Around the State

Posted: 5/26/06

Around the State

• A one-week program at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will afford children ages 10-16 the opportunity to learn basic Chinese conversational phrases and the Chinese writing system. The program will be held June 5-9 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Cost is $40. For more information, call (254) 295-4556.

• The Center for Cultural and Language Studies at Baptist University of the Americas will hold its annual summer cultural immersion experience June 7-14 at the San Antonio campus and culminate with a weekend practicum in Piedras Negras, Mexico. The experience begins with classroom instruction on both the beginner and intermediate levels. Conversation experience is provided through interaction with international students at the university. Field trips around San Antonio develop knowledge and appreciation of the Hispanic culture, while interaction with a local church immerses participants in the worship and fellowship practices of the Hispanic culture. The program culminates with a weekend of living among members of a church in Piedras Negras. Cost is $400 for the week, exclusive of housing. Members of Baptist General Convention of Texas churches receive a $50 scholarship through the Mary Hill Davis Offering. For more information, call (210) 924-4338, ext. 202.

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Conservatory of Music is taking enrollment for four Kindermusik camps to be held June 26-30. The age-group breakdowns are newborn through 18 months, 18 months through 3 years old, 4- and 5-year-olds, and 6- and 7-year-olds. Some classes require an adult caregiver attend the class with the child. Prices range from $85 to $140 and include materials. Register in the conservatory office, Room 208 in Presser Hall, by June 2.

Students from Hardin-Simmons University joined with their counterparts from Abilene Christian University in an effort to call attention to the plight of thousands of Ugandan children kidnapped each year and forced into the rebel army. The students packed up blankets, sleeping bags and backpacks and walked to the parking lot of First Church in Abilene for the “Global Night Commute.” High school and college students around the country participated in local events. About 400 people participated in Abilene.

• Baptist University of the Americas graduated 98 students this month—more than double the entire enrollment of the school seven years ago. The ceremony marked the school’s 60th class of graduates. The school is in the process of relocating from its 12-acre site to a location of more than 70 acres across Interstate 35 in San Antonio. Construction is under way for a student housing village and dorms that will be completed in fall 2007.

• Hardin-Simmons Univer-sity’s Logsdon School of Theology recognized its outstanding students during a spring awards program. Spot-lighted for their achievements were Cole Detwiler of Richard-son; Jaci Jackson of Hollis, Okla.; Cody Neinast of Little-field; Jake Mills of Abilene; Ryan Vanderland of Midland; Jessie Davis of Pensacola, Fla.; Wes Henson of Quitaque; Aaron Kahler of Midland; Jay Patterson of Lihue, Hawaii; Kathy Smith of Arlington, Carl Smith of Carlsbad, Calif.; Craig Bermender of Leander; Matt Mc-Gowan of Cross Plains; Justin Dunn of Shawnee, Okla.; Bryan Holmes of Corpus Christi; Mark Moore of Abilene; and Meredith Stone of Bryan.

• The Baylor University Alumni Association presented Jerold McBride and Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director Charles Wade with the George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award. A retired Texas pastor, McBride was ordained in 1951 and served several Texas and Oklahoma churches, including more than 30 years at First Church in San Angelo. Wade was pastor of First Church in Arlington from 1976 until 2000.

• Chris Liebrum and Michael Toby have been granted honorary doctorate of humanities degrees by Howard Payne University. Liebrum is the executive coordinator of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and Toby is pastor of First Church in Woodway, where he has served 28 years.

• Dallas Baptist University awarded undergraduate and graduate degrees to 565 students this month. Degrees were presented to 376 undergraduate students and 189 graduate students. Wayne Stevenson was presented an honorary doctor of humanities degree. He is a member of First Church in Plano.

• Kellye Brooks, assistant professor of business at Houston Baptist University, received an Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit from the National Academic Advising Association. Earlier in the year, Brooks was named HBU adviser of the year. She has been on the school’s faculty since 1992.

• David Mohn, vice president for enrollment management and marketing at East Texas Baptist University, will retire May 31. Mohn has served the school 29 years in various capacities. Mohn also served First Church in Hallsville as bivocational minister of music 25 years before retiring there.

• Daniel Breed of Bryan was presented the Williams-White Award for the practice of Christian social concern at Southeastern Theological Seminary at the school’s spring awards chapel.

