Around the State: UMHB hosts annual Touchdowns event

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor hosted its annual Touchdowns event, Oct. 5, during the football game against East Texas Baptist University. This tradition began in 2017. All members of the local special needs community and their families were invited to attend the game free of charge. There were opportunities for the esteemed guests to participate in scoring touchdowns at halftime with the help of UMHB student-athletes and in cheering on the Cru football team alongside the UMHB cheer and dance teams. This year, more than 100 members of the special needs community registered to participate.

East Texas Baptist University’s Learning and Leading classes organized and hosted the 13th annual fall festivals for all five of Marshall Independent School District’s elementary schools, Sept. 30. The events provided an evening of fun and community engagement for almost 1,000 elementary students and their families. Over the last 13 years, the fall festivals have become a beloved tradition for both ETBU and Marshall ISD, fostering a connection between the university’s students and the local community. This year, more than 350 ETBU freshmen played a vital role in planning, organizing and executing the festivals as part of their Learning and Leading course, a required class for all first-year and transfer students. ETBU’s Learning and Leading course is designed to acclimate new students to college life while encouraging leadership development. Taught by faculty and staff, the class meets once a week and culminates in at least one service project per semester. The fall festivals serve as a signature service project, providing freshmen with a chance to engage with the community practically and positively.

Hardin-Simmons University received a $500,000 donation from a longtime benefactor in support of the university’s Equine Therapy program and student scholarships. This gift is dedicated to expanding therapeutic services and providing more opportunities for students. “We are very excited to launch the first phase of our equestrian program at HSU. We are currently setting up a temporary arena to allow us to provide hippotherapy services to adults and children throughout West Texas,” said Wendy Anemaet, director of Equine Therapy at HSU. “As we work toward securing full funding for our facility, this gift allows us to begin offering services right away and sets the foundation for future growth. Our long-term plans include expanding the program to serve more therapists and patients, offering mental health services, therapeutic riding (horseback activities and riding instruction for individuals with disabilities), and college-level certificates and degree program.” While fundraising for a permanent facility continues, the program will launch this fall with students providing hippotherapy—the use of horses in speech, physical and occupational therapies to improve gait, improve balance, reduce spasticity and enhance trunk control.

On Sept. 27-28, Baptist University of the Américas hosted Proclama, a BUA initiative funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment. Proclama is dedicated to training pastors in delivering Scripture-centered sermons. The event featured Rudy González, director of Proclama and a BUA professor, as the principal speaker, focusing on the theological aspects of convincing preaching. Pastor Tony Miranda discussed best practices for pastoral efficiency. Abe Jaquez, president of BUA, welcomed a chapel filled with Spanish-speaking pastors from South Texas and as far as New Mexico, expressing gratitude for the strong turnout. Fernando Hill, assistant to the director of Proclama, helped coordinate the two-day event. BUA student volunteers also played a key role, serving throughout the weekend. Proclama is an ongoing initiative, offering talleres (workshops) throughout the year in various regions of the state. The initiative also provides mentorías (mentorships) for registered participants, led by González, a professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He brings nearly five decades of experience in pastoral and theological education, with a career that has spanned churches in New Mexico, Texas and California, as well as academic roles at Golden Gate (now Gateway) Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Several of the pastors in attendance were trained at BUA. With Proclama fully conducted in Spanish and featuring materials designed by González, this initiative continues to strengthen the future of Hispanic pastors in South Texas, building on BUA’s long-standing commitment to pastoral leadership development.

Howard Payne University invites alumni, prospective students and other friends of the university to Homecoming, Oct. 18-19. The event will also include Yellow Jacket Preview and Family Weekend. Registration for Homecoming events is available at www.hputx.edu/homecoming. Some events require payment, while many are free of charge. Prospective students interested in attending Yellow Jacket Preview can register at www.hputx.edu/yjp. All Yellow Jacket Preview events are free of charge. The Stinger Pass includes admission into a choice of breakfasts, the HPU Family Picnic and the HPU Football game. During the weekend, alumni and friends are invited to participate in traditional Homecoming events—including the Alumni Banquet, Cobbler on the Campus—featuring cobbler from Underwood’s Bar-B-Q and a music performance by The Remedy—a pep rally, a parade, a picnic, the arts and sporting events. The HPU Yellow Jacket football team will play UMHB at 2:30 p.m. at Gordon Wood Stadium, with the Homecoming Court to be announced at halftime.

