation last year about Mardi Gras, Lent and Easter and how they all fit together in a spiritual sense. I'll do my best to give you my own recap/interpretation of why Mardi Gras is a spiritual season.

It starts with Christmas, when Christians believe God took on human form and came to Earth as the Baby Jesus. That act seems to support the idea that being human is a good thing, and we should relish in the incredible gift of life and the tangible, beautiful, messy parts of being eternal souls with bodies.

Enter Mardi Gras. We sometimes go overboard with our celebrations, but in the best sense this season is about enjoying life -- eating, drinking, being merry.

After a few weeks of that though, we start to wonder is there soemthing else out there? Ash Wednesday forces that discussion. We fast, pray, give alms and perform other sacrifices depriving that same body we just celebrated. In other words, we seek. We look for our souls and examine it. What should we do better? How can we find a balance of spirit and worldliness?

The intensity of Lent leads to Easter. Jesus rises from the dead. We too have a fresh start. We can now live in the world revivied, with a new understanding that there's more to it than the eating, drinking and being merry.

When Jim gave his theological analysis of the seasons, I thought about the many conversion stories I have heard in my five years of covering the religious community. They all sound like that same pattern. Someone enjoys life a little too much, hits bottom, searches for some meaning and often finds that in a religious community. And to some extent it sounds like a cycle we all have to live of constant examination and conversion.

So enjoy your King Cake today. Tomorrow we will have questions to ponder.

Photo: A family cheers on the Highland Parade Sunday. Jim Hudelson/The Times

The If Gathering

2008-02-04T11:52:00.000-06:00

Cool title for a prayer meeting, isn't it? At least, it intrigued me. The Rev. John Butler, an ordained Baptist minister and member of First United Methodist Church in Plain Dealing is calling together people of various churches for a new monthly prayer meeting.

It's based on the oft-quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Butler said local and national news had so disturbed him over the last few months that he wanted to do something. As he studied his Bible, this verse came to him.

"This is the answer," he said. "This is our only hope."

The first meeting will be at 7:30 Tuesday at First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Mary Lee St., Plain Dealing. Black and white ministers and lay people of various denominations are involved.

Since it is the inaugural gathering, it will have a more formal program with singing, a couple of different ministers and a testimony before the congregation is asked for its prayer requests. Later meetings will include a devotion and then prayers.

"From East to West, we've had one calamity after another," Butler said. "Something has got to be done."

Cheering on Matthew Campbell

2008-01-31T10:24:00.000-06:00

Many of you may have heard the story of Shreveport teenager Matthew Campbell, who has undergone two heart transplants and one kidney transplant. (If not, here's his CaringBridge site with updates)

Well, folks at Centenary College are putting together a rally to support him in his battle. They are asking anyone who is free to come to the Fitness Center at noon Friday to cheer him on. The rally will be recorded and a DVD will be sent to Matthew, giving him a full picture of the support he has from folks here in Shreveport. Chaplain Betsy Eaves asks everyone to "bring banners, balloons and enthusiastic voices." Cards and donations for the family will also be collected.

“In my visit with him earlier this week I reminded him that there are many people supporting him, praying for him and cheering him on,” Eaves said. “I told Matthew that while we could not run this race for him, we believe in him and that there are hundreds of cheerleaders out here.”

How cool that technology allows us to make a video and show support and prayers through audio and video.

More thoughts on Hinckley

2008-01-29T12:59:00.000-06:00

The Latter-day Saints I talked to yesterday were sad to see their leader, Gordon B. Hinckley, go, but not distraught in anyway. A couple remarked with joy that he would be with his wife again (the church teaches that families are families for eternity).

Hinckley's experience as a missionary led him to higher authority in the church. He realized the need for better material to distribute to non-believers and he made a career of promoting the church and its teachings in an easy to understand manner.

"He’s always been a great missionary and encouraged us to spread the word about the gospel of Christ and invited anyone who wanted to hear the message about Christ," Shreveport Stake President Brent Merrill said.

It reminded me a little bit of Pope John Paul II. The late pope was widely travelled and a great advocate for evangelism who, even as an elderly man, connected with youth.

Jeffrey Loftin, a Shreveport native now studying at BYU saw Hinckley speak a couple of times. He told me about some of his journal entries after seeing the president.

"At the top it says – I’ve had a constant burning in my chest for 10 minutes," Loftin said.

To Loftin, that was confirmation from the Holy Spirit that Hinckley was a man of God and was speaking God's truth.

"Every time I have written specific impressions from the Spirit. It’s a deep knowledge – every word he says he’s saying for a reason. He’s genuine and open and honest."

Funeral services for Hinckley have been set for 10 a.m. Saturday in Salt Lake City. They will be broadcast on BYU television, which is apparently available on many Sattelite carriers.

Mormon leader dies at 97

2008-01-28T09:59:00.000-06:00

Mormons around the world and here in Northwest Louisiana are mourning the death of Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1995.

He was 97, but had been in generally good health so it caught some folks a little off guard. Hinckley was known for extensive travel, and enormous growth of the church. He took the worldwide stage during the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Read more about him on the LDS site or the Salt Lake Tribune (that site is understandably swamped, but keep trying).

The local stake is still trying to figure out what they might do to honor Hinckley's life, and they are hoping to be able to carry a simulcast of the funeral. I should have some comments from people that met him and others in the church later today.

More than 15 faiths under one roof

2008-01-25T13:21:00.000-06:00

Once a year, all the diversity of Shreveport's religious community comes out to educate, share and learn.

This year's annual World Religion Day will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Highland Center, 520 Olive St., Shreveport.

Contrary to popular belief, the religious landscape in Northwest Louisiana is more than Baptists and Pentecostals. We have Hindus, Baha'is and Wiccans. Some of the groups are tiny and often misunderstood, and the event gives them a chance to say this is who we are. Organizers are very strict about discouraging any sort of proselytizing, so you have nothing to fear their.

And if its any more enticement, they have asked me to be the keynote speaker. Some of y'all know I'm a writer, not a speaker so I can't promise any fireworks, but I'll do my best to share my perspective on the local religious scene.

MLK beliefs

2008-01-23T09:42:00.000-06:00

When I walked into St. Luke CME Church Monday to cover the Martin Luther King Day service, I expected about an hour long deal with prayers and a short sermon. I got full-blown church. It was a wonderful service, great singing, good preaching and prayers that we might live out Dr. King's beliefs.

Included in the program was an "Affirmation of Faith" that was taken from the writings of Dr. King. I found it on another website attributed to the United Presbyterian Church. Regardless, I found it powerful, so here it is:

I refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events which surround us.

I refuse to believe that we are so bound to racism and war, that peace, brotherhood and sisterhood are impossible.

I believe there is an urgent need for people to overcome oppression and violence, without resorting to violence and oppression.

I believe that we need to discover a way to live together in peace, a way which rejects revenge and retaliation. The foundation of this way is love.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. I believe that temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.

I believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.

I believe that what self-centered people have torn down, other-centered people can build up.

By the goodness of God at work within people, I believe that brokenness can be healed.

Celebrating 25 years in Blanchard

2008-01-22T11:51:00.000-06:00

First Baptist Church in Blanchard celebrated a rare milestone over the weekend - the Rev. James Hill has been pastor for 25 years.

We do have several pastors in the area that have served their churches for decades, but in general, pastors tend to move fairly frequently to bigger churches or new opportunities. Unfortunately, in the craziness that was last week, I left out the notice of the service in the religion briefs. The church historian was kind enough to send a list of Hill's accomplishments, so I hope to recognize him in this space.

