4 candidates named to bishop slate in Diocese of Northwest Texas
[Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Northwest Texas’ Standing Committee has announced a slate of four nominees for election to succeed retiring Bishop Scott Mayer. The diocese named the following candidates on Oct. 6:

• The Rev. Amy Peden Haynie, St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Midland, Texas.
• The Rev. Elizabeth Anne “Betsy” Randall, Diocese of Oklahoma.
• The Rev. Christopher Blake Thomas, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas.
• The Rev. Andrew R. Wright, Diocese of Newark, New Jersey. Read more

Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation
United Methodist Men has ended its affiliate relationship with the National Association of Conference Presidents, a fellowship that supports conference men’s ministries. Read more

Bishops of El Salvador ask Pope Leo to proclaim Saint Óscar Romero a Doctor of the Church
The bishops of El Salvador asked Pope Leo XIV to proclaim St. Óscar Arnulfo Romero a doctor of the Church and to visit the Central American country to pray at the tomb of the martyred archbishop. Read more

Catholic, evangelical leaders condemn public execution plan of Fort Hood gunman 
(RNS) — ‘The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people,’ Archbishop Paul S. Coakley said in a statement. Read more

Guns to Gardens a modern expression of ‘swords into plowshares’
Blacksmiths from several Guns to Gardens programs attended the recent gun violence prevention institute in Missouri. Read more

New documentary looks at the changing face of Christian churchgoing 
(RNS) — ‘Christianity at a Crossroads,’ by documentary filmmaker Martin Doblmeier, tells the story of congregational church life in the United States at a critical moment when growth has flatlined, younger generations are less religious and a raft of scandals have overtaken nearly every Christian denomination. Read more

Bishop Mariann Budde to resign, will remain in post during lengthy replacement process
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, who shot to fame after urging President Donald Trump to have mercy on immigrants and others, announced on Thursday (Oct 1) that she plans to resign as head of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Read more

The enduring appeal of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, one of France’s most beloved saints
During the First World War, before being proclaimed a saint, devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux became particularly widespread in France. Soldiers carried medals and images of her, and many French Catholics saw her as a spiritual companion and intercessor. Read more

The FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv is a modern story of Jewish heroism 
(RNS) — It was one of the most inspirational moments in recent Jewish memory. It reminded us of who we are. Read more

Syrian-Armenian PC(USA) pastor faces ministry disruption after TPS termination
When Syria’s Temporary Protected Status was terminated by the Trump administration this summer, it affected approximately 6,000 Syrians living and working in the United States. One of them is a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastor, the Rev. Dr. Tamar Wasoian. Read more

Tradition and change among Latter-day Saints in the U.S.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are still highly religious and conservative, but signs point to demographic and social change, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. . Read more

Trump administration again omits refugees fleeing religious persecution from US program 
(RNS) — The Trump administration set the refugee cap for 2027 at 17,500, the same as this year. That would make it the second year in a row of historically low admissions — made up primarily of white South Africans. Read more

SBC Executive Committee drops budget by 12%
The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will reduce its own budget by $660,000 as part of a mandate to increase cooperative funding for the International Mission Board by 1%. Read more

United Methodists stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples
The United Methodist Church in the Philippines continues to stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples as they struggle to defend their rights, protect their ancestral lands, and uphold human dignity. Read more

He spent years reconciling his identity. Now he’s the first Arab bishop in Episcopal history. 
(RNS) — As a Christian minister with a Muslim father and a mother of Jewish heritage, Bishop Adam Shoemaker hopes to use his background to facilitate more reconciliation, integration and ‘the understanding that we are inextricably linked,’ he told RNS. Read more

RNS tracked the religious lawsuits against Trump’s immigration policies. Here’s what we found. 
(RNS) — Eighty religious plaintiffs from 11 major faith traditions have joined lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s immigration policies, according a tracker developed by Religion News Service with the Law, Rights, and Religion Project. Read more

Santa Fe archbishop urges ‘moral choices’ on water as reservoir levels shrink to historic lows
Archbishop John Wester urged the faithful to develop an “appreciation for the gift of the water” amid major ecological challenges in the region. Read more

UMC Bishop voices support for Resurrection’s ministries amid campaign rhetoric
The heated rhetoric of political campaigns often harms others, and I have been saddened by the accusations and criticisms that have been made against Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, made by opponents to Rev. Adam Hamilton’s campaign for U.S. Senate from Kansas. Read more

Is ‘Free Palestine’ antisemitic? Here are 5 religion takeaways from the Macklemore cancelation
(RNS) — A raft of musicians and musical groups have now dropped out of English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour following his removal of the rapper Macklemore over his onstage statements opposing the war in Gaza. Read more

Study explores correlation between religious views and stance on immigration policies
Results suggest those who believe in divine election and duty to support Israel are more likely to support certain anti-immigrant policies. Read more

U.S. bishops urge Supreme Court to rule against indefinite detention of noncitizens
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of stronger due process rights for noncitizens who are facing deportation proceedings and against indefinite detention without judicial review. Read more

A chapel near ground zero was a relief center after 9/11. Now, an exhibit honors its victims. 
NEW YORK (RNS) — A new origami installation strings 2,977 paper cranes: one for each person killed in the attacks. The ‘Ever Present’ exhibition also features artifacts left there in the months after 9/11. Read more 

More universities added Muslim chaplains post 9/11. Then came 10/7.
(RNS) — Twenty-five years after the terrorist strikes, some 80 universities — among them a small but growing number of state schools, like Rutgers University in New Jersey — have full-time Muslim chaplains. Read more

Episcopal Church launches revised curriculum engaging with legacy of racism
Episcopal News Service] Sacred Ground, one of The Episcopal Church’s most popular racial reconciliation initiatives in recent years, just got a significant refresh. Read more

Church member gives back after surviving 9/11
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Wading through waist-high water in the darkened lobby of the World Trade Center’s North Tower, Lorna Wilson saw a small patch of light in the distance. It was her way out. “I promised God while I was in that building that if you save me, I will serve you,” Wilson said. Read more