Students at Houston Christian University kicked off October with Ignite, the university’s fall spiritual emphasis week. Across six special worship gatherings during the week, the campus community heard messages from John Avant and Andrew Osakue, who spoke on topics developing the 2024-2025 convocation theme, “True.” TC Chambers and the worship team from Midtown Community Church in Knoxville, Tenn., led worship. Students participated in nine prayer gatherings and in various workshops on relationships and worship leadership throughout the week. Toward the end of each service, students were invited to share their spiritual responses on a digital card. Nineteen reported first-time decisions to follow Christ, 27 requested to meet with someone about their spiritual questions, and 145 surrendered completely as Christians. Students who made a first-time decision to follow Christ will be invited to be part of a new believer study meeting weekly on campus. Students trained by Nathan Mahand, director of HCU’s BSM, will have gospel conversations with those students seeking further answers. Students seeking Christian community will be offered the chance to join a local church tour, when student leaders in various campus ministries will bring their peers to the churches where they are members.

Wayland Baptist University honored two alumni Oct. 1 in Albuquerque, N.M. Michelle Garcia Holmes was named the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award winner from the Albuquerque campus, and Thomas Valenzuela was named winner from the Clovis campus. A 2005 graduate of Wayland, Garcia Holmes is retired chief of staff for the New Mexico attorney general’s office, where she worked on the creation of the first New Mexico Government Corruption Investigative Division. She also managed statewide education on internet predators and the dangers of methamphetamine and prescription drug overdose issues, as well as a teen dating violence outreach. She served as liaison to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and worked on national human trafficking issues, leading to passage of New Mexico’s first anti-trafficking bill. She also worked on money laundering issues in collaboration with national organizations. An Albuquerque native, Garcia Holmes came to the attorney general’s office after retiring as detective from a 20-year career with the Albuquerque Police Department. Married to husband Earl for 23 years, Garcia Holmes is an ordained senior chaplain and a mother to five children. Valenzuela was raised in Albuquerque and joined the U.S. Air Force after high school graduation in 1997. During his 20 years of service, he participated in multiple deployments in support of Operation Northern Watch, Operation Allied Force, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He received numerous commendations and service medals during his time, including the Air Force Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Award and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He retired in December 2017. During his service, Valenzuela earned his bachelor’s degree at Wayland-Clovis, graduating with honors in 2017. He started his graduate degree just a few months later, earning his Master of Arts degree in counseling in November 2019. Valenzuela returned to Albuquerque after retiring from the Air Force and began working as a clinical mental health therapist at Southwest Family Guidance Center while finishing his master’s degree. He continued after graduation, focusing his work on school-based therapy for children ages 5-18. He also worked at A Child’s Voice as a community support worker in 2023. Working closely with school administrators, teachers and counselors inspired Valenzuela to change his counseling focus, so he currently is studying for the licensure exam and serving as a substitute teacher. Valenzuela and wife Michelle, also a mental health counselor, have three children.

Dallas Baptist University students, faculty and staff gathered at 7 a.m. on Sept. 25 at the Quad on campus to pray over the world, nation and university. Kristi Coleman, director of the Rogers Intercessory Prayer Ministry, greeted those who gathered and thanked the Student Government Association for hosting See You at the Quad this year. Coleman handed out papers with prayer points for the world, the nation and the student body of DBU. An SGA member led in prayer, before having students divide into small groups to pray for international brothers and sisters in Christ. Students prayed for the safety of others, for peace, for hearts to turn to the Lord, and for a revival to begin. Students who were strangers before joined together to pray for the grace and love of God to be given to the people beyond the campus and the nation. Zach Hampton, a member of DBU Chapel Worship, led the crowd in a song of worship. Students prayed for protection and peace for everyone in the nation, about the upcoming election, the safety of schools and for sparks of revival. Coleman noted most revivals occur on college campuses with students in their 20s. “A revival typically begins with two students who have a fire in their hearts for God and are seeking a revival to begin,” she stated. Students continued to gather and fellowship with one another after worship, as the DBU Coffeehouse served everyone.

Retirement:

Clint Davis from First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, where he served for 32 years as pastor. Davis has served as chair of the BGCT Executive Board and on the Missions Funding Council. First Baptist Mount Pleasant consistently is a top giver among mid-size churches to the BGCT Cooperative Program.