April 7, 2003
___ Founders' Day recalls Carlson. The influence of archaeology professor Leslie Carlson at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was recalled during Founder's Day ceremonies March 20. The 40-year tenure of the former professor was highlighted by William Tolar, distinguished professor of biblical backgrounds. Two couples also were granted the seminary's B.H. Carroll Award--Larry and Annetta Brown of Morristown, N.J., and Terry and Sammie Horton of Southlake. The award recognizes service and commitment to the seminary.
___ Allen to Ethics Daily. The Baptist Center for Ethics has hired veteran journalist Bob Allen as managing editor of EthicsDaily.com, an Internet service operated by the Nashville, Tenn., agency. Allen, 47, most recently worked nine years as news editor of Associated Baptist Press.
___ Dunn recovering. As of press time April 3, retired Baptist Joint Committee Executive Director James Dunn was improving after experiencing a tear in his aorta March 26. Dunn collapsed while with a colleague on campus at Wake Forest University Divinity School in Winston-Salem, N.C., where he is serving as a visiting professor. The native Texan remained in serious condition at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.
___ Illinois pastor sentenced. A former Illinois Southern Baptist pastor received a seven-year prison sentence March 31 for two counts of criminal sexual assault involving a teenage girl. Leslie Mason, 35, former pastor of Olney Southern Baptist Church in southeastern Illinois, pled guilty in January to the felony counts as part of a deal with prosecutors to dismiss eight other counts involving two teenage girls. A decision last year to publish a news story about the pastor's arrest caused a firestorm in the Illinois Baptist Association, ultimately leading to the termination of the state Baptist newspaper's editor. Mason apologized to his victims at the sentencing hearing and pleaded with the judge to give him probation but no jail time, pointing out he already has lost his career, been labeled a sex offender and brought embarrassment to his church, friends and family. The judge said probation would be "inconsistent with the ends of justice."
___ Crossover Arizona planned. The evangelistic effort surrounding the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting will reach out to the state of Arizona. Crossover Arizona will bring block parties, door-to-door visits and other evangelistic efforts to the metropolitan Phoenix area June 14--the Saturday before the June 17-18 convention. The following weekend, churches in other parts of the state will sponsor similar events. Individuals or groups interested in participating in Crossover Arizona should contact volunteer coordinator Deb Wolfrey at (866) 289-0469 or valleyrim@hotmail.com.
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