Across the nation: April 2006
The backpackingexpedition will kick off this month. Alexander and Hollingsworth said theyexpect it to take about five months.
Since 1935, onlyabout 2,300 hikers have traveled the entire distance in one season.
For information ondonating to the fund-raising hike, go to www.challengepoint.org.
ALABAMA
HARTSELLE
A former Neel Churchof Christ treasurer accused of stealing church funds to fuel a gambling habitwants to pay the money back, a newspaper reported.
Decatur police accused Steve Wilson, 37, of writing at least$45,000 worth of church checks for personal use. Wilson does not deny taking the money,attorney Brian White told The Decatur Daily.
White said Wilson regrets hisactions and offered to make restitution.
HUNTSVILLE
Twenty-fivevolunteers meet at the Mayfair church eachweek to write letters to soldiers and pray for them. The Military Out-Reach andEncouragement — MORE — ministry has corresponded with more than 700 militarymen and women over the last four years, leader Ray Carlisle said.
In cooperation withthe Dahlia Streetchurch, Denver, the Mayfairministry publishes a month newsletter, The Military Messenger, available atwww.mayfair.org.
AR IZONA
FLAGSTAFF
The Northlands and East Flagstaff congregations have merged to form theNorthern Arizona Church of Christ, with a membership of about 75.
The merger occurredafter East Flagstaff’s minister left andNorthlands minister Terry Haynie started visiting and teaching at the othercongregation.
Since the merger, thechurch has started a campus ministry at Northern Arizona University. “So much ofour focus was inward, and now we’re ready to focus on the community,” campusminister Tyler Ellis said.
FLORIDA
ST. AUGUSTINE
Deaf church membersat the San Jose church, Jacksonville,have begun a new ministry in St. Augustine,about 40 miles south of Jacksonville.
Jose Abenchuchan, San Jose’s minister for the deaf, thanked the St. Augustine church formaking space available for the deaf ministry, which will offer Bible classes onSunday nights and Tuesdays.
KENTUCKY
MELBER
A new disaster reliefministry, Bread of Life Humanitarian Effort Inc., uses a donated funeral homeas a warehouse.
A major project ofthe ministry is to assemble and fully equip a disaster clean-up team, saidJames B. Adams, board chairman and acting executive director.
The ministry aims notto duplicate efforts by organizations such as Healing Hands International andChurches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, said Adams, a member of the Melberchurch. Bread of Life also hopes to raise money to provide medicine andsupplies to medical missionaries, Adams said.
MICHIGAN
LANSING
Senior Maurice Ager,the leading scorer for Michigan State University’sbasketball team, attends the Holmes Road church.
“Not only is he agreat player, this is a young man who has his priorities in line,” associateminister Todd Greer said.
Greer said Ager hasbeen a faithful member of the congregation since arriving at Michigan Statefour years ago. He averages about 19 points per game.
NEW JERSEY
HOWELL
About 120 members andvisitors helped the Freehold church celebrate its 25th anniversary Feb. 26.
The congregation wasfounded in 1981 by Joe Lemmons, who helped it grow from two families to about20 families who worshipped at the Freehold YMCA.
Two years later, thecongregation moved into a church building in nearby Howell, but members optedto keep the founder’s hometown in its name, the Asbury Park Press reported.
Six classrooms and afellowship area were added in an expansion this year, minister Tom Muller toldthe newspaper.
OKLAHOMA
ENID
Teenagers from the Garriott Road andNorth Garland churches jumped at the chance to help rebuild hurricane-ravaged New Orleans over springbreak.
But they balked atspending a day at Six Flags Over Texas on their return home in mid-March.
Instead, they saidthey wanted to work an extra day in the hurricane zone.
“I was shocked andhumbled by their response,” Garriott Road youth minister Robert Heyen said.
TENNESSEE
CENTERVILLE
How do you replace anicon?
That’s the challengefor Bill Perkins, who has been hired as the 600-member Centerville church’s first new pulpitminister in nearly 50 years.
Perkins, 37, who grewup in Franklin, Ky.,succeeds Paul Rogers, who died in January 2005 after 48 years in the pulpit atat Centerville.Perkins was minister at the Owl Hollow church, Winchester, Tenn.
MILESTONES
APRIL
1-2 29th and Yale Church of Christ, Tulsa, Okla.50th anniversary and homecoming. Call (918) 744-0356.
9 VictoryRoad Churchof Christ, Henderson, Nev. 50th anniversary. Call (702) 565-8186or see www.victoryroadcofc.homestead.com.
29-30 Brainerd Church of Christ,Chattanooga, Tenn. 75th Anniversary. Call (423) 698-8011or e-mail [email protected].
