# Religion

California Senate Opens With Hindu Prayer for First Time

The California State Senate heard its first Hindu opening prayer in its 157 years history, following in the footsteps of Nevada, when famous Hindu chaplain, Rajan Zed, recited ancient Sanskrit mantras in the hall last week.

# Religion

Little Boy and Prayer Group Help Heal Deacon's Broken Neck?

"George Bell was faced with the possibility of being paralyzed for the rest of his life after falling from a deck. But, Bell, a deacon at a Lockport, NY Methodist Church, shows no signs today of the broken neck he was diagnosed with July 9 at Erie County Medical Center."

# Religion

Summer Vacation for Kids Includes Helping Neediest Communities in Dallas

As most teenagers spent their summer break at the beach, pool or working at summer jobs, some 240 junior high and high school-age kids were hard at work on a one week-long community service project to spruce up homes and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas with "World Changers," an initiative for youth of the Southern Baptist Convention.

# Religion

Swedish Lutheran Church Celebrates 50 Years of Women Priests

The (Lutheran) Church of Sweden is about to mark the 50th anniversary of its decision in 1958 to ordain women as priests, and cathedrals in all of the church's 13 dioceses are to hold services to celebrate the anniversary.

# Religion

Bible Now One of Many Holy Books in Hotel Drawers

A new trend for smaller hotels: Offering a spiritual menu of holy texts -- instead of only the bible -- for guests from different cultures and religious backgrounds.

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Pastoral Minister Has Led Prayer Services for Inmates for 20 Years

"She's the Mother Teresa of the King County Jail, holding prayer services three times a week for 20 years, taking a bus from her tiny home to the downtown jail, and personally visiting with 35,000 individual inmates."

# Religion

Big Vatican Christmas Tree to Be Recycled Into Toys for Needy

The largest Christmas tree ever to be placed in St Peter's Square in Rome was lit on Saturday and Vatican officials said all the wood from the 120-year-old tree will be recycled to make toys for needy children and garden furniture such as benches for schools. The decision to recycle the wood from the tree was the Vatican's latest effort to go green.

# Religion

Clerics Join Tutu in Fasting for 'Suffering People of Zimbabwe'

Two clerics have joined Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, fasting in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, who face a collapsing economy and political order amid reports of a possible military coup.