Around the State: Balloon release at Leander anniversary; UMHB honors African-American grad

Members of Round Mountain Baptist Church in Leander released helium-filled balloons with the Easter message “He is Risen” and John 3:16 as part of the congregation’s anniversary celebration.Round Mountain Baptist Church in Leander celebrated its 25th anniversary Easter Sunday, April 16, with a balloon release and a barbecue lunch. After the morning worship service, members and guests went outdoors, where children hunted eggs, and members released helium-filled balloons while the church bells tolled Easter hymns. Affixed to each balloon—which carried the message “He is risen”—was a card with the church’s name and a Scripture verse, John 3:16. Jarvis Philpot, age 95, has been the church’s pastor since its beginning. Steve Melton, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Leander, which was instrumental in starting Round Mountain Baptist, was a special guest at the celebration.

Ruth Tomlin is inducted into the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Heritage Club.The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor inducted Ruth Tomlin, the university’s first African-American graduate, into its Heritage Club. Tomlin graduated from UMHB in 1967 with undergraduate degrees in both business and English. She went on to earn her master’s degree in education and education psychology and a doctorate in education administration from Texas A&M University. She taught English in Killeen, where she became the school district’s first African-American guidance counselor. She retired from the Killeen Independent School District in 1994 after a quarter-century of service and opened the Adolescent and Family Counseling Center in Killeen, where she was president and chief executive officer.

Ann Jones The Howard Payne University Woman’s Club presented alumna Ann Jones of Brownwood the Yellow Rose Award during the club’s annual scholarship luncheon. The club presents the award annually to a woman who has exhibited exemplary leadership within her sphere of influence, who has demonstrated fiscal, emotional or physical support to the ongoing of the university and who represents Christian values and beliefs foundational to HPU. Jones, who owns a real estate agency in Brownwood and is involved in multiple community organizations, has contributed significantly to the annual fund at HPU, the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy Fund and the A Call to Send fund-raising campaign.

HPU sophomore Dayane Gutierrez (center) recently was awarded the 2017-18 Yellow Rose Scholarship. She is pictured with (from left) her sister Vanessa; her mother, Maria Angelica; Diana Ellis, HPU first lady and Woman’s Club president; and Lindsay Badgeley, wife of HPU’s head women’s soccer coach, Brandon Badgeley.Dayane Gutierrez, a sophomore from Haltom City, received the 2017-18 Yellow Rose Scholarship from Howard Payne University. She is a member of Gamma Beta Phi, a scholastic honors organization. She plays for the HPU women’s soccer team and was awarded the American Southwest Conference All-American Team Award. She is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Fields of Faith student-led ministry and Southside Baptist Church in Brownwood. Guest speaker at the luncheon was author and former Miss America Shirley Cothran. 

ETBU President Blair Blackburn, Elysian Fields High School Principal Jack Parker and Elysian Fields Independent School District Superintendent Maynard Chapman sign an agreement to begin “Yellow Jacket University” in the fall semester. This new partnership will allow high school students at Elysian Fields to take college courses toward their high school diploma and earn up to 27 hours of college credit.Representatives of East Texas Baptist University and Elysian Fields Independent School District signed an agreement marking the formation of what they call “Yellow Jacket University.” Starting in the fall semester, ETBU will offer dual-credit college courses to Elysian Fields High School students on the university campus, in Elysian Fields High School classrooms and online. The courses will be offered for $100 per semester hour, and students will be allowed to take up to 27 semester hours before they graduate—about 25 percent of an undergraduate degree. The credit hours from ETBU will be transferable to any university in Texas.



Latham Springs Baptist Encampment is seeking the stories of alumni whose lives were changed by the encampment and its ministries. To submit a story, click here.

Anniversaries

30th for Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell, April 30.  Larry Parsley is senior pastor.