You can add Keith Berryman’s name to the list of pastors who are reaching areas of American culture not usually associated with faith. Berryman, who is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmington, N.M., also serves as the chaplain of the SunRay Park and Casino Racetrack, according to the Daily Times.

Berryman spends between 25 to 30 hours a week at the track preaching to jockeys, trainers and horse groomers. Most of his time is spent with jockeys, who lead a dangerous lifestyle and want the support and prayer of the pastor to get them through. Most of them admit it’s not an easy job to serve among a culture associated with drinking, gambling and cursing.

"You got to be thick-skinned just because of the type of people you're dealing with out here," said horse owner Vance Mikkleson. "It's not like having church where people come to you. (Berryman) comes to them."

QUOTE: "We want to tell people who look at [our statue] to do something. We've got to do more than cry. We've got to change the madness that is killing our children." —Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church, which hosted a Mother’s Day service in support of mothers who have lost their children to street violence. The church commissioned a statue, which shows a figure pointing a gun at a young victim, to remind attendees of the importance of the issue. The memorial service came a day after a citywide effort to curb street violence in the southern part of Chicago, where St. Sabina is located. [chicagotribune.com, 5/9/10]

A new Barna survey of teenagers revealed that most students place a more immediate emphasis on careers, travel and faith than they do marriage.

The study asked teens what they think their lives will be like when they turn 25 years old. The most common aspirations included graduating from college (93 percent) and getting a “great paying job” (81 percent). Some 80 percent also said they expect to have a job where they can make a difference by that age.

Faith turned out to be the next highest priority for teens after college and career. Almost three-quarters of teens said they expect to have a close, personal relationship with God at the age of 25. Next on the list of priorities was travel. More than 70 percent of students said they expect to travel to other countries by the time they are young adults.

QUOTE: "We are blessed to live in a nation that counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their consciences."—President Obama, speaking in an address affirming the National Day of Prayer, which will be held May 6. The day has come under recent scrutiny after a federal judge in Wisconsin recently agreed with plaintiffs who had sued to put an end to the federal government’s involvement in the event. [abpnews.com, 5/3/10]