Around the State: BUA students serve; TBM volunteers continue providing disaster relief

A dozen Baptist University of the Américas students served during the summer, either on the school’s mobile missions team or its worship missions team. Eight students participated in the “Set Apart Tour,” working in several cities to help lead Vacation Bible School or youth rallies, as well as preach, teach and work on construction projects. Four student musicians led worship and taught Sunday school classes at small-membership Hispanic churches in several Texas and Mexico cities. Congregations where the two teams ministered included Riverside Baptist Church in Fort Worth, First Baptist Church in Caldwell, First Baptist Church in Elmendorf, Alliance Church in Lubbock, Belen Baptist Church in Dilley, and Iglesia Bautista Galilea in Matamoros, Mexico, as well as Baptist Temple, Trinidad Baptist Church, Joshua House of Worship, Life Church and New Beacon Hill Church in San Antonio.

Texas Baptist Men volunteers continue to serve in 22 sites along the Texas Gulf Coast, providing disaster relief in partnership with Baptist volunteers from more than two-dozen other states. Through Sept. 19, they contributed more than 146,000 volunteer hours and made about 14,000 contacts. So far, they have prepared about 885,000 meals, delivered more than 42,000 boxes for survivors to use to reclaim and store their belongings, provided access to 13,000 showers and washed about 8,000 loads of laundry. Volunteers provided care for more than 900 children in shelters, completed mold mitigation in about 400 water-damaged homes and completed an equal number of chainsaw jobs. They have presented the gospel more than 800 times, distributed more than 3,300 Bibles and recorded 145 professions of faith. To contribute financially to TBM disaster relief, click here  or send a check designated “disaster relief” to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas 75227.

More than 200 worshippers participated in the Great East Texas Hymn Sing at East Texas Baptist University Sept. 15. Worship leaders included Tim Ervin, Zachary Ervin, Bill Ingram, Dale Perkins, Stacy Perkins, Andrew Pressley, Tracy Speed and Tom Webster, along with the ETBU University Chorus and University Singers.

The Department of Education awarded Baylor University an annual $232,265 grant for five years to implement the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Named for NASA astronaut Ronald E. McNair, who died on the Space Shuttle Challenger, the McNair Program cultivates and prepares low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields for doctoral programs. As part of the program, students will conduct research with faculty mentors in the summer, present at conferences, participate in Graduate Record Examination preparation courses and receive assistance with graduate school applications. Baylor’s grant funding will support 25 to 30 students each year with substantial mentoring and community building along the way.

“A Square Foot of Peace: An Invitational Exhibition Celebrating International Day of Peace” is on display in the lobby of the Baugh Center for Visual Arts on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus Sept. 20 to Oct. 20. Helen Kwiatkowski, UMHB art professor, curated the exhibition in support of the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21. She invited artists to create 12”x12” works that reflected their thoughts about peace. For more information, email [email protected].

East Texas Baptist University’s theater department begins its season Sept. 28 with a performance of Lucas Hnath’s The Christians. The production will conclude Oct. 1. All performances will take place in the Baker Auditorium of the Ornelas Spiritual Life Center. The production features an ETBU student cast and will be directed by Traci Ledford, theater department chair. Admission is $10.

Retirement

Duane Perkinson after 48 years in fulltime ministry at churches in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas and 20 years as pastor of Central Baptist Church in Burkburnett. He served three terms on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and is moderator of Wichita Archer Clay Baptist Association. A reception is scheduled Sept. 30, 2 to 4 p.m. in the family life center at Central Baptist Church in Burkburnett. He preaches his final sermon as pastor at Central Baptist Oct. 1.