Around the State

Posted: 8/18/06

Around the State

• Rutledge McClaren, director of institutional planning, assessment and research at East Texas Baptist University, will retire Sept. 1. He has served more than 45 years in higher education—41 of those years at ETBU, serving as either a mathematics professor or an administrator.

• Six Baylor University faculty will step into roles as chairs of academic departments for the new school year. New chairs and the departments they will serve include Jaime Diaz-Granados, psychology; David Garrett, communication sciences and disorders; Danny Leonard, aerospace studies; William Bellinger, religion; Timothy Kayworth, information systems; and Allen Seward, finance, insurance and real estate.

Corinth Church in Cisco presented Pastor Benny Hagan with an etched mirror to commemorate his 22 years as the congregation’s pastor. He has been a Baptist pastor for 52 years and has served several Texas churches. Corinth also was Hagan’s first pastorate in 1954.

• Dallas Baptist University awarded undergraduate and graduate degrees to 230 students Aug. 4. Eighty-three graduate students and 147 undergraduates took part in the ceremonies. Joseph Kim of South Korea was the commencement speaker and the recipient of an honorary doctorate of divinity.

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduated its 150th class Aug. 5. Seventy-one students received degrees during the ceremony—65 bacalaureate degrees and six master’s degrees. Amy Ivy received the award for the highest overall grade-poijnt average. Adrienne Henderson received the Loyalty Cup, given to the student selected as the most representative of the ideals, traditions and spirit of the university.

• The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship recently endorsed 18 chaplains, including five from Texas. Craig Klempnauer serves Southern Care Hospice in Waco; David Chan at Methodist Hospital in Houston; Judith Grace at Hillcrest Health System in Waco; Stephen Saunders at Scott & White Hospital in Temple; and Lynda Schupp at Lake Forest Good Samaritan Village in Denton.

Anniversaries

• B.B. Willis, 50th, in the ministry, July 8. He is pastor of St. James Church in Wharton.

• Michael Redus, fifth, as pastor of Springdale Church in Paris, Aug. 1.

• Bill Gillum, 10th, as minister of music at Indiana Avenue Church in Lubbock, Aug. 4.

• Ira Pinkston, 10th, as minister of music at First Church in Waxahachie, Aug. 5.

• Connie Cox, 10th, as director of outreach at First Church in Denton, Aug. 5.

• J.K. Weger, 10th, as minister of music and worship at First Church in Paris, Aug. 10.

• Jerry Henry, fifth, as pastor of Sadler Church in Sadler, Aug. 12.

• Danny Durham, fifth, as director of missions for Blanco Association, Aug. 15.

• Pat Travis, fifth, as pastor of Bagwell Church in Bagwell, Aug. 19.

• Keith McGee, 10th, as minister of music and worship at First Church in Denton, Aug. 26. A reception will be held in his honor at 4 p.m., followed by a program commemorating his service.

• First Church in Earth, 80th, Aug. 27. Former pastors Bobby Broyles and David Hartman are expected to attend, as are former music ministers Chris Moore and Karl Vaughan. A fried-chicken dinner will follow the morning service. Open house of the church, parsonage, Mission Earth and the family life center also will be held.

• First Church in Dennis, 75th, Aug. 27. Former pastors Carl Elder, Houston Hook, Jerry PIllow and W. Raurk are expected to attend. The day also will be marked by dedication of the church’s sanctuary. A meal will follow the morning service. After the meal, a second worship service will be held. Danny Shearman is pastor.

• South Oaks Church in Arlington, 25th, Sept. 3. Founding Pastor Bruce Edwards will preach in the morning service. A catered meal will follow. Cost for the meal will be $5 per person or $20 per family. A reservation for the meal is requested by Aug. 27 by calling the church at (817) 478-8284. Dan Curry is pastor.

• Freeway Manor Church in Houston, 50th, Sept. 10. A catered lunch will follow the morning service. In His Love Ministries will present a short concert following the meal. Former staff and members not contacted as yet by the church are asked to call (713) 944-0000. Roger VanHoy is pastor.