Hill came to the church in 1983, and started a campaign to pay off the church debt. That began a series of building projects resulting in a remodeled sanctuary, education building, recreation complex, and in 2003 a new sanctuary. The church also launched new efforts to reach children through children's worship and a child development center.

All the efforts are reflected in church growth. Membership now stands at 1211, and requires two worship services on Sundays. Hill also added four full-time staff positions.

Under his leadership, the church has fearlessly promoted its beliefs in public. In Januaries past, the church has erected white crosses representing abortions conducted. In 2005, it erected a 6-foot-tall, 2-ton monument of the 10 Commandments during the height of the controversy over public displays of the Biblical laws. Hill conducted a 10-week sermon series to go with it.

Hill also presided over tragedy in the church. In 2003, Julian Brandon, minister of senior adults, was murdered. Brandon was remembered during the dedication of the new sanctuary, and at that time Hill told me: "We learned to depend on (God) and love each other," he said. "I wouldn't wish this on anybody, but it helped us draw closer to the Lord that we would have otherwise."

Clearly, his congregation feels close to him as well. Congratulations to Rev. Hill, and apologies for not recognizing the achievement sooner.

Photo: Hill with 370 crosses in front of his church in 1998. Each represented 100,000 abortions. From Times archives

Beyond the dream

2008-01-21T09:06:00.001-06:00

Across the city, I'm sure plenty of people will be quoting the Rev. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. It's a wonderful piece of oratory, but King had a lot more to say. Here's some excerpts from sermons he gave throughout the years, many of which address theological and moral questions that are just as relevant today....

Feb. 28, 1954 "Rediscovering Lost Values":

"There are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws. I'm not so sure we all believe that. We never doubt that there are physical laws of the universe that we must obey. We never doubt that. And so we just don't jump out of airplanes or jump off of high buildings for the fun of it—we don't do that. Because we unconsciously know that there is a final law of gravitation, and if you disobey it you'll suffer the consequences—we know that. ... But I'm not so sure if we know that there are moral laws just as abiding as the physical law. I'm not so sure about that. I'm not so sure if we really believe that there is a law of love in this universe, and that if you disobey it you'll suffer the consequences. I'm not so sure if we really believe that."

July 4, 1965. "The American Dream" delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta:

"Each of us has certain basic rights that are neither derived from or conferred by the state. In order to discover where they came from, it is necessary to move back behind the dim mist of eternity. They are God-given, gifts from His hands. Never before in the history of the world has a sociopolitical document expressed in such profound, eloquent, and unequivocal language the dignity and the worth of human personality. The American dream reminds us, and we should think about it anew on this Independence Day, that every man is an heir of the legacy of dignity and worth."

March 31, 1968, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution" delivered at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.:

"One day we will have to stand before the God of history and we will talk in terms of things we’ve done. Yes, we will be able to say we built gargantuan bridges to span the seas, we built gigantic buildings to kiss the skies. Yes, we made our submarines to penetrate oceanic depths. We brought into being many other things with our scientific and technological power.

It seems that I can hear the God of history saying, "That was not enough! But I was hungry, and ye fed me not. I was naked, and ye clothed me not. I was devoid of a decent sanitary house to live in, and ye provided no shelter for me. And consequently, you cannot enter the kingdom of greatness. If ye do it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye do it unto me." That’s the question facing America today."

Prayers for Unity

2008-01-18T14:40:00.000-06:00

Today begins the 100th annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The week was founded by the religious community, the Society of the Atonement, to pray for reconciliation between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church. Each year, prayers, dialogues and celebrations occur between the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter (formerly on Jan. 18) and the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on Jan. 25.

Since then participation has been sanctioned by both churches and encouraged by the National Council of Churches, which includes dozens of other denominations. This year's theme is "Pray without ceasing from 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and here are Pope Benedict XVI's intentions for each of the remaining days.

18 January: Pray always. "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5, 17).

19 January: Pray always, trusting God alone. "Give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5, 18).

20 January: Pray without ceasing for the conversion of hearts. "Admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted" (1 Thessalonians 5, 14).

21 January: Pray always for justice. "See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all" (1 Thessalonians 5, 15).

22 January: Pray constantly with a patient heart. "Be patient with all of them" (1 Thessalonians 5, 14).

23 January: Pray always for grace to work with God. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5, 16).

24 January: Pray for what we need. "... help the weak" (1 Thessalonians 5, 14).

25 January: Pray always that they all may be one. "Be at peace" (1 Thessalonians 5, 13b)

Lesson of life and death

2008-01-17T17:19:00.000-06:00

We buried my fiance’s father on Monday.

His death was unexpected and seems unfair. I hate saying that his funeral “was beautiful.” It shouldn’t have been at all.

I last talked to Charles just after Christmas. I picked up the phone to hear “Hi future daughter-in-law” and we both laughed, looking forward to July when it will be official. I didn’t know him well, but the Charles I knew was warm, told great stories, and frequently made me laugh. I was looking forward being part of his family.

He was a committed military man -- so much that his son is an Air Force officer and his daughter married one. After retiring from active duty, Charles spent the next 21 years training young men and women in an Air Force Junior ROTC program. Current and former students filled a couple of pews at the funeral Mass with stiff, blue uniforms and tears creeping down their cheeks.

Now the arrangements are done. The flowers have been laid on the grave and we continue with a gaping hole in our lives.

I’m trying to see where this fits in God’s plan and what I’m supposed to learn. That's the only way I can come close to accepting his death. As my brother-in-law to be poignantly noted during the eulogy, we do not know the hour when God will bring us home. Usually we think of those verses in terms of preparing our own souls. But we must also repair and nurture our relationships. Resolve petty arguments and remind people you care – with more than a standard “I love you.”

I’ve also learned how much the little things matter. No one can do anything to make the situation better, but I’ve had friends checking on me and just to know that people are praying for us is a huge comfort. Please don’t underestimate those things next time you have a neighbor, co-worker or friend lose a family member. The "I'm sorrys" mean the world.

And I hope we learn from Charles himself. The man who raised my beloved believed in God, service, integrity and family. Those lessons will not die.

Questions about Islam?

2008-01-17T10:54:00.000-06:00

Sarah Zitterman hopes to provide answers. She and her husband are hosting their second Meet Your Muslim Neighbor Event from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Broadmoor Library.

Sarah is incredibly knowledgeable about her faith. A convert, she can also understand why it might seem strange to people on the outside. And personally, I'm impressed by anyone willing to give up more than six hours on a Saturday to promote understanding of her faith.

The first couple of hours are more open house and then they will have sessions on the basics of Islam, Women in Islam, Islam in America and the Quran and Science. No question is a bad one, so feel free to ask!

Happy anniversary

2008-01-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

Today marks one year of this little journey I call Everyday Faith.

I had planned to do some big reflective piece, but a family emergency has had me distracted all week. Prayers are appreciated.

Instead, I'll just say it's been fun. I've tried to stay true to my mission, which was to find bits of faith in everyday life and to share insights and some of the extra reporting that often gets left out of stories.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What can I do differently/better/more of /less of in this space? I'm looking forward to another great year in our faith journey.

Justice for one party

2008-01-08T16:49:00.000-06:00

Herb Whitlock, who was convicted of murder 21 years ago, walked free today. I wrote about him a few months ago, and my work on his case as a college student.

This is one time in my life, where I honestly almost gave up hope. I always believed he was innocent, but I just didn't know how to convince the state of Illinois. Years of prayers were answered, and today he met his grandson for the first time.

