Christmas

Think again if you thought Christmas, and the coming of the Prince of Peace, would be reason to put partisan politics on hold in Washington. The exact opposite appears to be true.

President Obama began a string of Christmas-themed attacks, calling Senate and House Republicans “Grinches” last weekend for holding up tax cuts for the middle class.

House Republicans retaliated on the Internet with a YouTube video featuring not one but four Santas highlighting their efforts to pass bipartisan measures and attacking Democrats’ inability to pass legislation. The video ends with Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Santa's naughty list. more >>

The Advent season is about preparing for the birth of Christ. But for many churches, it’s also about drawing newcomers.

Churches often see attendance increase at worship services for the four weeks of Advent and Christmas, but new attendees don’t always stick around. This year, like always, churches are using new initiatives to court the "Chreasters" – people who only show up at church on Christmas and Easter.

Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C., is preparing for a four-day worship blow-out to attract newcomers this year. They are hosting worship sites at 30 different locations around Charlotte starting on Dec. 21, and going through Christmas Eve. more >>

Five Monmouth College students were accused of stealing items from a Nativity scene displayed at the Public Square in Monmouth, Ill.

Those arrested and charged with theft included Cathryn Sargent, Korri Crawford, Brittany Smallberger, Emily Triebel, and Samantha Bundy, all of whom were Illinois residents. The women were discovered at a local gas station in the city shortly after the Monmouth Police Department officers began their search for the suspects.

The investigation started on Thursday when authorities had noticed that several of the Nativity scene lawn ornaments in the downtown area were missing, with a few items knocked over as well. more >>

GOP presidential hopeful and Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Sunday he would push a constitutional amendment to allow prayer in public schools.

“I would support a constitutional amendment that allows our children to pray in school anytime they would like,” said Perry during a Sunday appearance on Fox News.

Many see the issue not so much in terms of children being “allowed” to pray, but rather being “required” to pray. more >>

North Korea has threatened “unexpected consequences” for South Korea if it does not stop plans for the construction of giant lighted Christmas trees near the two countries' contentious border.

Seoul granted permission to a church group to erect a 100-foot-tall, tree-shaped structure on the top of Aegibong Hill – two miles from the North Korean border. When illuminated by hundreds of tiny light bulbs, the structure is said to be easily visible from the North Korean city of Kaesong.

South Korea said it would consider allowing more groups to build structures along the border. more >>

Reaching out to neighbors with acts of kindness was one thing, but finding neighbors to serve was another for Saddleback Church members John and Laura Cipres.

When Pastor Rick Warren of the megachurch in Orange County, Calif., announced a few weeks ago that all worship services during the second weekend in December would be cancelled so that the congregation could participate in volunteer opportunities throughout Southern California, the couple was faced with a bit of a dilemma.

Warren's plan to mobilize its base of 5,000 small study groups, and at least a majority of its 20,000 members sounded good to the Cipreses, but they really didn’t have any neighbors to offer their services to. Their home is located across from a Catholic school parking lot and next to them live residents of the Catholic school and its community, all busy with their own church activities. more >>