St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Chicago’s oldest African American Catholic parish, marked its 130th anniversary with a series of events that began Nov. 4.

First Baptist Church, 935 E. 50th St., known as the oldest Baptist Church in the city of Chicago, celebrates its 178th Anniversary on Oct.16. The theme: “For the Glory of God, by God’s Power and Do it God’s Way.” Rev. David Watkins and members of Greater Bethesda Church choir will lead the service, which begins at 4 p.m.

ATLANTA (AP) — Bishop Eddie Long says he's moving ahead with his ministry at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and won't discuss allegations of sexual misconduct made by four young men who were members of his congregation.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Black Catholic Deacons of the Archdiocese of Chicago will conduct back-to-school sunrise prayer services on Lake Michigan beaches Saturday.

Since her husband was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, more is known about the disease, but more African Americans are dying from it, Cookie Johnson told a gathering of first ladies from Chicagoland churches.

Chicago unites with Alabama was a huge success recently when Pastor Deandre Patterson and Donald Buster Woods spearheaded a gospel concert to raise funds to help college students and victims of the state hit hard by killer tornados.

Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church is celebrating its 125th birthday.

There is a new plan to rebuild Chicago's historic, fire-damaged Pilgrim Baptist Church.

The on-again, off-again reconstruction of a landmark Chicago church known as the birthplace of gospel music is on again.

Congrats to Chicago’s VaShawn Mitchell, who was recently added as opening act for Bebe and Cece Winans and Mary Mary’s tour. Mitchell performed his latest track, Nobody Greater, which is burning up the charts and airwaves to a standing room crowd at the Chicago Theater earlier this month when the tour came to Chicago. Meanwhile, Cece Winans has once again teamed up with Donald Lawrence to promote church choirs across the country for the How Sweet the Sound Gospel Celebration.

Several schools from the Archdiocesan Catholic schools participated Friday in the 33rd Annual African American Heritage Month Mass at Holy Name Cathedral.

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that he considers Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi a friend and won't distance himself from him despite the deadly crackdown on protestors in the turbulent North Africa country.

During the first national meeting of the newly formed Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC), bishops, pastors, and lay leaders began rolling out the strategic plans for improving the lives of African Americans and underserved communities.

Fred Hammond personifies praise and worship. The former founding member of the legendary contemporary quartet, Commissioned, is a household name when it comes to gospel music.

The Soul Children of Chicago is not your typical sunshine youth choir. The lively group of 7- to 17-year-olds offers stirring lyrics, boasts powerhouse singers and is known around the globe.

The Church of God in Christ is holding its first convention outside of its hometown of Memphis in more than 100 years.

Thousands of mourners filled the sanctuaries and designated overflow rooms of the Apostolic Church of God Thursday and Friday to say their final goodbyes to Bishop Arthur M. Brazier. The esteemed preacher, civil rights activist and community warrior died Oct. 22 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital following a five-year battle with prostate cancer.

The pastor of one of Birmingham's largest black churches has resigned.

A source close to the family of Bishop Arthur M. Brazier said that when President Barack Obama recently contacted the bishop while he was on his sick bed, Obama cried.

Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, pastor emeritus of Apostolic Church of God and longtime civil rights activist, will lie in repose Thursday from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the church, with a service for the congregation to follow at 7 p.m.

Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, pastor emeritus of Apostolic Church of God died Friday at an undisclosed hospital. He was 89.

The Queen of Gospel, Albertina Walker, personified elegance, grace and gospel music. She took her last bow and now sings in the heavenly choir. Fortunately, during my broadcast career, I was privileged to have many opportunities to interview her over the past 20 years. When most entertainers of such an iconic level are known to be standoffish, many can attest to her humility and down to earth nature. She always made herself accessible.

Gospel legend Albertina Walker died Friday from respiratory complications. She was 81.

The Greater First Church Chorale offered a winning sound during the How Sweet the Sound gospel choir competition sponsored by Verizon Wireless. The East Chicago, Ind. choir not only walked away from the event, held Sept. 27, with the title of best choir in Chicago, the dynamic singing group also took home $16,000.

