Students, faculty and staff at Wayland Baptist University participated in a Day of Service on Sept. 25. Students picked up trash in the community; helped organize, sort, fold and hang donated goods at the Salvation Army thrift store; and walked dogs at a local animal shelter. “We do this as part of our mission at Wayland,” said Donnie Brown, director of spiritual life. “Our goal is to develop servant leaders who serve God and man. We hope that the Day of Service will make a difference for the day, but also that students will develop a desire to serve their communities when they leave this place.”
Astronaut Charlie Duke is the featured speaker for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s 2021 McLane Lecture. The lecture is scheduled at 11 a.m. on Sept. 29 in the arena of the Frank & Sue Mayborn Campus Center. The event is free and open to the public. Duke served as the spacecraft communicator for Apollo 11’s landing on the moon and as the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 13. In 1972, he piloted the lunar module of Apollo 16. Following the successful completion of the mission and subsequent service as the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 17, Duke retired from NASA in 1975 to enter private business in San Antonio. He also entered the US. Air Force Reserves, where he rose to the rank of brigadier general before retiring in 1986. For his service, Duke was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. He and his wife Dorothy live in New Braunfels and are involved in Christian service through Duke Ministry for Christ.
Randall and Lena Estep Gipson established the William R. & Edna McDowell Estep Endowed Scholarship at Howard Payne University. Bill Estep was a noted church historian who taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1954 to 1994. Edna Estep worked with a variety of ministries to serve children and the needy. The couple had a passion for world missions and frequently welcomed missionaries into their home for hospitality and fellowship. To be fully funded, the endowment needs to reach $25,000. It will provide an annual scholarship to a deserving student who demonstrates God’s leadership to pursue a chosen course of study. To donate, visit www.hputx.edu/give/scholarships and designate “Estep Scholarship” in the comments.
A record number of guests participated in East Texas Baptist University’s family weekend on Sept. 17-18. With more than 1,000 guests on campus, it more than tripled the size of the 2019 even, which previously had been the largest family weekend. In addition to live music, lunch on the lawn, a family tailgate and other social activities, this year’s event also included a Saturday morning family worship experience in Baker Chapel. The weekend gathering ended with a Tiger football victory over McMurry University at Ornelas Stadium, 24-15.
Wayland Baptist University employees in Wichita Falls recently raised $1,000 to benefit the Base Camp Lindsey project of the North Texas Veteran’s Relief Fund. Base Camp Lindsey is an effort to relieve homelessness among veterans in North Texas.
Anniversary
150th at First Baptist Church in Arlington. An anniversary celebration is scheduled Oct. 22-24, beginning with a music presentation about the church’s history at 7 p.m. on Friday directed by Aaron Tomes, minister of classical worship, and narrated by Dennis Wiles, senior pastor. Saturday activities include a pancake breakfast, a church birthday party for families with young children featuring bounce houses, church building tours, an outdoor hamburger lunch, a youth camp reunion and a dinner for current and former staff. On Sunday, a progressive breakfast buffet is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. A service of celebration and dedication is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. at Levitt Pavilion. For details or to make reservations, click here.
Retirement
Kathy Painter after 17 years at First Baptist Church in Plainview, where she was the pastor’s assistant. A retirement celebration is planned from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Oct. 8. Lunch is provided, and no reservation is required.
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