The gospel of John didn't let us down: the truth will set you free.

Praying together and staying together?

2008-01-07T09:55:00.000-06:00

My fiance and I are nearly cleared to be married now. We spent Friday evenings and all day Saturday at the marriage prep weekend sponsored (and required) by our church.

It was a good weekend full of all that relationship conversation that usually causes men to break out in hives, but my guy was good. We had some honest conversations and realized we were were in agreement on all the important things (we will probably still have "discussions" about the air conditioning).

One thing that the counselors and lay people brought up was the importance of prayer in a marriage. We go to church together, bless our food, and - I trust - pray for each other in private, but we don't necessarily pray aloud together. One longtime married couple, who shared their story with the group, said their whole relationship changed when they started praying together - they were more honest and better able to tackle the issues of the day.

So I'm asking y'all for your experience. Do you pray with your spouse? What does that look like? And how does it affect your relationship?

Obama, Huckabee and Evangelicals, oh my!

2008-01-04T09:09:00.000-06:00

If the faith and politics stew was simmering before, it has come to a full boil with Mike Huckabee's triumph in the Iowa caucuses last night.

Evangelical Christmas apparently made up 60 percent of Republican caucus goers, and nearly 80 percent of Huckabee's supporters. It makes sense - he's a former Baptist minister.

On the other side, Obama is a Christian with a more liberal theology. Faith came up some, but seemed to play no real role in his victory in Iowa.

So what do you see for the future? In 2004, pundits (particularly those in the Northeast major media markets) were blown away by the "values voters." Will faith continue to play a large role in the mind of voters? Or are we in the media making more out of this than is really there?

Holy snacks?

2008-01-03T09:24:00.000-06:00

If snacks are religious-themed, do they count against your New Year's Resolution?

Maggie Martin passed on a little blurb from Rachael Ray's magazine about faith-based treats. I've seen the little mints with scripture verses, but this takes the concept to a new level.

My favorites were Holy Chocolate Hot Chocolate, created by the Rev. Stan Smith, an Eastern-Syrian Orthodox priest in California. The money from the company now supports Smith, so he does not have to take a salary from his church. The website claims that the all natural ingredients combine to form "Heaven on Earth."

And for the kosher foodies out there, there's Thou Shall Snack. The founder loved her grandmother's kosher cooking and sought to create her own snack versions of the treats. She came up with latke crisps, based on the Hanukkah tradition, and a few other goodies. Five percent of the proceeds are donated to charity.

I have not tried either, so I certainly can't vouch for them. I'm not sure whether this exploiting faith or just expressing it in a new way, but it's certainly an interesting idea. What do you think?

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T17:48:00.000-06:00

Blessings from the book of Numbers:

The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

2007: a year of patience, stability and prayer

2007-12-31T16:46:00.000-06:00

2007 has been a good year. One of deepening relationships, subtle growth and refining priorities. No major drama or chaos. Some excitement and the promise of good things ahead.

Much of the beginning of the year, I spent feeling very antsy. I was coming up on living in Shreveport five years. My boyfriend and I had been dating for more than two years. I had commitments at church and to school. Nothing appeared to be changing. For someone who has lived in 10 cities in her 29 years, this was all too much stability.

I was forced to spend time reflecting on where I am and what I want. That meant I had to force myself to learn to listen when I pray instead of talking. God also tried his very best to teach me patience and appreciation for what I have (I think he would give me a C-).

Apparently, God knew what he was doing. In the last quarter of the year, my boyfriend became my fiance, meaning 2008 will be full of upheaval - the good kind. We'll get married. I'll move (just to Bossier). And a new kind of life will await.

So my resolution for the new year is to maintain a spirit of prayerful patience. Instead of wishing 2008 along, I want to appreciate the moments. It too should be a good year.

New programs for the new year

2007-12-31T09:31:00.000-06:00

Steeple Chase Community Economic Development Corp. celebrated a new building and the promise of new outreach programs this weekend.

On Saturday they dedicated a facility at 6339 W. 70th St., Shreveport. The building will be able to house after school, addiction recovery, and GED preparation programs. As well, they hope to have classes for senior citizens. The Rev. Gregory Kirby, CEO of the organization and pastor of Steeple Chase Baptist Church, has talked to me about his work with children and desire for his church to be a center of the community. This new facility certainly holds the promise of bringing that vision to life.

More than a mission

2007-12-28T14:05:00.000-06:00

Mack McCarter has what the rest of us are seeking: a purpose.

Every time I talk to him for a story about Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal, I am amazed at his passion and conviction. While he's certainly a persuasive and charismatic speaker, there's always a little extra edge of certainty when he speaks.

As he told me for today's story, "I believe the only reason I’m on Planet Earth is to do what I’m doing now.” How many of us can say that?

He doesn't speak with any sort of conceit. In fact, he always seems a little amazed that all of this has happened and he gives all the credit to God and his staff.

With that spirit, I'm excited to see what what will happen in the next few years as they start the intense fundraising for the National Center. Some new videos are posted on the website, including the Independence Bowl commercial (warning: it will leave you humming for the rest of the day).

Did you pay attention in church over the holiday?

2007-12-27T13:38:00.000-06:00

For your third day of Christmas celebrations, here's a little Christmas Bible Quiz:

http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Bible/Quizzes/Quiz2.htm

It makes you realize how much tradition and legend has woven its way into the Bible. Not all of that is bad, but we should pay more attention to what is really there.

On the second day of Christmas...

2007-12-26T10:03:00.000-06:00

I return to work, refreshed from a weekend with my family in Memphis. This year was the new and improved version of the family gathering.

My brother and I are both getting married next year and we brought our fiances home for a little bit of Haag family tradition. We ate way too many cookies, spent time gathered in the kitchen while Mom cooked, heard new stories of Christmases past and got out for a little sightseeing.

Christmas celebrates new life, and having two new people at the dinner table (and to help do dishes!) made this year's holiday even more special.

For the next few days of this holiday season, I hope you all are able to enjoy many blessings and a sense of renewal as we roll into 2008!

Crosses at Christmas?

2007-12-19T11:18:00.000-06:00

Now that all your Christmas decorations are up, I'm curious about a trend I've seen recently: crosses in Christmas displays.

Before Thanksgiving, I even received a press release from a company marketing Christmas crosses, all lit up for your holiday displays. But I wonder if the cross is really the appropriate symbol for Christmas.

I understand the push to keep Christ in Christmas - it's a sacred day for Christians and should be treated as such. So many other symbols are woven into the Nativity story such as the creche, or the star or even a Madonna and child. Is the cross the only symbol of Christ? And if we use the cross as a generic symbol for Christ, does it lose its power as a symbol of Christ's death and resurrection?

Any thoughts?

Reaching through the bars

2007-12-18T14:27:00.000-06:00

My job allows me to talk to some fascinating people that most people never get to meet. I'm not talking about "important" people like senators and entertainers, but folks like the men in the Lifers' Association at David Wade Correctional Center.

They amazed me again this week with contributions of toys and bikes worth more than $2,000 to various charities in North Louisiana.

These men have committed crimes that resulted in a life sentence. Objectively, at least at one point in their lives, they were not nice people. But instead of dwelling on their fate, they have decided to do something positive with their future. They also provide examples for younger inmates, many of whom will be released to the public again.

Monday the Lifers and AANA (Alcoholics Anonymous/ Narcotics Anonymous) had a program to present their Christmas gifts to the community. A new project allowed them to help more than 30 children this Christmas. This fall the two groups started refurbishing bicycles.

