Baptist Briefs: Nigerian Baptists respond to floods

Nigerian Baptists respond to floods. The Baptist World Alliance dispatched $10,000 for flood relief in Nigeria, where heavy rains have killed 363 people since July. More than 2 million Nigerians have been forced from their homes by this year’s floods, the worst in a half-century. Nigerian Baptists have responded with trucks carrying food items to three Baptist state conferences in hard-hit areas. Olasupo Ayokunle, president and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, estimated costs for food, clothing and other supplies in the affected areas to be at least $25,000 in the initial stages of immediate assistance. In addition to the initial $10,000 grant, the BWA is accepting donations for other disaster relief.

SUV driver indicted in church van crash. A grand jury indicted the driver of an SUV that crashed into a church van in east Tennessee killing two people and injuring 11. Tyler Schaeffer, 21, was indicted on two counts of vehicular homicide, 20 counts of reckless aggravated assault, nine counts of vehicular assault, one count of DUI, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of a synthetic derivative. Police believe Schaeffer was under the influence of methylone, a synthetic derivative used in bath salts that mimics the effects of ecstasy, when his vehicle crashed head-on into a vanload of youth from Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Maryville, Tenn., returning home from a weekend retreat. The fiery collision killed van driver Jeff Trussell, 45, a lay leader in the congregation, and Courteney Kaliszewski, 16, a high-school junior active in volunteer missions. Eleven other passengers were injured, some seriously, but they managed to get out of the van before it became engulfed in flames. Cedar Grove Pastor Bob Lynch noted the injured church members all are out of the hospital, but some face long-term rehabilitation or additional surgeries.

BJC sponsors student essay contest. High school juniors and seniors can win up to $2,000 for college in an essay scholarship contest sponsored by the Religious Liberty Council of the Baptist Joint Committee. Essays must examine religious diversity in America and evaluate the claim that the United States was founded as a “Christian nation.” Grand prize is $2,000 and airfare and lodging for two to Washington, D.C. Second prize is $1,000, and third prize is $250. Essays must be between 800 and 1,200 words, and they must be mailed—along with registration forms—and postmarked by March 1, 2013, to be eligible. Visit www.BJConline.org/contest for complete contest rules. For more information, contact Cherilyn Crowe at (202) 544-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Oklahoma Baptists affirm failed ‘personhood’ amendent. Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma annual meeting applauded an attempt to amend the state constitution to declare an embryo a human being from the moment of conception. Although the attempt failed, messengers commended the efforts of lawmakers who proposed the amendment.

–Compiled from wire services