Louisiana
95 Louisiana churches disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church
The ripple effects of a “deep conflict” in the United Methodist Church continued to play out Saturday as 95 Louisiana churches officially disaffiliated from the denomination.
Hundreds of delegates in the Louisiana Annual Conference, UMC’s governing body for state churches, packed inside First United Methodist Church Baton Rouge’s downtown sanctuary for a special called session to decide whether to ratify departures for the worship houses. With Saturday’s ratifications, nearly 40% of Louisiana churches once connected to the global denomination have cut ties over the past four years.
“We realize, in this, the loss of some friends, colleagues and communal relationships. The loss of treasured spaces and places where baptisms and weddings, funerals, confirmations, ordinations and commissioning services were held. And where relationships and faith formations happened in Sunday school and Bible studies,” Louisiana Annual Conference Bishop Delores Williamston told delegates moments before the votes were taken.
“In this moment, we are to remember God is our dwelling place,” she later added. “God is with us in this place and God is beyond the structures of denominations, disaffiliations, affiliations and other expressions. God is always with us and will never leave us.”
Each of the churches separated under “Paragraph 2553” — a provision added to the UMC’s Book of Discipline in 2019 as an exit policy for local congregations to leave for “reasons of conscience,” such as the church’s stance on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy.
The United Methodist Church currently forbids LGBTQ clergy and punishes ministers who officiate same-sex marriages. At a global level, the church has reinforced that stance, but there is growing dissatisfaction among American parishioners who want to soften the church’s approach. Anticipating potential changes over the issue, some conservative churches across the country have chosen to leave the denomination.
While questions of sexuality are at the forefront of the departures, church officials say other issues — such as disagreements over how to interpret the Bible, opposition to the church’s policy of frequently moving ministers, and debates over church property — are also at play.
Delegates will not gather for a special session in November so Saturday’s convening was the last chance for Methodist churches in Louisiana to disaffiliate before paragraph 2553 sunsets at the end of the year, according to officials. Conference leaders said the disaffiliations approved at the meeting officially take effect May 31 for each of the churches that pay the denomination their exit liability fees by then. All but 15 of the 95 churches had already satisfied those financial requirements by Wednesday, according to a disaffiliation report released this week.
Some delegates who spoke out Saturday called for more time to take stock before making a final decision. Ray Branton, a retired clergy member from Shreveport, estimated the Louisiana UMC will lose 40% of its income over the next two years from churches departing and taking all their assets with them. He suggested postponing the vote so the conference could consider making congregations divest some of their assets when they leave the denomination.
“This is a divorce y’all. It really is. And I just want to ask you, what kind of divorce do you want to have?” Branton said. “I don’t want to be the church version of the Hatfields and McCoys going forward. Do you?”
Lamar Oliver, a pastor on leave from Ruston, said 69 churches that walked away from the Louisiana conference prior to Saturday’s mass exodus didn’t have to give up any of their respective assets.
“It’s a matter of fairness. There have been (69) churches that have already completed this process, doing exactly what the Board of Trustees has required of them. Nothing more, nothing less,” he said. “I think it would put our integrity in question to say those (69) churches did one thing, and we’re going to hold a bunch of other churches to a different standard.”
Lori Spangler of Foundry-St. Andrews in Sterlington, among the list of churches disaffiliating Saturday, said parishioners spent months praying, having heartfelt discussions with fellow church members and pondering on whether to disaffiliate. She urged delegates to respect the conscientious decisions made by each church.
“To say no, we don’t want to do this now would be a slap in the face,” Spangler said. “Does it divide us, is it heartbreaking? Yes, absolutely. But one of the things that I have always said is there is work that is hard and it is holy. And sometimes those things go hand in hand.”
Afterward, Williamston sought to offer a hymn of solace. She acknowledged the need for healing throughout the state conference, but noted “signs of hope” abound in Louisiana’s Methodist church body as she called on delegates to “raise the ceiling of our hopes” and march forward in the denomination’s mission of discipleship.
“This road has been long and it has not been easy,” the bishop said. “We are a people of hope, a laity of hope, pastors of hope, churches of hope and shepherds of hope in the United Methodist Church in Louisiana. For our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. And we dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock we will stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
A fourth inmate has been captured by authorities after escaping from a New Orleans jail on Friday with six other convicts.
“Louisiana State Police just captured inmate Gary C. Price,” FBI New Orleans confirmed in a post on X.
7 FUGITIVES REMAIN ON THE RUN AFTER NOLA PRISON BREAK; INSIDE JOB SUSPECTED
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain out on the street this evening searching for the remaining six. If you have any information please call 1-800-Call-FBI or send us a tip online,” the post continued.