Debra Cody, administrative sponsor of the group, said it took awhile for the project to be approved because of security concerns such as access to tools. It finally happened, and the first few bikes were given to the Boys and Girls Club of Homer in October. Then a couple of Grambling professors got involved, and sent about 130 used bikes to the prison. Men worked on them and managed to have 17 ready to give to the Boys and Girls Club and another 17 to the Providence House.

On top of those donations, they also had money to give from their usual fundraiser of selling handmade bird feeders. Through those sales and other fundraisers the men donated $1100 to Toys for Tots and another several hundred dollars to buy presents for the children at Hope Youth Ranch.

The men are under no illusion that theycan "make up" for what their crimes, but they do show the spirit of repentance and rehabilitation that we all would hope to see from the prison system. And they are thrilled and thankful for the opportunity. Inmate Roy Ates explained it to me a couple of years ago: "We do this because it's the right thing to do."

Photo: Marines pose with toys donated to Toys for Tots. From Debra Cody at David Wade.

Remembering seniors at Christmas

2007-12-17T10:43:00.000-06:00

Kids seem to get all of the attention as Christmas, but a few folks out there have taken special time out for senior citizens. Many seniors have great memories of Christmases past, but for a variety of reasons can't be with family now.

Mary Alice Rountree, director of the Caddo Council on Aging told me about her volunteers at Promise Hospital. They normally deliver eight meals to seniors four days a week. Well, for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, the meals aren't delivered. So the staff took it upon themselves to fix plates in the hospital kitchen and deliver those, so the seniors still got a good meal.

"That's up and above," Rountree said.

A couple of years ago she asked for volunteer help delivering meals on wheels and she said this is just one example of how the volunteers are now more connected to the needy seniors in the community.

"The community is seeing what’s out there," she said. "To many of them it's shocking."

Tainted memories

2007-12-13T14:56:00.000-06:00

I fell in love with Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs because of its purity. For a college student, it was the greatest place to be on spring afternoon.

Wrigley has no parking so everyone takes the El to Wrigleyville and the closer you get to the stop, more royal blue jerseys and caps appear on the train. Walking past the bars, souvenir shops and scalpers, you come to the stadium with its big electronic marquis. It feels like everyone is welcome here -- even though tickets are starting to price some folks out.

Inside, the smell of Chicago-style hot dogs, popcorn and beer fill the air - few gourmet treats here. In the outfield is the old fashioned score board. If you look, you can see the guy that changes the numbers sitting in the hole for the 10th inning. Noticeably absent are the advertisements. They aren't on the scoreboard and no one's figured out how to grow a brand name in ivy so the outfield wall is empty. There's only the Budweiser roof across the street, but that's so quirky it becomes part of the charm. The whole atmosphere was just about baseball.

But apparently, according to today's Mitchell report nine former Cubs were among the steroid users in what some are calling baseball's greatest scandal. In church terms, scandal usually means the acts of one or a few people that discredits the entire institution. It's an apt word here. Somehow Wrigley doesn't seem so pure anymore. The ivy seems a little brown and the beer a little warm.

With that scandal comes our own series of moral questions. What were we seeing? Great athletes? Guys so worried about their stats and performance that they use drugs to supplement their game? Or worse, men trying to take a shortcut instead of actually working out? The fact that most of the guys on the list weren't great stars seems to say the drug route was apparently a waste of time.

Then I wonder how much are we as fans somehow complicit? Do we expect athletes to be like gods - always perfect? Do we put that much importance on sports that they feel compelled to cheat? And do we accept the cheating as part of doing business?

Meet the new pastor

2007-12-11T15:09:00.000-06:00

First Presbyterian has called a new pastor after nearly 18 months of searching. I wrote a little about the Rev. Pen Peery in today's paper, but I couldn't include all of what the church told me.

Frank Dodson, chair of the pastor's nominating committee sent me his statement about Peery, now an associate pastor at Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va., to the church and here are a few excerpts:

"If you had told me 11 months ago that I would be standing at this pulpit to recommend a 30 year old to be our next pastor, I’d have said you’d lost your mind.

There are some objective things about Pen’s background that assured us Pen could assume the senior pastor position in this church. Second Presbyterian Church is very similar to our church. It’s an urban church, founded in 1845, the same year our church was founded. The congregation is roughly the same size as ours, and its membership is demographically similar. They face many of the same problems we do, including an aging facility.

We discovered that Pen is warm and charming and appeals to people of all ages. The oldest and youngest members of the PNC, were his biggest fans. He has a “presence” in a group setting and is engaging in one on one conversation. Each of us came away from our visits with Pen convinced that he has a love for people.

Pen is a good preacher with a confident, comfortable pulpit presence. Pen believes that worship is the central act of the church and he is "unapologetically traditional" in his worship style. His sermons are solidly grounded in Scripture and our Reformed theological heritage. They are thought-provoking and challenging and encourage the listener to wrestle with Scripture and its meaning for his or her life.

I believe his youth and energy, his new ideas, and who he is as a person will be immensely attractive to everyone, but especially young adults and young families who will see someone in leadership at this church with whom they can readily identify. He will be a strong presence in Shreveport, representing First Presbyterian Church with love and enthusiasm."

Sounds like exciting days ahead. Good luck to First Pres and welcome Rev. Peery.

National tragedy with local ties

2007-12-11T10:09:00.000-06:00

The story of the shootings in two Colorado religious organizations continues to baffle me. None of the mass shootings make sense, but at churches and so far apart?

And more interesting, the pastor of New Life Church, where the gunman was eventually killed was from Northwest Louisiana. The Rev. Brady Boyd grew up in Logansport in the Assembly of God church and went to Louisiana Tech. According to his biography, He was saved at a church in Jonesboro and started his ministry at First Assembly of God in Shreveport (now Shreveport Community Church) in the early 1990s. He started out volunteering in the inner city, ministering to a specific neighborhood. As well, he took a job at Evangel Christian Academy, teaching English, coaching basketball and track, and pastoring students.

Several moves later, he took over for Ted Haggard, who resigned amid scandal. That situation already required some support from home for Boyd and his family, but now I'm sure they need even more prayers. As well, the church has links from its website to a place to donate funds to the affected families.

Mea culpa

2007-12-06T11:49:00.000-06:00

I read my Hanukkah history too fast and got the dates mixed up. Alexander the Great spread Greek culture to Israel in the fourth century BC. But the Maccabees didn't start their revolution until the second century. Sorry about that!

Taking it to the streets

2007-12-05T13:42:00.000-06:00

The pastors seem to be following through with yesterday's press conference decrying the violence that has left three juveniles dead in the last two months.

After covering numerous similar press conferences, I have to admit I showed up a little jaded yesterday and I probably let that show a little too much. After their official statement, something possessed me to ask "what's going to be different this time?" Part of that came from my own frustration with the situation -- I live here to and I'm tired of the violence and the reputation that comes with it.

Afterwards I talked to the Rev. Calvin Kimble, one of the founders of the Pastors on Patrol program, a little more and he said he agreed with me about past rallies. "When you go to these meetings all you hear is the thunder but you don't see the lightning." He promised that this group would produce the work.

Today I got a press release officially announcing the "Enough is Enough - Stop the Violence!" revival service. It will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at the corner of Ledbetter and Hickory Streets.

Happy Hanukkah!

2007-12-05T09:25:00.000-06:00

Jews began celebrating the Festival of Lights last evening. The story behind the holiday is pretty amazing.

