A diverse church full of conversion stories
LINDENHURST, N.Y. — Prayer kneelers and organ pipes aren’t typical…
Across the Nation: A centennial anniversary in Alabama, a youth rally in Oregon and more quick takes
Our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ across the U.S.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
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): Teens gather at the MannaFest youth rally in Oregon.
ALABAMA
FLORENCE — The Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ recently celebrated its centennial anniversary.
Addressing the themes of past, present and future, former ministers Cory Collins and Kerry Williams and current minister Justin Pannell spoke to the congregation at a trio of special services.
Christians gather for the Sherrod Avenue church’s centennial celebration.
Prerecorded video interviews with church members and a live panel session comprising current and former leaders guided the assembly in reflections on God’s faithfulness and ways the church has sought to love its neighbors through the last 100 years.
The baptism of a new brother in Christ served as a fitting conclusion to the weekend’s festivities.
The cornerstone of the Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ establishes its meeting place a century ago.
Sherrod Avenue began meeting as the North Florence Church of Christ and worshiped for two years in a local school building before moving to its present location and taking on its current name in 1925.
The congregation has been involved in multiple church plantings throughout its existence and been served by a number of standout preachers over the decades, including radio ministry pioneer C.C. Burns; preacher, historian and author John D. Cox; and Christian apologetics expert Kenny Barfield.
NEW YORK
HAUPPAUGE — More than 40 years after its founding — and through a construction process complicated by COVID-19 and rising building costs — the Long Island Church of Christ moved into its first permanent facility late last year.
For its recent Family Day, the 350-plus-member church welcomed more than 400 from its community to visit and learn about its ministries, including programs for people with disabilities and Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers.
More than 400 community members visit the Long Island Church of Christ in New York for Family Day
More than 120 church volunteers and community partners helped feed the group and put on activities including bounce houses, horseback riding and popcorn and cotton candy stations.
“It was wonderful to see the typical ‘80/20 rule’ be absolutely crushed and broken by the extensive number of hands in the body who were put to work and serving,” said Danny Aponte, Long Island’s deacon of communications.
Signs in English and Spanish welcome visitors to the Long Island church’s Family Day.
Church members gained 210 contacts from the event with whom they intend to follow up and plan Bible studies.
Read Bobby Ross Jr.’s 2023 feature on the congregation led by first-generation Christians at christianchronicle.org/longislandchurch.
OREGON
YAMHILL — For the fourth year, Camp Yamhill hosted MannaFest, a weekend youth rally. Teens from all over the Pacific Northwest gathered recently to enjoy times of worship, keynote speakers, classes and fun evenings together.
MannaFest is an outgrowth of Faith Quest, which ended in 2015. Seeing the need for another youth rally in the region, youth ministers collaborated on a new event to draw local youth groups to explore their faith and discuss difficult social and life issues from a biblical perspective.
MannaFest attendees gather under tents for classes.
Intimate tent classes on various subjects of faith separate MannaFest from other youth rallies, leaders said. This year’s event also included a special tent for kids to pray and read Scripture, meditating on God’s Word during their free time.
Zach Hailey, assistant director for Project Antioch, a discipleship program for youths, likened MannaFest to a revival in the Pacific Northwest.
“We have struggling churches here. … But we can also see the powerful way the Spirit is working in our teens,” he said. “God is doing something.”
NEWSMAKERS
BAPTIZED — LOVELY BEASLEY and VALLERI KOEHN of the Oakland Church of Christ in Southfield, Mich. LAURA BEHRENS of the Grand Strand Church of Christ in Surfside Beach, S.C. JOHN ECKLER of the Media Church of Christ in Pennsylvania. JOSH FITZPATRICK of the Church of Christ at Rio Grande in Bidwell, Ohio. ANDY LOWE of the Paintsville Church of Christ in Kentucky. IANN KENDALL and MINDY MEDINA of the Mangum Church of Christ in Oklahoma. JAMON MURRY of the Idaho Street Church of Christ in Selma, Ala. TYLER TUBBS of the Quail Valley Church of Christ in Batesville, Ark. EMIL VILLANUEVA of the Karangalan, Cainta Church of Christ in the Philippines.
From left, Joel “Tomás” Banks, Denise Hamilton and Jimmy Holland
HONORED — JOEL “TOMÁS” BANKS with the Woodward Heart of a Servant Award by Let’s Start Talking for “selfless and exceptional service to the Kingdom of God.” Banks has served as a missionary in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since the early 1970s. Since 1996, LST has sent 126 teams to serve in Buenos Aires with the Caballito Church of Christ where Banks serves. “Joel is a humble, faithful, and gifted friend to the Kingdom,” said Craig Altrock, LST executive director. ALLEN BLACK with a festschrift, “Teaching God’s Sons and Daughters” with contributions by his former students. Garrett Best and Lance Hawley edited the book. Black is professor emeritus of New Testament at Harding University in Searcy, Ark. DENISE HAMILTON with a Distinguished Alumni citation by Abilene Christian University in Texas. Hamilton is an author, speaker and founder of WatchHerWork.com. JACOB HUFF, kicker for the Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.) football team, as Special Teams Player of the Week for the Mid-South Conference after breaking the school record with field goals from 50 and 48 yards.
From left, Klint Pleasant and Robin Smith
APPOINTED — BEN HAYES, elementary counselor for Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, Ala. JIMMY HOLLAND, associate minister for the Wetumpka Church of Christ in Alabama.
NAMED — TERRY BUNNELL to the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame. Bunnell, a longtime tennis coach, is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. As a student, he helped establish a high school tennis program at Chester County High School. KLINT PLEASANT to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame. Pleasant is head men’s basketball coach and senior vice president at Rochester Christian University in Rochester Hills, Mich. ROBIN SMITH, Alumnus of the Year by Columbia Academy in Tennessee. Smith, a lifelong educator, is principal of Baker Elementary School in Columbia.
