Texas Tidbits

Posted: 8/31/07

Texas Tidbits

TBM offers relief to Erin victims. Texas Baptist Men dispatched two clean-out teams, a shower unit and recovery group to two West Texas towns flooded by the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin. Clean-out teams from Amarillo and Lubbock, a recovery team from Waxahachie and a shower unit from O’Donnell headed to Merkel and Hamlin. The Ellis Christian Disaster Relief Box Unit took 2,000 moving boxes to help flood victims collect the items they would like to save. About 250 homes in Hamlin and 30 in Merkel were affected by flooding that occurred as a result of the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin. Texas Baptist Men disaster relief efforts can be supported by sending a check designated “disaster relief” to Disaster Relief, Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas 75227 or via credit card by calling (214) 828-5351.

Ethics lecture program endowed at Howard Payne. A gift from Gary and Molli Elliston of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas has enabled Howard Payne University to establish a distinguished lecture program focusing on the significance of Christian ethics, beginning in the 2008 spring semester. The Ellistons endowed the Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lecture Series in honor of David Currie, executive director of Texas Baptists Committed, and in memory of Phil Strickland, director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission. “On an annual basis, this lecture will provide a special opportunity to students, faculty and the general public to consider the importance of Christian ethics in the workplace, in the classroom, in ministry, in national and world affairs and in the minds of Christians as they make decisions in their daily lives,” Howard Payne President Lanny Hall said.

Retiree Ministries Retreat slated. Bill Pinson, Baptist General Convention of Texas executive director emeritus, will preach, and Bill Tolar, retired dean of the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will teach daily Bible studies during the ninth annual Retiree Ministries Retreat at Glorieta Conference Center, Sept. 24-28. Music evangelist Dick Baker of McKinney will lead the music, and retired dentist Bill Hanson of Dallas will be the organist. The retreat is sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Glorieta Conference Center. For reservations, contact Glorieta toll-free at (800) 797-4222. For more information, contact Richard Faling at (972) 742-1471.

Hillcrest names new president. Glenn Robinson, a health care system executive from South Carolina has been named president and chief executive officer of Hillcrest Health System by the Waco-based hospital system’s board. Robinson has more than 20 years experience in hospital executive management, most recently as chief executive officer of the Mary Black Health System in Spartanburg, S.C. Previously, he spent seven years as chief executive officer of the Nacogdoches Medical Center and Shelby Regional Medical Center. He also held executive positions at hospitals in Houston and Portland, Oregon. Robinson is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Trinity University in San Antonio. He and his wife, Rhonda, have three children—Josh, Jacob and Sarah Kathryn. They are members of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, S.C.