Tim Hill, World Missions General Director, recently focused his attention on Church of God career missionaries as part of the Year of the Missionary project. Here’s what he found after careful study:

The church in America is dead and dying.

That’s one conclusion that can be drawn from the data in the 25th edition of the empty tomb, inc., series, The State of Church Giving through 2013: Crisis or Potential?, according to the book’s coauthors, John and Sylvia Ronsvalle.

A theological dialogue initiative offering Orthodox perspectives on disability has encouraged churches to address the issue with a renewed commitment.

The first FREE Christian crowdfunding site is now live at www.GiveSendGo.com.

After fruitless attempts to find a funding platform that not only tolerated, but encouraged Christians to support one another, GiveSendGo.com was born.

Dr. Estrelda Alexander will present the Tenth Annual Azusa Lecture, “From Azusa to Cleveland: Embracing Our Common Heritage” on Tuesday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the North Cleveland Church of God’s Dixon Chapel. Following Alexander’s presentation, the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center will honor Dr. Wallace Sibley with the Spirit of Azusa Award and a reception for his life-long leadership of the Pentecostal Movement. The lecture and reception honoring Sibley are free and open to the public.

Within the pages of Patrick W. Vincent’s new book, Joseph the Bear Discovers Christmas, readers will meet Joseph the bear, a Christmas ornament, who wants to find the real meaning of Christmas. Children will delight on his quest as Joseph asks the other tree ornaments, what they know about Christmas. His friends Bella the Ballerina, Conrad the Cardinal, Dusty the Dog, Noel the Nutcracker and Stan the Snowman, provide varied answers. Finally, Joseph discovers the true meaning of Christmas and young readers of this book will get the answer, too. Beautiful full color illustrations accompany this adorable and unique holiday story for the entire family to enjoy.

“Tested by Fire, Sustained by Faith.” That is the statement the Rev. Canon Matthew Talarico, Provincial Superior of the US Province of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, would like to pass on to the many friends, benefactors, and residents of the city of Chicago regarding the October 7th fire that has devastated for a second time the historic church, now known as the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, on 64th and Woodlawn. Thankfully, nobody was injured in the extra-alarm blaze. We are also very grateful to the Archbishop of Chicago, the Most Reverend Blase Cupich for expressing his support and prayers at this time from Rome.

The annual search for the Longest Married Couple (LMC) in the United States and Canada began Saturday, October 10, 2015, as announced by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in the world.

Lee University has announced plans for immediate construction of a major new building to house its School of Nursing.  The 41,000-sq-ft building will lie along Parker Street on the southern edge of the Lee campus, according to Lee president Dr. Paul Conn.