NorCalUrban

Boston Globe reports today the recent Pew study on  how  More Americans are Changing Religious Denominations. The report states: A sweeping new study of religious affiliation in the United States finds a country in which Protestants are becoming a minority, Catholicism is becoming heavily Hispanic, and the number of people who say they are not affiliated with any religion is growing. The study, which is the most comprehensive such examination in at least a half century, finds the United States to be in a period of unprecedented religious fluidity, in which 44 percent of American adults have left the denomination of their childhood for another denomination, another faith, or no faith at all. "Americans are not only changing jobs, changing locations, changing spouses, but they're also changing religions on a regular basis,'' said Luis E. Lugo, the director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, which conducted the study. "We have nearly half the American pub...

Played golf with my normal crew this morning at Palo Alto Muni. My Friday morning partners are a bunch of retired guys and a couple of pastors who have welcomed me into their normal group. It's good to be the youngest! They really are a great group of men. I feel honored to be with them One man is 82 years old and is still walking 18 holes! I can't complain about my sore feet when I'm with them. I shot a horrible 53 on the front nine then parred 4 holes in a row to shoot 43 on the back ending with a score of 96. Not great, but getting better! My handicap is now 24.3, down from around plus 30 6 months ago. The Yankees are in town this weekend playing the Giants. I like both teams, but I'm a Yankee fan at heart. The Giants are my National League team. It's the first time the Yankees have played in San Francisco. I couldn't get tickets - but I'm watching it on TV. This week is our yearly Church of God in Christ California Northwest Holy Convocation. This year...

Bishop Patterson has a MySpace page... whoddathunk? I guess it says something about the man. Whomever put the page together did a good job. They posted some of his messages on video from youtube. Good stuff. Being a new 'elder' in the COGIC world, I'm still becoming familiar with some of our leaders. Bishop Patterson was a great preacher - and I'm not one to say that often. I particularly like the message he did on a communion Sunday. There is so much wealth and history in COGIC. Great preachers, great music. I still feel blessed to be part of this great church. Please pray for our denomination. With Bishop Patterson dying there will be a whole process to decide on the new presiding Bishop. Some say our local Bishop Hamilton is a viable candidate. Either way - this is a critical time for the Church of God in Christ.

Sad News... Leader of Church of God in Christ Dies MEMPHIS, Tenn. - G.E. Patterson, the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ and a minister for almost 50 years, died of heart failure Tuesday, the church announced. He was 67. More about the Church of God in Christ here.