Across the nation, May 2009

DELAWARE

NEWARK — The Newark church hosted a “Planting New Churches” workshop with the Kairos church-planting ministry.
Members from four states met to learn how to reach out to new people by planting new churches, Newark minister Steve Mahoney said.
Kairos leaders Stan Granberg and Scott Lambert were the featured presenters.

FLORIDA

PENSACOLA — “Stealing is a sin,” said the sign in front of the Bellview church on a recent night.
That message proved too much of a temptation for a passing motorist, who was recorded pulling the letters from the sign.
However, the man came forward and apologized after friends recognized him on a video broadcast by the media, the Pensacola News Journal reported.
“The church’s immediate reaction was to forgive the young man for his admitted error,” the church elders said in a written statement.
After months of problems with vandalism and theft, preacher Michael Hatcher had set up a hidden camera to record the sign overnight.
ILLINOIS

ROLLING MEADOWS — The Cardinal Drive church hosted a sweetheart banquet recently. Preteens served a meal and presented a program.
About 140 people came, equal to the church’s Sunday morning attendance.
Angela Prickett and Lenora Harmon, who lead the children’s worship hour and preteen activities, organized the banquet.
“They are determined that their children have opportunities for service and training,” elder John Barhydt said. “It was a smashing success.”
MICHIGAN

PORT HURON — The Port Huron church building was one of many victims of a recent rash of vandalism. The church’s front doors and sign were covered with spraypainted graffiti.
“It’s sickening,” church member Jack Vaughn told The Times Herald. “It’s just one of those things you can’t understand.”
Vaughn changes the church’s sign weekly. Although he had picked a recent message before finding out about the graffiti, he told the newspaper it was fitting.
“You master your enemies by forgiveness, not force,” it read.
OKLAHOMA

MIDWEST CITY — After fires destroyed homes and displaced hundreds of Oklahomans, the Eastside church partnered with Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort to open a relief site offering food and clothing.
Associate minister James Trent told The Oklahoman the church had helped tornado victims in February and wanted to come to the aid of recent fire victims. In February, the church served as Midwest City’s first temporary disaster relief facility.
TEXAS

LONGVIEW — Young ladies of all ages, from 4 to 92, attended the Harrison Street church’s annual ladies day program recently.
Bonnie Andrews from the West Side church in Marshall and Deidra Crowder from the Sheppard Street church in Mount Pleasant served as keynote speakers.

LUBBOCK — The 1,500-member Green Lawn church has begun construction on a 22,100-square-foot addition that will cost $3.7 million. It’s expected to be completed next spring, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported.

TENNESSEE

ADAMSVILLE — Travis Morris is 98 and lives in a nursing home, but he hasn’t lost his passion for evangelism. Morris recently converted his roommate, who was baptized on a Thursday night, said Herb Stewart, an elder with the Savannah, Tenn., church.
“This is a story worth telling,” Stewart said.

VIRGINIA

HARRISONBURG — Twenty-three people attended a recent Sunday worship assembly at a new Hispanic church. Minister Lucas Vasconcellos helps present each service in English and Spanish.
“Harrisonburg is a city of many poultry plants where a great number of Hispanics work,” Vasconcellos said.