Around the State: Renovated Tidwell Bible Building opens

Baylor University marked the opening of the newly renovated Tidwell Bible Building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 25. The renovation and preservation of the 67-year-old building was planned as part of the $300 million in capital improvements to support the aspirations of the Give Light fundraising campaign. The project was funded through a $15 million lead gift from the Sunderland Foundation of Overland Park, Kansas, and a completion gift from the late Barbara “Babs” Nell Baugh, of San Antonio, and The Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation. “Tidwell Bible Building is a much-loved landmark at Baylor University, and we are grateful to the Sunderland Foundation and the Baugh family for helping us to restore and preserve this wonderful piece of Baylor’s history,” President Linda A. Livingstone said. “At some point in their Baylor journeys, practically all of our students have taken a class in Tidwell, which houses some of our core disciplines, and we are grateful that this Baylor tradition will continue on for future generations because of their generosity.”

Wayland Baptist University and the Baptist General Convention of Texas sponsored The Gathering for West Texas pastors and their families at Wayland on Aug. 27-28. About 50 pastors and family members from Lubbock Area Baptist Association, Caprock Plains Baptist Association and Amarillo Area Baptist Association took part in the event. Donnie Brown, director of spiritual life at Wayland, said he worked with Texas Baptists to organize the event after seeing pastors struggle with COVID-19 and the effect it had on their churches and ministries. “We wanted to give them an opportunity to get away, relax and have fun being around other ministers with similar experiences who could encourage each other,” Brown said. Don Newbury, retired president of Howard Payne University and noted humorist, was the featured speaker. After dinner, participants attended a dessert reception at the home of Wayland President Bobby Hall. Participants in a panel discussion about the effects of COVID-19 on ministry included Jerry Joplin, director of Lubbock Area Baptist Association; Kenneth Jackson, pastor of New Light Baptist Church in Lubbock, Lorrie Brown, university minister at First Baptist Church in Plainview; Emily West, wife of Jacob West, pastor of First Baptist Church in Plainview; and Lance Woods, pastor of First Baptist Church in Clarendon.

Dallas Baptist University welcomed the largest first-year class in the school’s history during SWAT—Student Welcome and Transition week. More than 700 new students participated in SWAT, along with 100 upperclassmen who led a variety of games, Bible studies and other activities. As part of SWAT, students worked in service projects at Mission Arlington, Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, Cornerstone Baptist Church in Dallas and other sites throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Tanner Wright, a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, placed seventh overall in the finals of the 100-meter T47 competition at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, clocking a time of 11.21 seconds. He will compete in his signature event, the 400-meter T47, on Sept. 2.

Wayland Baptist University, the Jimmy Dean Museum and the City of Plainview are among the sponsors of the inaugural Jimmy Dean Music and Arts Festival from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 4 on the Wayland campus. More than 40 vendors and six food trucks will be set up, along with the Mustang Club Car Show. Outdoor concerts are scheduled throughout the day, ending with a 7 p.m. concert by the Sounds of West Texas featuring special guest Donna Deanperforming some of Jimmy Dean’s biggest hits. There is no charge for admission to any of the concerts or events associated with the festival.

Fellowship Southwest passed the $500,000 mark in allocations to ministries serving immigrants along the U.S./Mexico border. So far, ministry partners supported by Fellowship Southwest have fed, sheltered and protected more than 300,000 vulnerable people—particularly refugees amassed along the border who are seeking asylum in the United States, said Jorge Zapata, associate coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas.

Anniversary

20th for Dennis Wiles as senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Arlington.

Retirement

Ron Lyles after 40 years as pastor of South Main Baptist Church in Pasadena and 50 years as a Texas Baptist pastor.