Across the Nation: A youth rally in Oregon, honoring a World Bible School helper and more quick takes
Across the Nation is our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ across the U.S. Got an idea for this column? Email Calvin Cockrell at [email protected].
Featured image (above): The Bowling Bulldogs of Columbia Academy show off their state championship trophy.
OREGON
EUGENE — Sixty-four teens gathered for the Eugene Church of Christ’s annual youth rally. They represented 18 Oregon and Idaho congregations, with some coming from unchurched families.
The theme of the event, organized by youth ministers Jonathan and Makenzie Young, was “One Mind in Prayer,” inspired by Acts 1:14.
Teens pose for a group photo at a youth rally hosted by the Eugene Church of Christ in Oregon.
“Our goal was to help the teens see that they can pray more than they think and also incorporate prayer into their daily lives more than just at meals or at night quickly before bed,” Makenzie Young said.
Attendees participated in several related activities: prayer stations, prayer journaling, group prayers and discussions of answered prayers.
Teens also attended a “fancy dinner” with adults as their servers and watched the movie “War Room,” a Christian drama in which the protagonist’s prayers save her marriage and cause her husband to rededicate his life to God.
A cool moment happened, Young said, when two teens stepped up to fill in for the song leader, who couldn’t make it.
“You could tell the Holy Spirit was moving through them,” she added.
TEXAS
Elizabeth Garrett has shared the Gospel for 45 years as a World Bible School postal and online study helper.
ABILENE — Forty-eight World Bible School study helpers came together for a recent breakfast of celebration and encouragement at the Hillcrest Church of Christ.
Elizabeth Garrett was recognized for sharing the Gospel as a WBS postal and online study helper for over 45 years. Garrett served as a WBS teacher for almost 20 years while attending the Southwest Church of Christ in Amarillo. She has coordinated the WBS program at the South 11th and Willis Church of Christ in Abilene since 1997.
Participants came mostly from nine congregations in Central Texas, including San Angelo, Abilene, Tuscola, Cross Plains and Hamby. Traveling the farthest distance was Paul Campbell, who has worked with the Best Center ministry in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for the past eight years.
Most WBS students still use the traditional printed versions distributed via postal service in either English, Spanish or Portuguese. However, many studies are completed online. A more efficient and less costly way to offer paper lessons by electronic scanning, called “Ocean Bridge,” is under way in seven countries. The social media tool Mathetis has increased outreach to younger generations.
NEWSMAKERS
BAPTIZED — TESSIEA DOERING of the Bridge Avenue Church of Christ in Weslaco, Texas. FELICIA KEARSE of the Baisley Church of Christ in New York. CAROLINE PARKER of Massachusetts at Camp Tahkodah in Floral, Ark. LANDON WAY and RYDER PLANT of the National Park Church of Christ in Hot Springs, Ark.
From left, Ron Edwards, Gunner Skelton, Matthew Blake and Brett Petrillo
AWARDED — RON EDWARDS, the Cline R. Paden Gray Eagle Award at Sunset International Bible Institute’s Vision Workshop in Lubbock, Texas. Edwards, a 1974 SIBI graduate, served as a missionary in Sharon, Penn., and at the Trinidad School of Preaching in Trinidad and Tobago. He is an elder of the Roosevelt Drive Church of Christ in Jacksonville, N.C. MARK and KELLE SAMSILL, the World Changer Award by SIBI for dedication to world evangelism and Christian service. Mark, an elder of the College Hill Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, Texas, and Kelle are involved in international missions including Neema Village in Tanzania. RICHIE ESTEP, baseball coach of the year and GUNNER SKELTON, Player of the Year by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association for the 2024 season in Division 2-A. Estep, a Lipscomb University graduate, is baseball coach for Columbia Academy in Tennessee and Skelton is a junior at the school, which is associated with Churches of Christ. The school’s boys’ bowling team recently won the TSSAA Division II bowling state championship.
From left, James Edwards, Jonathan Newson and Jared Stark
NAMED — MATTHEW BLAKE as the first-ever assistant minister for the Bedford Street Church of Christ in Abington, Mass. BRETT PETRILLO as full-time faculty and dean of students, BRET CARTER and GRADY MILLER as adjunct instructors and Brian Ketchem as development staffer for Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver. JAMES EDWARDS and JONATHAN NEWSON as elders and SHAUNELL HYATT, BRIAN SMITH SR. and JONATHAN TURNER SR. as deacons for the Northwest Church of Christ in Southaven, Miss. DENNIS OKOTH as interim director of Sam’s Place, a home for deaf orphans in Rongo, Kenya. JARED STARK as executive vice president of York University in Nebraska.
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