Around the State: No Need Among You

• "No Need Among You," a Texas Christian Community Development Conference concerning empowering the poor, mentally ill and marginalized people, will be held Oct. 18-20 at Crestview Church of Christ in Waco. Pre-conference workshops begin Thursday morning on Christian responses in restorative justice, sex trafficking, urban children/youth, mental illness, alcohol/drug abuse and the homeless. In addition to the plenary sessions and 20 workshops, participants may participate in Mission Waco/Mission World's weekend poverty simulation, visit off-site ministries, attend the six-hour "Bridges Out of Poverty" training or sign up for the Jubilee Theatre Saturday performing and visual arts workshop. Cost is $75 for the conference and $15 for the pre-conference workshops. The Baptist General Convention of Texas, Baylor University School of Social Work, Baptist University of the Américas, Waco Baptist Regional Network, and Baylor's religion and sociology department's are among the conference sponsors.

• Buckner Children and Family Services will present a free foster care and adoption information meeting Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at the children's home campus. A Buckner representative will give an overview of foster care and adoption options in Texas, including foster-to-adopt, Waiting Texas Children and domestic infant adoption programs. International adoption options, through Buckner's affiliate Dillon International, also will be discussed. For more information or a reservation to attend the meeting, call (214) 319-3425.

Raquel Contreras, (right) president of the Baptist World Alliance's Women's Department, visited Dallas Baptist University and shared her testimony with students, faculty and staff, encouraging them to trust in God for his plans and his perfect timing in their lives. After her speech, Contreras visited with fellow Chilean Daniela Santana, who is a graduate student in the master of arts in worship leadership program.

• Singer Ken Medema will perform at Baylor University's Waco Hall Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Kurt Kaiser will make a special appearance. Concert admission is $10.

• East Texas Baptist University will hold Tiger Day for high school students and college tranfers and their families Nov. 3. Participants will tour the campus, meet faculty and students, receive admissions and financial aid information, and visit academic departments. Lunch is provided, and participants will receive tickets to the football game at 1 p.m. For more information or to register, call (800) 804-3828.

• Handel's Messiah will be presented Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's Truett Auditorium in Fort Worth. The performance will feature the Southwes-tern Master Chorale and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. For free tickets, call (817) 923-1921.

• Baylor University's Center for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership will hold a symposium on the Psalms in the Armstrong Browning Library Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. The program will include worship using Psalms, a plenary session and a panel of speakers. William Bellinger, professor and chair of the religion department at Baylor, will speak on "The Psalms and Christian Worship." Members of the panel will be Terry York, professor of Christian ministry and church music at Truett Theological Seminary; Timothy Vaverek, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Gatesville; and Christopher Culpepper, rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Fort Worth. A lunch will conclude the meeting.

•Buckner International's"Get up and Give!" emphasis Sept. 13 brought in $381,019 for vulnerable children, families and senior adults. This was the largest single day of online giving in the organization's history and the most successful North Texas Giving Day through DonorBridge yet. Buck-ner received 319 gifts totaling $266,954—a 25 percent increase over the dollars given for the same initiative in 2011. In addition, Buckner received $114,065 in matching funds from Communities Foundation of Texas and an anonymous Buckner donor.

• Glenn Bratcher received Hardin-Simmons University's Keeter Alumni Service Award during the school's alumni awards banquet, held as a part of homecoming activities. Named as distinguished alumni were Patricia Blanton, Paula Edwards and James Furgerson.

• Baptist Child & Family Services has promoted three staff members. Asennet Segura has been named executive vice president of residential operations. She has worked for BCFS 15 years. Kari Tatro is executive vice president of emergency management. She joined BCFS in 2007. Mia Palmieri is vice president of strategic planning and program development. She formerly was the special assistant to the BCFS president.

• Beverly Giltner has retired as dean of Dallas Baptist University's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics after 18 years in that role. She will continue as a professor of physics and computer science, which she began doing in 1969.

• Howard Payne University has appointed Dale Meinecke assistant vice president for external programs and church relations. He will oversee enrollment services and development of the university's New Braunfels and El Paso campuses as well as develop relationships with area associations and churches.

• Houston Baptist University has elected six members to its Sports Hall of Honor. Selected by the athletic department executive staff were Ron Cottrell, basketball/athletic director; Mary-Ellen Hall, softball; Ken Kelley, golf; Cheri Wood, softball; Magnus Fhyr, cross country; and Joey Serralta, soccer.

Anniversaries

• James Hawkins, 15th, as pastor of Higher Heights Church in Tyler, Oct. 5.

• Friendship Church in Albany, 25th, Oct. 7. Butch Hinkle is pastor.

• First Church in Lyons, 100th, Oct. 14. Gary Samford is pastor.

• Oakwood Church in New Braunfels, 30th, Oct. 21. Ray Still is pastor.

• First Church in New Baden, 100th, Oct. 21. The 11 a.m. homecoming service will be followed by a fellowship meal. Freddy Burden is pastor.

• Sherry Maggard, 10th, as preschool director at Central Church in Bryan.

• Monte Byrd, 15th, as pastor of Mill Creek Church in Bellville.

• Jarvis Philpot, 65th in ministry, Nov. 18. He has served Round Mountain Church in Leander more than 20 years.

Ordained

• Gary Wallace and Barry Biggs as deacons at Trinity Church in San Antonio.

Event

• The Heights Church in Richardson will hold a job search workshop for the unemployed and underemployed Oct. 20. The workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m. It will cover finding job focus, resumé critique and develpment, effective networking skills, creating a 30-second elevator presentation, interviewing techniques and developing a two-minute verbal resume. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. A free lunch and materials are provided. Preregistration is required due to limited seating. Register at www.theheights.org/jobseekers.

Revivals

• Richards Church, Richards; Oct. 14-17; evangelists, Carl and Sandy Williamson; pastor, Joe Saffle.

• San Gabriel Church, San Gabriel; Oct. 28-31; evangelist, Larry Givens; pastor, Tim Cheatham.