===virginia===
|
The Waynesboro School Board candidate with MAGA views on women, LGBTQ+ It has come to my attention that Dr. Kelvin Washington, who I told you last week was “dramatically overqualified” for a seat on the Waynesboro School Board, seems to think that women are only qualified to submit to their husbands, and that there’s only one accepted kind of romantic and familial union, and LGBTQ+s don’t qualify there. And when I say “seems to think,” I’m being generous. Washington is the founder and lead pastor at New Valley Church in Waynesboro. Impeccable resume – local kid whose teachers told him he wasn’t college material, proved them wrong by earning a BA, master’s and Ph.D. And now he wants to give back to his community. But what does he want to give back? First, on women, needing to be submissive: In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply interchangeable, but rather they complement each other in mutually enriching ways. God ordains that they assume distinctive roles that reflect the loving relationship between Christ and the church, the husband exercising headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife submitting to her husband in a way that models the love of the church for her Lord. In the ministry of the church, both men and women are encouraged to serve Christ and to be developed to their full potential in the manifold ministries of the people of God. (Augusta Free Press 6.23.26)READMORE>>>>>> Staunton clergy call Christian Nationalism a sin On Feb. 9, the Augusta County Voices of Faith posted a letter on Substack signed by 23 ecumenical clergy in Staunton and Augusta County speaking against the rise of Christian Nationalism. Drafted by The Rev. Cara Ellen Modisett, Trinity Episcopal Church, Staunton; Rev. Daniel Hess, Christ Lutheran Church, Staunton; and Rev. Brett Isernhagen, Christ United Methodist Church, Staunton, the letter encourages “the holy work of love” in action as well as in words, the reverends said. "We also hope to inspire more signatories as the letter becomes public." The News Leader reached out to reverends Modisett, Hess and Isernhagen with questions about why they drafted the letter, its purpose, discussions surrounding the letter and what they hope it'll accomplish. You can read the letter in full below. (News Leader; 3.3.26)READMORE>>>>>> Episcopalians ‘protest faithfully’ against authoritarian abuses, bearing Christian witness. In Staunton, Virginia, the Rev. Cara Ellen Modisett, associate rector at Trinity Episcopal Church, said she has felt called to public witness, including protests, because of her belief that the church should be “a welcoming and peaceful and loving presence.” Modisett recently joined an anti-ICE protest almost by accident. She was coming home from an out-of-town trip and spotted the demonstrators in downtown Staunton, a small city about 100 miles northwest of Richmond. She dropped off her things at home, grabbed her clergy collar and went around the corner to join them — to listen, to talk and to just be with them. (ENS; 1.20.26) READMORE>>>>> The real danger of ‘Christian nationalism’ While some religious leaders have rightly criticized Christian nationalism defined as an ideology that seeks to merge Christian and American identities to privilege one specific faith, the term is also understood by some to mean being patriotic as a Christian. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, observed that “Christian nationalism is a confusing term because it can confuse two things that should be distinct: devotion to the nation and devotion to the church.” (The Leaven; 2.19.25)READMORE>>>>>> The Problem with the Evangelical Elite The problem with the evangelical elite is that there isn’t one. All too few evangelical Christians hold senior positions in the culture-shaping domains of American society. Evangelicals don’t run movie studios or serve as editors in chief of major newspapers or as presidents of elite universities. There are no evangelicals on the Supreme Court. There are hardly any leading evangelical academics or artists. There are few evangelicals at commanding heights of finance. The prominent evangelicals in Silicon Valley can be counted on one hand. There are not even many evangelicals leading influential conservative think tanks and publications, despite the fact that evangelicals are one of the largest and most critical voting blocs in the Republican coalition. Two domains are exceptions that prove the rule: politics and business. Many evangelicals have been successful in politics. Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia (and the rare evangelical who held a top position in high finance, as co-CEO of the Carlyle Group), is one; Jim Banks, the junior senator from Indiana, is another. (First Things; 12.12.25)READMORE>>>>> |
March 26, 2024: Washington Examiner reported:Last week, Democrats on Fairfax County‘s board of supervisors voted to designate Easter Sunday as Transgender Visibility Day. The proclamation goes far beyond the supposed intent of making transgender people and gender ideology activists feel seen. Members of the board are also sending a message to Christians that they do not matter as they turn one of their holiest days into a celebration of an ideology that undermines the church’s core convictions. Ironically, Chairman Jeff McKay, a Democrat, paid lip service to the importance of advocating all constituents when the board passed the resolution. He said, “As an elected official, it should be our moral responsibility to stand up for all people that we represent, not just the people we like or the people we agree with.” February 17, 2023: Christian Post reported: Rock Church Pastor John Blanchard agreed to psychosexual assessment to dismiss prostitution case. Despite once expressing no objection to sealing records pertaining to a child sex solicitation charge against Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard, the Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in Virginia now opposes that idea as a special prosecutor considers whether the case should be reopened amid a cloud of controversy.
March 30, 2023: Christianity Today reported: Chris Davis, pastor of Groveton Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, was among those who avoid the topic of the Second Coming, out of embarrassment at the wild speculations and contentious debates that eschatology sometimes inspires. But in a season when hope was running thin, he returned to the theme and discovered afresh how it focuses our hopes and desires upon Jesus. This journey of rediscovery culminated in a new book, Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength for Today.
October 4, 2023: NBC News reported: In Suffolk, Virginia, community members interrupted a school board meeting in August by reciting the Lord’s Prayer to protest a plan meant to make schools welcoming for transgender students.
