Across the Nation, January 2017
MANCHESTER — As part of an annual “Seasonal Sharing” program, Manchester Church of Christ members donated 83 coats and multiple sets of hats and gloves to help children in need.
Also, Christmas presents were provided for 20 foster children, and gift cards totaling $1,470 were contributed to help members and the community during the year, member Mary Brown said.
Members Matt and Christina Foley coordinated the program.
KENTUCKY
DRY RIDGE — The Grant County Church of Christ had a few visitors on a recent Sunday — three buses full.
The 194 visitors from the Madison Church of Christ in Alabama were in the area to visit the nearby Ark Encounter, a Noah’s Ark theme park.
“They spent Saturday night in singing and fellowship with us and then joined us for worship and lunch Sunday morning,” Grant County minister Leon Brown said. “What a blessing and encouragement it was to our small congregation.”
In all, that Sunday’s attendance totaled 244. The congregation is a mission work planted by Evangelize Kentucky, sponsored by the Lehman Avenue Church of Christ in Bowling Green.
MICHIGAN
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Church of Christ handed out 1,300 Christmas baskets with complete holiday dinners to neighbors in southeast Michigan.
Joining church members in helping with the project were Boy Scouts, National Guard troops, high school athletes and employees of a manufacturing company, minister Matthew Dowling said.
“The Plymouth church also provides local families in need with Christmas presents through our ‘giving tree’ drive,” Dowling said.
MONTANA
Victor Parakhin, with his wife, Nataliya, and sons, Daniel and Alex, celebrate their new U.S. citizenship. HAMILTON — To hire their new minister in 2011, Hamilton Church of Christ leaders endured three years of immigration and visa paperwork.
Victor Parakhin, a graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching in Tennessee, accepted the position and returned to the United States from his native Ukraine.
Attendance was in the 40-50 range before Parakhin arrived but is now in the 60-70 range, church treasurer Howard W. Whitford said. “Victor is held in high esteem by the membership and continues to lead the congregation in a Scriptural path with his inspiring lessons from the Bible,” Whitford said.
And the congregation recently celebrated as Victor, his wife, Nataliya, and college-age son Daniel were granted U.S. citizenship. Younger son Alex is a minor and is considered a citizen by virtue of his parents’ naturalization.
ARKANSAS
Savana Melton poses with a young fan. NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Savanna Melton, 16, a member of the Levy Church of Christ in North Little Rock, Ark., serves as the kicker for the North Little Rock High School football team. The junior became the first female to score a point in an Arkansas state championship game. “I want to do something in the medical field,” she said of her future ambitions. But before then, she has this goal: to play college football.
