Around the State

• Dillon International will present a free adoption information meeting from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. March 18 at the Buckner Children’s Home campus in Dallas. A representative will give an overview of adoption from China, Korea, Haiti, India, Hong Kong and Nepal, plus new opportunities in Ghana. A domestic adoption program for Texas families and adoption programs in Russia, Ethiopia and Honduras, available through an affiliation with Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services, also will be discussed. For more information or to make a reservation to attend the meeting, call (214) 319-3426.

• Dallas Baptist University’s Gary Cook Graduate School of Leadership will host a leadership training seminar led by the National Center for Church Architecture March 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The “Effective Leadership for Church Building Projects” seminar will discuss facility assessment, implementation of building programs, guidelines for budget planning and working with architects, engineers, builders and municipalities. The seminar is designed for all levels of church leadership, including pastors, associate ministers and lay leaders. Space is limited. For more information, visit www.tncca.net.

• Baylor University has awarded Edward Burger, distinguished professor of mathematics at Williams College in Massachu-setts, the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. The award is the only national teaching award—with the single largest monetary reward of $200,000—presented by a college or university to an individual for exceptional teaching. His department at Williams College also will receive $25,000. He will teach in residence at Baylor during fall 2010. Two other finalists also received $15,000 each, and their departments each received $10,000.

• Mission Waco honored a number of volunteers at its annual banquet. Among the honorees were student volunteers of the year Andy Billnitzer, Tyler Meyer, Tre Anderson and James Kelly; adult volunteers of the year, Jeanette Cunningham, Marilyn Moore, Charles Hill and Beverly Hill; philanthropists of the year, David and Kay Cherry, and Carey and Brenda Hobbs; and church of the year, Lakeshore United Methodist Church. Mission Waco’s ministry is to the poor and marginalized of that city.

• Mark Grace has been named vice president for Baylor Health Care System’s newly created office of mission and ministry. He has served the organization the last 15 years as director of pastoral care and counseling. In addition, three directors of pastoral care also were named. David Lowe will direct Baylor’s western region, Mike Mullender will direct pastoral care at the Baylor University Medical Center campus and Bob Duncan will direct the eastern region. Carlos Bell also was named director of director of pastoral education. In addition, Don Sewell, formerly with the Baptist General Convention of Texas staff, has joined the staff as director of faith in action initiatives.

• Howard Payne University has created a marketing and communications division. Louise Sharp will lead the division as chief marketing officer and associate vice president for marketing and communications, as well as special assistant to the president. Kyle Mize serves as assistant vice president for communications. Kalie Lowrie is director of media relations. Kathy James is special events coordinator and executive assistant to the chief marketing officer.

Anniversaries

• Eagle’s Nest Missionary Church in Fort Worth, 15th, Feb. 21. Jason West is pastor.

• Gilliland Church in Truscott, 100th, March 14. A luncheon and fellowship time will be held after the morning service. A commemoration service will begin at 2 p.m. Direct meal reservations and requests of more information to [email protected]. Marq Brockett is pastor.

• First Church in Anton, 85th, April 11. A meal will follow the morning service. Bill Campbell is pastor.

Deaths

• Bob Mayfield, 54, Nov. 23 in Tyler. He was pastor of Pine Springs Church in Tyler at the time of his death. A graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Theological Seminary, he began his ministry at age 18 as youth pastor at First Church in Gresham. While he seminary, he was pastor of Swan Baptist Church in Tyler. After serving a church in Kansas, he returned to Tyler to serve as director of the Baptist Student Union at Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler 13 years. From 1996 until 2002, he was Baptist Student Ministry director at Texas A&M University. He then returned to Tyler to become pastor of Trinity Church for seven years. He moved to Pine Springs last August. He was active in Smith Association and served on the board of trustees of East Texas Baptist University. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Pamela; son, Max; and mother-in-law, Betty Ryan.

• Albert Warnken, 85, Feb. 4 in Erick, Okla. A graduate of East Texas Baptist College and Southwestern Seminary, he was called to ministry in 1952 in Eagle Lake. Among the churches he served as pastor were First Church in Cumby, First Church in Queen City, Memorial Church in Grapevine, First Church in Jacksboro and a number of churches in Oklahoma. He also served as a revival evangelist in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio, Utah and Oklahoma. He was director of missions for Fannin Association. He was preceded in death by his sisters Bernice Reese and Helen Miller. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Helen; daughter, Sheryn Warnken; and son, Paul.

• Margarita Romero, 96, Feb. 10 in Beeville. A charter member of Primera Iglesia in Mineral, she was active in the church and association’s Woman’s Mission-ary Union programs. She was preceded in death by sons Isaac and Zaragosa. She is survived by her husband of 79 years, Catarino; daughters, Mary Burgos, Pauline Gonzalez, Esther Watson, Frances Guajardo and Anita Loa; sons, Mike, Richard, Catarino Jr. and Ramiro; sisters, Tomasita Chavez, Lillie Ramon, Marcela Gonzales and Sulema Ortiz; brother, Corando Guzman; 52 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

• BO Baker, 86, Feb. 18 in Plano. He was a noted churchman, international evangelist, author and lyricist. He began his preaching ministry while a student at Baylor University and was an integral part of the Youth Revival Movement that began there in the early 1940s. While a student there, he married Tina Pinson in 1948. After earning his master’s degree at Baylor, he enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While a seminary student, he was pastor at churches at Gholson and Walnut Springs. Following graduation, he was pastor of Birchman Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth 10 years. In 1957, he began 16 years in evangelism, partnering with his musician brother, Dick. They travelled the world together, preaching and singing, and writing songs together along the way. Baker became pastor of Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving in 1973 and served there until his retirement in 1988. The church conferred on him pastor emeritus status. He continued to preach until the last year of his life. His final sermon was preached at First Baptist Church in Farmersville, where he and his brother grew up. He was the author of several books including Keeping Christmas and Believers at the Breaking Point. He contributed a note of Christmas reflection to the Baptist Standard for 34 years. He received many honors including Baylor University’s Founder’s Day Award and its W.R. White Meritorious Service Award. In recognition of his worldwide ministry, he received honorary doctor of divinity degrees from Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University. He was preceded in death by his first wife in 1983 and son, Richard, in 1999. He is survived by his wife, Ruth; brother, Dick; son, David; daughter, Lisa Baker; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

• Bill Wright, 67, Feb. 19 in Plains. He was pastor of First Church in Plains 18 years, and previously was pastor of First Church in Gordon 15 years. He also served three churches in the El Paso area. A member of the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, he led his church to become active in disaster relief ministry. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Linda; sons, Greg and Shane; daughter, Kay Wright; sisters, Nell, Naomi and Nina; mother-in-law, Esther Connally; and four grandchildren.

• Raymond Jones, 83, Feb. 20 in Brownwood. A Texas Baptist pastor, he served at Voss Church in Talpa; Tennyson Church in Tennyson; Temple Church in Cruthersville; Veribest Church in Veribest; First Church in Santa Anna; First Church in Cotton Center; First Church in Sunnyside; and First Church in Sidney. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Lodema, in 2009; and his brothers, Jessie and Hurbert. He is survived by his daughter, Jeannette Bothwell; sons, Eddie, Ronald and Gilbert; sister, Velma Sager; brother, Hubert; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Ordained

• Jordan Ramey to the ministry at Sonterra Fellowship in Jarrell.

• Travis Marks as a deacon at Coleto Church in Victoria.

Revival

• First Church, Hearne; March 28-31; evangelist, David Hardage; music, Robert Burk-hart; pastor, Larry Blackmon.