It goes back to the first ever battle for religious freedom, told in the first four chapters of the Book of Macabees (part of the Catholic Bible, but considered apocryphal by Protestants and Jews). In about the fourth century BC, Syrians took over Jerusalem and defiled the temple. Then the Scripture says: "The king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,
and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath." The king further prohibited sacrifices in the temple, circumcision and keeping the Sabbath.

Others would not be taken in so easily. "Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree, with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die."

Finally a family of five brothers stood up and said no more. Judas Macabeus encouraged his kinsmen to follow despite the odds: ""It is easy for many to be overcome by a few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by few; for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven. With great presumption and lawlessness they come against us to destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us; but we are fighting for our lives and our laws."

Over the course of a couple of years, Judas kept bringing his small armies of untrained men against the tens of thousands sent by the Syrians -- and he kept winning. Finally they reclaimed the temple, purified it and celebrated for eight days.

In this country, where we take our religious freedom for granted, it's a good reminder. And at this time of year, when Christian Christmas symbols are everywhere, it's also worth remembering that we don't all believe the same thing and that's OK.

Photo: Times file photo

Happy New Year!

2007-12-04T08:39:00.000-06:00

Folks in liturgical churches (Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, etc.) began a new year Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent.

Twice in the last week, I've given a little presentation on the Liturgical calendar to various church groups, so I thought I'd share some of that with you. The theory behind the calendar is to mark the cycle of Jesus' life and how it reflects in our own. Through the seasons of the church - including Advent, Christmas, Lent (those vary among denominations) - we mark the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Those episodes have direct correlation to our own spiritual journey.

Advent (the word means "to come") starts the year with a time of reflection and penance. It's not unlike the way we start the secular year with reflections and resolutions. But Advent prepares us for the great feast of Christmas, the birth of Jesus.

It's also a time of great cultural traditions. How many of us had Advent Calendars (the best kind came with chocolate) to countdown to Christmas? And many churches broke out Advent wreaths this weekend to mark the four Sundays of the season.

Do you have special traditions for Advent? Even if you don't celebrate Advent, how do you spiritually prepare yourself for Christmas?

St. Mark's update

2007-12-03T10:50:00.000-06:00

St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral seems to be making progress in its search for a new dean (that's pastor in non-Episcopal speech).

Last week's bulletin said its parish profile is finished and available for applicants to peruse. The document presents a pretty comprehensive look at the church from demographics to worship styles to outreach ministries.

It would be helpful for anyone looking at joining the church as well. It might be a good thing for every church to periodically put together a similar document to answer some big questions: who are you? what do you do? what do you need? and make sure ministries are all in line with those needs and goals.

At St. Mark's the calling committee is now sifting through applicants. Good luck to them as they continue to search for a new leader!

Teaching vs. brainwashing

2007-11-30T12:23:00.000-06:00

I finally had a chance to see "Jesus Camp" this week. The documentary appeared in theaters last year and tells the story of three Evangelical Christian children who go to a summer camp in Devils Lake, N.D.

What is shown is pretty disturbing - even to most believers I think. Kids should be taught about living their faith and avoiding sin, but the services depicted appear to manipulate kids' emotions to the point that some of them are just hysterical. I'm really not sure what 8 and 9 year old kids from middle America have to be so guilty and upset over.

The filmmakers obviously have their own bias. In what I saw of the director's commentary (I love DVDs), they seem to be almost afraid of people committed to their faith. So I had to wonder if the film just showed the extremes.

Regardless, it raises the question, what's the best way to teach children about faith? A fine line seems to separate brainwashing and teaching them so they take ownership of their faith. How do you walk that line?

Church secrets

2007-11-28T15:49:00.000-06:00

Catholicism is known for its ability to keep secrets -- sometimes it's understandable. Sometimes it's unnecessary, and sometimes, according to Bishop Randolph Calvo of Reno, Nev., it's funny.

He was trying to make the point about the difference between secrets and confidential information, so Calvo told the story about when he found out he would be bishop.

It was a few weeks before Christmas in 2005 and he came rushing into his office before a pre-school Christmas pageant and didn't even look at his phone messages. His secretary called his attention to one in particular an urgent message from the Archdiocese of Washington DC. Flustered, he called the number and a woman answered "hello."
"Is this the archdiocese of Washington?" Calvo inquired.
"No, this is the papal nunciature."
"Oh."

The papal nuncio (the pope's representative in the U.S.) got on the phone and informed Calvo he had been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI as the new bishop of Reno. All Calvo could do was mumble appreciation. Then came the hard part -- it couldn't be official until a bishop was named in San Francisco, which oversees Reno. And the nuncio let him in on a "papal secret." The announcement would be "soon." Now, Calvo was left remembering his time in Italy where soon could be today, tomorrow or three weeks from now.

Lucky for him the announcement came the next day. Calvo still couldn't say anything. In his first meeting with the new archbishop and other priests, he kept scanning the face of the bishop for any sign that he knew of Calvo's new job. After the meeting, the men met privately, and Calvo finally asked "Do you know something I know?" The bishop knew.

It only got worse as he had to excuse himself from saying a funeral Mass and leave a water main break in someone else's hands all without explanation.

"That kind of secrecy I can't describe," he said.

I can only hope someone around here is holding onto a similar secret...

Denominational bloggers

2007-11-27T17:18:00.000-06:00

Just as in secular politics, bloggers are making a dent in conversations about religious politics -- particularly the politics of American Christian denominations. USA Today's Cathy Grossman explores the topic pretty well in a story in today's paper.

I realized how few of these I read -- partly because of time and partly because of lack of knowledge/interest in the minutiae of various denominations (yes, I'm admitting my bias - the politics of churches outside my own is not that exciting to me. I'd rather write about what you're doing with your faith for the greater good). Here's a few I do check:

Catholic: Whispers in the Loggia
Episcopal Church: Drell's Descants (written by a guy in Alexandria)
Evangelical: Evangelical Outpost (not as much a specific denomination as a movement, and theology rooted in that movement)

I apparently need to find a Southern Baptist blogger... Most of the rest that I check are on more general religion topics. So what about you? Any suggestions on good religion blogs?

Praying for quiet in Queensborough

2007-11-27T09:12:00.000-06:00

Cold couldn't stop Jesus from coming to Queensborough.

About a dozen hearty folks gathered for Evangelist Melvin Slack's revival at the corner of Alabama and Fredrick last night. The story made the front page today, but I thought I'd elaborate a little more here. It had been a while since I attended a street revival, and it was good to see the preachers' enthusiasm, particularly when they're addressing tough issues like violence in the neighborhood.

I pulled up to hear Slack calling "revival! revival!" through speakers that could easily be heard for a few blocks. The theme of the night was meekness, which both speakers carried through their short talks.

The Rev. Demetrious Young reminded people that meekness also means patience and thinking before we react to the difficult situations in life. He continued and talked about the destructive kind of pride, when we think our way is best instead of God's.

Last night's preacher, the Rev. Terry Wesley continued the theme as he spoke about giving our lives to God. It had also been awhile since I heard that style of preaching - where lots of phrases are repeated, and the preacher almost breaks into song when giving the faithful their charge.

"We've got to put our lives in the Lord's hands. I'm not talking about Mayor Cedric Glover or George Bush. I'm talking about the Lord who made the heavens and the Earth... He took nothing and made the mountains. He took nothing and made the valleys."

"He can build up Queensborough. If he can build up Queensborough, he can build up Cedar Grove. If he can build up Cedar Grove, he can build up Highland."

Wesley encouraged them to rethink their priorities so that more children, like 9-year-old Treveon Hunter don't have to die in the crossfire of grown-ups' business. No one was saved last night, as far as I know, but Slack is praying to see some changed hearts by the end of the week.

