Racketeering law can’t be used against abortion clinic protests, court rules

Posted: 3/07/06

Racketeering law can't be used against
abortion clinic protests, court rules

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A unanimous Supreme Court declared Feb. 28 that a federal law originally aimed at mobsters can’t be used to shut down abortion-clinic protests.

The high court already ruled in 2003 that one federal anti-racketeering law cannot be used to ban protests that simply interrupt business at abortion clinics. That didn’t entirely resolve the dispute, however. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later said abortion providers could use a related law to sue protestors.

03/07/2006 - By John Rutledge

BaptistWay Bible Series for March 12: Isaiah answers the Lord’s summons

Posted: 3/01/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for March 12

Samuel answers the Lord’s summons

• 1 Samuel 2:21-3:19

By Joseph Matos

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

Paynter named interim CLC director

Posted: 3/06/06

Paynter named interim CLC director

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS – Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and public policy for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, has been named interim director of the CLC.

Paynter was named interim director effective March 2. She assumes leadership of the commission weeks after the death of Phil Strickland, longtime CLC director. Her appointment was made by Charles Wade, BGCT executive director, with the assistance of Ron Gunter, BGCT associate executive director/chief operating officer.

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

Getaway car found in Alabama church fires

Posted: 3/06/06

Getaway car found in Alabama church fires

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP)—As they continue to evaluate evidence in a recent string of 10 church fires in rural Alabama, federal investigators have come one step closer to solving the case: They found the getaway car.

“It was a key piece of the puzzle,” said Jim Cavanaugh, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. “That puts our investigation back more focused than before.”

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

Funding halted for Silver Ring Thing program

Posted: 3/06/06

Funding halted for Silver Ring Thing program

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

BOSTON (ABP)—The federal government will stop funding a teen-abstinence program that bills itself as an evangelistic ministry and gives teenagers silver rings inscribed with a Bible passage.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which in May sued the Department of Health and Human Services to cease grants to the Silver Ring Thing program, announced the out-of-court settlement Feb. 23.

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

South Dakota legislature passes abortion ban

Posted: 3/06/06

South Dakota legislature passes abortion ban

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—A wide-ranging abortion ban that South Dakota legislators passed Feb. 24 is poised to head exactly where its backers want it—the Supreme Court.

But despite the addition of two new conservative justices, the high court still may lack the votes needed to hear a challenge to basic abortion rights, warned some abortion opponents.

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

Earl Stallings, Alabama pastor caught in civil rights squeeze, dead at 89

Posted: 3/06/06

Earl Stallings, Alabama pastor caught
in civil rights squeeze, dead at 89

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

LAKELAND, Fla. (ABP)—A white Baptist pastor who was made both famous and infamous by Martin Luther King Jr.’s legendary “Letter From Birmingham Jail” has died.

Earl Stallings, who was pastor of Birmingham’s First Baptist Church when King penned his famous missive in 1963, died Feb. 23 at a retirement home in Lakeland, Fla. He was 89.

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

CD kindles passion through Song of Solomon

Posted: 3/06/06

CD kindles passion through Song of Solomon

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—Guy Bickel says romance and passion come before sex, instead of the other way around. And he’s using the Bible as proof.

Bickel, a Tampa, Fla., resident, spent months studying six different Bible translations, developing music in a specific frequency, and working with various recording artists to create The Original Love Songs: Guidelines for Passion from the Song of Solomon.

03/06/2006 - By John Rutledge

Storylist 2_20

Storylist for week of 2/20/06 GO TO SECTIONS: • Around Texas       • Baptists       • Faith In Action       • Departments      • Opinion       • Bible Study       •…

03/03/2006 - By John Rutledge

As Boomers age, care facilities make adjustments

Posted: 3/03/06

As Boomers age, care
facilities make adjustments

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Most Baby Boomers haven’t retired yet, but they already are changing retirement and aging-care services.

Boomers—born in the two decades after World War II—have started evaluating retirement and health care groups as they help care for their parents and are expecting more personalized care that enables them to be more independent when they retire, said Pearl Merritt, vice president/general manager of Buckner Retirement Services.

03/03/2006 - By John Rutledge

Aging Boomers poised to redefine culture … again

Posted: 3/03/06

Aging Boomers poised to
redefine culture … again

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

In their teens and 20’s, they redefined pop culture. In their 30’s and 40’s, they challenged the traditional role of women. Now in their 50’s and 60’s, Baby Boomers are poised to change American culture once again.

The generation that once refused to trust anyone older than 30 begins turning 60 this year, bringing its penchant for inquiry, said Carole Barasch, spokeswoman for AARP of Texas. Like music, war, civil rights and the role of women before them, issues such as health care, spirituality and aging are sure to come under intellectual fire as Boomers search for a meaning to their lives.

03/03/2006 - By John Rutledge

Retiring Boomers may fill needs in churches

Posted: 3/03/06

Retiring Boomers may fill needs in churches

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—A surge of Baby Boomers does not necessarily mean a wave of retirements, but it does mean business as usual may change.

Casey Bailey, senior human resources consultant with HRHouston Group—which serves the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Buckner Baptist Benevo-lences and South Texas Children’s Home—already sees many Baby Boomers who want to work well past what traditionally has been called retirement age.

03/03/2006 - By John Rutledge