Arson Suspected in Blaze That Destroyed National Historic Site St. Anne’s Church

Arson Suspected in Blaze That Destroyed National Historic Site St. Anne’s Church

Authorities in Toronto have opened an arson investigation into the fire that consumed a historic Anglican church last year, destroying the landmark hours before Sunday services were set to begin. St. Anne’s Church, a Toronto congregation within the Anglican Church of Canada, was engulfed in flames on June 9, 2024, leaving the structure in ruins after an early-morning blaze swept through the entire building.
  • Highland Park UMC Pastor Paul Rasmussen to Step Down, Citing Health Concerns
    The senior minister of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, has announced that he will step aside after more than a decade of leading one of the nation’s most prominent Methodist congregations. In a video message shared Thursday afternoon, the Rev. Paul Rasmussen informed church members—including former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush—that he plans to step down as senior pastor effective Feb. 1, 2026.
  • UMC Bishop Warns Denomination’s “Financial House Is on Fire”
    A bishop within the United Methodist Church is raising urgent concerns about the denomination’s escalating financial problems, warning leaders that its “financial house is on fire.” During last week’s final meeting of the year for the UMC General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), board members reviewed the state of denominational funding. GCFA Board President Bishop David Graves delivered a stark message, emphasizing that the mainline denomination is facing serious fiscal strain.

Russia Bans Three More Baptist Churches in Crackdown on Unregistered Congregations

Russian courts have banned three additional Baptist churches affiliated with the Council of Churches Baptists in the southern region of Krasnodar, continuing a broader government campaign against unregistered congregations across the country. According to the Forum 18 News Service, the churches in Timashyovsk, Armavir, and Tuapse were prohibited from operating unless they formally notify authorities of their activities — a requirement the denomination has refused to meet on principle.
  • UMC Approves Global Regionalization, Allowing Contextual Rules Worldwide
    The United Methodist Church has approved a path that lets its global regions uphold biblical standards on sexual ethics, even after last year’s vote scrapped those rules denomination-wide. Amendment I, which allows for a denominational structure known as regionalization, cleared ratification by a margin of 34,148 yes to 3,124 no — easily surpassing the two-thirds threshold.
  • Church of England Attendance Rises for Fourth Straight Year
    Church of England attendance has risen for a fourth straight year, the denomination said in a new report. Last week’s statement noted that the “overall number of regular worshippers” reached about 1.009 million in 2024, a modest 0.6% uptick.
  • SBC Membership Falls Across Regions as Smallest Churches Grow in Share
    A new review of the 2024 Annual Church Profile indicates that existing Southern Baptist churches saw membership declines across every U.S. region, while the convention increasingly consists of its smallest congregations. Overall, the distribution shows 21% of Southern Baptist churches growing, 39% plateaued, and 40% declining,
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  • First Baptist Dallas Named Top Church in DFW, 18 Months After Sanctuary Fire

    The First Baptist Dallas has been named the best church in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Pastored by Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Dallas announced this week that it has received the Gold Award from readers of The Dallas Morning News, who voted to recognize the church located in downtown Dallas for 157 years.

  • Four in Five Rural Pastors Say They’re Becoming Trusted Figures in Civic Life

    Despite external perceptions of small-town ministry, pastors serving in rural contexts say they are witnessing tangible wins now and remain hopeful about what lies ahead. According to the findings, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of pastors say their calling is to their specific church that happens to be located in a small town or rural area, while about a quarter (24 percent) say they sense a call specifically to rural places.

  • Fred Luter Jr. Announces Retirement from Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, Backs Son as Successor

    Fred Luter Jr., longtime senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and the Southern Baptist Convention’s first and only Black president, has revealed that he will retire from his role. His retirement will take effect in October 2026, coinciding with his 40th anniversary leading the congregation.

  • PCUSA Presbytery Mobilizes Relief After Storm Batters Alaska’s West Coast

    The Presbytery of Yukon is coordinating the response to damage from the remnants of Typhoon Halong across remote communities in the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, partnering with PC(USA)’s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), the Red Cross, and Anchorage officials.

  • Pastor Frederick D. Haynes III Returns to Pulpit After Medical Leave

    Pastor and social activist Frederick D. Haynes III has been medically cleared to resume leadership at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and returned to the pulpit on Sunday morning following a period of medical leave.

  • GAFCON Launches ‘Global Anglican Communion,’ Signaling Break from Archbishop of Canterbury

    The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is continuing efforts to launch the Global Anglican Communion, charting a new course independent of the archbishop of Canterbury’s leadership. Organizers stressed the new body is different from the global Anglican Communion, which is under the spiritual leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

  • Half of U.S. Protestant Pastors Say Economy Is Hurting Their Churches, Research Finds

    Nearly half of all Protestant pastors in the United States say the current economy is negatively affecting their churches, according to new data from Lifeway Research. Overall, 49 percent of pastors reported that the economy is having a negative impact on their churches, while 41 percent said they are not feeling any economic effect.

  • Global Methodist Church Reaches 6,000 Congregations Worldwide

    The Global Methodist Church (GMC), a denomination established as a theologically conservative alternative to the United Methodist Church (UMC), has now grown to encompass 6,000 member congregations around the world. Launched on May 1, 2022, the GMC announced last Friday on its official Facebook page that it had achieved the 6,000-church milestone. “That's 6,000 pulpits preaching the Gospel,” the post declared. “6,000 altars where hearts are renewed. … 6,000 congregations worshiping in a variety
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