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Photo by Joni B. Hannigan

David Gibbs III (far right), Bob and Mary Schindler and Mary’s brother, Mike Tammaro and his wife, C.B. (center) from Corning, New York, listen for word Mar. 19 on what the United State Congress will do to help save their daughter, Terri Schiavo. The family attended a service with Gibbs, their lead attorney, at Bible Baptist Church in Pinellas Park.

Schiavo’s fate remains uncertain after new law Published March 24, 2005

EDITOR’S NOTE: As Florida Baptist Witness goes to press late in the evening Mar. 21, a federal judge was still reviewing a request by Terri Schiavo's parents' attorney, David Gibbs, that their daughter's feeding tube be reinserted in light of the law passed by Congress the previous day. Please go to www.FloridaBaptistWitness.com for the latest news in this case.

TAMPA (FBW/BP)–An attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents asked a federal judge March 21 to order her feeding tube to be reinserted. The hearing concluded without the judge issuing an immediate ruling.

Neurologist says Terri Schiavo could eat orally if court allowed it Published March 24, 2005

PINELLAS PARK (FBW)—A doctor close to the Terri Schiavo case told Florida Baptist Witness Mar. 19 Terri Schiavo, the 41-year-old disabled woman who lay inside Woodside Hospice could actually eat on her own if a judge had not also ruled she be denied food and water after her feeding tube was removed Mar. 18.

Florida Senate blocks bill to save Terri Schiavo Published March 24, 2005

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—With Southern Baptist laymen leading the way in the Florida House and Senate, legislation offered to prevent the starvation of Terri Schiavo stalled in the Senate March 17 hours after it was overwhelmingly approved in the House.

Churches promote petitions amid protests Published March 24, 2005

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—In Jacksonville Nov. 9, Jay Dennis, pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, stood at a microphone and made a motion before the Florida Baptist State Convention in support of a statewide constitutional marriage amendment. Every Sunday since that day, members of homosexual organizations have picketed his church.

Opinion

Editorial

Comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable in the Terri Schiavo case Editorial: “The Republican Nine first came together over fried chicken and salad.”

Point of View

BREAKPOINT: Déjà vu all over again: What’s the matter with Kansas? Point of View: As Yogi Berra once famously said after his teammates, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, hit back-to-back homeruns in consecutive games: “It's déjà vu all over again.” I'm getting the same feeling about something less awe-inspiring: that is, the way political pros and media types consistently get culturally motivated voters wrong.
Is A Generous Orthodoxy truly orthodox? Point of View: LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—The book’s title looks both promising and inspiring. Brian D. McLaren’s new book, A Generous Orthodoxy, is sure to get attention, and its title grabs both heart and mind. Who wouldn’t want to embrace an orthodoxy of generosity? On the other hand, the title raises an unavoidable question: Just how “generous” can orthodoxy be?

Florida

Florida News

Schiavo’s fate remains uncertain after new law

Neurologist says Terri Schiavo could eat orally if court allowed it

Florida Senate blocks bill to save Terri Schiavo

Churches promote petitions amid protests

Former Florida pastor shares transitioning tools

KISSIMMEE (FBC)—Transition will be a key concept for 21st century ministry, said Dan Southerland, author of Transitioning: Leading Your Church Through Change and founder of Church Transitions, Inc. “We (the church) are either going to die as we are or we will transition into something that is missions oriented and culturally relevant.”

State Convention seeks names for 2005 Committee on Nominations

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)-The elected officers of the Florida Baptist State Convention are looking for names of Florida Baptist laypersons and ministers to serve on the 2005 Committee on Nominations.

Churches join convention

According to a report released by the Florida Baptist Convention’s Church Planting Department, Florida Baptists started eight new churches in February 2005.

Florida Churches promote marriage amendment Baptists working to petition constitutional vote

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—An effort to encourage registered voters to go on record supporting a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage exclusively as the “legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife” is being mounted by Florida Baptist congregations.

Judge in Schiavo case withdraws membership from Calvary Baptist Church, Clearwater

CLEARWATER, Fla. (BP)—Judge George Greer—whose rulings set the March 18 removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube—has withdrawn his membership at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater.

Baptist church honors Terri’s parents as they wait Bob Schindler cites ‘miracle’ in religious, political cooperation

PINELLAS PARK (FBW)—Just two miles from where their disabled daughter went without food or water for the second day as a result of a judge’s order, Bob and Mary Schindler sat patiently Saturday (Mar. 19) through a dinner and service at Bible Baptist Church while Congress took an unprecedented step of pledging bi-partisan commitment for a measure that could save Terri’s life.

Terri’s family members kept in the dark after tube’s removal Uncertainty about Terri’s fate keeps family, supporters on edge

PINELLAS PARK (FBW)—A small crowd penned in by orange fencing in front of Woodside Hospice protested quietly Mar. 18, while inside, somewhere after 3 p.m. EST, the mechanism that allowed 41-year-old Terri Schiavo to be connected to a feeding tube twice a day to receive food and nourishment, was removed on a judge’s order.

Florida News Briefs

Senior Adult Minister’s Conference in Brandon May 16
Learn to achieve ministry goals through staff development
Prevent abuse of minors; learn to develop safety, security policies
Workshop trains volunteers to teach English overseas

Florida Focus

Florida Focus: A one-time announcement of special events is a free service provided by the Witness to Florida Baptist churches. Please send materials at least three weeks before the date of the event, to Florida Baptist Witness, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207, fax 904-346-0696 or submitted using our online form. Items received after deadline may appear in our exclusive on-line version.

National

National News

Welch sets forth high aims for SBC meeting in Nashville: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—SBC President Bobby Welch’s heightened vision for this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting stretches from an anticipated record number involved in the Crossover evangelistic outreach to baptism services during the convention sessions to a special segment honoring the life and work of Billy Graham.

National News Briefs

GuideStone seeks retirees in need
Door-to-door Web site: EveryoneCan.net
Dockery elected board chairman CCCU
Online registration for SBC annual meeting

Features

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

April 3: Needed real faith James 1:16-18; 21-27; 2:14-19: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
April 10: Impartial love James 2:1-13: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

April 3: Learn to obey the Lord Jeremiah 11:6-14: Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.
April 10: Conform to the Lord’s purpose Jeremiah 18:1-12, 15-17: Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.