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• Man, wife robbed at gunpoint in Mequon church | Incident might be linked to similar ones on North Shore (News Graphic, Cedarburg, Wi.)
  
  

War and terrorism:

• Hard-line chaplain saves soft side for troops | The Islamic extremists waging war on America think they are going to heaven to make love to dozens of virgins after they die. Lt. Col. Mike Tarvin, the 2nd Infantry Division chaplain, believes they will burn in hell for their sins. It's a typically forthright statement from the chaplain who gave up preaching at the Christian Church of the Disciples of Christ in Hutchins, Texas, three years ago to serve his country in South Korea (Stars and Stripes)
  
  
• Mission defends Fr Carlos | Guido Oliana, the head of the Comboni Missionaries in Uganda, has advised security agencies to follow the law if they want to deport Carlos Roderiguez (New Vision, Kampala, Uganda)
  
  
• Bali bomber says he has no regrets over deadly attack | Bali bombing mastermind Imam Samudra boasted he was a winner from his death row cell Wednesday and said he was looking forward to entering a virgin-filled paradise as a reward for killing Christians (AFP)
  
  
• Grim vigil as Mississippi town awaits word | Churchgoers from Calvary Baptist Church, where Iraq hostage Thomas Hamill is a member, were taking shifts in a round-the-clock prayer chain (The New York Times)
  
  

Crusaders' sack of Constantinople, 800 years later:

• Vartholomaios deplores fanaticism | Meanwhile, Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyons, took the opportunity of today's 800th anniversary since the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders to write to Vartholomaios apologising for this «affront to all Christians seeking unity (Kathimerini, Athens, Greece)
  
  
• Vartholomaios forgives Catholics for sack of Constantinople in 1204 | "We cannot forget that tragic day for Constantinople and for our Patriarchate but we forgive … and we accept with satisfaction the expression of their regret and the reassurance that the West will never again undertake such an abomination against the Christians of the East," Vartholomaios said (Kathimerini, Athens, Greece)
  
  

Missions & ministry:

• Catching an Alpha wave | Basic course in Christianity takes churches by storm (The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.)
  
  
• Family finds its way past tragic error | These parents have learned how life goes on (The Charlotte Observer, N.C.)
  
  
• Back from 'the edge of death,' teen is reborn | An inspiring story (The Grand Rapids Press, Mi.)
  
  
• Cambodians mix heritage, Christianity | In his adopted country, Steve Cheung retains the traditions of his Cambodian heritage while practicing his new Christian faith (The Grand Rapids Press, Mi.)
  
  
• Risking death in the best of causes | I've used the term martyr as it was long intended to be used. A martyr is one who "witnesses" for the truth unto death—a person who testifies that faith in and love for Jesus Christ result in salvation and eternal life (Gregory Tomlin, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Tex.)
  
  
• South Korean missionaries no strangers to danger | The seven missionaries who ignored warnings against travel to Iraq and were kidnapped briefly by local gunmen are part of a wave of South Korean evangelists spreading their faith in dangerous corners of the world (Reuters)
  
  
• Local missionary rescued once, now headed for Iraq | Heather Mercer is helping Antioch Community Church in Waco scout for potential church sites in the northern part of Iraq (KXXV, Waco, Tex.)
  
  

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April (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48