In today’s News:
Concordia St. Louis begins 182nd year on Aug. 28
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis will begin its 182nd year with an opening service at 10 a.m. CDT Aug. 28 in the Chapel of St. Timothy And St. Titus. Due to social distancing measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic, in-person attendance will be limited to service participants; new students, their spouses and children; faculty and staff members who are being installed or ordained; and deans, department chairs and program directors. The service will be available for all to watch via livestream at csl.edu/live. Vicarage and internship assignments also will be announced for pastoral and deaconess Students In The Specific Ministry Pastor program, Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology program, Center for Hispanic Studies program and the Cross-Cultural Ministry Center.
Parishioners threatened with jail
California’s Harvest Rock Church received a letter from the city of Pasadena’s chief assistant city prosecutor threatening daily criminal charges unless in-person worship services cease. The letter from the Pasadena prosecutor states, “Each day in violation is a separate violation and carries with it punishment up to one year in jail and a fine for each violation…. Your compliance with these orders is not discretionary, it is mandatory. Any violations in the future will subject your church, owners, administrators, operators, staff and parishioners to the above-mentioned criminal penalties as well as the potential closures of your church.” Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry Against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s covid-19 orders.
Puberty blockers cause sterility
Consent documents from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles that were made public this week reveal that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones used on gender dysphoric children do in fact cause sterility, contrary to repeated assertions made by some California Democratic lawmakers. Democrats in the California State Senate have in recent days dismissed those who’ve warned that a bill under consideration would fund the sterilization of physically healthy minors. They assert that such concerns raised by constituents amount to “fear-mongering. The informed consent documents from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles — which has one of the largest transgender centers in the country — obtained by the California Family Council, reveal that the hospital has also warned patients and parental guardians that the drugs do indeed yield infertility in those who undergo the experimental procedures.
Library paints over children’s display
The town of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, has painted over a Biblical display on a library playground following a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist group. Stevens Memorial Library had featured at its playground a turning picture game of NOAH’S Ark, which FFRF said violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Madeline Ziegler, a staff attorney at FFRF, sent a letter to Terri Antsiss, director of the library, on July 22 on behalf of a “concerned community member.”
