Celebrating Churches: South Main Houston hosts foster care event

South Main Baptist Church in Houston will host an informational kickoff and official launch of an Isaiah 117 House location on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 3:30 p.m. The event will introduce the community to Isaiah 117 House in Harris County, an organization providing safe, child-friendly homes for children entering foster care while caseworkers work to find appropriate placements. Guests will hear from Ronda Paulson, founder and executive director of Isaiah 117 House, about the organization’s beginnings, the need it seeks to address, and opportunities to support its work in Harris County. The event is open to churches, businesses, civic organizations, families, volunteers, advocates, community leaders, and others interested in helping children entering foster care. Those unable to attend are encouraged to pray at 1:17 p.m. on Oct. 4 for children entering foster care, caseworkers, and the development of Isaiah 117 House. Volunteer, donation, and other opportunities are available through the Isaiah 117 House Linktree.

Sugar Land Baptist Church has broken ground on a renovation and expansion project aimed at accommodating the church’s continued growth and expanding opportunities to serve the Sugar Land community. The project will add space for children’s ministries, adult Bible studies, community events, and volunteer initiatives. The expanded children’s ministry area will include space for children’s worship, a new playground, and additional security features. The project also will add an outdoor courtyard for fellowship and events. The facility will continue to house the church’s Children’s Day Out program, as well as congregations from Deaf Heart Church and Grace Chinese Baptist Church. The project, which has been supported by the congregation following years of planning and prayer, is expected to be completed before the end of 2027. Baptist Church Loan Corporation is providing financing, Tellepsen is serving as general contractor, and Torgerson Design Partners is providing architectural and design services. Taylor Sandlin is the senior pastor.

Darrell Tomasek, senior pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Victoria, has accepted a call to First Baptist Church in Decatur to serve as senior pastor. His last day in the pulpit at Northside Baptist Church will be Sunday, Oct. 11, Tomasek announced on Facebook. Tomasek expressed excitement for his new call and reflected on his decade-long stay at Northside Baptist Church, asking for prayer for himself and his wife as they prepare for a “new season.”

Paul Kenley is retiring after 11 years as pastor of Pony Creek Baptist Church in Stephenville. In a statement on Facebook, Kenley expressed his gratitude to the Lord for the many years of preaching from the pulpit. “I thank God for the high privilege of standing in the pulpits of Baptist churches in Seminole, Abilene, Dimmitt, Houston, and Lampasas, as well as the opportunity to give birth to a new congregation as the founding pastor at Grace Fellowship, which is still thriving after 23 years,” Kenley wrote.