November 18, 2023: Christian Post reported: A Virginia megachurch is mulling whether it will again engage in ballot collection efforts, also known as ballot harvesting or ballot banking, during the 2024 presidential election after doing it for the 2022 midterms but not for the 2023 election in which every seat of the state legislature was up for grabs. The practice, which gained popularity among Democrats during the 2020 election, involves a person collecting absentee or mail-in ballots from voters to turn them in on their behalf, a legal practice in many states. January 24, 2022: The Virginia state senate voted 29 to 11 (SB8) to allow people to hunt on Sundays on public or private land, so long as it takes place more than 200 yards from a place of worship. |
Senator Bill DeSteph continues Thanksgiving Tradition serving meals with Judeo-Christian Outreach Center
Continuing a tradition now spanning well over a decade, Senator Bill DeSteph again volunteered his time this Thanksgiving to prepare and serve meals for the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC). Due to ongoing construction at JCOC, this year’s Thanksgiving meal service took place at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Virginia Beach. Meal preparation will began at 7:00 AM on Thursday, November 27, at Yiannis Wine & Food, located at 401 N. Great Neck Road. Volunteers assisted with cooking and packaging meals for delivery to Mount Olive Baptist Church between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Senator DeSteph has again organized a full and traditional Thanksgiving menu for the event, ensuring that individuals and families in need can enjoy a warm holiday meal. The same food served at this event is the same food Senator DeSteph prepares for his own family at home—made from the very same recipes. This year’s preparation includesd smoking and providing 50 turkeys, continuing the Senator’s tradition of offering a true, home-style Thanksgiving feast. This annual effort reflects the Senator’s deep commitment to service, gratitude, and supporting the mission of JCOC.
(Shore Daily News 11/29/25) READMORE>>>>
Continuing a tradition now spanning well over a decade, Senator Bill DeSteph again volunteered his time this Thanksgiving to prepare and serve meals for the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC). Due to ongoing construction at JCOC, this year’s Thanksgiving meal service took place at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Virginia Beach. Meal preparation will began at 7:00 AM on Thursday, November 27, at Yiannis Wine & Food, located at 401 N. Great Neck Road. Volunteers assisted with cooking and packaging meals for delivery to Mount Olive Baptist Church between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Senator DeSteph has again organized a full and traditional Thanksgiving menu for the event, ensuring that individuals and families in need can enjoy a warm holiday meal. The same food served at this event is the same food Senator DeSteph prepares for his own family at home—made from the very same recipes. This year’s preparation includesd smoking and providing 50 turkeys, continuing the Senator’s tradition of offering a true, home-style Thanksgiving feast. This annual effort reflects the Senator’s deep commitment to service, gratitude, and supporting the mission of JCOC.
(Shore Daily News 11/29/25) READMORE>>>>
Christian Nationalism Is Rising — Here’s How the Black Church Is Responding
As Christian nationalism enjoys what many describe as a golden age during President Donald Trump’s second term, the Rev. Quardricos Driskell says the Black church faces a defining test of purpose and survival. “The Black church has to, or otherwise the Black church will die,” Driskell told AURN News. “We need to amplify our voices and speak truth to power. Speak truth to power in the streets, speak truth to power via social media and engage the younger generation.” Driskell is the pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the oldest Black congregations in the region. He also lectures at The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. A graduate of Morehouse College, Harvard Divinity School, and The George Washington University, he sees faith and politics as inseparable threads in American life. (Black Chronicle 10/13/25) READMORE>>>>
As Christian nationalism enjoys what many describe as a golden age during President Donald Trump’s second term, the Rev. Quardricos Driskell says the Black church faces a defining test of purpose and survival. “The Black church has to, or otherwise the Black church will die,” Driskell told AURN News. “We need to amplify our voices and speak truth to power. Speak truth to power in the streets, speak truth to power via social media and engage the younger generation.” Driskell is the pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the oldest Black congregations in the region. He also lectures at The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. A graduate of Morehouse College, Harvard Divinity School, and The George Washington University, he sees faith and politics as inseparable threads in American life. (Black Chronicle 10/13/25) READMORE>>>>
Local United Methodists vote to oppose Christian nationalism
The annual gathering of the Holston Conference, the region of the United Methodist Church covering East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and the northwest corner of Georgia, brought passage of a resolution to oppose Christian nationalism and a commitment by the denomination to educate itself on the "societal and spiritual dangers" of the ideology. The conference also moved forward with district realignment and announced clergy appointment changes. "There has been growing concern among both leaders and members, across the United States, about cultural narratives that blur the lines between national identity and Christian faith," the Rev. Tim Jones, director of communications for the conference, said in an email. "While these conversations had been occurring informally for some time, the resolution provided an opportunity for the Holston Conference to name those concerns clearly and to reaffirm the inclusive and global nature of the Gospel." (Chattanooga Times Free Press 7/26/25) READMORE>>>>>
The annual gathering of the Holston Conference, the region of the United Methodist Church covering East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and the northwest corner of Georgia, brought passage of a resolution to oppose Christian nationalism and a commitment by the denomination to educate itself on the "societal and spiritual dangers" of the ideology. The conference also moved forward with district realignment and announced clergy appointment changes. "There has been growing concern among both leaders and members, across the United States, about cultural narratives that blur the lines between national identity and Christian faith," the Rev. Tim Jones, director of communications for the conference, said in an email. "While these conversations had been occurring informally for some time, the resolution provided an opportunity for the Holston Conference to name those concerns clearly and to reaffirm the inclusive and global nature of the Gospel." (Chattanooga Times Free Press 7/26/25) READMORE>>>>>