(RNS) — An ecumenical group of clergy, scientists and other experts has released a guide to help congregations consider best practices for reopening for worship.

Among their suggestions:

Refrain from congregational singing. Clap or stomp instead.

Preachers, shorten your sermon.

Congregants, mouth your response during Communion instead of speaking.

Pass the peace to other worshippers with a gentle nod or a reverent bow, but no physical contact.

The 36-page document notes that church leaders will make different decisions depending on the recommendations of denominational and health officials.

“Christians will refrain from judging the witness of others as long as others are not endangering the common good,” it states.

“Resuming Care-filled Worship and Sacramental Life During a Pandemic” includes links to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to guidelines issued by regional denominational groups as they respond to the CDC’s recommendations.

The guide urges worshippers not to dwell on limitations during the pandemic. Instead, it suggests that they focus on creative approaches to worship. 

“As states ‘re-open,’ how will we resume worship gatherings in person while the pandemic is still with us?” the document asks in its introduction. “A care-filled response to that challenge is much more than unlocking the church doors and…

(RNS) — In a speech offered in lieu of his address at the denomination’s canceled annual meeting, Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear called for members of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination to declare that “black lives matter.” 

“We realize that, especially in a moment like this one, we need our brothers and sisters of color,” Greear said Tuesday (June 9) about how the leadership of the denomination lacks diversity. “We know that many in our country, particularly our brothers and sisters of color right now, are hurting.

“Southern Baptists, we need to say it clearly: As a gospel issue, black lives matter. Of course, black lives matter. Our black brothers and sisters are made in the image of God.”

While he used the phrase “black lives matter,” which has become a widespread motto of civil rights since the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida eight years ago, Greear noted in his speech that he is not aligned with Black Lives Matter, the organization founded in 2013. 

Greear, who is pastor of The Summit Church, a megachurch in Durham, North Carolina, was also careful to point out that he disagrees with some of that organization’s agenda.

“I think saying bold things like ‘defund the police’ is unhelpful, and deeply disrespectful to many public servants who bravely put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect us,” he…

The pastor of one of the nation’s largest churches told CNN Friday that Americans must start listening to one another and see others as image bearers of God in order to heal the current divide.

Miles McPherson, the pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, said the “us-versus-them culture” impedes unity and progress. McPherson made the comments on Anderson Cooper 360 amid nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.

“Everybody’s trying to get their way. And you’re forced to pick a side – you’re either for or against the police, for or against blacks or whites, [but] the third option is that we honor what we have in common,” McPherson said. “We have more similarities than differences, and if we were to focus on that – all of us are on a journey. We all bleed red … [and] we all want to get along and have peace. And so we’ve got to take steps to bridge that gap.”

One strategy toward unity, he said, is to “acknowledge that we have blind spots.”

“A blind spot is you not knowing what you don’t know,” he said. “There are a lot of times we don’t even know when we’re offending somebody. … When you say ‘I don’t see color,’ [you may be] trying to build a bridge but in fact the person of color just feels like you invalidated everything that they are. And when you say you don’t see color, you’re telling someone you don’t…

Over the weekend, Christians in Cary, NC, gathered together to wash the feet of black protestors and faith leaders.

“We really need to have action now, not just prayer,” said Shara Chalmers of Love Wins Ministry. “It was an incredible movement of unity and there was such a presence of Jesus.”

Shara and her husband Daniel are traveling preachers with Love Wins Ministry who were in Ashville when George Floyd was killed. According to CBN, she received a vision from God that sparked the idea to offer foot washing.

“I was distraught and kept having visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the unity walk that he did, linking arms, brother to brother as they sang in the streets of Washington, DC, ‘We Shall Overcome,’” she said.

“The Lord said, ‘I want a unity walk but I want you to call Dr. Faith Wokoma,” she also said.

At Legacy Center Church with her husband Pastor Soboma Wokoma, Dr. Faith Wokoma was already working on an event to promote racial reconciliation.

“The Lord put on my husband and my heart to serve her vision,” Shara said.

While protestors peacefully marched alongside the foot washing, they sang “We Shall Overcome” and “Amazing Grace.” Joining the protestors were police chiefs from the towns of Morrisville, Apex, and Cary, as well as Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht.

“Two Christian police chiefs wanted to be part of the foot washing and Dr….

HYDERABAD, India, June 8, 2020 (Morning Star News) – Police in Jharkhand, India refused to register a complaint about an attack that sent Christians to the hospital, while officers in another area falsely accused the victims’ relatives in an assault that left a woman unconscious, sources said.

A mob of about 400 animists of the tribal Sarna religion tore down parts of a church building under construction in Budhakaman village, West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand state, on May 10 and attacked Christians at the site, according to Suman Sinku, wife of the church pastor.

“They abused the Christians present there in extremely derogatory language,” Sinku told Morning Star News. “They held Suraj Chatomba and punched his jaws and back. The assailants then knocked another Christian, Muni Chatomba, to the ground and kicked her on her face and upper body.”

Another Christian woman, Bijayanthi Chatomba, ran over to rescue her but was struck in the nose with enough force for it to bleed, Sinku said.

“The mob forcefully held a female Christian, stripped off her clothes including her inner garments, leaving her half-naked, and continued punching her face,” Sinku told Morning Star News. “They thumped Shiromani Chatomba’s chest.”

Christians phoned police about the attack, which began shortly after 11 a.m., and officers showed up at about 2:30 p.m. and dispersed the mob, she…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a trial beginning this week on felony corruption charges.

According to the New York Times, Netanyahu is charged with bribery, breach of trust and fraud. He is accused of giving favors to wealthy businessmen in exchange for gifts such as cigars and Champagne and favorable coverage in some news outlets.

Netanyahu has said he is innocent.

The trial is expected to last about a year or longer, but if convicted, Netanyahu could face years in prison. Also, Netanyahu would have to resign his role.

Netanyahu is one of the few sitting national leaders who have stayed in their top role and faced trial. Historically, national leaders accused of such crimes have resigned.

“It’s a sign of strength,” Sima Kadmon, a political columnist at daily newspaper Yediot Ahronot, said in an interview. “In spite of everything, Benjamin Netanyahu is going on trial today.”

Meanwhile, others say the trial is a distraction from larger issues.

“It’s going to haunt the system,” said Prof. Shlomo Avineri, a political scientist at Hebrew University. “This is not what public discourse should be about. And this is going to continue for some time.”

Netanyahu has called the charges a “witch hunt” against him brought on by his political opponents.

On Sunday, he said the case was “an attempt to thwart the will of the people an attempt to bring me and the right down.

“They…