Around the State: Easter pageant

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will hold its 74th annual Easter pageant March 27. Three performances in front of the Luther Memorial arches on Vann Circle Drive will be held at 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The performances are free and open to the public. The pageant draws about 5,000 spectators each year, and hundreds of students participate as actors, director and costumers.

Focus on the Family will hold “Focus Live: The College Edition” at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano April 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is designed to prepare students and their families for the transition to college. Del Tackett will be the keynote speaker. Three college presidents also will engage in a panel discussion on what young people face on university campuses. Register here.

Dallas Baptist University will honor Tillie BurginTillie Burgin, founder and executor of Mission Arlington, at the Tom Landry Leadership Award Dinner April 27. The dinner will be held at 6 p.m. on the DBU campus. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (214) 333-5597, or click here .

East Texas Baptist University named Bonnie and Frank Strauss recipients of the Sam B. Hall Jr. Civic Service Award. Hall was a U.S. representative, federal judge, a Marshall native and an alumnus of the College of Marshall, which now is ETBU.

“Penetrating the Cultures with the Gospel” was the theme for Howard Payne University’s second Perspectives Conference. The annual event brings youth ministers together to explore facets of their field of ministry. Speakers included Mary Carpenter, Danny Dowdy, Elias Garcia, Allen Jackson, Mike Satterfield and Jane Wilson.

Retiring

Danny Dunham, as director of missions for Blanco Baptist Association, April 30. He has served the association 12 years of his 40-year ministry. His prior service included 18 years as music and youth minister at First Baptist Church in Refugio, two years as music and youth minister at College Hills Baptist Church in San Angelo and two years as music and education minister at Houston Terrace Baptist Church in San Antonio. He also served as music director at Northside Baptist Church in Edna, First Baptist Church in Troy, Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo, First Baptist Church in Odem and First Baptist Church in Bertram. He has been a member of the Singing Men of South Texas and Singing Men of West Texas. He and his wife, Jane, will live in Waco.

Event

First Baptist Church in Midland will hold homecoming activities April 13-14. Events will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. Former pastors Daniel Vestal and Jim Denison will be the guest speakers in the 8:25 a.m. and 11:05 a.m. services. Vestal is the recently retired executive director of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and Denison is founding president of the Denison Forum on Faith and Culture. A picnic will be held at 12:15 p.m. Former pastor Gary Dyer will be the guest speaker in the 6 p.m. service. He is pastor of Austin Baptist Church in Austin. Randel Everett is pastor.