Posted: 1/04/08
Around the State
• Don Lane, founder of CityChurch Ministries in Amarillo, was named Man of the Year for 2007 by the Amarillo Globe-News.
• Brady-Coleman-Runnels Baptist Area is now Lake Ivie Baptist Association. Barry Taylor, who had been pastor of First Church in Winters, has been elected ministry director.
| More than 13,000 Christmas cards were distributed in the wings of the Gib Lewis Correctional Unit in Woodville. Each inmate also received a calendar and date book. Baptist churches participating in the effort included First Church in Woodville, Dogwood Hills Church in Woodville, First Church in Warren, Hillister Church in Hillister and First Church in Colmesneil, as well as New Bethel Baptist Association and churches of other denominations. |
• The LifeWay Christian Resources store in Lubbock is relocating. Beginning Jan. 15, its 6,000-square-foot facility will be at the interchange of Loop 289 and Marsha Sharp Freeway at the Canyon West Shopping Center. The grand opening celebration will be held Jan. 26-Feb. 2.
• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor granted degrees to 183 students during winter commencement ceremonies, including 170 undergraduate degrees and 13 master’s degrees. Stephen Alston of Temple, Kayla Carr of Brenham and Audra Musser of Hewitt won awards for the highest grade-point average.
• Dan Griffin, pastor emeritus of Cliff Temple Church in Dallas, was awarded an honorary doctor of humanities degree by Dallas Baptist University during winter commencement ceremonies. The school also granted 266 undergraduate degrees and 227 graduate degrees.
• Janna Kim, a former member of Gaston Oaks Church in Dallas, and Matthew Kissing, a former member of Lake Arlington Church in Arlington, both received degrees from Golden Gate Seminary during winter commencement.
• Five Texans received degrees from New Orleans Seminary during winter commencement ceremonies. They were Dallas native Richard Blanton; Keith Manning, pastor of Central Church in Hillsboro; Danny Warbington, pastor of Mulberry Springs Church in Hallsville; Timothy Yin, pastor of First Chinese Church in San Antonio; and Byron McWilliams, pastor of First Church in Odessa.
• Four international students graduated from San Marcos Baptist Academy Dec. 12. They included two graduates from Mexico, and one each from Hong Kong and Vietnam.
• The mock trial team of Houston Baptist University finished fourth at the Green & Gold Invitational Mock Trial Tourn-ament held at Baylor University after notching nine wins. Debbie Whiteside, a junior from Houston, finished as second-best witness at the tournament.
• Tommy Young has been named director of financial aid at East Texas Baptist University.
Anniversaries
• Keith Wilkerson, 20th, as minister of music at First Church of Liberty City in Kilgore, Jan. 2.
• First Church in White Settlement, 140th, Feb. 10. A brunch will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the morning worship service. Featured speakers will be Paul Miller, Jim Gatliff and Al Fasol. For more information, call (817) 246-2171. David Hixon is pastor.
Deaths
• Curtis Morton, 86, Dec. 14, in Brownwood. Pastor of Second Church in Winters, he had been in ministry 56 years, preaching in and around Runnels County. He was instrumental in starting several churches in the area. He was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Patricia; and his second wife of 10 years, Margaret. He is survived by his sons, Curtis, Sherman, Farion and David; daughter, Patricia Batla; 18 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; stepdaughters, Betty Dawkins and Amanda Dawkins; three step-grandchildren; and one step-great-grandchild.
• Lucile Manning, Dec. 16, one day short of her 97th birthday, in Waxahachie. She was the wife of pastor Jack Manning, and they served in more than 20 countries. They retired to Waxahachie, where she was active in mentoring others in Scripture memory. She memorized hundreds of verses. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Ruth Turpin; son, Jack; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
• Boyd Hunt, 91, Dec. 20 in Fort Worth. He was a distinguished professor of theology emeritus at Southwestern Seminary. He was pastor of First Church in Houston from 1946 until 1953, when he began teaching at Southwestern Seminary. He retired in 1987, but continued to teach as an adjunct professor until 1999. He served on the executive committees of both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. He was preceded in death by his wife, Connie; sister, Carolyn Finke; and brother, Roland. He is survived by his daughters, Beth Harrington and Anne Barker; son, Bill; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Ordained
• Chad Smith, to the ministry at Georgetown Church in Pottsboro.







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