Price, 21, was charged with seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree battery, aggravated assault with a firearm, false imprisonment with a weapon, domestic abuse, simple assault, aggravated criminal damage to property and resisting an officer, according to officials.
Officials said Price will ultimately be transported to a secure state facility outside the area and booked.
NEW ORLEANS JAIL INMATES CHARGED WITH MURDER AND OTHER CRIMES ESCAPE
10 inmates escaped from the jail, according to authorities. (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office / WVUE)
Authorities said that some fugitives may have left the city or the state of Louisiana, and the public has been urged to stay alert, not be alarmed and report any tips. The FBI in a statement said it has “surged resources” and is offering up to $5,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the inmates.
A source confirmed to Fox News that authorities have come close to detaining others, but the “timing has been off.”
The source added it’s possible the remaining fugitives have left New Orleans, but it’s believed most, if not all of them, are still here.
Police said that “over 200 Law Enforcement personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies continue to work around the clock to locate the remaining fugitives.”
The six fugitives still on the run are Jermaine Donald, 42; Antoine Massey, 33; Leo Tate, 31; Lenton Vanburen, 27; Derrick Groves, 27; and Corey Boyd, 19.
The fugitives on the run are:
- Corey E. Boyd, 19, charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery, illegal carrying of weapons involving a crime, and obstruction of justice.
- Lenton J. Vanburen Jr., 26, charged with illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and introducing contraband in prison.
- Jermaine Donald, 42, charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.
- Antoine Massey, 32, charged with domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation.
- Derrick Groves, 27, charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and battery of a correctional facility employee.
- Leo O. Tate Sr., 31, charged with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, illegal carrying of a weapon, motor vehicle theft and multiple drug charges.
Louisiana State Police released images of the captured fugitives being led into a helicopter on Friday night.
Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended after a brief foot chase through the French Quarter soon after the escape. He had previously escaped twice from juvenile detention centers.
By Friday evening, two more fugitives had been captured. Officials found Robert Moody, 21, in New Orleans thanks to a Crimestoppers tip, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Dkenan Dennis was found near the Chef Menteur Highway, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on the social platform X.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said Friday it’s unlikely the inmates could have escaped without some kind of help.
Attorney General Liz Murrill said that they “clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this.”
LOUISIANA GOVERNOR BLASTS ‘PROGRESSIVE PROMISES’ AFTER NEW ORLEANS JAIL ESCAPE
The captured inmates being led to a helicopter. ( Louisiana State Police)
She is calling for a full investigation of the incident.
A female civilian employee monitoring the pod “stepped away” to get food and missed the getaway, according to authorities.
Officials said the video feed was not being actively monitored at the time, but it was reviewed after the inmates were discovered missing hours later.
The escapees were not discovered missing until a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
The jail is only at 60% staffing, and at the time of the escape, four supervisors and 36 staff members were monitoring 1,400 inmates, authorities said.
Three jail employees have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, authorities said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Retired FBI special agent Jason Pack tells Fox News Digital that “the jailbreak in New Orleans should get everyone’s attention.”
“This wasn’t a complicated escape. Ten inmates got out through a hole behind a toilet,”Pack said. “It took more than seven hours before anyone noticed they were gone. That tells you a lot about what’s going on inside that jail. Too few people on staff. Not enough oversight. And likely not enough working equipment or security checks.”
Pack said that the number one goal for law enforcement is to get all the inmates back into custody quickly and safely.
“Police don’t want this to end with anyone getting injured, including the escapees. The goal is to find them, surround them, and bring them in without any drama. That’s what officers train for. It’s not about chasing headlines. It’s about doing the job carefully and professionally, even when the public is watching,” Pack said.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Alex Koch contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
Louisiana
Louisiana’s John Foster finishes second on ‘American Idol.’ Jamal Roberts of Mississippi wins.
After rocketing to “American Idol’s” top 3, Louisiana teen John Foster finished second in the ABC singing competition series during its grand finale on Sunday night.
Grabbing the “Idol” title was Jamal Roberts, 27, of Meridian, Mississippi, an elementary school physical education teacher.
Roberts’ finale songs included “First Time” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)”.
Mississippi’s Jamal Roberts won the ‘American Idol’ title on Sunday night. Louisiana teen John Foster finished second.
Finishing third was Breanna Nix, 25, a stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas.
Foster started off the finale with a bang, performing his first solo song of the night, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” by the late Toby Keith.
“Now, John. Now, now, John. That’s the way you run for office. I mean, you run — you run. That’s the way you work it for ‘American Idol,’” judge Lionel Richie said.
“You know, it’s the time to pull out all the stops and you’re pulling out all the stops. I’m so proud of you and all you have accomplished about this whole competition,” judge Carrie Underwood said. “I felt like I was at a John Foster concert.”
