Around the State

• Families interested in international adoption are invited to a free workshop hosted by Dillon International, an affiliate of Buckner International, June 12, to learn about the adoption process, fees and available children. The workshop will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Buckner Children’s Home campus in Dallas. Interested families must complete a free pre-application available online at www.dillonadopt.com prior to attending the workshop. To register for the free workshop, call (866) 236-7823.

• A concert will be held June 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lila Cockrell Theatre of the San Antonio Convention Center to benefit Sri Lankan children orphaned by the tsunami of 2004. The concert will support the efforts of Children’s Emergency Relief International, an arm of Baptist Child & Family Services, to care for the orphans, and it will feature youth choirs and members of the San Antonio Symphony. For tickets or more information, go to www.cerikids.org/oneworld.

• Howard Payne University conferred an honorary doctor of humanities degree upon Dub Wilson at its spring commencement ceremony. Wilson has served nine years on the school’s board of trustees, including two years as chairman, and currently is on the president’s development council. One hundred sixty students received undergraduate degrees during the ceremony, and three students were awarded master’s degrees.

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor awarded 280 baccalaureate degrees and 27 master’s degrees during its spring commencement ceremony. The award for highest grade point average (4.0) was shared between Julie Atwood of Temple, Elizabeth Melles of Belton, Emily Mize of Fairfield, Andrew Smiley of Harker Heights and Sarah Whitmire of Waco.

• Marquette Bugg is the recipient of the Addie Davis Award for excellence in preaching. Bugg graduated from Truett Seminary earlier this month. She is moving to Ghana, West Africa, to help begin an Upward-like basketball and soccer ministry. The Addie Davis Awards are presented by Baptist Women in Ministry. Addie Davis, who died in 2005, was the first Southern Baptist woman ordained to the ministry.

• Two appointments to Baylor University’s administrative staff have been announced. Kevin Jackson has been named vice president for student life, and John Whelan is associate vice president for human resources.

Anniversaries

• Roy Lee Dittmar, 25th, as pastor of Mount Zion Church in Cumby.

• Tom Tillman, 15th, as associate pastor, music and worship at First Church in Conroe, April 15.

• Bradley Maybin, 10th, as minister to students at First Church in Amarillo, May 1.

• First Church in Burleson, 125th, May 17. Mike Milburn is pastor.

• Cliff Feeler, 20th, as minister to senior adults at First Church in Denton, May 22.

• Dorso Maciel, 50th in ministry, May 30. He is pastor of Primera Iglesia in Laredo. He formerly served as pastor at Primera Iglesia in Marlin, Primera Iglesia in Goliad, Primera Iglesia in Mathis and New Life Church in Beeville.

• Kenneth Branam, 20th, as pastor of Plymouth Park Church in Irving, June 14. Following the morning service at 10 a.m., all the church’s congregations, including the Kenyan, Latino, Thai and Ethiopian groups, will meet under a tent for a lunch.

East Texas Baptist University will hold its Cross Point Conference for senior adults June 2-4. The conference theme is “Celebrating Life.” Bill Thorn is the conference speaker, and Bob Utley is the Bible study leader. Mark Fried is the music leader, and concert artists Aaron Wilborn and On Our Way also will perform. Also included are game tournaments, a talent show and other events. The cost for participants staying on campus is $180 per person or $240 for couples. For commuters, the cost is $10 per day, with meals and concert tickets extra. The registration deadline is May 25. For more information, call (903) 923-2174. Above, Jerry Hill of First Church in Duncanville enjoys last year’s conference.

• First Church in Hedley, 100th, June 21. A lunch and afternoon service will be held. Bruce Howard is pastor.

• Trinity Church in San Antonio, 60th, June 26-27. The grand opening of the church’s third campus, TriPoint, which houses Grace Cafe Coffee Shop and the YMCA San Antonio headquarters, will be a part of the celebration. The multifaceted celebration also will include a golf tournament, a luncheon for charter members, meetings of various interest groups, a catered dinner and a Saturday night celebration in the worship center. For more information, see www.trinitybaptist.org. Leslie Hollon is pastor.

• Calallen Church in Corpus Christi, 135th, June 27-28. The church’s celebration theme will be “Celebrating our Faith and Freedom” because the church actually was founded on July 4, 1874. On Saturday, there will be a meet and greet time prior to a dinner of grilled fajitas. The cost is $12 per person. Dinner will be followed by a patriotic musical tribute presented by the church choir. Sunday’s events include video tributes, special music by current and former church musicians and staff, and special messages from former church staff. A meal will follow the morning service. A historical timeline will be featured during the two-day event with a display of church momentos, quotes and photographs. For more information about the celebration or reduced hotel rates, call (361) 241-4272. Jack Willoughby is pastor.

