Around the State: Wounded warrior at God and Country event; Decatur Baptist College reunion

Shilo Harris, a wounded warrior, will speak at a God and Country rally sponsored by Broken Chains Freedom Church in Wichita Falls. A motorcycle ride that will incorporate on-site prayer for every town in Wichita County, a rally featuring wounded U.S. Army veteran Shilo Harris and worship with speakers Max Gunn, retired public safety officer and pastor of First Baptist Church in Sterling City, and evangelist Richard Coss are part of a God and Country event May 20-22, sponsored by Broken Chains Freedom Church in Wichita Falls. Gunn, who served 37 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety and was a certified paramedic and firefighter, will speak at 7 p.m., May 20, at the church. The third annual Jericho Ride for Motorcycles is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 21, followed by lunch at the church. Cost to participate is $20 per rider and $5 per passenger. Harris will speak at 7 p.m. that evening at Texoma Cowboy Church in Wichita Falls. While serving with the 10th Mountain Division near southern Baghdad, his armored vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Harris sustained third-degree burns on 35 percent of his body, and the blast fractured his left collarbone and a vertebrae. After 48 days in a medically induced coma, 75 surgeries, three years of recovery and therapy, and a struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, Harris retired from the U.S. Army and became a Christian motivational speaker. Coss—an ex-offender who became a Christian during his third prison term—will speak at 10:30 a.m. at a joint service of Broken Chains Freedom Church and The Church @ Woodhaven at the campus the two congregations share.

Matt Murrah, recipient of the 2016 Decatur Baptist College Honorary Alumnus Award, is pictured with his wife, Karen, and children (left to right) Molly, Mae and Daniel.Alfred E. Greer of Irving received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award at the 28th annual Decatur Baptist College spring reunion, April 16 in Decatur, sponsored by Dallas Baptist University. Greer, who graduated from Decatur Baptist College in 1949, was superintendent of five school districts during his 37-year career in public education. Matt Murrah, vice president for information technology at DBU, received the 2016 Decatur Honorary Alumnus Award. Murrah is a three-time DBU alumnus, earning his bachelor of business administration degree in 1997, his master of business administration degree in 1999 and his doctor of philosophy degree in leadership studies in 2014. He and his wife, Karen, and their three children—Molly, Daniel and Mae—are members of First Baptist Church in Duncanville, where he is a deacon.

Howard Payne University award winners at the Model United Nations conference in Münster, Germany, were (left to right) James Abbatiello, Braxton Clark, Jaclyn Bonner, Sydney Spencer, Joel Justice and Cody Perrin. The Howard Payne University Model United Nations team took home seven awards from the Münster University International Model United Nations conference in Germany. Model U.N. takes current world issues and asks students, who represent countries as delegates, to try to solve them through diplomacy as they learn to caucus, write position papers and present in formal settings. James Abbatiello, a junior from Kerrville, and Braxton Clark, a junior from Southlake, won Outstanding Delegate awards; Jaclyn Bonner, a junior from Lytle, won a Best Position Paper award; and Joel Justice, a sophomore from Brownwood, Sydney Spencer, a junior from Georgetown, Cody Perrin, a junior from Eastland, and Bonner all received honorable mention awards.

The Texas Baptist Men Builders received a Governor’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Award in the correctional institutions division for their work in building the chapel at the Formby State Jail in Plainview. The dedication service for the chapel is scheduled at 10 a.m. May 18. Churches and individuals in Caprock Plains Baptist Area gave more than $45,000 to the Gordon Beeson Offering toward the project.

Anniversaries

Charles McKnight, 30 years as pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church in Rockport.

Louis Johnson, 25 years as pastor at North Park Baptist Church in Abilene.

Mike Greenfield, 20 years on staff at First Baptist Church in Abilene, where he is pastor for administration and spiritual development.

Jeff Brummel, 10 years as organist at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. He also serves as director of the Wilshire Academy of Fine Arts and the youth choir.