King's Daughter Honored That His Bible Will Be in Inauguration

ATLANTA (AP) The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s youngest daughter is delighted
that President Barack Obama will take his oath of office on her father's Bible
and Abraham Lincoln's Bible at Monday's inaugural ceremony.

The Rev. Bernice King says that when Obama asked for her father's Bible, ``It
was such a moving moment for me, and especially as a minister.'' She says, ``It
signified to me personally that they were remembering that he's a
minister, a pastor.''

King also sees it as recognition of her father's faithfulness as ``a servant of
God.''

Monday's ceremony coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, so instead
of attending the inauguration, King will be at her father's former pulpit in
Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Mormons Training Teens to Become Missionaries

PROVO, Utah (AP)  The Mormon church's recent decision to lower the minimum age
for missionaries has been greeted with enthusiasm by many young members of the
LDS church  but especially young women, who are now able to go at 19 years old
rather than 21.

Outside experts say the rule change could open the door for thousands more
women to serve missions.

Rather than having to leave for two years toward the end of college, when many
Mormon women are getting close to getting married and starting families, they
can now become missionaries shortly after high school.

Church officials add that putting men and women on similar mission schedules
may also strengthen young romances. Instead of setting up men to get dumped
while away, they hope that young men and women can both serve and then marry and
start families.

Christian Concert Offers Hope and Healing After Newtown Shootings

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) Christian music's top artists have performed for 10,0 people packing a Connecticut arena and 26,000 more watching online in ``A Night of Hope and Healing'' from the school shootings in Newtown.

Worship was led by Steven Curtis Chapman, Toby Mac, Chris Tomlin, Laura Story, MandisaCasting Crowns and Building 429, with messages from the Rev. Louie Giglio  and the Rev. Max Lucado. 
Giglio assured Newtown residents that while the rest of the world may have moved on, the people of God haven't forgotten them.

Chapman, whose youngest daughter was run over and killed in the family's driveway in 2008, performed songs from his own time of grief and proclaimed that ``God is faithful.'' He also led the audience in singing the hymn ``It Is Well With My Soul.''

Obama Administration Appeals Judge's Ruling on Contraception Policy for Publisher

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Obama administration is appealing a judge's order temporarily blocking the government from forcing a Bible publisher to provide its employees with certain contraceptives under the new health care law.

Govt appeals judge's contraceptive mandate rulingThe Health and Human Services Department and other agencies named in the lawsuit have now appealed Walton's order.In his ruling, Walton said the mandate would force Tyndale's owners to violate their Christian beliefs or face government fines and lawsuits.

The company says it provides employee coverage for some contraceptives, but not for Plan B and IUDs, which it equates with abortion.In November, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton granted a preliminary injunction sought by Tyndale House Publishers.

ND Bills Would Allow Guns in Schools, Churches

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Two bills introduced this week by the North Dakota Legislature would allow people with concealed carry permits to have guns at schools or churches.
The proposed legislation comes as President Barack Obama on Wednesday unveiled the most sweeping proposals for curbing gun violence in two decades.

In North Dakota, House Bill 1215 would allow someone with a concealed weapon permit to carry a gun inside a school if a school district has authorized a policy for doing so.
House Bill 1283 would amend the current law that forbids carrying a concealed weapon in public places. Under the proposed bill, someone with a concealed carry permit could carry a weapon inside a church, if church officials allow it.

Grammy Award-Winning Choir to Perform at Inaugural

WASHINGTON (AP) At Monday's presidential inauguration ceremony, ``The Battle Hymn of the Republic'' will be performed by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, under the direction of Carol Cymbala.

The 280-strong choir and orchestra have come up with a triumphant new arrangement of the patriotic hymn, whose lyrics tell of the ``coming of theLord'' whose ``truth is marching on.''

But Cymbala says they've only been allotted three and a-half minutes, so they won't get to sing the verse declaring that Jesus ``died to make men holy so we'll die to make men free.''

She says the Grammy Award-winning choir will be fashionably bundled up against the cold, since Monday's temperatures are expected to be around freezing.

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