Darren Sands
Darren Sands is an author at Religion News Service.
All Stories by Darren Sands
Pastors see a wariness among Black men to talk abortion politics as Biden works to shore up base
By Darren Sands — July 16, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — Phoenix pastor the Rev. Warren H. Stewart Sr. has had countless discussions this election season with fellow Black men on the economy, criminal justice, immigration and other issues dominating the political landscape in their battleground state of Arizona. But never abortion.
Philadelphia pastor elected to lead historic Black church in New York City
By Darren Sands — June 24, 2024
(RNS) -- New York’s historic Abyssinian Baptist Church has elected its new senior pastor, likely bringing an end to a national search to replace the late Rev. Calvin O. Butts, who had served the church for a half-century before his death in 2022.
How this Maryland pastor ended up leading one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation
By Darren Sands — June 10, 2024
CALVERTON, Md. (AP) — In 2019, the year Kingdom Fellowship AME was founded, the church had about 3,000 members and an average weekly attendance of about 1,800 people, according to the church's figures. Today, membership has swelled to nearly 8,000, and its weekly services draw about 2,500 attendees altogether.
He feared coming out. Now this pastor wants to help Black churches become as welcoming as his own
By Darren Sands — May 17, 2024
(AP) – Crowley’s career has flourished, and he has now written a book — “Queering the Black Church” — that he hopes can serve as a guide for other congregations to be “open and affirming” to LGBTQ+ people rather than shunning them.
Obstacles remain as women seek more leadership roles in America’s Black Church
By Darren Sands — April 29, 2024
(AP) – In the Black Church as a whole, male pastors predominate, though there’s no comprehensive gender breakdown.
Prominent New York church, sued for gender bias, moves forward with male pastor candidate
By Darren Sands — April 16, 2024
(AP) – Candidate Kevin R. Johnson, founding pastor of Dare to Imagine Church in Philadelphia, will be recommended for the congregation’s approval to lead the more than 200-year-old Abyssinian Baptist Church,
Black pastors see popular Easter services as an opportunity to rebuild in-person worship attendance
By Darren Sands — March 28, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — This Easter is an opportunity for Black churches to welcome more visitors to their pews and try to begin reversing attendance trends
Fasting at school? More Muslim students in the US are getting support during Ramadan
By Darren Sands, Corey Williams, Giovanna Dell'orto, and Mariam Fam — March 18, 2024
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Fasting is not required of young children, but many Muslim children like to fast to share in the month's rituals and emulate parents and older siblings, according to the Islamic Networks Group.
As threats to Black cemeteries persist, a movement to preserve their sacred heritage gains strength
By Darren Sands and Giovanna Dell'orto — March 15, 2024
MIAMI (AP) — When sites of sacred cultural memory are desecrated, it adds additional trauma to the indignity of being segregated even in death, said the executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
How Hakeem Jeffries’ Black Baptist upbringing and deep-rooted faith shapes his House leadership
By Darren Sands — February 28, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — For Jeffries, 53, his leadership in the House traces back to his formative days growing up and serving at Cornerstone, a historically Black congregation which he still attends.
Prominent Black church in New York sued for gender bias by woman who sought to be its senior pastor
By Darren Sands — January 8, 2024
(AP) — Along with the church, the lawsuit specifically names the search committee chair, Valerie S. Grant, accusing her of behaving inappropriately by asking Marshall Turman questions and pressing issues not broached with her male counterparts.
Send-offs show Carlton Pearson’s split legacy spurred by his inclusive beliefs, rejection of hell
By Darren Sands — December 5, 2023
The Bishop's splintered influence was underscored this week as different factions paid tribute to Pearson at various memorial services that have raised questions — and objections — about how best to remember him.
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