President Barack Obama, in a rare discussion about his religious beliefs, described himself on Tuesday as a "Christian by choice" who arrived at his faith in adulthood because "the precepts of Jesus Christ" helped him envision the kind of life he wanted to lead.

When you talk to the senior pastor of New Life Covenant Oakwood Church, it is clear to see that John Hannah has a heart for God.

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Thursday an Islamic community center and mosque planned near ground zero should be built because Muslims were among those of many faiths who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

More than 10,000 men attended what was billed as a "pep rally for God" in Fort Worth.

The convention of the country's largest black denomination will get under way next month in downtown Kansas City.

At a Tuesday breakfast meeting sponsored by Chicago Public Schools, Black ministers collectively said the church must play a greater role in helping youth stay off the streets.

The Rev. Dr. Teresa Snorton has been elected the first female bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church. Snorton was one among elected bishop during the congregation’s thirty-sixth quadrennial session and thirty-seventh General Conference, which convened in Mobile, Ala. early this month, it has been announced.

Gospel legend Edwin Hawkins was in Chicago recently, hosting the 29th Annual Edwin and Walter Hawkins Music and Arts Love Fellowship Conference.

ROME – Twenty-first century laser technology has opened a window into the early days of the Catholic Church, guiding researchers through the dank, musty catacombs beneath Rome to a startling find: the first known icons of the apostles Peter and Paul.

Mark Hubbard and the United Voices of Christ Choir performed with Byron Cage at the city’s Gospel Music Festival held earlier this month. The Stellar Award-winning choir not only sings alongside gospel recording artists, but they lend their talents to secular artists as well. Defender/Worsom Robinson

by Effie Rolfe Chicago’s local artists are heating things up in the gospel world. Kudos to Chicago’s Brown Sisters whose Awesome God video was produced by the siblings in Chicago earlier this year.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI hailed priests on Sunday as gifts to the world for their generous and courageous work, in a speech that didn’t mention the clergy sex abuse scandal.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says that Americans are praying for the people of the Gulf as they deal with the catastrophic oil spill.

The Memorial Day weekend event marked another historic moment at the church, affectionately known as The Ship, when the founder, Rev. Clay Evans, passed the torch to continue recording to the current pastor, Rev Charles Jenkins.

Call Him Up, Perfect Peace, With My Whole Heart and I Feel Like Going On - which was featured in the movie The Five Heartbeats - were songs that kept legendary artist Keith Pringle on the map.

The city is all set to begin its annual summer festival events. Kicking off the series of free entertainment that covers different music genres will be the Gospel Music Festival June 5 and 6 in Millennium Park downtown.

Kingdom Records’ Shekinah Glory Ministry is celebrating their 10th year as a praise and worship ensemble with a new, and as yet untitled, live CD/DVD.

NEW YORK – The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor, said in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that he is “toxic” to the Obama administration and that the president “threw me under the bus.”

Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, James Fortune, Evelyn Turrentine Agee, Ernest Pugh and The Brown Boys are just a few of the country's most recognized gospel recording artists. Kerry Douglas of Black Smoke Music in Houston is the mastermind behind these artists’ success. Black Smoke Music is small but big on having artists in the Billboard Top 10.

LISBON, Portugal - In his most thorough admission of the church’s guilt in the clerical sex abuse scandal, Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday the greatest persecution of the institution “is born from the sins within the church,” and not from a campaign by outsiders.

ALEIGH, N.C. — Nine justices, no Protestants.

Erica and Tina Campbell, the Grammy Award-winning popular sister duo known as Mary Mary just released their debut book entitled Be U: Be Honest, Be Beautiful, Be Intentional, Be Strong, Be You!

Much of the recent scrutiny of the Roman Catholic Church’s response to clergy sexual abuse has focused on whether the Vatican - and the man who is now pope - acted quickly enough to kick perpetrators out of the priesthood.

