Around the State

• Stephen Evans, Baylor University professor of philosophy and humanities, won first place in the C.S. Lewis Book Prize Competition, awarded for the best book published in philosophy of religion or philosophical theology for a general audience in the last five years.

The prize includes a $15,000 cash award. Evans' book is titled Natural Signs and the Knowledge of God: A New Look at Theistic Arguments.

• Dallas Baptist University will hold Patriot Preview days for prospective students and their parents Oct. 8 and Nov. 10. Included will be a campus tour, meetings with faculty and administrators, and information about admissions, financial aid and campus life. The event is free for the prospective student and up to two guests. For more information, call (214) 333-5360.

• Baylor University's Center for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership has two pastors' retreats scheduled. An Oct. 8-9 event will be held in Glen Rose with Milton Cunning-ham, former pastor, missionary and Baylor chaplain, leading renewal and fellowship. A second retreat will be held Oct. 22-23 on a ranch near Corsicana. It will be led by Rick Lamb, pastor of Northside Church in Corsicana. For more information, call (254) 710-4677.

• Steven Beebe, an internationally known C.S. Lewis scholar, will deliver the inaugural speech for this year's San Marcos Academy-Texas State University Distinguished Lecture Series at 11 a.m. Oct. 9 at the academy campus. He has taught a course titled "C.S. Lewis: Chronicles of the Master Communicator" three times at Oxford University and will deliver a lecture on that topic. The public is invited. For more information, call (512) 753-8006.

• Hardin-Simmons University will hold homecoming events Oct. 11-14. Festivities kick off at 9:30 a.m. Thursday with coronation of the university king and queen. A party will be held near the pond at 4 p.m. Friday's many activities will be highlighted by the alumni awards banquet at 6:30 p.m, the Hispanic alumni dinner at 7 p.m. and class reunions. Saturday's full slate of activities will include a homecoming cookout at noon and the football game at 1:30 p.m. The All-School Sing will begin at 8 p.m. An alumni-led worship service will be held at Logsdon Chapel Sunday at 9 a.m. A full listing of the activities is available on the school's website, www.hsutx.edu.

• Baylor University's Center for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership and First Church in Arlington will hold a conference titled "Working Across Ethnic and Racial Lines" Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m at the Arlington church. The conference will feature sermons by Michael Evans, pastor of Bethlehem Church in Mansfield, and Joel Gregory, professor of preaching at Truett Seminary, plus a panel discussion.

• East Texas Baptist University will hold the East Texas Christian Writers' Confer-ence Oct. 26-27. It will feature more than 15 presenters, ranging from published authors to writers for newspapers, journals, magazines and social media. Friday breakout sessions begin at 3 p.m. and include "Communicate to Change Lives," "Sharing Your Faith: Writing Devotionals," "Developing a Writer's Persona," Discover the Denom-inational Market" and "Building a Writing Investment: Keeping a Personal or Professional Jour-nal." Saturday's sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and include "The Ministry of Writing," "Secrets My Editors Taught Me," "Writing to Reach the Unbeliever," "Getting Started Writing Poetry," "Writing for Newspapers," "Biographies:Formula for Success" and "Believeable Characters and Realistic Conflict." For more information on registration, costs and a writing contest, call (903) 923-2083. Costs increase Oct. 15.

• The 27th annual Lost Maples Seniors Camp will be Nov. 5-8 at Alto Frio Baptist Camp. Speakers include David Hardage, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board; Steve Branson, pastor of Village Parkway Church in San Antonio; Bill Thorn, retired pastor and humorist; Ben Craver, Wayland Baptist University; and René Maciel, president of Baptist University of the Americas. Sam Craig will lead the music. Day trips are tentatively planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, dependent on weather. For information on cost of motel rooms, dorm rooms or RV hook-ups, call (830) 232-5271.

• Gabe Lyons, founder of Qideas.org and co-author of Unchristian and author of The Next Christians, is the keynote speaker for the Engage conference, to be held at East Texas Baptist University Nov. 9-10. The conference theme is "Leading the Church in the 21st Century." Breakout sessions include "Reaching Those Who are Not Like Me," "Effective Preaching in the 21st Century" and "Understanding the Millennial Generation." The conference begins with a dinner at 6 p.m. Friday. The cost is $50, and each participant will receive the books The Next Christians and Not Like Me. The fee also includes the Friday night meal and admission to the ETBU football game on Saturday. For more information, call (903) 923-2183.

