Anyway, here are my selections for the top religion stories in Oklahoma for 2011. These are in random order and I probably left something out, but here are the stories that immediately came to mind: 

February 2011: The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley (pictured) is installed as the fourth archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

May 2011: Peace Lutheran Church, a prominent Edmond church, votes to terminate its relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America because of the church’s perceived view that the denomation had moved away from Scripture. The church’s ties with the  ELCA were officially terminated June 30, the end of the church’s fiscal year. Church members then voted to become part of the North American Lutheran Church denomination. Also, church members hired a new pastor, the Rev. Keith Falk, who was installed on Sept. 11.

October 2011:  The majority of members of First Presbyterian Church of Enid decide to sever ties with Presbyterian Church USA, the nation’s largest Presbyterian denomination.

November 2011:  Oklahoma Catholics join other parishioners at Catholic churches across American and more than 20 other English-speaking countries in using a new revised Roman Missal. The missal is the liturgical text used during Mass. 

May 2011: The “Passages” exhibit opens at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The nonsectarian exhibit, marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, was displayed through Oct. 16 at the museum.

October 2011: LifeChurch.tv leaders celebrate the 30 millionth download of  the YouVersion Bible app, a free Bible app created by a development team at the Edmond-based megachurch.

October 2011: The board of directors of the Jesus House names Rick Denny, a former assistant attorney general, as the homeless shelter’s new executive director. Denny pledges to restablish the shelter’s mission of offering Christ-centered help for the homeless.

November 2011: The Baptist Messenger, the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s official newspaper, goes digital.  

July 2011: Cory Stanley becomes the only Archdiocese of Oklahoma City seminarian to be ordained into the priesthood. A few days before his ordination, Stanley said in an interview, that the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City will have more seminarians ordained to the priesthood in the next several years.

October 2011: This is indirectly tied to religion but there is still a connection … Integris Health Edmond, a $94 million hospital and medical office building opens its doors to patients.  Henderson Hills Baptist Church sold the property on which the hospital was built to Integris in 2007. The property was part of the Edmond megachurch’s 109-acre parcel of land off 15th Street and Interstate 35. 

August 2011: Mercy Health Center opens the state’s first school for autistic children, the Good Shepherd Catholic School at Mercy.

November 2011: The Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City celebrates its 70th anniversary. While it is not a religious agency, the federation obviously has strong connections to the three main Jewish religious entities in Oklahoma City — Temple B’nai Israel, Emanuel Synagogue and the Chabad Jewish Center of Greater Oklahoma City.

December 2011: Several metro area churches decide to forego Christmas Day services on Sunday, Dec. 25, in order to allow staff and congregation members to spend the time at home with their families or traveling to spend time with extended family.  

September 2011: The Oklahoma Conference of Churches’ 2011 Interfaith Youth Tour draws the largest crowd since the annual event was started five years prior.  About 180 young people and their advisors, representing various faith communities, visited an Orthodox Christian church, a Jewish temple and an Islamic mosque as part of the tour. The event is aimed at raising awareness about different faiths.    

September 2011: Famous guest speakers are always popping up at Oklahoma churches, but one stood out: Louis Zamperini, the famed Olympian and World War II POW, spoke at an anniversary service at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid. Zamperini’s life story is chronicled in the best-selling book “Unbroken.” (In this picture, the Rev. Wade Burleson, senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, poses for a picture with Louis Zamperini at the Enid church). 

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Here’s hoping the new year is just as newsworthy!

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

I’ve been following Tebow’s NFL career just because he’s an interesting young athlete who is very upfront about his faith beliefs. He has gotten as much attention for his Christian faith beliefs as he has for his athletic talent.

Of course, he found his way on my radar as a University of Florida football player, but I won’t say too much about that, Sooner fans. 

Anyway, it seems that the much-talked-about former Gator has inspired Tebowing.

What is Tebowing? Glad you asked and remember I didn’t come up with this, I”m just telling about it.

Tebowing, according to Tebowing.com, means ”To get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.”

It was apparently started by a Denver native. Tebow (pictured) is quarterback for the Denver Bronchos, if you didn’t already know that.

Anyway, I read an article on CBN.com that said Tebowing was a trending topic on Twitter on Thursday. Follow this link to read the story: “Fun of Offensive?: Tebowing Goes Viral.” 

CBN.com asked its readers if they thought this new trend was making fun of  Tebow’s faith.

I’m not sure what I think about it at this point. One thing I do know is that Tebow has always attracted lots of attention and that doesn’t seem to have changed now that he’s playing in the big league.      

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

 Wednesday, Oct. 26

We realize, Lord, we must shoulder our burdens and follow Your example. Amen.

Dear Lord, help us to show everyone that through You all things are possible. Amen.

It seems that an ESPN college basketball analyst appeared on the air last Wednesday with a sign of his faith smudged across his forehead.

Folks in the Christian faith community know that it Ash Wednesday, which marks the season of Lent. The ESPN  commentator and former coach, Digger Phelps (pictured), still wore the ashes that a priest had smeared on his forehead in the shape of a cross.    

To read the commentary about Phelps’ public display of his faith, written by David Wilkinson, executive director of Associated Baptist Press,  click here: “Digger’s Forehead Smudge.”

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

 Friday, March 4We pray that each day we shine with Your grace, dear Lord. Amen.