Texas Tidbits
Posted: 7/06/07
Texas Tidbits
Baylor School of Social Work named partner. For the first time, the Baylor University School of Social Work has been named a partner school by the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The School of Social Work offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. It also participates in a program to offer a master of social work/master of divinity degree with Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary, which also is a CBF partner school.
Guajardo leads CBF Texas. Alcides Guajardo of Mineral, immediate past president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, was elected moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas at the national CBF general assembly June 28. He takes the place of Ronald Edwards of Goliad, who died this spring. Other officers are Jorene Swift of Fort Worth, moderator-elect, and Ken Hugghins of Huntsville, recording secretary. New members of the CBF Texas coordinating council are Burt Burleson, Waco; Robert Cepeda, Los Fresnos; Sandra Cisneros, Victoria; Joe Fields, Lewisville; Charles Higgs, Stephenville; Fred Hobbs, Victoria; Judy Joy, Covington; Ella Prichard, Corpus Christi; Jesse Rincones, Lubbock; Taylor Sandlin, San Angelo; Ross Shelton, Castroville; Carolyn Strickland, Dallas; Andrew Villarreal, San Antonio; and Jorge Zapata, Harlingen. Texans elected to national CBF positions include Rodney McGlothlin of College Station, Janie Sellers of Abilene and Philip Wise of Lubbock, coordinating council; Debbie Ferrier of Houston, nominating committee; Tommy Hiebert of San Angelo, Church Benefits Board; and Patricia Ayres of Austin and Os Chrisman of Dallas, CBF Foundation.
Founder to leave My Father’s House. Shirley Madden, founder of My Father’s House Lubbock, will retire as the ministry’s executive director before the end of the year. After she steps down from the director’s role, she plans to work as a consultant to help other churches and groups establish not-for-profit ministries. Madden expanded the Woman’s Missionary Union’s Christian Women’s Job Corps program in Lubbock to include a residential component through My Father’s House Lubbock’s Living and Learning Center, where mothers-in-need could develop job skills and life skills, and their children could live with them in a safe, nurturing Christian environment. So far, 123 women have graduated from the center’s Christian Women’s Job Corps program, 12 of them currently attend college and 98 women made professions of faith in Christ. Madden and her husband, O.C., are members of First Baptist Church in Lubbock.
Staff moves noted at Baptist Building. Andre Punch, director of the congregational strategists team for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is moving to a counseling role within the BGCT Executive Board staff. Punch, a licensed counselor, will focus on strengthening families and marriages through the BGCT congregational leadership team. Gus Reyes, director of the BGCT service center, will lead the congregational strategists, church starters and affinity group leaders, as well as the service center. Reyes’ new title will be director of congregational relationships. David Bush has been promoted to service center team leader. Paul Atkinson will continue leading the church-starting team, and Tim Randolph will lead the congregational strategists.