TULSA, Okla. (RNS) — When Brant Lozano was 13, he thought the idea of a church for skateboarders was stupid. But a friend kept inviting him, and eventually, Lozano gave in. To his surprise, “Skatechurch” — a ministry hosted by the First United Methodist Church in downtown Tulsa — turned out not to be so lame, he said. “Everybody was really good (at skating), and the facility was really nice, and I was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool,’” said Lozano, who was not a Christian when he first showed up. Nearly two decades later, Lozano, now 32, leads a regular Sunday afternoon Bible study amid foosball and ping-pong tables in the Methodist church’s fitness and sports building. Afterward, dozens of skateboarding enthusiasts — mostly males, ranging in age from 8 to 40 — perform flat-ground tricks, grind on rails and jump over ramps in the church’s gymnasium. “It’s nice — a fun place to be,” said Noah Lusk, 13, who listened quietly to Lozano’s 30-minute lesson on guilt and … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON (RNS) — President Trump doesn’t have a lot of nice things to say about Democrats these days. Well, except Sen. Chris Coons. The same day the president made headlines for angrily walking out on Democratic leadership during shutdown negations (Jan. 9), he was also heaping praise on the Delaware Democrat. “Senator Chris Coons: On occasion, we disagree, but I actually like him,” Trump said that morning during a bill-signing in the Oval Office. Coons wasn’t the only Democrat who worked on the bills splayed across the president’s desk, but he was the only one in the room, a fact the senator later said wasn’t lost on Trump or his daughter, Ivanka, who was also present. The president then looked over his shoulder at the smiling senator: “We pray together, right? That’s a good step.” The brief exchange highlighted the peculiar niche that Coons has carved out in a Washington riven by partisanship. A bridge builder with Republicans, Coons is known for helping create … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (RNS) — They sat in a circle in a room usually used by high schoolers and talked about the people they loved who no longer recognized them or who had died forgetting the names of family caregivers in their last days. The Alzheimer’s caregiver support group on a campus of Southeast Christian Church started with a devotional lesson referring to Charlie Brown pal Linus’ lack of fear as he told the story of the birth of Jesus. “It’s only through our relationship with Christ that we can have the inner peace that can help us just get through the day,” said a facilitator before the group of 10 bowed their heads for an opening prayer. Her petition acknowledged the challenges of both caring for someone and coping with the “job” being done if that someone had recently died. The monthly caregivers’ gathering at this evangelical megachurch is among the hundreds of support groups held at houses of worship and affiliated with the Alzheimer’s Association. From the nearby … [Read more...]

(RNS) — When a congregant has dementia, what can a house of worship do? Though each person is different and advice varies depending on an individual’s condition, here are some basic do’s and don’ts from experts on how congregations and individuals can help and not hurt. CONGREGATIONS DO’S Visit people in homes, at care facilities Offer respite to caregivers Create support group; connect with local ones Hold a hymn sing; recite traditional prayers Use name tags DON’TS Don’t exclude (make accommodations instead) Don’t offer traditional service in home setting Don’t give weekend sermon at weekday nursing home visit INDIVIDUALS DO’S Treat people with respect Reintroduce yourself Sing; make a playlist of favorite hymns and songs Listen and validate feelings Phone caregivers DON’TS Don’t ask “Do you remember me?” Don’t be condescending (treat like adults, not children) Don’t try to correct (accept their reality) … [Read more...]

RICHLANDTOWN, Pa. (RNS) — The seven women, most in wheelchairs, sat in a semicircle facing stained-glass windows and an altar topped with a cross and a statuette of Jesus holding a lamb. Underneath the draped table was an ark-shaped container brimming with small stuffed animals. “Spirit Alive,” a weekly multisensory worship service for people with mid- to late-stage dementia, was about to begin at a United Church of Christ-affiliated skilled nursing center 50 miles north of Philadelphia. The Rev. Jamie Moyer carried out the day’s theme of creation by leading “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” holding up pictures of colorful flowers and passing out the soft toys, with each woman choosing one to hold. “God looked at you and said, ‘Oh, I created you, Ruth,” she said to one resident, as she held up a mirror to the woman’s face and went around the semicircle to affirm each person. “‘I love you very, very much.’” The 45-minute service, held at each of Phoebe Ministries’ … [Read more...]

(RNS) — A strong faith could be the key to a good night’s sleep, according to a studyreleased this week in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Researchers found that those who believe in salvation and feel they have an unshakable relationship with God tend to sleep longer, fall asleep faster and feel more rested in the morning, according to Terrence D. Hill, associate professor at the University of Arizona School of Sociology. Hill, a co-author of the study, “Sleep Quality and the Stress-Buffering Role of Religious Involvement: A Mediated Moderation Analysis,” said the findings aren’t surprising to him. “If you believe a higher power is out there looking out for you, then what you’re going through now is temporary,” he said. “These worldly experiences are temporary.” Those beliefs, he explained, help one feel less stress by giving a sense of hope and reducing sadness, and therefore sleeping better. “It makes intuitive sense,” said co-author Reed T. … [Read more...]