Women religious leaders called March 22 for greater government oversight of the cosmetics industry to protect children and the environment from toxic chemicals.

Four new church developments will receive Mission Program Grants from the Evangelism and Church Growth ministry area of the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC).

The new grant recipients (listed by synod) selected by the Mission Development Resources Committee of the GAMC, are as follows:

Second-Level New Church Grant ($25,000 each)

• New Faith, Greenwood, S.C., Synod of South Atlantic, Trinity Presbytery, will continue to grow an anticipated 300–500 member African American Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation. A year into launch, New Faith averages 125 worshipers. In its community New Faith is already known as a Christ-centered, grace-oriented, biblically …

Every Christian knows the story: Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. But what did he do on Saturday?

Religious leaders are hailing Senegal’s presidential run-off election as a good example for democracy in Africa.

The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) will release the list of contents for their new hymnal, Glory to God, on Monday, April 9.

Ruling Elder Robert Wilson, vice-moderator of the 217^th General Assembly (2006) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), accompanied by his wife Patricia, was honored with a Rosetta James Foundation “Honoring Our Elders” community service award on March 10 in Huntsville, Ala.

The gala celebration honoring Wilson was held at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala.

The Rosetta James Foundation annually honors with the award “distinguished, venerable individuals who have made stellar contributions to humankind, have espoused over time unabashed community involvement and have exuded an impeccable commitment to educational excellence.” 

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The Rev. J. Davison Philips, …

In a country facing some of the highest malnutrition rates in more than a decade, global humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS) announced that it has launched a nutritional supplement initiative aimed at reaching thousands of malnourished children in eastern Kenya whose physical and mental development and health are permanently at risk.

Pope Benedict XVI on March 9 denounced the “powerful political and cultural currents” that are working to “alter the legal definition of marriage” in the United States.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said March 16 he will step down at the end of 2012, setting the stage for the unique process of government officials appointing the new leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.