• Eighty-eight students received awards at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor during the spring awards chapel. Students earned medals based on effort, academics or character; awards in an area such as scholastic achievement, service to the university or a special talent; or a monetary scholarship to use in coming semesters. Daniel McFarland of Port Lavaca, Nathan Nipp of Houston, Joshua Plant of Aus-tin, Jeremy Kee of Georgetown, David Twilleager of Copperas Cove and Aaron Van Wey of Jersey Village all received the Dorothy Hughes Weatherby Presidential Endowed Scholar-ship for ministerial students. Tiffany Jennings of Harker Heights received the George W. Truett Baptist Theological Seminary Scholarship and the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Christian Studies award. James Burns of Lorena received the Zondervan-UMHB Award for Excellence in Biblical Hebrew. Sarah Durham of Kennard received the Stella P. Ross Memorial Medal for the Outstanding Christian Young Lady, and Terence Waldron of Montgomery received the Outstanding Christian Young Man medal.

Anniversaries

• Terry Horton, 10th, as pastor of First Church in Hallettsville, April 9.

• Jerry Smith, 20th, as pastor of First Church in Clifton, May 10, not 10 years, as reported in the May 15 edition of the Baptist Standard.

• Jonathan Smith, fifth, as associate pastor at First Church in Richmond, May 15.

• County Line Church in Rogers, 150th, June 10-11. The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday with singing and fellowship. Former pastors expected to be present for Sunday’s service include Russell Pogue, Luther Dillard, Weldon Hicks and Gary Hillyard. Former music director Bruce Mercer and his family will bring the special music. A meal will follow the morning service. Steven Taylor is pastor.

• Reagan Wells Church in Uvalde, 100th, June 25. Descendents of the church’s original seven families will be recognized. Jack Nelson and Mag Gibbens will be recognized as the oldest living descendents of the originating families. Nelson, 93, serves the church as an active deacon. Also to be recognized are all the people baptized in the Dry Frio River. A lunch will follow the morning service. An open house will follow that afternoon, not only at the present building but also at the old Heard School building, where the church met for many years. A reception will be held in the fellowship hall. Alvie Stiefer is pastor.

• First Church in Perryton, 100th, July 8-9. An open house will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, with a hamburger cookout to be held at 6 p.m. and a worship service at 7 p.m. Former staff and members expected to participate in the evening’s worship service include Ganelle Pearce Hamp-ton, R.D. Jones, Susie Wilson, Suzanne Wood, Mike Key, Jerry Key, Nina Pinkston, Bob Law-rence, Charles Coulter, Gary Hall, Russell Pogue, O.K. Bow-en and Gerald Johnson. A continental breakfast will be available from 9 am. to 10 am. Sunday. Doug Riggs will preach. A lunch will follow the morning worship service. Church history books and cookbooks will be on sale. For more information, call (806) 435-3641. Richard Lav-erty is pastor.

Death

• E.P. Ramsey, 75, Oct. 25, 2005, in Crockett. He was pastor of First Church in Crockett from 1961 to 1991. He also was pastor of churches in Lufkin, Beckville, Clayton, Reliance, Garrison and Kountze. He served several churches as interim pastor after his retirement in 1991. He was a trustee for East Texas Baptist University for more than 20 years. His wife, Ethel, died 12 days after his death on Nov. 6. They are survived by their sons, Perry and Tom; and daughter, Deborah Williams.

• Johnny Barrett, 85, May 9 in Graham. He was a retired Baptist minister who was pastor of churches in Tonk Valley, Loving, Newcastle, Wizard Wells, Dublin, Vanderbilt, Goliad, and on the staff of churches in Dallas, Seagoville and Caddo. He was a member of First Church in Graham at the time of his death. He was preceded in death by his brothers,

J.B., Foster, Horace and Slim. He is survived by his wife, Rachel; daughters, Jana Golightly and Rachel Ann Hearne; sons Johnny, Billy Jack and David; sister, Louise Brooks; 25 grandchildren; and 36 great-grandchildren.

Ordaineds

• Matt Smith to the ministry at First Church in Temple.

• Jacob Flores to the ministry at Eisenhauer Road Church in San Antonio.

• Richard Alexander, Mich-ael Baze, W.E. Carpenter, Richard Fuchs, Zack Glover and Richard Lee as deacons at Macon Church in Mount Vernon.

Revivals

• Open Arms Church, Lone Oak; June 4-7; evangelist, Herman Cramer; music, Paul and Christy Newberry; pastor, Jeff Thompson.

• Reavilon Church, Green-ville; June 11-15; evangelist, Herman Cramer; music, Paul and Christy Newberry; pastor, David Hawkins.