Hurricanes Helene and Milton: Links to our news coverage
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Across the Nation: A youth camp in Alabama, an elders’ conference in Tennessee and more quick takes
Our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ across the U.S.
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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): North Carolina official Dave Boliek presents members of the Biltmore Church of Christ with The Cardinal Award.
ALABAMA
HUNTSVILLE — Thousands of youths gathered at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville to “Reawaken Wonder” as they prepared for a new year at Exposure Youth Camp.
The 3,500 attendees heard from keynote speakers Matthew Morine, minister for the Castle Rock Church of Christ in Colorado; Dewayne Tapscott, minister for the Southwest Church of Christ in Huntsville; and Andrew Itson, minister for the Madison Church of Christ in Alabama.
Teens also participated in Spiritual Challenge Sessions — classes on deep subjects such as purpose, forgiveness and suffering.
Twenty youths confessed Christ and were baptized at Exposure Youth Camp.
This year’s theme centered on “pursuing absolute truth in a world full of fake realities.”
Morine told youths that struggles they face should not define their identity in failure but develop it in Christ.
Thousands of youths gathered at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville to “Reawaken Wonder” as they prepared for a new year at Exposure Youth Camp.
“Challenges are a chisel, not a crutch,” he said.
Twenty were baptized at the event, and 140 publicly requested prayer.
On the final night of the camp, attendees gathered on the balconies surrounding the atrium of the Embassy Suites hotel — as they do each year — to fill the space with a cappella worship to God.
NORTH CAROLINA
ASHEVILLE — “I was hungry, and you fed me,” Eddie Woodhouse quoted from Matthew 25 on a recent Sunday at the Biltmore Church of Christ.
A year earlier, Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina’s mountain region, prompting Biltmore members to marshal forces to provide immediate aid to affected communities.
Related: Hurricanes Helene and Milton: Links to our news coverage
Biltmore’s effective outreach did not go unnoticed by Dave Boliek.
The North Carolina state auditor had traveled to Asheville to present Biltmore members The Cardinal Award, an official recognition given to citizens making exceptional and significant contributions to the state.
Boliek praised Biltmore members on behalf of the state.
North Carolina official Dave Boliek presents Susannah and Jason Smith with The Cardinal Award.
“All of North Carolina watched as the Biltmore Church of Christ lived out serving hurting people who, in one horrible storm, had their lives turned upside down,” the official said.
“The Biltmore Church of Christ is turning their lives right side up. And North Carolina is a better state, now, because of you. North Carolina’s Cardinal Award was created with the Biltmore Church of Christ in mind.”
TENNESSEE
HENDERSONVILLE — The Shepherd Network Southeast brought 200 church leaders and their spouses to the Hendersonville Church of Christ for the organization’s inaugural gathering.
Through worship, fellowship, keynote addresses and breakout sessions, these preachers and elders from 53 congregations in the Southeast encouraged and equipped each other to shepherd and minister to their flocks.
Two hundred church leaders gather for the first annual Shepherd Network Southeast conference.
Keynote speakers at the two-day event included Jerrie Barber, interim minister for the Hartsville Pike Church of Christ in Gallatin; Carlus Gupton, ministry professor at Lipscomb University in Nashville; David Holmes, interim minister for the Rural Hill Church of Christ in Antioch; and Chris McCurley, minister for the Walnut Street Church of Christ in Dickson.
Session topics ranged from “Shepherding the Anxious Church” to “Encouraging and Celebrating the Unique Calling of Church Leaders’ Spouses.”
The Shepherd Network is organized by leaders from 14 Nashville-area Churches of Christ.
NEWSMAKERS
BAPTIZED — FAIVER ALEJANDRO of the Waterview Church of Christ in Richardson, Texas. Emma Brennan, ETHAN HILL and SCOTT HANEY of the Sullivan Village Church of Christ in Lawton, Okla. BELLA ALLEN, EMMA ANDERSON, JORDAN DEWITT, MELISSA DEWITT, CHRISTIAN HEARD and LOGAN SMITH of the Norman Church of Christ in Oklahoma. BETTY EYRING of the Sweet Home Church of Christ in Broken Bow, Okla. THELMA FREEMAN of the Harlem Church of Christ in New York. ZACH and ASHLEY NELSON and NATHAN OVERBEY of the Temple Church of Christ in Georgia. SALVADOR RAMIRO of the West Broward Church of Christ in Plantation, Fla. MOZELL WOODS of the Church of Christ at Idaho Street in Selma, Ala.
From left, Isaax Gray, Jeff Smith and Dyron Daughrity.
HONORED — ISAAC GRAY with the NCAA Division II Elite Scholar-Athlete Award. Gray is a tight end for the Harding University football team in Searcy, Ark. JEFF SMITH with the Wally Wilkerson Legacy Award and LANCE and ASHLEY HALL with the Big Don Williams Lighthouse Award at the National Children’s and Youth Ministries Conference in Tucson, Ariz. Smith served as a youth and campus minister before founding Discipletrips, an organization that creates and leads short-term mission trips around the globe. He worships with the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. The Halls serve the youths of the Springtown Church of Christ in Texas.
ELECTED — DYRON DAUGHRITY, president of the American Society of Church History (ASCH). Daughrity is divisional dean of religion and philosophy for Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., and senior minister for the Hilltop Community Church of Christ in El Segundo, Calif. Daughrity, a member of the 138-year-old society for nearly two decades, has authored and edited more than 20 books on church history and global Christianity.
From left, Rhonda Collier, Cady Jackson, Bruce Nash and Michael Rowand.
NAMED — RHONDA COLLIER, assistant vice president of academic enhancement and leadership development at Alabama State University in Montgomery. She is a member of the Tuskegee Church of Christ in Alabama. ASHLYN HOOPER, development communications coordinator for Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver. She and her family worship with the University Church of Christ in San Marcos, Texas. CADY JACKSON, director of communications — philanthropy for Walmart. She is a 2012 graduate of Oklahoma Christian University. BRUCE NASH, local coordinator for the 2027 Crusade for Christ scheduled for July 17–21, 2027, in the San Francisco Bay area. Nash is minister for the Laurel Avenue Church of Christ in East Palo Alto, Calif. MICHAEL ROWAND, connections minister for the Central Church of Christ in Martinez, Ga.
