Baptist Briefs_51903

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Posted: 5/19/03

Baptist Briefs

Missionaries' killer sentenced to death. The man accused of killing three Southern Baptist hospital workers has been sentenced to death, his lawyer told the Associated Press. Abed Abdul Razak Kamel, 30, was sentenced to death May 10 for the shooting deaths of Baptist workers William Koehn, Martha Myers and Kathleen Gariety Dec. 30 in Jibla, Yemen. The verdict was given in Jibla, the AP reported. Kamel will appeal, with his lawyer describing the verdict as violating Islamic law.

bluebull Alliance links with two other bodies. The Alliance of Baptists has approved a proposed ecumenical agreement with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that would foster greater cooperation between the groups' leaders, congregations and seminaries. The proposal has not yet been approved by the other bodies.

bluebull Directors of missions website launched. Woman's Missionary Union has launched DirectorofMissions.com, an interactive website designed to improve communication among directors of missions, associational staff and other missions-minded leaders. The website is the result of market research, focus-group studies conducted by WMU in 2002 and interviews with various directors of missions from across the country.

bluebull Companions in Christ training offered. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Upper Room Ministries will co-sponsor four regional Companions in Christ training events this summer, including one in Texas. Companions in Christ is a 28-week small-group experience that builds spiritual practices within congregations, helping participants open more fully to God and to one another. The Texas training session will be held July 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco. It will be led by Carolyn Shapard, minister to adults at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, and Bo Prosser, CBF coordinator for congregational life. For more information, visit www.cbfonline.org and pull down the “resources” menu.

bluebull Texans to be honored. Three Texas Baptists will receive awards when the Baptist History & Heritage Society meets May 22-24 in Belton at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. William Reynolds of Fort Worth will receive the society's national Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contributions to Baptist history. Charles Wade and Bill Pinson, current and former executive directors of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, each will receive the society's Officers Award for commitment to historic Baptist principles and the values of Baptist history and heritage, creative leadership, and support of the Baptist History & Heritage Society.

bluebull Oklahoma church damaged. At least three Southern Baptist churches suffered damage as a series of tornadoes hit the Oklahoma City metro area May 8-9. Trinity Baptist Church in Moore was virtually demolished. Tulakes Baptist Church in Bethany also was damaged, perhaps beyond repair. Witcher Baptist Church near Edmond had significant roof and window damage.

bluebull Traylor to be nominated. Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., will be nominated for the presidency of the 2004 Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference. Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., and a former Pastors' Conference president, said he will nominate Traylor for the post during the June 15-16 Pastors' Conference in Phoenix.

bluebull Davis named Indiana executive. The State Convention of Baptists in Indiana's executive board has voted unanimously to call Stephen Davis the convention's executive director/ treasurer. Davis has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Garland since 1994. He will succeed Charles Sullivan, who is retiring after 12 years in the position.

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