“Yeah. Your growth … Your voice has gotten better and, and everything has grown. It’s been a privilege, a privilege to watch that happen. It’s been amazing,” judge Luke Bryan added.
Foster’s songs for the finale
Later in the show, Foster returned to the stage for his second solo song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a hitmaker for ’70s folk/country artist, the late John Denver.
“I just want to see that birth certificate one more time,” Richie joked with Foster, alluding to the maturity and polish of his vocals. “And secondly, for all of you out there, vote, vote, vote.”
Underwood followed him by saying, “Of course, the country boy would have an amazing hometown welcome. That was such a great thing to watch.”
“Yeah, that, that hometown piece, I mean, woo, I can’t take that,” Bryan chimed in. “It was really beautifully done. And hell, I’ve never seen a crawfish that big. I need to, can that thing come to Tennessee?”
Foster rode a giant Mardi Gras-style crawfish float in Wednesday’s homecoming parade in Addis.
The Louisiana singer and Bryan later teamed up for a performance of Randy Travis’ 1988 hit, “Deeper Than the Holler,” a mid-tempo ballad.
The top three finalists opened the three-hour live coast-to-coast broadcast with a performance of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
Foster, a biology major at LSU who just finished his freshman year, first grabbed the judges’ attention during his audition in Nashville, Tennessee. He brought each of them a Louisiana care package of boudin, beef jerky, pork sausage and Benoit’s Cajun seasoning from his family’s business, Benoit’s Country Meat Block in Addis.
Foster’s audition song, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” by Alan Jackson, prompted judge and former “Idol” Underwood to ask for another song that would more fully showcase his vocals.
“Goodbye Time” by Conway Twitty proved the perfect choice, with Bryan singing along and the other judges pleased with what they heard.
“There’s such a sweet spot in your voice, and that really brought that out,” Underwood said.
“You’ve got a lot of great tools. That last song really showed us that,” added Bryan.
One successful week after another
Foster went on to prove himself week after week — whether it was with performances of Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock,” Travis’ “I Told You So” or his home-state favorite, Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
His tearful original song, “Tell That Angel I Love Her” about his high school friend who was killed in a tragic accident, was in sharp contrast to the lively and fun “Bare Necessities” from “The Jungle Book,” demonstrating his versatility.
“When you open your mouth on this song, you’re country, but you’re also storytelling country,” Richie told Foster after his “Tell That Angel” performance. “Now whether that’s old, new, happening now, later, whatever the case may be, it was so believable and I heard every word of every part of your story — and that’s what great music is about.”
Foster told the judges that he wrote the song for Maggie Dunn. Dunn and another friend, Caroline Gill, both of Brusly, were killed on New Year’s Eve 2022 when an Addis police officer ran a red light during a high-speed pursuit.
Foster also sang the song at his mini-concert in Plaquemine on Wednesday night, capping off his hero’s welcome home-state visit, which was documented in the Sunday-night finale, including footage of Foster becoming emotional during his performance of “Tell That Angel I Love Her” at his hometown concert.
If you missed Sunday night’s show, it will be available on Hulu starting Monday.
Louisiana
Louisiana’s John Foster sings in ‘American Idol’ Sunday finale — here’s how to watch and vote
‘American Idol’s’ current top 10 are, from left, Canaan James Hill, Breanna Nix, Slater Nalley, Thunderstorm Artis, Kolbi Jordan, Mattie Pruitt, Gabby Samone, Louisiana’s John Foster, Jamal Roberts and Josh King. At far right is the season’s artist-in-residence Jelly Roll.
VIRGINIA STATE POLICE TO HONOR ITS FALLEN DURING 2025 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE – RealRadio804
Washington Capitals’ Alex Alexeyev pepper-sprayed by police, charged with public intoxication – WTOP News
11-year-old boy accidentally shot by sibling dies in Wisconsin
West Virginia Remains Ranked in Three of the National Polls
Researchers tag Wyoming’s first barred owl near its Grand Teton nest – WyoFile
-
Austin, TX1 week agoBest Austin Salads – 15 Food Places For Good Greens!
-
Technology1 week agoMexico is suing Google over how it’s labeling the Gulf of Mexico
-
Politics1 week agoDHS says Massachusetts city council member 'incited chaos' as ICE arrested 'violent criminal alien'
-
Politics1 week agoPresident Trump takes on 'Big Pharma' by signing executive order to lower drug prices
-
News6 days agoAs Harvard Battles Trump, Its President Will Take a 25% Pay Cut
-
Education1 week agoA Professor’s Final Gift to Her Students: Her Life Savings
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Tufts Student Speaks Publicly After Release From Immigration Detention
-
News1 week agoWhy Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia