The drumbeat of downfalls, surprise departures and even arrests continued all summer and into the fall. An associate pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco (3,700 attendees) was fired in July for a “moral failure.” The lead pastor of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle (5,000 attendees) resigned over “inappropriate and hurtful” actions. (Graham, The New York Times)
Read MoreFormer first lady Melania Trump says in a self-titled memoir set to be released next week that she supports women’s autonomy and the right to control their own bodies — including abortion, if they choose. (Chappell, NPR)
Read MoreA Virginia teacher who refused to use a student's preferred pronouns has been awarded $575,000 after filing a lawsuit against the former school district he worked for more than five years ago, according to court fillings and attorneys in the case. (Alund, USA Today)
Read MoreIn the days since Hurricane Helene swept through mostly rural areas of nine states, Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service, has been working to make plans for how to best respond, despite spotty phone service due to downed cell towers and roads and bridges that have been washed out or blocked by fallen trees. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
Read MoreOver the past decade, students have become overwhelmed by the reading. College kids have never read everything they’re assigned, of course, but this feels different. (Horowitch, The Atlantic)
Read MoreIt’s a future – a new year – marked by the hope for peace rather than the carnage of war. Marder Friedgood plans to end the vigil by teaching those gathered to sing in Hebrew a prayer for peace. (DeRose, NPR)
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