Faith briefs

ACROSS THE AREA

Christian dance

The Ga-Lina Christian Singles Club will meet for a ballroom dance lesson from 7 to 8 tonight, followed by a dance until 11 p.m. at Social Inc., 3157 Washington Road. Admission costs $8 for members and $10 for others. Call (706) 863-1214.

Rally in the Valley

A community gospel sing will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. today at Horse Creek-Midland Valley Veterans Park, Lions Trail and Anthony Drive in Burnettown. Call (803) 593-3553.

51st anniversary

Bible Fellowship Church, 3701 Old Petersburg Road, Martinez, will celebrate its 51st anniversary with a country bluegrass gospel sing and barbecue dinner starting at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

The Rev. J.E. Thornton, of LaGrange, Ga., will speak and Jimmy Page will sing. Call (706) 922-5314.

Free concert

Adam Paul Williams, a contemporary Christian musician, will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church of North Augusta, 602 Georgia Ave.

The concert is free. Call (803) 279-6370.

Faith panel

Just Faith, a panel on faith and justice issues, starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Walton Way Ext. Call (706) 733-2236.

Feats of strength

Strongman Steve Carrier will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 16-18 at Midland Valley High School, 227 Mustang Drive in Graniteville. The event, which features demonstrations and a pep talk, is sponsored by Heights Church. Call (803) 593-3054 or see heightsweb.org.

AROUND THE NATION

Pope honors founders of television network

IRONDALE, ALA. --- Pope Benedict XVI has honored an Alabama nun who founded the Birmingham-based Eternal Word Television Network.

The pope awarded Mother Mary Angelica the Cross of Honor for distinguished service to the Roman Catholic Church. It's the highest honor a pope can bestow.

The same honor went to Deacon Bill Steltemeier, the chairman of the board of governors of the Eternal Word Television Network.

The Roman Catholic bishop for north Alabama presented the award.

The 86-year-old Mother Angelica began the TV operation in the garage of a Birmingham monastery in 1981, and Mr. Steltemeier left his Tennessee law practice to help.

The EWTN Global Catholic Network now calls itself the world's largest religious media network.

Catholic bishops fix wording on salvation

WASHINGTON --- The nation's Roman Catholic bishops have revised a recent statement on salvation, Jews and evangelizing in response to Jewish concerns over the document.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops affirmed Tuesday that Jewish-Catholic dialogue "has never been and will never be used by the Catholic Church as a means of proselytism -- nor is it intended as a disguised invitation to baptism."

The tension arose over the bishops' effort to clarify a 2002 document called Covenant and Mission. The bishops had said this summer that the document mistakenly played down the importance of sharing the Gospel and was therefore misleading.

Jewish groups objected, contending the bishops were sending the message that they view interfaith dialogue as a chance to invite Jews to become Catholic.

The bishops said Tuesday that was not the case.

"We remain deeply committed to dialogue and friendship with the Jewish people who are, in the words of Pope John Paul II, 'our elder brothers and sisters in the faith,' " they said.

Episcopalians will not defrock 100 priests

PITTSBURGH --- The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh says it will not defrock 100 priests and deacons who left when their parishes joined a separate Pittsburgh diocese in the new, more conservative, Anglican Church in North America.

The Episcopal Church has been racked by similar splits in other dioceses, which generally have defrocked clergy who left. But Pittsburgh leaders say they didn't want to punish clergy who simply followed their conscience, and the new Anglican group say they appreciate Monday's decision.

Forty-seven parishes in the diocese voted to leave for the Anglican group last October because of disagreements including the authority of Scripture, the divinity of Christ and sexual ethics.

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh now includes 28 parishes.

-- Associated Press