CHARLESTON, S.C. – Deona Smith opened her remarks at the preview for the Emanuel Nine Memorial by saying the names of the nine people killed 11 years ago at Mother Emanuel AME Church. Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney. Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd. Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton. Rev. Daniel L. Simmons. Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor. Tywanza Sanders. Myra

As Black churches grapple with declining participation, the rise of artificial intelligence, and continuing debates over leadership and inclusion, one of the nation’s most influential gatherings of Black clergy is betting that the future of ministry will require both tradition and change. The 2026 Hampton University Ministers Conference brought

I’ve been there: when the anguish of life is so heavy that you can’t even speak…even to God. Yet, not praying hardly seems to be the right thing to do in those times. So, here are some things to do when you’re struggling so much that you can’t even pray. * Decide if it’s a sin issue that keeps you from praying. If your

Most churches are overexposed. Even the ones with clean books and a strong trustee board. I recently sat with a pastor and his senior deacon: good people, thoughtful, trying to do right by everyone. The pastor had inherited an agreement: provide retirement payments to the former pastor. And to his credit, he honored it. For 10 years. Then we met. In a

This story was first published on Jan. 24, 1997. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As soon as Virginia walks through the door of the old building renovated for a special church group, she is greeting everyone in the room. “Good morning. God bless you. I love you,” she says more than a dozen times on Sunday mornings. Earnest is quick to lend his Bible

In Black church tradition, women and hats have long stood at the intersection of faith, culture and dignity. What may appear to outsiders as fashion is, for many, an act of reverence — a visible expression of inward devotion shaped by scripture, history and lived experience. The most-often cited biblical passage comes from 1 Corinthians 11, which

I am a survivor of intimate partner violence. I don’t remember the hitting, likely due to a protective habit of leaving a blank space in my memory where a traumatic event occurred. My mind can’t conjure up images of a closed fist, about to strike. I do, however, remember the physical and emotional pain. I remember being very afraid and feeling

The "pioneers" and elders from the mosque pose with the marker. DURHAM – Last weekend, North Carolina’s first mosque was honored with a state historical marker. Since 1956, the Ar-Razzaq Islamic Center has served as a hub of education, worship and outreach for Muslims statewide. Members of the masjid gathered for the ceremony on Chapel Hill