A gathering of church members for celebratory, social, or charitable purposes, church socials in America have remained popular—while becoming more varied and elaborate—throughout the past two centuries. Church socials in America are...

The governance of the Christian churches has assumed a variety of forms based on historical factors as well as on theological positions regarding the origin or root of ministerial functions. In a descending degree of local autonomy, these forms are...

Church leaders on Sunday told more than 3,000 residents, volunteers and disaster workers gathered in this tornado-ravaged community they should not fear the future because God was with them.The non-denominational service marked the first time the congregations have worshipped in Greensburg since a May 4...

With hugs and cheers Sunday, members of Atlanta's oldest Lutheran church celebrated the pastor at the center of a battle over the treatment of gay clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.The support for the Rev. Bradley Schmeling at St. John's Lutheran Church came...

The Rev. Hamilton Coe Throckmorton shivered with anticipation as he gazed at the loot — wads of $50 bills piled high beside boxes of crayons in a Sunday school classroom.Cautiously, he locked the door. Then he started counting.It was a balmy Friday evening in September....

It was a shocking moment for members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester, N.H.: One of their congregants was accused of sexually abusing an underage relative.Church leaders gave the man one chance to remain. He had to sign an agreement to stay away from...