Free Republic

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said on Sunday that the United States is looking to set an in-person meeting in the “next week or so” after a virtual meeting this past week. The meeting comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled an initial plan for an Israeli delegation to travel to the U.S. to meet with counterparts about the operation in Rafah. “We had a virtual meeting last week. We expect to have an in-person meeting with Israeli counterparts in the next week or so. We’re still narrowing down the schedule,” Kirby said in an interview...

As many churches have now reopened their doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic only a minority of them still view in-person worship services as the church model of the future. A majority see a hybrid model utilizing various online technologies as the new normal according to a new study from Pushpay.In their 2023 State of Church Technology report, Pushpay, the leading payments and engagement solutions provider for faith-based and non-profit sectors, the company said when their researchers asked church leaders what the future of their church will look like in 12 months only 28% of respondents indicated in-person...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - A U.S. District Court judge ruled late Wednesday that Kentucky’s religious schools can hold in-person classes. Danville Christian Academy filed a lawsuit Friday and Attorney General Daniel Cameron and other schools joined it. They claim the mandate shouldn’t apply to them because of their religion. Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove granted Danville Christian Academy’s request for an injunction so the school could continue with in-person learning. In his opinion, the federal judge said that closing religious schools “prevents the corporate nature of religious education which is insinuated with worship, prayer, and mentoring.”

While many churches across the nation plan to hold their Easter services online Sunday, a Louisiana pastor says his church near Baton Rouge is expecting a crowd of 2,000 or more despite federal coronavirus guidance advising social distancing. “Satan and a virus will not stop us,” Rev. Tony Spell told Reuters. “God will shield us from all harm and sickness. We are not afraid. We are called by God to stand against the Antichrist creeping into America’s borders. We will spread the Gospel.” Spell has gained attention in recent days for insisting on holding in-person services as the coronavirus pandemic...