Around the State: Great East Texas Hymn Sing

• The second annual Great East Texas Hymn Sing will be held at East Texas Baptist University Sept. 7 in Baker Auditorium of the Ornelas Spiritual Life Center at 1 p.m. Harlan Hall, Billy Foote, Andy Elliott, Kermit Tandberg, Mark Crim and Paul Tapp will lead the singing. An optional lunch will be served at noon in the Phillips Great Room on the lower floor of the Bennett Student Center. Reservations for the $15 catered lunch can be made by calling (903) 923-2042 by Sept. 3. The hymn sing is free.

• Recording artist Michael Martin Murphey will perform with the Hardin-Simmons University orchestra Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. in Behrens Audiorium on the HSU campus. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased by calling (325) 671-2258. Proceeds will benefit the HSU endowed orchestra scholarship fund.

• Dillon International will present a free adoption information meeting Sept. 17 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Buckner Children's Home campus in Dallas. An overview of adoption from China, Korea, Haiti, India, Hong Kong, Ghana and Colom-bia will be given. A domestic adoption program for Texas families and adoption programs in Russia, Ethiopia and Honduras, available through an affiliation with Buckner, also will be discussed. For information or a reservation to attend the meeting, call (214) 319-3426.

• East Texas Baptist University will hold its centennial celebration in connection with homecoming activities Oct. 19-20. The four-course centennial gala dinner will be held Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served beginning at 6:15 p.m. in the Quad. A tent seating 1,000 people located west of Scarborough Hall will serve as the ballroom. The $100-a-person, black-tie optional gala will include a fireworks show. To make reservations, go to www.etbu.edu/100/gala.

• The Sam Houston State University Baptist Student Ministry will hold a golf tournament in conjunction with an alumni reunion Oct. 19-20. Register at www.SamBSM.org. Other events include breakfast with former directors at 9 a.m. Saturday at the BSM building, and a barbecue lunch at noon. The homecoming football game will begin at 2 p.m. For more information, call (936) 295-2962.

• Four Truett Seminary students received $1,000 scholarships from the Truett Alumni Association during the school's fall convocation. Recipients were Chansin Esparza, Jennifer Hawks, Kari Tingle and Natalie Webb.

• Qualified students enrolled in the current semester at Baylor University will receive disbursements from an endowed scholarship fund honoring Baylor staff, since the school's staff council reached its $25,000 goal. The staff provided payroll deductions, honoraria and one-time donations—many of the gifts made in honor of specific staff members. Fund-raising efforts for the scholarship began in 2008 as a public show of support for students. The group reached its goal in only four years—one year earlier than the original timeline.

• Dallas Baptist University conferred 216 degrees during summer commencement ceremonies. Of the graduates, 116 received bachelor degrees, 92 received master's degrees, and eight earned doctoral degrees.

• The jersey of Brittany Roberson, a basketball player at Howard Payne University, will be displayed in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame's "Ring of Honor" in Knoxville, Tenn., during the upcoming basketball season.

Anniversary

• Richland Hills Church in Richland Hills, 60th, Sept. 16. Milton Ertelt will be the guest preacher. Activities begin at 9 a.m., with the worship service at 10:30 a.m. James Hooper is pastor.

Retiring

• Earl Belver, as pastor of First Baptist Church of Helotes on the church's annual Founders' Day, Sept. 30. He has been pastor of the Helotes church 19 years and served Texas Baptist churches 51 years. His previous churches include Lanier Church in Austin, Westheimer Church in Houston and Rural Shade Church in Cleveland. He is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Seminary. He and his wife, Jerry, will live in San Antonio and may be reached at (210) 520-1339.