Twelve Hardin-Simmons University students traveled to Greece to work with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionaries Bob and Janice Newell (see photo above). The Newells minister to the more than 500,000 Albanian immigrants displaced by the collapse of Communism and the war in Kosovo. The HSU students helped with adult English classes. They also worked with refugee children in a variety of activities, including learning American songs. The students also visited biblical and historical sites such as the acropolis of Athens, Mars Hill, Corinth, Akrokorinth and Sounion.
The Texas Baptist 2014 Go Now Missions commissioning service will be held May 18 at 2 p.m. in the Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel on the Dallas Baptist University campus. A reception will follow.
Karson Kent of Mount Pleasant was named East Texas Baptist University’s 2013-14 Senior Girl Call-Out. 
Karson Kent of Mount Pleasant was named East Texas Baptist University’s 2013-14 Senior Girl Call-Out.The event has been held 67 years and is the university’s oldest tradition. The script for the ceremony has remained the same since its beginning.
Gary Huckabay is resigning as executive director of Children’s Emergency Relief International after a year in that position. Dearing Garner, who served as executive director of CERI from its founding in 1999 until Huckabay was promoted to the position, has been named interim executive director. Garner has been serving the organization part-time the past year. CERI is the overseas arm of Baptist Child & Family Services.
Karla Leeper, vice president of board and executive affairs and chief compliance officer at Baylor University, has been named chief of staff to the president at Georgia Regents University in Augusta, Ga. She came to Baylor in 1992 as an assistant professor of communication studies and director of the Glenn R. Capp Debate Forum. She joined the central administration in 2007.
Wayland Baptist University’s Lubbock campus raised about $60,000 in scholarship funds during its annual Lubbock Lights Gala. Nearly 300 guests honored John Ballard, former associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Lubbock, who retired in 1996. He still serves as teacher of the Downtown Bible Class in Lubbock, a position he has held 33 years.
Dallas Baptist University named Julie Carlisle, director of payroll, staff member of the year. She has served in that position since 1991, and also is an adjunct instructor and staff sponsor of the Japanese Student Society. She and her husband, Marvin, are members of The Oaks Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, where she teaches Sunday school.
Six Howard Payne University students participated in Social Work Student Day at the Legislature at the state capitol. Students attending were Carolyn Barnes, Brooke Goad, Jennifer Goff, Angelica Gray, Paula Johnson and Vanessa Marquez.
Anniversaries
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Bobby Fletcher, fifth, as director of missions for Grayson Baptist Association, May 18.
Chris Lovejoy, fifth, as minister of music at Georgetown Baptist Church in Pottsboro, May 31.
Ordained
Deirdre LaNoue, to the ministry at Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell, April 13.
Revival
Harmony Baptist Church, Eastland; May 2-4; evangelist, Bob Farrell; pastor, Ray Rodgers.
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