• Contemporary Christian artist duo Shane & Shane will perform at Howard Payne University Nov. 30 as a part of their “Glory in the Highest” Christmas tour. The concert is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (325) 649-8009.
• High school seniors and college transfer students are invited to attend Shadow Day at East Texas Baptist University Dec. 2-3. The campus visit allows prospective students to spend the night in the dorm, socialize with students and visit with professors at breakfast and by attending classes. A $15 nonrefundable fee reserves registration for the event. For more information, call (800) 804-3828.
• Registration is under way for the “May by the Bay” adult retreat May 9-12 at Texas Baptist Encampment in Palacios. Russell Dilday will be the camp preacher. In addition to the Bible study, prayer, singing and fellowship, a Western-themed banquet will be held. To request registration information, call (361) 972-2717. In order to request the limited motel accomodations, registration must be postmarked by Jan. 7. Other housing includes RV slots and dormitory-style rooms.
• The Baylor University Graduate School, in cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, has launched the Texas Baptist Universities (TBU) Scholars program, an initiative designed to recruit top graduate student applicants from Texas Baptist universities for Baylor’s Ph.D. programs. Kim Bodenhamer, Hardin-Simmons University; Jessi Hampton, East Texas Baptist University; and Chelsea Ruiz, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, are the inaugural participants. The TBU Scholars program was created to increase the number of Baptist-educated doctoral students staying in Texas Baptist universities; connect Texas Baptist universities by partnering in graduate education; retain bright doctoral students in Texas Baptist universities as students and, subsequently, as faculty; increase loyalty and involvement of Ph.D. graduates with the BGCT and Texas Baptist universities; and stem the "dying of the light" by providing a continued education for bright students in a Baptist university committed to its religious identity.
• Hardin-Simmons University will offer two new undergraduate degree programs next fall—public administration and nonprofit management.
Anniversaries
• West End Church in Beaumont, 50th, Dec. 12. Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, will be the featured speaker. A meal will follow the morning service. Jim Salles is pastor.
Death
• Bootsie Griffin, 84, Sept. 23 in Kilgore. She and her husband, James, were appointed as missionaries in 1975 by the Home Mission Board. She worked as a preschool specialist in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. In 1987, they moved to Kilgore, where they were active members of First Church. They continued their mission work as Mission Service Corps volunteers and assisting bivocational ministers. She was preceded in death by her husband; son, James; granddaughter, Rhonda Griffin; sister, Dean Faircloth; and brother, Warren Faircloth. She is survived by daughter, Judy Perkins; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
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Events
• Dorcas Wills Memorial Church in Trinity will hold a mission banquet and auction Nov. 20. Twenty-one missionaries who have served or are serving around the globe will be in attendance. Tickets for the banquet and auction are $15. A table for eight people can be secured for a tax deductable donation of $250 or more. Auction items include antique furniture, a football signed by Roger Staubach and many other items. The church is seeking to earn $44,000 from this event—the cost of keeping a missionary in foreign service for a year. Missionaries also will speak in Sunday school classes the next morning. For reservations and tickets, call (936) 594-3822. Jason Burden is pastor.
• Dove Award nominee Miss Pattycake will be at The Heights Church in Richardson Dec. 2 for a “Happy Birthday Jesus” party featuring the The Heights Joyland and Child Development Center preschool children’s choirs. The one-hour concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. Admis-sion is one unwrapped toy ($20 value) or a $20 donation per family, benefitting the Three Trees Christmas benevolence ministry.
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