Howard Payne University will be the site for the Brownwood area’s 32nd annual community Thanksgiving feast. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 26 at HPU’s Mabee University Center. Last year, more than 2,000 meals were served on campus and through the home-delivery program. Howard Payne’s food service staff members devote their holiday to preparing the meals, and volunteers from the university and community make deliveries. Volunteers can arrive at 10:30 a.m. for assignments.
East Texas Baptist University will hold its fourth annual Tiger Invitational Debate Tournament, Nov. 13-14. About 150 debaters from a six-state region are expected to compete.
Operation Christmas Child’s national collection week is Nov. 16-23. Anyone can drop off a gift-filled shoebox to send to a child oversees. The Samaritan’s Purse ministry global goal for 2015 is to reach 11 million children in need. To find a nearby drop-off location, click here.
Twelve current and former Hardin-Simmons University graduate and undergraduate students from Logsdon Seminary and School of Theology programs attended the Parliament of World Religions during an international gathering in Salt Lake City attended by more than 10,000 people from 80 nations and 50 faiths.
Abilene-Callahan Baptist Association presented awards at its annual meeting. Bill and June Dent, members of First Baptist Church in Abilene, were named volunteers of the year for their work with the association’s social ministries. Broadview Baptist Church in Abilene was named church of the year. Richard Darden of Shining Star Fellowship in Abilene was named pastor of the year, and Jimmy Gilbreath of Builders Baptist Church in Merkel was named bivocational pastor of the year. Dennis Byram, music minister at First Baptist Church in Baird, was named staff member of the year.
Anniversaries
T. Wayne Price, fifth, as pastor of First Baptist Church in Refugio, Nov. 7.
Cockrell Hill Baptist Church in Dallas, 100th, Nov. 15. Former pastor Steven Leatherwood will be the guest preacher. Music featuring the choir, the Hispanic praise band and Carol West on the harp. A luncheon requiring reservations will follow. The cost is $15 per person or a maximum of $45 per family. To make reservations, call (214) 384-8253. Ed Cole is pastor.
Moses Vaca, 10th, as pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Cameron.
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Randy Tumlinson, fifth, as pastor of McDade Baptist Church in McDade.
Phil Hassel, fifth, as pastor of Independence Baptist Church in Brenham.
Retiring
Clif Abshier, after 46 years of ministry, the last 20 as pastor of First Baptist Church in Bishop. He previously served at South Texas Children’s Home, First Baptist Church in Mathis, First Baptist Church in Uvalde, High Plains Baptist Hospital in Amarillo, Parker Baptist Association in Weatherford and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He began preaching 52 years ago at Amelia Baptist Church in Beaumont.
Ordained
Caleb Park to the ministry at the Korean Church of Waco.
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