In this image released by the White House, President Barack Obama meets with Billy Graham, 91, at his mountainside home in Montreat, N.C., Sunday. Obama concluded his North Carolina vacation with his first meeting of the ailing evangelist, who has counseled commanders in chief since Dwight Eisenhower. AP/The White House, Pete Souza

Verity Gospel recording artist John P. Kee is on a mission.

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court seemed to split sharply Monday on whether a law school can deny recognition to a Christian student group that won’t let gays join, a case that could determine whether nondiscrimination policies trump the rights of private organizations to determine who can - and cannot - belong.

Rev. T.L. Barrett Jr. and Bishop Larry D. Trotter

Karen Clark Sheard

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican heatedly defended Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, claiming accusations that he helped cover up the actions of pedophile priests are part of an anti-Catholic “hate” campaign targeting the pope for his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

Grammy, Stellar and Dove Awards are among the plethora of industry accolades Pastor Smokie Norful has garnered during his impressive musical journal.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his family marked the Easter holiday by attending a music-filled service at a historically black Methodist church in southeast Washington, an area that was rocked by violence last week.

VATICAN CITY – Dragged deeper than ever into the clerical sex abuse scandal, the Vatican is launching a legal defense that it hopes will shield the pope from a lawsuit in Kentucky seeking to have him answer attorneys’ questions under oath.

Stellar Award winner and Verity Gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp was in town last week to celebrate his brand new release entitled “Here I Am.” The powerful single has become a favorite and has quickly spiraled to the top of the gospel charts.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said Wednesday that a hateful climate is being created in the U.S. that may encourage an assassination of President Barack Obama.

Gospel’s living legend Dr. Albertina Walker turns 81 this year and she has achieved numerous awards including Grammy and Stellar Awards.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Religious groups from around the globe pledged Tuesday to prevent the stigmatization of people living with HIV and AIDS, in a joint statement welcomed by a senior U.N. official as a sea change in attitudes.

A national advocacy group says Pope Benedict XVI’s apology on sexual abuse by clergy doesn’t go far enough.

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican has denied that its celibacy requirement for priests was the root cause of the clerical sex abuse scandal convulsing the church and again defended the pope’s handling of the crisis.

A South Side pastor is on a vigorous campaign to support the proposed ban of blunt wraps in the state.

Eleven-time Grammy Award-winning Pastor Shirley Caesar whirled through town on a promotional tour of her latest CD entitled A City Called Heaven.

An alliance of African American Baptist organizations representing 40,000 church congregations nationwide recently announced plans for a $50 million project to rebuild Haiti and aid survivors of the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Wanna’ know the key component for success? Kimberly Ray, senior pastor of Church on The Rock in south suburban Matteson believes the secret ingredient is the power of prayer.

After years of planning, gospel museum may have a home on the South Side.

Farrakhan offers salient advice for nation's first Black president, attacks 'white right' who push for one-term Obama

JERUSALEM - An Israeli archaeologist said Monday that ancient fortifications recently excavated in Jerusalem date back 3,000 years to the time of King Solomon and support the biblical narrative about the era.

After more than seven decades, gospel legend, Inez Andrews, is still making history. Her soprano voice of steel can still call “Mary” like no other. Andrews penned the classic tune, Oh, Mary Don’t Weep, which was originally recorded with the world renowned Caravans in the 60s. Since then, the song has been recorded by multiple artists including the No. 1 gospel selling album of all time by Aretha Franklin, as well as by Rev James Cleveland.

Felicia Campbell, former record executive and radio personality, has changed lanes and is now helping to pave the way for Internet radio. Last Easter, Campbell launched Conscious Internet Radio “Music, Ministry and More” which is a 24-hour radio station. With the Internet being so routine for people to access information and entertainment, the move seemed perfect.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said Wednesday it never discriminated against a Black employee and argued her lawsuit should be dismissed because it would mark interference in the internal workings of a religious organization.