Deaths

• Liz Looby, 59, April 9 in Early. Her husband, Jim, is pastor of First Church in Blanket. A teacher and homemaker while her husband served for more than 20 years as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, she served in many volunteer capacities. Among her interests were singing, writing and coordinating programs for POW-MIA annual observances. She also coordinated many Vacation Bible Schools and women’s Bible studies. After moving to Early, she helped coordinate the Heart of Texas Christian Women’s Job Corps. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Carleton. She is survived by her husband of 36 years; sons, James and John; mother, Bettie Carleton; and one grandson.

• Earl Nuckels, 58, April 14 in Denton. He was minister of music at Highland Church in Denton. He began his music ministry at age 18 and also served as music minister at Town North Church in Denton, McKinney Street Church in Denton, First Church in Little Elm, Trinity Church in Sherman and First Church in Henrietta. He was a member of the Singing Men of Texas. He is survived by his wife, Martha; sons, Christian and Jordan; brothers, George, Donald and Thomas; and one granddaughter.

• L.L. Morriss, 89, May 1 in Longview. A preacher from the age of 15, he was ordained in 1938 and was pastor at Texas churches in Angus, Mount Zion, Gresh-am, Noonday, Judson, Cayuga, New London, Cameron, Bay-town, Mount Pleasant and First Church in Midland, where he served more than 20 years. He was director of the evangelism division of the Baptist General Convention of Texas from 1975 until 1981, and he served as director of the Christian Education Coordinating Board from 1981 to 1985, before his retirement. He also served as chairman of the BGCT Executive Board, chairman of the BGCT Human Welfare Commission, president of the Baptist Training Union of Texas and parliamentarian for the Southern Baptist Convention for five years. He also was a trustee for East Texas Baptist College, Howard Payne Univer-sity, Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University. He was a field supervisor for the Southwestern Seminary doctor of ministry program. A noted writer and speaker, he wrote numerous articles for denominational periodicals and a book, The Sound of Boldness. He received the Distinguished Service Award from Texas Baptist Men in 1970, the W.T. Tardy Alumni Award for service from East Texas Baptist College in 1978, and was twice awarded the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom Foundation. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, East Texas Baptist College and Baylor University each conferred honorary doctorates on him. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Faye, in 1993; brothers, Robert and Thomas; and infant twin sisters, Dorthy and Doris. He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Mary; son, Lester Jr.; step-children, Jim Dean, Bob Dean and Debra Summers; two grandsons; six step-grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and two step-great-granddaughters.

• Bob Edd Shotwell, 77, May 6 in Georgetown following a heart attack. Shotwell was minister of education and administration at Hyde Park Church in Austin 26 years. He started a child development center at the church that later developed over the course of years into a high school. Shotwell’s willingness to help was not limited to children. During his years at Hyde Park, he founded Friendship Inter-national, which sought to help acclimate newly immigrant women and their children to the United States, teaching them American customs and how to go about shopping and other everyday tasks. That ministry led to Chinese, Korean and Hispanic services at the Austin church. He was a graduate of Baylor University and South-western Seminary. He retired from Hyde Park in 1994; in 2000, he moved to Georgetown and joined First Church there. He also worked as a consultant through Ministers Mentoring and Consulting Service, helping to train pastors and other church ministers. He is survived by his wife, Lane; daughters, Laurie Kriegel and Robbie Walters; son, Carter; and seven grandchildren.

Events

• The Heights Church in Richardson will hold a free job search workshop May 30 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will teach job search skills, including finding your job focus, resume critique and development, effective networking skills, 30-second elevator presentation, interviewing techniques, two-minute verbal resume and more. Preregistra-tion is suggested. To register, call (972) 231-6047, ext. 218.

• Southcrest Church in Lubbock held a West Texas Family Outdoor Expo May 1-3. A women’s banquet, car and motorcycle show, fishing ponds, deer head exhibition and children’s activities were held. Seven hundred men turned out for the Men & Boys Beast Feast, and 700 youth turned out for a Sunday night rally. The weekend accounted for 342 spiritual decisions, with more than 100 professions of faith in Christ. David Wilson is pastor.

Ordained

• Gary Johnson to the ministry, at Grace Church in Friona.

• Laurie Taylor to the ministry at Wilshire Church in Dallas.

• Mike Nikolauk, Buddy Peel, Kevin Pepper and Rick Williams as deacons at First Church in San Angelo.

Revivals

• New Hope Church, Scroggins; May 24-27; evangelists, Paul and Vanessa Cherry; pastor, Larry Glossup.

• First Church, McLean; May 31-June 4; evangelist, Robert Barge; music, Jeff Gore; pastor, Kenneth Martin.

• Valley View Church, Longview; May 31-June 3; evangelist, Allen Buchanek; music, Michael McGrath; pastor, Tim Lindsay.