First Lutheran Church invites children to Shipwrecked VBS: Rescued by Jesus

A summer kids’ event called Shipwrecked VBS will be offered from June 5 through June 8 at First Lutheran Church. At Shipwrecked, kids discover that Jesus rescues them! Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and devour yummy treats and experience one-of-a-kind Bible adventures. Kids will also learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings. Each day concludes with the Sail Away Sendoff that gets everyone involved in living what they’ve learned. Family members and friends are encouraged to join in daily for this special time at 11 a.m.

Shipwrecked is for kids from age 4 through sixth grade and will run from 8-11:15 a.m. each day. For more information, call 507-532-2429.

Quilt auction is June 25 at Shetek

The 32nd annual quilt auction is at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Shetek Lutheran Ministries Activity Center. SLM is located 8 miles north of Slayton on Highway 19, then 2 miles east on Valhalla Road. The quilt preview is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, June 22, and from 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday, June 23. A $2 donation will be accepted at the door. Check out the 2018 quilts and quilt items at shetek.org. Auctioneer is Donna Gravley of Windom. Brats and burgers will be offered from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, and pontoon rides are from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

A pulled pork dinner is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and a Kids Day at Camp is from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Try out camp activities at no cost — swimming, games, arts and crafts and camp songs. An ice cream sundae bar is at 2 p.m.

All proceeds go toward summer camp ministry.

Baptist church removing Jesus statue it deems too ‘Catholic’

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — A Baptist church in South Carolina plans to remove a hand-carved statue of Jesus Christ because some congregants believe it’s too “Catholic” for their place of worship.

The hand-carved, 7-foot statue and accompanying reliefs depicting scenes from Christ’s life have been displayed outside Red Bank Baptist Church in Lexington for a decade.

But in a letter to the artist, Pastor Jeff Wright said the art would be removed this week.

“We have discovered that there are people that view the art as Catholic in nature,” Wright wrote in the letter to Delbert Baker Jr. A friend of Baker’s posted the letter on Facebook.

Wright wrote that the statue and reliefs bring into question “the theology and core values of Red Bank Baptist Church,” but he didn’t elaborate.

The pastor did not return telephone calls or respond to messages The Associated Press left in person with his staff at the church Wednesday.

The letter said Baker had until Thursday to remove the art if he wanted to keep it. If not, it would be destroyed. Workers at the church refused to tell the AP if that deadline remained in place.

The dispute is a symptom of a larger “dysfunction” in the Southern Baptist Convention, said Bill Leonard, a professor of Baptist studies at Wake Forest University.

“Almost week to week there’s another incident in which southern Baptists portray themselves … having convictions that look like bias and prejudice in the larger culture,” Leonard said. “The bias is so deep that they even think they have the wrong Jesus is in front of their church.”

In his own letter responding to Wright, Baker explained his vision of the art, saying it was meant to show Red Bank Baptist had a focus on Christian outreach.

“This is why Christ is represented as though he is stepping outside of the building, not just confined to the idleness of inner walls,” Baker wrote in the letter, which his friend also posted on Facebook. “Under each arm, the reliefs depict scriptural and historical events that we as Christians believe represent the life of Christ.”

The reason that has been given for removing the art makes no sense, Baker added, because a large sign out front identifies the building as a Baptist church. Instead, the explanation makes it appear that congregants are disparaging Catholics, Baker wrote.

“I was obedient to my Lord in creating it and after much prayer I must respectfully decline to take part in its removal,” Baker wrote.

Baker did not respond to telephone messages from the AP on Wednesday.

Texas seminary terminates prominent Baptist leader

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A former head of the Southern Baptist Convention has been terminated from a Texas seminary over his handling of a sexual abuse case at another institution.

The Star-Telegram reported that the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary released a statement Wednesday saying that Paige Patterson will be removed from all of his positions and won’t receive compensation.

The move follows allegations that Patterson made sexist and demeaning comments to women who he’s accused of suggesting should tolerate abuse.

The Fort Worth seminary named Patterson president emeritus on May 23 after pushing him out of his position as president. The board had also said that he and his wife could continue to live on campus as theologians-in-residence.

The executive committee revoked the former decision after confirming new information on how he handled a sexual abuse allegation against a student.