The way I like to count it, there are roughly 1 million people in our little corner of northern California. Statistically speaking, about 5 percent of those people, 50,000 or so—friends, co-workers, family members, neighbors, students, etc.—identify as LGBTQ. I’m… Continue Reading
Editor’s note: Since submission of this story, Bethel church staff updated its websites to accurately reflect their leadership structure. If physical and financial growth is any metric of success, Bethel Church has a lot to teach us about how to… Continue Reading
Twenty years ago this week, brothers Benjamin and Tyler Williams, armed with nothing more than sincerely held religious beliefs and a small caliber pistol, invaded the Happy Valley home of Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder and killed the gay couple… Continue Reading
I would like to join the chorus of people who will undoubtedly react to the recent opinion piece entitled “Redding’s relationship with Bethel complicated” (March 17).
First, the word “advertisement” should have been posted on top of the article. The headline itself gave the impression that the article would be fair and balanced. Continue Reading
If Joe Mathews is going to report on issues in and around other communities, it would seem reasonable to take the time to understand the topic more in depth. His column highlights many of the things Bethel has done and is doing in Redding, but it begs the question: “Why?” Many Redding residents are not so thrilled about Bethel’s ever-increasing presence in the community. Continue Reading
If you ask me, A News Cafe has been on a bit of a roll lately. Valerie Ing’s recent column, “What Skeletons Are In Your Closet?” was one of the best things I’ve read on the ongoing national blackface controversy.… Continue Reading
I’m delighted to belatedly announce the future has finally arrived. Premium content on anewscafe.com can now be accessed for just $1 per day! I’ve been waiting for this moment since 1987. That’s when the science fiction action movie Robocop was… Continue Reading
Robert Vujasinovic was a wide-eyed 20-year-old when he traveled from Reno to Redding to attend his first service at Bethel in 2002. The two girls writhing on the floor speaking in tongues during the ceremony did not dissuade the young… Continue Reading
We’ve officially made it past the Carr Fire’s one-month anniversary. This is not a happy anniversary by any means, except that the Carr Fire is nearly fully contained, which is a relief, but it’s hardly cause for Champagne since we… Continue Reading
Bethel Church is known as a lot of things lately—a megachurch that has put Redding on the map as much as the Sundial Bridge has; a lightning rod for promoting its official views of homosexuality as a conscience-searing affront to… Continue Reading
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