The overall number of regular worshippers across the Church of England’s congregations grew to 1.02 million in 2024, a rise of 1.2 per cent, according to an early snapshot of the annual Statistics for Mission findings. It was the second year in a row in which the Church of England’s “worshipping community” - the combined number of regular members of local congregations – has stood above a million since the Covid-19 pandemic. (The Church of England)
Read More[Churches] are hoping to tap into the power of pickleball to build community and bring a little joy to their neighbors. About 20 million Americans played pickleball in 2024, according to data from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, and that number continues to grow. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
Read MoreIn early 2023, a change in how green-card applications for foreign-born religious workers are processed upended what had been a quick and predictable process for such workers to obtain permanent residency. The switch created a backlog that has put thousands of clergy at risk of being forced to leave the U.S. and disrupting the faith communities they serve. (Ramirez, USA Today)
Read MoreIn recent years, many U.S. seminaries have faced existential threats fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing religious landscape. As organized religion continues to fade in popularity among many Gen Z, some seminaries are downsizing, combining and embracing online and hybrid models. They are also evolving, offering different certificate programs or degrees tailored for non-clergy students. (Post, Religion News Service)
Read MorePope Leo XIV vowed Sunday to work for unity in a polarized Catholic Church and world, as history’s first American pope offered a message of healing during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 200,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes. (Winfield, AP News)
Read MoreInvestigators are focusing on social media posts made by the suspect, including a 30-minute audio recording, which they say support anti-natalist views. While the posts and the recording are still being verified, officials believe they reflect the ideology behind the bombing. Anti-natalism refers to the belief that no one should have children. (Winter et.al, NBC News)
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