Around the State_111703

Posted: 11/14/03

Around the State

Joe Walton has been certified as an intentional interim pastor. He also is director of missions for Double Mountain Area.

Anniversaries

Barry Rock, 10th as minister of music at First Church in Arlington Nov. 10.

First Church in Georgetown was one of 15 churches comprising a 52-member team that ministered in Acuña, Mexico. Ministries include medical and dental and optical clinics, Vacation Bible School activities for teens and children. More than 300 individuals were seen in the clinics, and the Vacation Bible Schools averaged more than 200 present each day. Above, dental hygienist Pam Woodruff of Georgetown works on a patient at the clinic held at Templo Bautista El Calvario in Acuña.

Randy Mitchell, 20th as associate pastor and minister of recreation at Westbury Church in Houston Nov. 16.

Retiring

R.B. Cooper will be honored with a celebration of his retirement from ministry with a reception at First Church in San Antonio Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. The reception will be preceded by a sermon by Jimmy Allen at 6 p.m. Cooper has been minister of church and community ministries at the church 34 years.

Events

Betty Criswell, widow of W.A. Criswell, will be honored for 70 years of teaching the Bible by the 300 members of her class Nov. 23. A reception will be held in Coleman Hall of First Church in Dallas at 3 p.m., and will feature special guests, refreshments and entertainment. Her husband, the long-time pastor of the church, died in 2002. Mac Brunson is pastor.

South Oaks Church in Arlington will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 23. Dan Curry is pastor.

Recording artist Sandi Patty will take part in First Church in Conroe's “A Christmas Evening 2003.” Tickets are $10. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Dec. 5 and at 4 and 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7. For more information, call (936) 756-6601. Rusty Walton is pastor.

The Heights Church in Richardson will present its Christmas production at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and at 3 p.m and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7. The two-hour program will feature a 130-voice choir and full orchestra. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at www.theheights.org or by calling (972) 231-6047, ext. 292. Free childcare for children under three is available with reservations. Gary Singleton is pastor.

Licensed

Phil Baker, Floyd Joseph, Karen Martin, Shelly Morrison, Brace Potthoff and Chris Ward to the ministry at Westbury Church in Houston Oct. 26.

William McMullen to the ministry at Miori Lane Church in Victoria Nov. 16.

Deaths

Wanda Allen, 73, Nov. 13 in Big Canoe, Ga. Her husband, Jimmy, is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and former head of the Southern Baptist Radio & Television Commission. A graduate of Howard Payne Unversity, she taught in Dallas and San Antonio public schools for 23 years. A significant chapter of her life sprung from the death of two grandsons, Bryan and Matt, who died of HIV/AIDS following contaminated blood transfusions. Bryan's House, the first pediatric agency for children with AIDS in the nation, was named for her grandson, the first baby of record to die of HIV/AIDS in Dallas. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, sons, Michael, Skip and Kenneth; and sister, Wilma Durtschi.