Across the nation: He’s in ‘God’s Hall of Fame’

ARKANSAS
JUDSONIA
John L. Kachelman Jr., minister of the Judsonia church, spoke at a U.S. State Department conference Oct. 6 on small organizations that ship containers of humanitarian aid around the world. The Judsonia church has shipped relief items to a number of countries. The major focus of Kachelman’s efforts is Ukraine.
CALIFORNIA
FRESNO
The sixth annual Spiritual Growth Workshop at the Woodward Park church focused on the theme “Perfect in Christ,” based on Colossians. Five hundred people attended Friday and Saturday sessions, and 800 participated on Sunday, minister Jim Gardner said. Special programs were offered for children, teenagers and Laotian-speaking Christians.
CONNECTICUT
STAMFORD
A 40th anniversary service drew nearly 80 former members to the Stamford church recently, music minister Edward Pleasant said. The church’s new education and office wing was dedicated, and the congregation’s children buried a time capsule to be opened in 25 years.
IDAHO
CALDWELL
The Caldwell Church of Christ and Caldwell Christian Church met together recently to discuss how the congregations, less than a mile apart, might work together. Church of Christ minister Jay Hawkins asked, “What’s more important — to fight over our differences or unite under the cross?”

LOUISIANA
MANDEVILLE
The Tammany Oaks church in Mandeville, La., received a Distinguished Christian Service Award at the recent Harding University Lectureship.
The award recognized members’ efforts to coordinate relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. Harding officials said the congregation
“demonstrated willingness to make long-term sacrifices.”
MISSISSIPPI
OCEAN SPRINGS
A recent fellowship meal at the Ocean Springs church honored the ladies of the congregation’s “bear ministry.” For more than 10 years, women in the church have gathered on Thursday nights to make teddy bears for young hospital patients. The meal commemorated the making of the ministry’s 10,000th bear, minister Al Sturgeon said.
NEW MEXICO
LAS VEGAS
The foundation is poured and the steel up as the bilingual Las Vegas church constructs a new building while meeting temporarily at a senior citizens center.
“We are a small church in a very Catholic area, but the Lord blessed us with money to move … into a new building project,” member Damon Waggoner said.
Waggoner asked for prayers as the church seeks the Lord’s guidance on how to pay for the project’s completion.

NEW YORK
NEW YORK CITY
Six new Focus on Truth television programs have been added to the ministry’s Web site at www.focusontruthonline.org, producer Lou Boccio said. Focus on Truth is a longtime ministry of New York City area churches.

OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA CITY
The North MacArthur church set a goal of drawing double its average attendance of 500 — plus one — on Oct. 8. The congregation achieved its goal, involvement minister Ty Hale said. The count: 1,014.

PENNSYLVANIA
PITTSBURGH
“Tomorrow Is Not Promised” was the theme of a recent gospel meeting at the Fifth and Beechwood church. Pulpit minister Karl Wester said nine members of the Rivergate church in Madison, Tenn., came and helped reach more than 2,000 doors with invitations and literature. Three area congregations — Holiday Park, Homewood and Crossroads — provided the speaker each night.

TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE
A recent reception at the Woodson Chapel church marked the 33rd year of Restoration Radio Network International, which broadcasts sermons worldwide. The ministry presented 94-year-old Perry B. Cotham, one of its regular speakers, with its “Angel Award,” honoring his 77 years of preaching, founder and executive director Roy Beasley said.

TEXAS
LEAGUE CITY
Adults weren’t the only ones who read the entire New Testament as part of a special program at the League City church. Thirty-five children also signed up — and 16 completed the goal, member Stacey Kouba said. The youngest participant was 2 years old: His mother faithfully read the Scriptures to him daily, Kouba said.
“We would love to encourage other congregations to join us next summer in just such a reading club,” Kouba said. “It is easy to implement and very rewarding for the entire congregation.”
Nov. 1, 2006