Yes, I am going to attempt to do a whole month at once to get caught up. This does mean that by necessity I will be a bit selective about the headlines included.
The month began with a public safety helicopter crash in Scotland that saw the Church of Scotland on the front line with chaplaincy services and worship services of remembrance:
Chaplains at front line of Glasgow tragedy – from Church of Scotland press release
Prayers for helicopter victims – from BBC News
And in Kenya, ten youths were killed and thirty six more injured in a bus crash as they were returning from a Presbyterian Church in East Africa youth conference:
President mourns Mariakani accident victims – from Standard Digital News
In Louisville it was decided that the resources were not available to reopen the Presbyterian Community Center that had been closed a few months earlier:
No hope of reopening the Presbyterian Community Center in Smoketown, board says – from Courier-Journal
Concerning damage to churches, we have two fires and the theft of copper pipes:
Fire damage closes 900-year-old Aberdour church at Christmas – from Fife Today
160-Year-Old Long Island Church Goes Up In Flames – from CBS New York
Wyoming church recovering after copper pipe theft – from Times Leader, in Pennsylvania
In Africa, words from church leaders to politicians:
Ghana pregnant with bribery, corruption — Moderator – from CitifmOnline
ASUU Strike: Presbyterian Prelate urges government action – from WorldStage News; about a student strike in Nigeria
Two Presbyterian-related schools in the U.S. got court orders exempting them on religious grounds from the Department of Health and Human Services Affordable Care Act Contraception Mandate:
Judge rules Geneva College does not have to provide coverage for contraception – from Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Christian universities and seminary win against HHS mandate in federal court – from examiner.com (Westminster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania)
And finally, two more articles. The first a gift that allows a Presbyterian camp to continue and the second a new high-profile hire in the Church of Scotland Communications Office:
Woman, 81, leaves church camp $2.5 million from her estate – from WBRC (Birmingham)
BBC’s Rob Flett to join Church of Scotland comms team – from allmedia scotland.com
And with that we close out the year. Best wishes for the new one and back with more headlines in a few days.