Symbols removed at baseball stadium

Christian symbols at Busch Stadium are being removed and replaced. A fan complained about the a cross and a "Jesus fish" drawn in the dirt on the pitcher's mound, so the St. Louis Cardinals have decided to get rid of them. A member of the grounds crew etches them on the mound before most home games.

Cancelling Classes for Wiccans

The University of Missouri wants students to have classes cancelled when Wiccan and Pagan holidays come up--just as they do on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. The school's Guide to Religions: Major Holidays and Suggested Accommodations tells faculty members not to schedule exams and other student activities for the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, Ramadan, and Samhain, which is a Pagan and Wiccan celebration considered by some to be the Wiccan New Year.

Applebee's Waitress Fired

We told you about the receipt left for an Applebee’s waitress by a pastor on which she wrote “I give God 10%, why should you get 18.” The waitress, Chelsea, posted a photo of it on Reddit. But now the Applebee's in St. Louis has fired Chelsea. HuffPost Comedy has started a petition with hopes of convincing Applebee's to rehire Chelsea.

Receipt Photo Goes Viral

A restaurant receipt has gotten a pastor a lot of attention on Reddit. She left it at an St. Louis Applebee’s and added this comment, “I give God 10%, why do you get 18?” Pastor Alois Bell of Truth in the World Deliverance Ministries says she ended up leaving a tip of $6.29 — the same amount that was scribbled out on the receipt — and that her credit card was also charged with an additional $6.29. Bell told
everyone else at her table also left tips in cash. Bell told KTVI-TV that when the receipt was posted to Reddit, Bell said people started sending her angry messages. “I’ve been harassed because of this and it doesn’t tell the whole story.” 

College Audit: Controller Embezzled Funds

Prosecutors say an employee at a baptist university embezzled more than $100,000. Melinda Okai is accused of taking the funds from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis by issuing fake refund checks and issued emergency loans to her husband - without crediting the loans to his tuition accounts. The missing funds showed up in an internal audit. Okai became controller in late 2009.

Plan to Firebomb 50 churches thwarted

An Oklahoma man is behind bars for planning to burn down some 50 churches, according to Ottawa County prosecutors. Gregory Weiler attended Bradley University in Illinois but left to join a religious group in Missouri. Authorities say he had already bought materials for putting together Molotov cocktails in his hotel room. Family members say both of his parents committed suicide while he was a young teenager, he had been hospitalized for mental illness and become addicted to heroin and alcohol. He is believed to have been acting alone.

The "right to pray" Ballot Measure

The St. Louis Dispatch takes a look at Missouri's Amendment two. Supporters say the measure would protect Missourians' right to pray in public. Critics says it is unnecessary because the right is covered in the constitution and that could lead to frivolous lawsuits. Read the story here.

Heavy Metal Rock Star to Seminary

The bass player for Megadeth -  is taking seminary classes. David Ellefson, an original member of the legendary band is now an online student in the Specific Ministry Program at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, which is associated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Ellefson grew up on an farm in Minnesota where he attended Our Savior's Lutheran Church. He moved to LA and became the Megadeth bass player. Despite immediate success came addictions. He entered a recovery program at the age of 25 where he embraced his faith again. Ellefson got involved in a Lutheran church in Arizona, starting a music ministry called MEGA life. Ellefson has two more years of online classes at the seminary before he becomes eligible for ordination. At the same time, he's still a part of Megadeth, which begins a new tour with Motorhead next week. He's been quoted as saying, "I love praise and worship music, and I love heavy metal."

School Flyer Fight

The Supreme Court turned aside an appeal by a Christian group to give out flyers at schools in Missouri. The Victory Through Jesus Sports Ministry Foundation hosts summer camps and was excluded from distribution at Lee's Summit R-7 School District. A district court panel found that the school system did not take religious orientation into account when deciding to limit distribution of Victory's flyers.

Dan Peek Dies

Founding member of the '70s band America, Dan Peek, died over the weekend at the age of 60. His wife found him in their house in Farmington, Missouri, not far from St. Louis. Peek had three platinum albums and three gold albums with band mates Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell. They also had eight Top 40 hits including A Horse With No Name, Lonely People and Don't Cross the River. Peek left the group in 1977 because of his Christian faith, launching a career in Contemporary Christian Music. He was nominated for a Grammy for the song All Things Are Possible which topped the Christian charts in 1979. He wrote a memoir titled An American Band: The America Story.

Baptist Leader Resigns

The Missouri Baptist Convention has lost its leader. David Tolliver resigned Friday from the Southern Baptist group. A statement from the organization says the cause was "immoral behavior with a woman.” His predecessor, David Clippard was fired over "rumors" about his "character.The associate executive director of support services, Jay Hughes will serve as acting interim executive director.

Jesus Banned from Church

Radio Station Sale Goes Through

The only classical music station in St. Louis will soon blast contemporary Christian music. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is selling KFUO-FM (Classic 99.1) to Christian music broadcaster Joy FM for $26 million. Classical music enthusiasts have been fighting the move for a year, trying to get the FCC to block the sale but the agency has approved the sale.

Joyce Meyer May Be Dropped from Suit

The family who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a former security guard at Joyce Meyer Ministries now wants the ministry dropped from its lawsuit. Christopher Coleman is accused of killing his family. They were found strangled in their beds at home in Columbia, Illinois last year. A judge ruled last week that the family's lawyers waited too long to get testimony from Meyer's workers about Coleman. Police investigators speculate that he wanted to remarry without having to divorce and hurt his ob status because Meyer doesn't employ divorced people. However, that is not in the employee handbook and Meyer herself is divorced.

Meyers Won't have to Testify

Joyce Meyer Ministry employees (including Meyer herself) will not have to testify in a civil lawsuit brought by the family of murder victim Sheri Coleman against her husband and accused killer, Christopher Coleman. Coleman worked for the Missouri ministry in its security department. But the judge decided that a six-month window had passed for depositions to be taken from Meyers or employees. The family's attorneys say that's an interpretation not used previously in any other circuit court or appellate court.

Disturbance in Church

St. Louis' KFUO-AM took a church service off-the-air this morning when someone collapsed in the congregation. The board operator thought he heard swearing but it was apparently confusing over the woman who fainted at the Blessed Savior Lutheran Church in Florissant.

$30 Million for Center

St. Louis' Washington University will create a religion and politics center with a $30 million donation. The gift comes from the Danforth Foundation. The private school has no religious affiliation.

Evolution T-shirts

A Missouri school is recalling its band’s t-shirts. Administration officials at the Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia say the shirts promote evolution. The shirts show the image of a monkey holding a brass instrument and progressing through various stages of evolution until eventually becoming a human. Parents complained after the band marched in the Missouri State Fair parade. New t-shirts are now being designed.

Funeral Protests OK

Missouri will not be able to stop an anti-gay church group from protesting near funerals. The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling that barred the state from enforcing a law that would create a buffer zone. Many other states have passed similar laws. The Missouri law was aimed at Kansas’ Westboro Baptist Church whose members believe US soldiers are dying because the country tolerates homosexuality.

Judge Sides with Ministry

A judge says a Messianic Jewish ministry may legally hand out tracts at a gay pride event in St. Louis. City officials had threatened to arrest members of Apple of His Eye when they tried to give away literature at the St. Louis' PrideFest last year. The next one is set for the last weekend of June. When a lawsuit was first threatened, the city reversed the ban . But the ministry wanted to make sure they were on firm legal ground and followed through on the suit. The literature handed out by Apple does not mention homosexuality.