Around the State: First Baptist Allen students sweep Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament

Students from First Baptist Church in Allen swept the Texas Baptist State Bible Drill and Speakers’ Tournament. First place winners were Gracie Daugherty in Youth Bible Drill for grades 7-9, Katie Davidson in High School Bible Drill and Anna Kemp in the Speakers’ Tournament. They will represent Texas Baptists at the National Invitational Tournament held at First Baptist Church in Brunswick, Ga., June 16. Second place award winners were Cailin Powell from Memorial Baptist Church in Temple for Youth Bible Drill, Madison Lee from First Baptist Church in College Station for High School Bible Drill and Brendan Waller from First Baptist Church of Dallas for Speakers’ Tournament. Eighty-four students representing 35 churches competed in the state tournaments April 30 at Dallas Baptist University. Throughout the spring, 774 participants from 112 churches competed at five regional locations.  

Sam Dennis, founding pastor of Parkway Hills Baptist Church in Plano, and René Maciel, community life pastor at First Baptist Church of Woodway in Waco, will be featured speakers at Hilltop University, a spiritual retreat for senior adults on the East Texas Baptist University campus, May 31-June 2. Entertainment includes a concert by Gospel Music Hall of Fame member Larnelle Harris, storyteller Shellie O’Neal presenting An Afternoon with Fanny Crosby and an hour with Christian humorist Al Fike.
The conference fee of $195 per person includes seven meals, two dessert fellowships, housing on campus, concert tickets and admittance to all conference events. An off-campus daily rate also is available. For registration information, call (903) 923-2042 or (903) 923-2068 or click here. 

Howard Payne University’s New Braunfels Center will sponsor a 5K walk/run, the HPU 5000, beginning at 8 a.m., May 13. The event starts at Pavilion 5 of New Braunfels’ Landa Park. Proceeds will be used to establish scholarships for HPU New Braunfels Center students in need, with a percentage donated to the Comal and New Braunfels school districts. The entry fee is $30, and participants receive a T-shirt and gift bag. For more information, click here. 

Baylor Mullins of Belton receives the Loyalty Cup from Randy O’Rear, president of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor marked its largest commencement in history May 6, awarding degrees to 485 students. Of those, 382 students received baccalaureate degrees, 88 received master’s degree, and 15 earned doctoral degrees. Baylor Mullins of Belton received the Loyalty Cup, presented to the student who is most representative of the university’s ideals, traditions and spirit. Mullins was part of the team that earned the Cru football program’s first NCAA Division III National Championship. The President’s Award for meritorious service went to Kayla Headley of Cuero, who served two years as student body president, while maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average. David Mckinzey of Seguin and Michael Yarberry of Belton received Summa Cum Laude medals from the UMHB Honors Program. UMHB recognized 16 students with the Provost’s Medal for highest overall grade point average. Bailey Bohlken of Mount Vernon, Amanda Deleon of Killeen, Janet Grissett of Brownwood, Kayla Headley of Cuero, Amanda Johnson of Abilene, Danielle Lindley of Burnet, Hailee Nerber of Magnolia, Julie Pease of Dover, N.H., Miranda Phelps of Salado, Kylie Robinson of Salado, Sarah Short of Seabrook, Joshua Stewart of Florence, Kristin Sumners of Salado, Zachary Thompson of Fort Worth, Cassie Williams of Temple and Laura Yates of Pflugerville each graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.

East Texas Baptist University President Blair Blackburn (left) confers an honorary doctorate on David Dykes, senior pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler.East Texas Baptist University awarded undergraduate degrees to 142 students and 23 master’s degrees during spring commencement. David Dykes, senior pastor at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, received an honorary doctorate and delivered the charge to the graduates. Zachary Ervin was named recipient of the President’s Award, presented to the graduating student deemed the best representation of a Christian leader, scholar and servant. Ervin, a member of First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, led worship in university chapel and at local churches and was captain of both the ETBU Tigers baseball team and the ETBU bass fishing team.

Sierra Spruill, president of Howard Payne University’s Social Work Club, displays a dress at the club’s annual Project Cinderella event. Howard Payne University’s Social Work Club recently sponsored Project Cinderella to provide like-new prom dresses to young women from area high schools who could not have afforded them. The club distributed more than 50 dresses at the annual event so each student would have “her Cinderella moment,” said Sierra Spruill of Ranger, president of the HPU Social Work Club. The organization created a boutique experience for the young women and their families, complete with dresses, music and a fitting room. The project was housed inside HPU’s Girling Center for Social Justice.

The fourth annual Texas Baptist Golf Classic drew 235 participants from across the state to the Golf Club of Houston. Teams included ministers from Texas Baptist churches, associational leaders and individuals from Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated ministries. This year’s event raised awareness for Texas Baptist Counseling Services, which provides counseling services to ministers and their families and also connects laypeople to Christian counselors and mental health resources.

Howard Payne University honored Sumners Scholars Sydney Spencer (front left) and Carrie Leach (front right) during the university’s annual Sumners Scholar Banquet. They are pictured with representatives from the Sumners Foundation (left to right) Trustee Dale Crane, Executive Director Hugh Akin and board Chairman David Drumm.At a recent banquet, Howard Payne University’s Guy D. Newman Honors Academy recognized two students for their involvement in the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Scholars program. Carrie Leach of Hurst and Sydney Spencer of Georgetown each have completed four semesters as Sumners Scholars. The Sumners Scholar program provides a $7,500 per semester scholarship for two years, and it offers students opportunities to attend lectures, seminars and conferences featuring world-renowned leaders from both public and private sectors. Trustees of the Sumners Foundation select students for the program after an in-depth application and interview. Named for Texas Congressman Hatton W. Sumners, who served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the foundation is dedicated to the study, teaching and promotion of self-government.

Ordinations

Ty Gist to the gospel ministry at Shiloh Baptist Church in Crawford, where he served previously as minister of youth. He is youth and college pastor at Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Robinson.

Retirement

Jim Furgerson (left) is honored at his retirement as pastor of Tilden Baptist Church. Fred Ater, area representative for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, presented him a certificate and letter of appreciation from BGCT Executive Director David Hardage.Jim Furgerson as pastor of Tilden Baptist Church in Tilden. The church presented him a Marine officer’s sword in recognition of his 12 years of service at the congregation. Furgerson served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a naval aviator, flying more than 500 combat missions in Vietnam, and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Furgerson presented a hand-carved shepherd’s staff to the church’s new pastor, Carlos Garduño.