Anniversaries

• Jeff Berger, fifth, as pastor of Westbury Church in Houston, Sept. 1.

• Rod Payne, 25th, as minister of missions and media at First Church in Wichita Falls. The church's media ministry has been recognized with Angels, Tellys and ACTS awards during his tenure. He has served as chairman of the National Religious Broadcaster's television committee, and now he is chair of the organization's church media committee. In missions, he has led the church to pursue ministry in Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel and Russia in addition to numerous local missions and disaster relief mission projects.

• Stan McNutt, 20th, as pastor of Liberty Lighthouse Church in Sherman, Oct. 11.

• Mount Pleasant Church in Comanche, 120th, Oct. 14. A lunch will follow the morning service. Former pastor Scott Maze will be the guest preacher. Dan Connally is pastor.

• Brett Castle, 15th, as pastor of East Baptist Church in Denison, Nov. 9.

Retiring

• Larry Smith, as pastor of Eisenhauer Road Church in San Antonio, July 31. He served the San Antonio church five years and was in ministry 44 years. He also was pastor at Possum Kingdom Church at Possum Kingdom Lake, College Park Church in Deer Park, Westover Hills Church in San Antonio, Sublime Church in Sublime and Northridge Church in San Antonio. He also served as singles' minister at Castle Hills Church in San Antonio.

• Randy Johnson, as youth minister at First Church in Richardson. He has served the church 28 years and has worked in youth ministry 38 years. He also served at Monterey Church in Lubbock and First Church in Bryan. The church will hold a reception in his honor Nov. 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Deaths

• A.C. Newman, 90, Aug. 25 in Gonzalez. A carpenter, he was a Baptist minister more than 50 years. He was pastor of Bible Church in Yoakum, Victory Church in Freer, Faith Church in Alice, Riverside Church in Seguin and Oak Valley Church near Bebe. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred, and eight siblings. He is survived by his son, Mark; sisters, Lydia Smith and Jane Yaws; brothers, Sam and Charlie; and one grandson.

• P.C. Casarez, 58, Sept. 5 in San Antonio. He was pastor of Primera Iglesia in Stockdale 15 years. He was a member of First Church in Stockdale at the time of his death. He was preceded in death by his father, Cruz; and brothers, Cruz Jr. and Robert. He is survived by his wife, Minerva; mother, Marcella Adame; grandmother, Anita Casarez; daughter, Belinda Garcia; son, Jared; sisters, Olivia Lena and Teresa Casarez; brothers, Larry, Richard and Fernando; and one grandson.

• Jim Mosley, 77, Sept. 15 in Abilene. A Baptist minister for more than 50 years, he was pastor in Avoca, Plains, Wilson, O'Donnell, Ackerly, Colorado City, Westbrook, Hico, Snyder, Ira, Lamesa and Anson. He also was interim pastor of several churches in the Abilene area. At the time of his death, he was associate pastor at Second Church in Abilene. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jimmye Sue, two brothers and two sisters. He is survived by his wife, Claudia; son, David; daughters, Gay Haigood and Laurie Burton; stepsons, George and Gregory Drake; stepdaughters, Marsha Conner and Tama Drake; brother, Bill; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and three step-great-granddaughters.

• Clif Baker Jr., 88, Sept. 16 in Dallas. Baker was on his way toward an operatic performance career when he felt God lead him into church music, where he served 47 years prior to his retirement in 1994. He was minister of music at Gaston Oaks Church in Dallas 19 years and also served there as director of adult ministries following his retirement. His first church music position was with Arcadia Park Church in Dallas, while he still studied at Baylor University. He also served at Highland Church in Waco, College Avenue Church in Fort Worth, First Church in Beau-mont and First Church in Oklahoma City. He also was a charter member of the Centurymen — ministers of music who sang on Southern Baptist Convention Radio & Television Commission programs and conducted concerts around the world, including singing in the Great Hall of China in 1983. He was preceded in death by his wife, June, and brother, Herbert. He is survived by his daughters, Mary Grisham and Jean Ryden; son, Clifton III; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Ordained

• Wes Terry, to the ministry at Broadview Church in Abilene, Sept. 9.