Around the State

• Paul Stripling will present guidance on “How to Minister to Those Experiencing Grief” at noon Nov. 11 as part of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ministers’ forum series. It will be held in the Shelton Theater. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch.

• Dallas Baptist University will hold homecoming festivities Nov. 15-20. The week will begin on Monday with an alumni dinner for the College of Education. On Thursday, the alumni dinner for the master of arts in counseling program will be held at 7 p.m., and the university’s annual Mr. Big Chief competition is set for 8 p.m. in the Burg Center. On Friday, the university will host a pre-game pep rally and parade at 3 p.m. in The Quad. At 6 p.m., DBU will hold its annual alumni homecoming banquet. This year, honorary alumni awards will be presented to Stephen Holcomb, DBU professor of music and director of choral studies, as well as Rose-Mary Rumbley, former DBU professor and Dallas historian. At 8 p.m., the Homecom-ing Extravaganza will kick off with this year’s theme, “Days at DBU: A Broadway Revue.” Saturday will be filled with a variety of celebrations, including reunion luncheons for university alumni at 1 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., students and alumni alike are invited to a tailgate party that will lead up to the homecoming game. The DBU Patriot basketball team will take on the Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. in the Burg Center. For more information on DBU Homecoming 2010, visit www.DBU.edu/ homecoming.

• The Howard Payne University board of trustees has elected officers for the coming year. Brad Helbert of Abilene was re-elected chairman, and David Lowrie, pastor of First Church in El Paso, was re-elected first vice chairman. Robert Carter of Fort Worth will be second vice chairman, and Nell Hoffman of Bedford will be secretary.

• Tommye Lou Davis has been appointed vice president for constituent engagement at Baylor University. She has taught Latin to Baylor students since joining the faculty in 1966. She is a member of First Church in Waco.

• Dub Oliver, president of East Texas Baptist University, has been selected the Texas A&M Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education Alumni of the Year. He is the first recipient of this award.

Anniversaries

• Lisa Vyers, fifth, as director of children’s ministries at Tabernacle Church in Ennis, Nov. 15.

• First Church in Devers, 120th, Nov. 21. Fred Rainey will be the guest preacher, and Appointed by Grace will present the special music. A meal will follow the morning service. For more information, call (936) 549-7653. Harry McDaniel is pastor.

• First Church in Alba, 125th, Nov. 21. The church also will celebrate the retirement of the debt on its new worship building. Former pastors and music ministers have been invited to attend. A meal will follow the morning service.

• Robin McGee, 30th, as minister of music at First Church in Sherman.

• Kenny Eiben, 20th, as pastor of Calvary Church in Corpus Christi.

Deaths

• J.H. Wright, 95, Oct. 15 in Grand Prairie. He was pastor of churches in Holliday, Henrietta, Olney, Levelland, Grand Prairie and Corpus Christi. His first sermon was at First Church in Canyon. “It was on a very cold night, sleet and snow was falling outside, but the 12-minute effort brought as much perspiration as bailing hail in July,” it was recalled at his funeral. “The text was Romans 6:23, and the effort was so feeble, he did not use the text again until some 40 years later.” He also served 17 churches as interim pastor after his retirement. He was a trustee of Wayland Baptist College nine years, and served two terms as a trustee of Decatur Baptist College, including the board that moved the school to Dallas. He then served that school, Dallas Baptist University, 13 years as a trustee. He also was a trustee of South Texas Children’s Home nine years and was a member of the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The children’s building of First Church in Grand Prairie is named in his honor. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Virginia, and his son, Johnny. He is survived by his son, Tom; daughter, Joy Heatherly; two sisters; two brothers; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

• Mary Godsey, 82, Oct. 22 in Plainview. She was a pastor’s wife 62 years and a Sunday school teacher 64 years. She served as president of the Texas Woman’s Missionary Union for four years in the Hispanic Baptist Convencion. She served a two-year term as the Hispanic convention’s president’s wife. She traveled throughout Mexico and Texas as a missionary. She is survived by her husband, Glen; son, Lynn; daughters, Yolanda Rodriguez, Corina Cavaness and Betty Godsey; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

• Terry Bratton, 67, Oct. 26 in Abilene. He was a former associate professor of computer science and associate vice president for information technology at Hardin-Simmons University. Prior to coming to HSU, he was an assistant professor of business at Wayland Baptist University. He was pastor of Gilliland Church in Gilliland from 1978 to 1985. He was a member of College View Church in Abilene. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol; sons, Terry, Kenneth and John; daughter, Jennifer Freeman; and seven grandchildren.

Event

• Trinity Church in Bryan will hold homecoming services Nov. 21. Former pastor Barry Chinn will preach. Henry Stovall is pastor.

Ordained

• David Chandler as a deacon at Rayburn Parkway Church in Bronson.

• Roger Perkins to the ministry at Memorial Church in Marshall.

• Marco Rodriguez and Jim Wesberry as deacons at South Garland Church in Garland.

Revivals

• First Church, Merkel; Nov. 7-10; evangelist, Jonathan Hewitt; music, Wes James; pastor, Todd Keller.

• First Church, Whitesboro; Nov. 7-10; evangelist, David Allen; pastor, Mike Flanagan.