If you have a chance, stop by and offer your support and prayers. They'll be at the corner of Frederick and Alabama at 6 p.m. each night.

Careful giving

2007-11-26T09:18:00.000-06:00

Instead of spending hours at the mall picking out some gift your mother-in-law really doesn't need, how about making a donation to charity? It's quick, will help someone else in need and doesn't require wrapping.

But don't go giving away your money without some thought. Charity Navigator, a watchdog organization, has an impressive site with information on a ton of national charities and guidelines for how to evaluate whether charities are spending your money wisely. Among the recommendations:

* Charities should spend no more than 30 percent (preferably less than 25 percent) of their income on fundraising and administrative costs.

* Make sure a charity has short- and long-term goals, and evaluates the progress its making. For instance, Providence House's goal is to help families live independently and they can tell you the number of families who are still living on their own years after graduation.

* Feel free to ask questions of the organization's director or board. Look through the annual report and IRS forms. Form 990 is the one nonprofit organizations fill out - and they are required to show it to anyone who asks.

* Once you trust the organization, give to their general fund. Organizations need money to keep the lights on and pay for unexpected maintenance issues -- designated funds don't give them the flexibility to do that.

If you're looking for information on local charities, try Guidestar, which posts 990 forms. Also, if a charity receives more than a certian amount of money from state grants (I don't remember how much off the top of my head), they they have to send their audit to the legislative auditor, who kindly posts them on his website.

Of course, I am a little biased this time of year. If you don't want to do the work of looking at the charities, let The Times do it for you and give to the Joy Fund. We'll collect money (and put the names of donors and their honorees in the paper), and distribute all of it to various organizations to fund their Christmas projects. I'll write stories about as many of the charities as I can and keep you posted on what they're doing with the money. After the first of the year, we'll publish a full accounting of where it all went.

New churches everywhere

2007-11-23T09:09:00.000-06:00

New churches seem to be popping up all over town this month. This week's religion briefs list two new Assembly of God congregations and last week, I wrote about a new CME church.

The Rev. David Hoey called to tell me about his church, Rhema Word Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, now meeting in Steeple Chase Baptist in West Shreveport. Hoey had been praying about planting a new church for the last two years. In March, he decided to take a little bit of a sabbatical from his job pastoring Lane Chapel CME. Not long after the bishop called to ask him about planting a new church.

Rhema Word (rhema is Greek for 'living word') is the first black Methodist church between Jewella Avenue and Keithville. Hoey described it as a "contemporary Methodist service" with lots of praise and worship music and no dress code. So far he's got about 50 members -- some from other denominations and some who were unchurched.

"It's been a joy and pain," Hoey said of his first church planting experience. "The joy is it gives you the opportunity to start from scratch. The pain is you're starting with no resources."

Rhema Word is meeting at 3 p.m. Sundays at Steeple Chase, 7016 Steeple Chase Plaza.

On gratitude

2007-11-21T08:57:00.000-06:00

I'm awake - I didn't want to get out of bed because it was warm. I'm walking. I had food in the fridge. I grumbled because we were asked to be at work early this morning, but I have a job. I even like my job. My parents (who are still married) are coming into town today. They'll take my fiance and I out to dinner tonight. My fiance is wonderful - he changes my tires, makes me laugh, controls his temper when he's irritated with me.

In other words, I have more to be thankful for than I could ever put in one blog post. Between my birthday (today) and Thanksgiving (tomorrow), this is the perfect time of year for me to evaluate and be conscious of all those blessings that have come to me through no effort of my own.

But the real question is how do we cultivate that attitude everyday? All world religions endorse thankfulness and even scientists are saying its good for our mental and physical health. So what do you do to keep Thanksgiving part of your everyday life?

Thanksgiving outreach

2007-11-20T09:36:00.000-06:00

Christian Scientists are using the thanksgiving holiday as a way to remind us to thank God for our many blessings. The church sent me (and I'm assuming a bunch of other folks) a booklet with Thanksgiving Scriptures and readings from "Science and Health," written by the denominations founder, Mary Baker Eddy.

The Biblical passages are perfect for the holiday:

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." (1 Chron. 16:8)

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:4-5)

It also included an invitation to the church's Thanksgiving services which will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church, 3424 Line Ave., Shreveport.

Here are a few other Thanksgiving services that have crossed my desk:
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, 939 Jordan St., Shreveport: 9 a.m. Thursday.
Church of the Living God, 1634 Alma St., Shreveport: 10 a.m. Thursday.
Egypt Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 2617 Old Plain Dealing Road, Plain Dealing: 9 a.m. Thursday.

Bishop watch: Military edition

2007-11-19T09:18:00.001-06:00

To all you Catholics at Barksdale AFB, you have a new bishop. This just in from the Vatican:

Pope Benedict XVI appointed "Archbishop Timothy Paul Broglio, apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic and apostolic delegate to Puerto Rico, as military ordinary for the United States of America."

The 55-year-old is originally from Cleveland and was ordained in 1977. He replaces Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, who now leads the Diocese of Baltimore.

Dignity for all

2007-11-15T23:06:00.000-06:00

Dignity of human life -- all human life -- is the cornerstone of Christian social justice philosophy. In other words, if God created people in his image then all people are deserving of some amount of respect.

I was reminded of this lesson today at Homeless Connect Operation Stand Down. Homeless folks from all over the city converged at the Municipal auditorium in hopes of finding what most of us take for granted. Vision tests, medical exams, haircuts and socks were all in high demand. I watched the guys getting their haircuts and each one smiled the instant they sat down in the chair and had someone pay a little attention to them.

Major Cherry Craddock of the Salvation Army told me a story to illustrate this idea of treating people with dignity. When she and her husband were stationed in Altus, Okla., an older gentleman would come regularly for a bag of groceries. With a smile, she would give it to him, always addressing him as "Mister." One day after getting his bag, he paused: "You know," he said "You're the only person that calls me mister."

North Louisiana resident to lead Southern Baptists

2007-11-14T11:12:00.000-06:00

For the first time in a while, the President of the Louisiana Baptist Convention hails from North Louisiana.

The Rev. Mike Holloway, pastor of Cook Baptist Church in Ruston, was elected yesterday to lead the state's Southern Baptists. He was nominated by the Rev. Randy Harper of Bellaire Baptist in Bossier City. Holloway's opponent was our own the Rev. Chuck Pourciau of Broadmoor Baptist.

The Baptist Message, the convention's newspaper, conducted a pretty good pre-election interview with Holloway, asking about his theology and goals for the conference. He also addressed the issues of declining numbers of baptisms in the convention.

Gangster faith

2007-11-12T09:20:00.000-06:00

Last week, I picked the "Bee Movie," so this week my fiance picked "American Gangster." It looked like a good story, although probably filled with unnecessary sex and violence. I was pleasantly surprised. Oh, it's violent and has its share of nudity, but it wasn't gratuitous.

What stuck with me more was the strange paradox of faith and life. The movie - set in the late '60s and early '70s - is a classic good cop chasing bad guy kind of deal. The cop has a completely dysfunctional personal life. He's in and out of court battling custody of his son while sleeping with his lawyer. But he's lauded as one of the only honest cops in North Jersey.

On the other hand is Frank Lucas, one of Harlem's most notorious drug lords. He managed to connect with a heroin producer in Southeast Asia, and through military connections smuggled the drugs back to the states. Without the middleman, he could sell better quality stuff for cheaper. He was unashamed about the lives that were destroyed because of his "business." But he still took his mama to church every Sunday. His family appeared healthy and whole. And there was a brilliant scene where his family's festive holiday dinner is interspersed with images of a young woman overdosing on his brand of heroin.

