Across the nation, June 2008

ARKANSAS

HEBER SPRINGS — The recent fifth annual Heber Springs Bible Bowl drew 113 participants from 16 congregations, pulpit minister Lance Mays said. After months of study, students took exams covering the first 13 chapters of the Book of Acts.
Participating churches included: Aplin; Bradford; Center Hill in Paragould; Cloverdale in Searcy; Guy; Harrison Street in Batesville; Heber Springs; Highway in Benton; Holden Avenue in Newport; Liberty in Conway; Midway in Newport; Newark; Perryville; Pleasant Valley in Van Buren; Robinson and Center in Conway; and Rosebud.
For information on the 2009 event, e-mail [email protected].

CALIFORNIA

VISALIA — World Bible School of Tulare County is shipping hundreds of thousands of tracts, books, Bibles, charts, correspondence courses and communion supplies, coordinator Joel Coppinger said.
Containers will go to Ghana, Nigeria and the Philippines. The principal source of the shipment of about 120 titles of tracts is Star Bible and Tract Corp. of Fort Worth, Texas. Star Bible founder Alvin Jennings made the tracts available without cost.
VISTA — Two teenagers apologized for scrawling Satanic graffiti on the Melrose church and causing about $21,000 damage to church property, the North County Times reported.
After meeting with the boys and their families, church leaders decided not to prosecute. Elder Duane Tolbertson told the newspaper the decision is to show the boys how Christians react.
The church said insurance paid damages. Authorities said the boys scrawled “Hail Satan,” “666” and pentagrams on the walls as a joke. They are not believed to be part of a Satanic cult.


CONNECTICUT

TORRINGTON — Ten college students from the Edmond, Okla., church traveled to the Torrington church recently to meet with domestic missionaries Steve and Maryann Bastin. The visit was part of a 12-day trip that also included helping the church in Montreal, Quebec, served by missionary Roger Saumur, campus minister Evan Burkett said.

ILLINOIS

ELGIN — The Spanish-speaking Elgin congregation celebrated the city council’s recent approval of plans for a new church building. After the council’s 7-0 vote, members gathered in the city hall lobby for a prayer and a song of thanksgiving and gratitude.
The Elgin church, served by preacher Ricardo Barrera, has grown from an assembly of 30 to 125 in four years, said John Barhydt, an elder at the Cardinal Drive church in Rolling Meadows, Ill.

KENTUCKY

RUSSELLVILLE — The Fellowship church met recently with a group of local Mennonites at the Russellville Christian Church.
The three groups praised God together in song and listened to a sermon on unity by Fellowship minister Steve Kenney. Afterward, the Christian Church provided a snack fellowship for all the groups, Kenney said.

OKLAHOMA

ALTUS — The mayor of this southwestern Oklahoma town and church members from across the region gathered as the Tamarack Road church unveiled its new building.
The 225-member church, formerly the Thomas Street congregation, lost its auditorium and most of its classrooms in a Dec. 7, 2005, fire caused by a malfunctioning heater.
The 20,000-square foot building, which cost about $2.5 million, is the first new worship facility built in Altus in 15 to 17 years, minister Matt Springfield said.

TEXAS

BAY CITY — Joe Wrape Sr. was doing what he loved when God called him home.
Wrape, 67, of Flintstone, Ga., died April 16 while preaching a gospel meeting at the Nichols Street church. Before retiring from the Nichols Street church in June 2007, Wrape had preached for more than 50 years, serving congregations in Texas, Tennessee and Georgia and holding meetings in almost every state and Canada.
“A New Creature” was the title of his final sermon. Survivors include his wife, Helen, his five children and eight grandchildren.
GARLAND — About 5,000 worshipers enjoyed a night of praise and multicultural fellowship at the recent second annual North Texas Praise and Unity Worship at the Garland Texas Event Center.
Two ministers who have preached for 70-plus years were honored: Juan Villa and Perry Cotham.
Fourteen ministers were recognized for 50 years or more of proclaiming the gospel: Adair Chapman, Boyd Taylor, Maurice Neathery, Harold Taylor, Bryan Teagle, Arnold Hardin, Gus Eoff, Miguel Bustillos, J.C. Davis, Hardeman Nichols, Johnny Luker, Jack Evans, Jose Suarez and Robert Oglesby Sr.
VIRGINIA

DAMASCUS — As city voters considered allowing liquor by the drink, the Laurel Avenue church put up a sign in opposition and preacher Wayne Baker spoke up publicly against the proposal.
“Most of the churches in the area just believe that the Bible teaches against the drinking of alcohol of any kind,” Baker told the Bristol Herald Courier.
Residents defeated the drinking measure by a 146-118 vote May 6.


WEST VIRGINIA

PURSLEY — Nearly 90 women from throughout the area attended a recent Ladies Inspiration Day with the theme “Shining Like Stars.” The women enjoyed a day of fellowship and personal growth, Pursley minister Tom Butterfield said.