Greg Garrison
Greg Garrison is an author at Religion News Service.
All Stories by Greg Garrison
A Year Later, Burned Alabama Churches Rise From the Ashes
By Greg Garrison — January 25, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ It has been nearly a year since nine Alabama churches were set on fire by three Birmingham college students, but a lot of rebuilding remains to be done. By late 2007, those nine churches expect to be restored or have larger, more modern facilities. “It’s been a […]
As a White Church Dies Off, a Black Church Gets a `New Beginning’
By Greg Garrison — December 30, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Midfield First Baptist Church, which had dwindled to about 40 mostly elderly, white worshippers, recently held its last service in the church building it had called home for nearly 50 years. A week later, it handed over the keys _ and its $1.8 million property _ to […]
Churches Balance Corporate, Spiritual Bottom Lines
By Greg Garrison — November 7, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Generating as much as $25 million a year through 105 ministries, Briarwood Presbyterian Church touches the world like a multinational corporation. “Fifty cents of every dollar goes outside the church _ whether it’s Campus Outreach or Bangladesh,” said Bruce Stallings, Briarwood’s executive pastor. “We are able to […]
Pastors Seek Help for Filling CEO Responsibilities
By Greg Garrison — November 7, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ New Hope Baptist Church Pastor Gregory Clarke sometimes feels like the CEO of a major corporation _ or more than one. “I’m president of three corporations, superintendent of the school and pastor of the church,” Clarke said. Make that two campuses, with a combined membership of 3,000 […]
Cop Patrols the Streets and Then Preaches From the Pulpit
By Greg Garrison — October 24, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Police Officer Marvin Anthony Neal patrols the streets of Birmingham on most mornings, but on Sundays he patrols the pulpit at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Alabaster. Neal became pastor in August but works as a patrol officer on the 11 p.m.-7 a.m. shift in the city’s […]
Worshipping the King? Elvis Has Devotees All Shook Up
By Greg Garrison — August 22, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Elvis impersonator Rob Langford, sweating through his white jumpsuit, got all shook up singing Elvis Presley hits such as “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Love Me Tender.” Nearby, author Gregory L. Reece signed copies of his book, “Elvis Religion: The Cult of the King,” at a coffeehouse on […]
Catholic Cable Channel Turns 25 as Founder Ails
By Greg Garrison — August 15, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ More than 5,000 people turned out at an arena here on Saturday (Aug. 12) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EWTN, the global Catholic satellite TV network started in Alabama by an energetic nun. Mother Angelica, 83, who founded EWTN in the garage of her Irondale monastery […]
Catholic Cable Channel Turns 25 as Founder Ails
By Greg Garrison — August 15, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ More than 5,000 people turned out at an arena here on Saturday (Aug. 12) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EWTN, the global Catholic satellite TV network started in Alabama by an energetic nun. Mother Angelica, 83, who founded EWTN in the garage of her Irondale monastery […]
At 28, Young Pastor Has Five Degrees and a 4,300-Member Flock
By Greg Garrison — August 8, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ The new senior pastor of the 4,300-member Church at Brook Hills here recently turned 28, so maybe the jokes about him being so young will stop. Or maybe not. Even the clerk at Wal-Mart didn’t believe he was buying props for his sermon; she thought he must […]
Presbyterians Unveil New Language for Trinity
By Greg Garrison — June 21, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ For some Presbyterian churches, the phrase “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” may soon give way to alternatives such as “Compassionate mother, beloved child and lifegiving womb.” The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly on Monday (June 19) accepted a report that encourages _ but does not mandate _ […]
Presbyterians Kick Off General Assembly in Birmingham
By Greg Garrison — June 16, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Thousands of Presbyterians converged on Birmingham Thursday (June 15) to kick off an eight-day General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). It will be a series of business sessions and worship services for the nation’s largest Presbyterian body, which has 2.4 million adult members and 3.1 million […]
Presbyterians to Consider Divestment, Gay Clergy Rules
By Greg Garrison — June 9, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Several tense issues are boiling to the surface for the Presbyterian Church (USA) as the denomination prepares for its General Assembly, set for June 15-22 here. The nation’s largest Presbyterian body has lost 1.8 million members since 1965. The Louisville, Ky.-based denomination recently announced a loss of […]
A Church With Inflatable Domes _ Seven, Actually _ Rises in Alabama
By Greg Garrison — May 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ This city may not have the downtown sports dome that has been proposed for years, but domes keep rising at Faith Chapel Christian Center. After building a $15 million, 3,000-seat sanctuary under a dome in 2000, Faith Chapel inflated the roof this week (May 16) on another […]
Christmas Recording, TV Appearance for MercyMe
By Greg Garrison — December 3, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The group MercyMe has an especially busy Christmas season planned. The band has a new album, “The Christmas Sessions,” and will appear on ABC’s Disney Christmas special on Dec. 25. The show was taped last month. A Christmas tour is taking the band to 21 cities _ including Washington; […]
Point of Grace Promotes `Classy, not Trashy’ Attire
By Greg Garrison — October 29, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Teenage girls _ and their mothers _ tend to get very excited about Point of Grace, a fixture on America’s Christian music scene for 15 years. The four female singers hope to translate that excitement over their music into lessons about chastity and modesty. Across the country, they are […]