It's an different take on hypocrisy and the contradictions that infuse our own lives. If y'all have seen the movie share your thoughts...

Deck the halls or burn the tree?

2007-11-07T14:20:00.000-06:00

It's Nov. 7, red and green decorations have already taken over the stores and holiday bazaars are appearing in the paper's religion calendar.

Also appearing are several women's events to help curb the stress that can come with this time of year. I wrote briefs for three different workshops or speakers today. This is the first year I've noticed this much attention being paid to holiday stress by local churches. Are we really that consumed by too much holiday fluff?

Looking at my life (and I don't even have kids) probably so. Work has already blown into full-fledged holiday mode for me. And I know I've already started shopping with gifts in mind, making travel plans, and filling in the calendar with holiday parties. Another couple of weeks of this, and I can see the potential for wanting to burn down the tree.

What do you do to regain some of the fun and spirituality that Christmas is supposed to bring us?

Clarification from the steeple people

2007-11-06T14:06:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago my story about churches meeting in distinctly non-church buildings ran with the headline "Here's the church, where's the steeple?" Well, this apparently upset the steeple manufacturers of the world, who sent me an e-mail. I admit that I laughed at first, but the guy had an interesting point: these new, trendy churches, eventually have a need to be established.

From David England, vice president of sales/marketing for Campellsville Industries: "We find after these churches are established and grow to a sustainable size, they begin to acquire traditional church symbols (such as a steeple or cross) to establish themselves as a church. Many find that their lack of a steeple or cross sometimes leaves them unnoticed in the community, as one pastor who telephoned us said: 'People have been asking if we are an office building or a school, and yesterday someone asked if we were a Pizza Hut.' He was calling to inquire about a steeple for his church."

So what do you think? Does a church need to look like a church?

Non-gift gifts

2007-11-02T16:52:00.000-05:00

November and Decembers are quite possibly the most difficult months to be a religion reporter. Just as churches are pulling out all the stops for the celebration of Christmas, religion writers are expected to do the same. I have an idea that could be my best Christmas story yet, but I need some help.

Here's the concept: a series of stories about gifts you could give that don't involve tangible objects. I'm thinking about things like a genuine apology or gratitude. What do you think? And what would you add to the list?

From dairy farm to stadiums

2007-11-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

Billy Graham did make it to our North Carolina itinerary last weekend. Just west of downtown Charlotte, a new library and museum dedicated to the evangelist sits in the woods in a gated compound. It's open to the public and the gate guard was very friendly, but I thought it was kind of odd to have to stop and check in before entering.

The major part of the library is in a barn shaped building with a huge window cross. Visitors enter to be greeted by Bessie the talking cow, who tells you a little about "Billy Frank's" childhood on a dairy farm. From there each group is shuffled through a series of rooms with video presentations about different parts of the Graham ministry.

Video of Graham's preaching is prevalent, giving visitors a real first hand glimpse into what he's all about. And for those us of who are younger, you can hear the power and conviction in his preaching from younger days. More interesting to me were the cases with artifacts from his career. They included Bibles he made notes in, letters from people around the world (including presidents) and various awards.

No trip to anything Graham related would be complete with out and opportunity for salvation at the end. The tour truly does give all the credit to God for talents he gave Graham, and spends time recognizing all of the support people who made the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association what it is. So it made sense at the end to continue his tradition and allow people time to speak with a counselor and pray.

Outside you can visit the grave of Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of the evangelist, who died earlier this year. An entire room of the exibit is devoted to her, a daughter of Presbyterian missionaries in China who obviously had a great sense of humor. Notice the inscription on her headstone: "End of construction. Thank you for your patience."

It's hard not to be in awe of Graham and what he's accomplished, but I have an even greater respect for him after visiting the museum. I even bought a book about his leadership style (to be shared whenever I get to read it). I know this has been said before, but I was most impressed by how he was able to keep his message simple but powerful. He didn't ignore sin or the need to repent, but he didn't water it down or make Christianity soft either. If you're in Charlotte it's definitely worth the trip.

Honoring all the saints

2007-11-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

Happy All Saints Day! Catholic school children around the diocese are no doubt dressed as their favorite saints (and St. George is probably out there beating St. Catherine with his sword on the way into Mass), to celebrate this feast of all those who have gone before us in faith.

I know it's more of a Catholic feast, but I think everyone can learn from the general theme here. It's not just about recognizing those canonized saints, but everyone who has lived their faith and shared it with the people around them before going on to their eternal reward.

Who would you remember as someone who helped shape your faith?

Revival in the streets

2007-10-30T13:39:00.000-05:00

I love hearing these words on my voice mail: "We had a drug dealer accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and we're going to get him in a church on Sunday."

Evangelist Melvin Slack called to update me on the "Get Out of Here Satan" revival he's holding at the corner of Booker T. Washington Avenue and Kelsey Street in the MLK neighborhood. His theme almost says it all. He wanted to bring the Good News to that neighborhood, which is too often full of bad news. So he has set up his tent on the street corner and has held services the last couple of nights. It sounds like he's making some progress.

It started Sunday, and he said neighbors were a little hesitant at first. But Monday he "had a whole tent full." He had one man stop by, who heard the service from several blocks away. Attendance is probably helped by the fact that they are feeding people each night.

Services will continue at 6 p.m. today and Wednesday. Today Chaplain Robert Whitaker will preach with choirs from Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church and Jewel Street Missionary Baptist Church. Tomorrow, Slack will preach and Paradise Baptist Church will join the other choirs.

Slack plans to continue the street revivals, with his next one planned for Nov. 11 to 16 at the corner of Fredrick and Alabama in Queensborough.

Hoping to visit Billy

2007-10-24T16:58:00.000-05:00

I'm not slacking this time. I'll be off for the next few days visiting my soon-to-be in-laws in North Carolina. While we're there, I'm hoping to drag my fiance into the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte. If so, I'll have a full report.

Have a great weekend. Plenty of local churches are having their Fall Festivals this weekend (see Friday's Times for details), so there's lots to do!

Anonymous ministry

2007-10-24T16:50:00.000-05:00

A woman carrying three giant bags of stuffed animals came into Schumpert yesterday looking for Sr. Sharon Rambin.

Sr. Sharon works with Sutton Children's Hospital and the woman wanted to make sure the toys got to the children. She's a retired schoolteacher who lives on Toledo Bend and takes it upon herself to bring some light to the children at the hospital.

I didn't ask permission to write about her, so I don't want to use her name, but I was touched by her dedication and enthusiasm. She and Sister laughed a the goofy Halloween toys particularly - Mickey Mouse and Garfield dressed as Dracula. Then the lady left. She felt no need to make a big production out of it. She just did what she could do to help.

I know all kinds of these people exist - please share them in the comments or e-mail me (dhaag@gannett.com).

Healing light

2007-10-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

Even after their deaths, Drs. Alice and Joe Holoubek will continue offering comfort to the patients at Christus Schumpert Health Center.

Two stained glass windows that were part of their personal chapel were dedicated at the St. Mary Place hospital this morning. Family, friends and hospital employees gathered for prayer and remembrance in the admitting area where the windows now have a permanent home.

Although it was cloudy outside, the beauty of the windows in the admitting room shone. Bronze tinted background glass adds warmth to the space, where so many people wait for sad news. Each one features four panels with symbols of faith, marriage and medicine.

"These were the guiding principles of my parents' life," said Martha Fitzgerald, daughter of the well-known physicians.