• First Church in Weatherford, 150th, Sept. 22-24. Events will kick off on Friday with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday’s festivities will include fun and games as well as barbecue at the Texas Star Ranch. Sunday’s 11 a.m. worship hour will be held at Weatherford High School’s Durant Auditorium. To make reservations or for more information, call (817) 594-5457. Steve Buckland is pastor.

• Webb Church in Arlington, 100th, Sept. 23. A catered luncheon will be held. To make reservation or for other information, call (817) 419-9227. Karl Fickling is interim pastor.

• First Church in Medina, 125th, Oct. 1. A morning devotional will kick off the festivities at 9:30 a.m., followed by Sunday school and worship. A lunch, song service and treasure hunt will follow, as well as the opening of the church’s time capsule. Photos depicting events in the church’s history, along with a timeline, will be on display. For more information, call (830) 589-2395. Allie Balko is pastor.

Retiring

• Dajuana Neal, as minister of music/senior adults at First Church in Whitesboro. July 16. She served the church 36 years.

Deaths

• Don Jopling, 74, June 24 in Burleson. He was a vocational evangelist. He is survived by his wife, Lynda; sons, Mark, Steve, Frederick and Andrew; a daughter, Ariella Marget; Four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

• Howard Linton, 85, Aug. 7 in San Antonio. He was pastor of churches in Maryville, Ohio, and Dayton. He later worked as chaplain at Hermann Hospital in Houston. He began the chaplaincy program at Baptist Memorial Hospital System—the second in Texas— in 1960. He trained hospital chaplains of many denominations throughout the United States. He also was interim pastor of many Baptist churches in San Antonio. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Wanda; son, Jim; daughter, Jeanne Reimers; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

• Ann Miller, 80, Aug. 12 in Waco. A 1949 Baylor University graduate, she began her career as an English professor at Baylor in 1961. She was designated a Master Teacher of literature in 1982, one of the first two Baylor professors to attain the distinction. She was named outstanding professor by Mortar Board 12 times, and by the student body, Student Congress and alumni groups repeatedly. In 2003, Baylor honored her with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, who served as chairman of Baylor’s political science department. She is survived by her son, Robert Jr.; daughter, Laurie Anne Smith; brother, James Vardaman; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Events

• A celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Bill Gilmore, as well as the 50th anniversary of his marriage to his wife, Lee Ann, was Aug. 19 at Emerald Bay on Lake Palestine. His years of ministry include pastorates in Clarksville, Sulphur Springs and Hawkins. In 1962, they were appointed by the SBC Foreign Mission Board to serve in Brazil, where they worked eight years in field evangelism and 12 years as director of the Radio/Television Board of the Brazilian Baptist Convention. After their ministry in Brazil, they returned to Texas, where he was associate pastor/business manager of Fielder Road Church in Arlington, founding pastor of Woodland Heights Church in Bedford and then pastor of Immanuel Church in Fort Worth. They reside in Arlington.

• First Church in Van Vleck will honor church secretary Jackie Corenfeld Aug. 27 with a lunch following the worship service. She is retiring after more than 17 years of service. The church will present her with a memory book with contributions from the membership. Anyone wishing to contribute to the book can send their addition to lamplighter@fbc-vanvleck.org. Al Lowe is pastor.

• Sonic Flood will perform at Columbus Avenue Church in Waco Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. The concert is held in conjuction with McClennan Com-munity College and Texas State Technical College Baptist Student Ministries.

• Park Memorial Church in Houston will hold special services to commemorate 74 years of service to the community Sept. 10. A lunch will follow the morning service. Singing and story-telling aealso part of the afternoon’s program. People planning to attend are asked to call the church at (713) 923-2853. Ricky Fletcher is pastor.

Ordained

• James Anaya to the ministry at Travis Church in Corpus Christi.

• Chris Barbee, Heath Bush, Damon Crabtree, David Rice and Phillip Spenrath as deacons at First Church in El Campo.

• Weston Voigt and Gordon Hart as deacons at McMahan Church in McMahan.

• Jeff Madison as a deacon at First Church in Rockdale.

Revival

• First Church, Edna; Aug. 27-30; evangelist, Joe Loughlin; music, Charles and Bonnie Covin; pastor, Danny Reeves.