Sarah Whitman

This year, World Animal Day coincides with the Feast of St. Francis, honoring the Catholic patron saint of animals and the environment.

The Christian pop duo’s Burn the Ships tour comes to Tampa’s Amalie Arena Oct. 13.

Based on the box office numbers of their latest film, Overcomer, they have succeeded.

Andrew Stoecklein, pastor of the California megachurch Inland Hills, died by suicide Aug. 25.The minister returned to preaching two Sundays before, following a four-month involuntary sabbatical to address mental health concerns.Before a packed church, a seemingly re-energized Stoecklein, 30, detaile…

Andrew Stoecklein, pastor of the California megachurch Inland Hills, died by suicide Aug. 25.The minister had returned to preaching two Sundays before, following a four-month involuntary sabbatical to address mental health concerns.Before a packed church, a seemingly re-energized Stoecklein, 30, det…

In the early 1960s, Sarah Walker attended her first Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, a historic and then segregated African-American parish in Tampa.Walker, who had recently moved to Florida, visited as a non-Catholic pursuing the faith. St. Peter Claver’s congregation embraced her, she say…

A butterfly.A flower.The outline of praying hands. Kim Squires wears many tattoos. Each small artwork represents a troubled life chapter.In and out of foster care, Squires got her first ink at age 11 or maybe 12, she says.She endured years of sexual and physical abuse. She went bouncing thro…

TAMPAFor more than two years, students, faculty and staff have watched workers turn bricks and columns into a soaring architectural work at the center of Jesuit High School’s 40-acre Tampa campus.On Tuesday, more than 500 people turned out for the culmination of the work — the dedication of the new …

Ryan Flanigan, co-founder of the Anglican music project Liturgical Folk, writes songs with two groups of people in mind — the old and the young.“When I write or sing in front of a church, they are who I am looking at,” Flanigan, 38, said. “If a song really connects, if it really engages people, you …

Kim Walker Smith, the lead singer for world renown worship band Jesus Culture, felt overwhelmed and dazed following the birth of her second son. She cried without knowing why. She mumbled her words. When her mother suggested postpartum depression as the cause, Smith laughed. “I thought postpartum de…

Kim Walker Smith, the lead singer for world renown worship band Jesus Culture, felt overwhelmed and dazed following the birth of her second son.She cried without knowing why. She mumbled her words. When her mother suggested postpartum depression was the cause, Smith laughed.“I thought postpartum dep…

I can only imagine.For Christian music fans, the phrase has — for nearly two decades — brought to mind a song written to inspire eternal hope.In 2001, the band Mercy Me released its so-named single, which gained enough popularity to cross into mainstream radio and become the top-selling Christian hi…

The recent suicides of designer Kate Spade and journalist Anthony Bourdain stirred an internet conversation about the indiscriminate nature of depression. What did he have to feel depressed about anyway? How could she do that to her family? But they looked fine. The comments reminded me how people…

A year ago, Hyde Park United Methodist Church opened a gathering place in the heart of downtown Tampa.A sculpture depicting Jesus as homeless and sleeping on a park bench sits outside its entry doors.More than a house of worship, this “church campus” named the Portico serves the community as a haven…

Two Valrico churches will soon come together as one.Horizon Church will officially merge with Centerpoint Church, using the Centerpoint name, on Sunday (June 3).The merger came about after Horizon pastor Brian Hughes contacted Centerpoint pastor Bryant Golden seeking a new home for Horizon’s 200-mem…

When comedian Chonda Pierce first spoke publicly about her battle with depression and decision to take medication, business advisors warned it might ruin her career.“But it didn’t,” Pierce told a packed house May 10 at Grace World Outreach Church in Brooksville.Grace World was one of four final stop…

Gospel recording artist Travis Greene doesn’t only believe in life after death.He experienced it, he says.At 4-years-old, Greene fell four stories from a building window in Germany. Doctors pronounced him dead. Greene remembers seeing Jesus, he says.“He asked if I wanted to go with him or go back wi…

Following the 2016 presidential election Katie Habgood, chair of the Social Action Committee at Tampa’s Congregation Beth Am, decided to take action and educate herself further regarding racial injustice in America.She and the rest of the Beth Am committee spent a year learning more, reading…

Gospel recording artist Travis Greene doesn’t just believe in life after death.He experienced it, he says.At 4 years old, Greene fell four stories from a building window in Germany. Doctors pronounced him dead. Greene remembers seeing Jesus, he says.“He asked if I wanted to go with him or go back wi…

Three decades ago, Rabbi Richard Birnholz arrived in Tampa ready to lead Congregation Schaarai Zedek, a growing synagogue on Swann Avenue.Congregation Zedek showed promise, Birnholz said. He looked forward to expanding its programs and enjoying Florida weather. He, his wife Donna and two sons settle…