The Holoubeks served the Shreveport community for years as doctors and ministers in their own right. They were devout Catholics, who attended Mass daily and gave presentations about the physiological aspects of the crucifixion. Particularly later in life, Fitzgerald said their home chapel was a place of peace and refuge for them.

Dr. Joe worked with his daughter-in-law Stephanie Coffman Holoubek to design the windows, and she made them. She was amazed to see them in the hospital, where they could catch even more sun.

"They have found their true home," she said.

Extra from the General Superintendent

2007-10-22T14:23:00.000-05:00

An Assemblies of God church is usually a good bet for some good preaching, and the General Superintendent of the denomination did not disappoint Sunday when he visited Central Assembly of God in Haughton. The Rev. George Wood is also a lawyer, so his preaching style was fairly measured with a good bit of scholarly exposition. But being a Pentecostal, he knows how emotions play into developing faith, so he told several moving stories of conversion and redemption.

After the service Wood was kind enough to answer a few questions about his goals for the denomination, since he was just installed as its leader two weeks ago. Here's a few responses that I couldn't fit in the paper:

"One of my goals is investing in the next generation. Of the 2.8 million members, 1.1 million are under the age of 25. This whole matter of transmission of faith is important. We have 60,000 high school seniors - how can we retain them while reaching others?"

And he challenged churches to break outside of their walls to serve the community. He spent three hours on Saturday with a boxcutter working for a local mission project in Missouri.

"The church must get in the street and show the love of Christ. The non-Christian world gets tired of Christians telling them how to behave. We need to use words, but we earn that by our deeds."

Baptisms in the denomination are down slightly from 10 years ago, although attendance and membership is up about 2 percent -- a fact Wood put as "nothing to brag about."

"That's one reason I want to plant new churches. It's the most effective way to grow."

The 66-year-old pastor also mentioned a few of his firsts. He is the first son of missionaries, the first lawyer to be elected general superintendent.

A week of observations

2007-10-18T11:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been absent for the last week. It hasn't been lack of topics, just lack of time. Election season always keeps us hopping, whether we normally cover politics or not. So here are a few thoughts I meant to get to and didn't...

* The Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation has released a CD of gospel songs recorded by inmates at Angola. Unfortunately, the sampler they sent me was corrupted but I trust it's some pretty good stuff, and the money all goes to build chapels at prisons throughout the State. Visit www.chapels.org to purchase one or learn more about it.

* Starbucks pastors - this is my new category of preachers. It's made up of those folks with brand new churches, or churches without traditional buildings who have no office to call their own. So we've had our interviews at Starbucks. More than that though - they see Starbucks as a model for how to spread the message of Jesus - interesting stuff.

* Night to Honor Israel - last week's Christian/Jewish event was pretty impressive. Shreveport Community Church was nearly full and the music and preaching was inspiring. Not everyone buys the message though. I heard from a Rabbi who is very skeptical of the movement. Rabbi Samuel Stahl of a reform congregation in San Antonio said the efforts can often be bigotted about Muslims and he can't shake the fact the many of these Evangelicals expect him to convert at the Second Coming of Christ. Local folks all seemed on board, but it's something to think about.

I'll be working much of the weekend with the election and the visit from the president of the Assemblies of God - I should have stuff from him to post Sunday or Monday. And then I'll try to be better about my routine.

Great ghosts!

2007-10-10T11:03:00.001-05:00

You haven't disappointed me so far. A few of you have been brave enough to send in your own stories of strange supernatural occurances, and they've been great. I've got strange smells, opening and closing doors and sounds -- all unexplainable. And no, I don't think you're crazy.

Also interesting is everyone that has told me their stories says they are Christians, and they're trying to make sense of their experience and what they've been taught about death.

I could still use a few more to flesh out the story. Please send me your tales of mystery and I'll put them together for a piece in a couple of weeks. My e-mail is dhaag@gannett.com.

Honoring Israel

2007-10-09T12:40:00.000-05:00

Christians will sing Hebrew melodies. Jews will pray in a church while charismatic Christians raise their arms in worship. A representative of the Israeli consulate and an internationally known Evangelical pastor will speak.

Tonight's A Night to Honor Israel event promises to be a fascinating blend of cultures as Evangelical Christians and Jews come together to pray for the preservation of the state of Israel. The movement started with the Rev. John Hagee, pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio and the keynote speaker for today's event. He takes the idea to show support for Israel from several Scripture verses, particularly Genesis 12:3: "And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." The "thee" refers to Abraham and his descendants (which I might mention also includes Muslims).

Last years event was fascinating on a cultural level and was a pretty exciting worship service. If you're interested in attending, here are the details:

A Night to Honor Israel
7 p.m. Oct. 9
Shreveport Community Church, 5720 Buncombe Road, Shreveport

I'll have a full report in tomorrow's paper Times and probably some more details here on the blog.

Prayers for the four-legged ones

2007-10-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

Times photographer Val Horvath got some great shots of the annual Blessing of the Animals at Church of the Holy Cross, Episcopal, this weekend. It is done at churches around the country in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is Oct. 4. I've never been to a blessing (my cat needs something more along the lines of an exorcism to be normal), but it always brings out the animal lovers looking for an extra dose of protection for their four-legged friends.

St. Francis is one of Catholicism's most popular saints, often pictured surrounded by animals. And there are some great stories of him communicating with animals, even one where he stopped a wolf from attacking people in a village. Because of those associations (whether true or legendary), he became the patron saint of animals.

I find interesting that he's one of the few inter-denominational saints. His humility and his calling to "Build up my house" has also been taken as a model by Protestant churches. I received an e-mail last week about a new book, "Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale," by the Rev. Ian Morgan Cron, founder of non-denominational Trinity Church in Greenwich, Conn. And I've heard plenty of people refer to his famous quote: "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." Sounds like a model for anyone's spirituality.

Photo: Lucy, my cat in need of many prayers. Do you think St. Francis could have stopped her from destroying my furniture?

Supernatural encounters? Please share!

2007-10-04T17:02:00.000-05:00

Call them ghosts, spirits, angels or demons, it seems like everyone has a story of some sort of encounter with the supernatural.

At the weekend's conference, author Christine Wicker told a story about her father. As a child, one of his neighborhood children died mysteriously and was buried on a hill near his home. One day while playing outside, he saw some figures wearing what he thought were choir robes around the grave. When he asked his mother about them, she said no one was there.

On a spookier level, we also heard from Guillermo Fuentes of San Antonio Paranormal Investigations. He had all kinds of stories about lights turning on and off, mysterious balls of light and objects moving for no apparent reason.

So that got me thinking - what are your supernatural experiences? Please e-mail me at dhaag@gannett.com with your story and your name (I promise you aren't the only one) and I'll work them into a story for later in the month.

Megachurch vocabulary

2007-10-04T09:29:00.000-05:00

Megachurches make up only one half of 1 percent of all churches, but they have a huge influence on the culture and ministerial approach of modern churches. So I was intrigued by some new vocabulary I heard over the weekend in a panel about megachurches. We heard from a minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio (where prominent author Max Lucado is pastor) and Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas. And here are some of their words:

Inspotainment - inspirational entertainment. Friendship West is building a huge complex where they can host movies, theater and activities for family.

Communicator - formerly known as a preacher.

Pastor of Assimilation - that staff member in charge of making sure new members find a place in the church beyond their favorite pew.

By the way, the commonly accepted definition of a megachurch is a Protestant church that attracts more than 2,000 people to Sunday services. There's more to it than that, but that's a pretty good start.