Texas Tidbits

BUA sponsors BGCT breakfast. Baptist University of the Americas will host a breakfast during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting to celebrate BGCT’s role in Hispanic education, Nov. 17, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in Grand Ballroom A, Level 3 of the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Tickets will be available at the BUA booth or by contacting Teo Cisneros at tcisneros@bua.edu.

Downloadable Bible study available. Diana Garland, dean of the Baylor University School of Social Work, and Vicki Marsh Kabat, director of marketing and communications, have written a five-lesson series of Bible studies on “Power and the Christian.” Produced with financial support from the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission, the Bible studies are part of the school’s ongoing project to prevent clergy sexual misconduct. The Bible study series can be downloaded free here.

DBU scholarship honors longtime Sunday school teacher. Dallas Baptist University has created the Martha Howard childhood ministry scholarship to benefit students in the Master of Arts in Christian Education—Childhood Ministry program. Trudy Christopher of Trinity has been selected the initial recipient of the scholarship, named in honor of Howard, who taught kindergarten Sunday school at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas more than 60 years.

Historical Society meet slated. The fall meeting of the Texas Baptist Historical Society will be at 11 a.m., Nov. 16, in Room 340B of the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, prior to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting. The luncheon meeting will include the election of officers, recognition of the history award winners and a presentation by Kelly Pigott of Hardin-Simmons University on George W. Truett and war. Cost of the luncheon is $25, payable at the door. For reservations, call (972) 331-2235 or e-mail autumn.hendon@bgct.org by Nov. 9.

Substance abuse ministry dinner scheduled. Ben DeLeon, an attorney who lead the Faith Partners ministry at First Baptist Church in Austin, and Gale Yandell, single adult minister at Westbury Baptist Church in Houston, will be the featured speakers at a substance abuse ministry dinner scheduled prior to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in Houston. The dinner, sponsored by the BGCT Christian Life Commission, will be at 6 p.m., Nov. 15, in Room 340 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Cost is $15. To make a reservation, call (214) 828-5190 by Nov. 11.

Howard Payne social work scholarship established. Dann and Melba Harrelson Barger of First Baptist Church in Brownwood have established the Harrelson-Barger Endowed Scholarship at Howard Payne University for students majoring in social work. He worked as a caseworker and administrator with the Texas Youth Commission. She is a retired educator and counselor. Both are Howard Payne graduates.

Grants benefit BCFS youth programs. Baptist Child & Family Services recently received joint grants totaling more than $225,000 from the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to begin a delinquency prevention and rehabilitation program serving at-risk youth in the Kerrville community. Modeled after a juvenile justice program BCFS has offered to youth in San Antonio for 10 years, the new program will provide weekly home-based case management, counseling and around-the-clock crisis services to 100 juveniles and their families aimed at bringing stability to households. Case managers will help families connect with available community resources such as substance abuse programs and anger management courses. Since 1999, youth completing the San Antonio program have demonstrated recidivism rates of less than half that of youth placed on waiting lists. Bexar County Juvenile Probation estimates the BCFS program in San Antonio saves the county more than $409,000 per year that would otherwise be used for residential treatment.