A Heritage for generations to come
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — In its next two decades, the Heritage…
Across the Nation: A new Kentucky children’s home, a Texas church’s 150th anniversary and more quick takes
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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): Lipscomb Academy student Emma Delane Singleton, center, performs with fellow students. She was awarded a 2025 Scholastic Writing Gold Key award in dramatic script for her original play, “Miss Susie.”
KENTUCKY
HICKORY — New Pathways for Children recently opened a new family home for children in crisis in this western Kentucky town.
The Burse Family Home was dedicated to the late Glen Burse, a minister for Churches of Christ, executive director for New Pathways and former president of Tennessee Children’s Home.
The Burse Family Home provides a safe residence for up to 10 children in crisis.
Founded in 1990, New Pathways, which is associated with Churches of Christ, has served hundreds of Kentucky children. Along with the Gardner House, Emma Belle’s Haven and John and Vivian Williams House, the new Burse home allows the ministry to care for around 30 children.
Find out how to support the ministry at npfc.net.
TEXAS
BEDFORD — In 1874, Milton Moore donated 5 acres of land and building supplies for a displaced group of Christians to start afresh here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
They were worshiping at a grocery store after the Spring Gardens Church of Christ building burned down.
Moore, a farmer, hauled logs by horse and wagon nearly 200 miles to Jefferson, Texas, to have them processed into lumber to construct a new building.
Members of the Bedford Church of Christ serve a celebratory cake as they honor the congregation’s 150th anniversary.
That church, first known as New Hope and now the Bedford Church of Christ, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Members of one of the founding families still attend five generations later — Tanna Blagg, 70, along with her daughter, Jamie Benson, and grandchildren, Dylan and Emma Benson.
The original building doubled as the town’s first school during the week, minister Al Heredia said. The church later donated it to another congregation in the mid-20th century.
NEWSMAKERS
BAPTIZED — BRENDA HALL of the Owl Hollow Church of Christ in Winchester, Tenn. DEE HALLIBURTON and ZACH STANIFER of the Millington Church of Christ in Tennessee. JULIA LEHNER of the Naperville Church of Christ in Illinois. MALEAH PORACH and ALEXI STARCHER of the North Terrace Church of Christ in Zanesville, Ohio. ANJAINAE WILLIAMS of the North Peoria Church of Christ in Tulsa, Okla.
From left, Tiersa and Jason Reeves, Kathy and Randy Short, and Michael and Wendy Humphries.
AWARDED — BRAMBLETT GROUP, Business of the Year (one to 49 employees) by the Greater Jackson Chamber in Tennessee. Founders Jason and Dawn Bramblett are members of the Jacks Creek Church of Christ. The marketing and public relations firm’s clients include Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY’S chapter of Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) with first-place wins in their first state competition. Winners are Jay Cordonnier, Annie Davis, Joshua Drouin, Avie Krebs and Stone Small. JASON and TIERSA REEVES honored for 10 years of ministry with the Eastridge Church of Christ in Rockwall, Texas, where Jason is preaching minister. EMMA DELANE SINGLETON, a 2025 Scholastic Writing Gold Key award in dramatic script for her original play, “Miss Susie.” She is a student at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn. RANDY and KATHY SHORT, the Diakonos Award from Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala. The Shorts served as missionaries in Recife, Brazil, for 36 years.
Lee Kats, Jared and Whitney Kelly.
NAMED — MICHAEL HUMPHRIES as assistant U.S. missions director for Health Talents International, a medical mission serving Guatemala. Michael and his wife, Wendy, have served with Mission Lazarus. LEE KATS as dean of Seaver College at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. He has served as interim dean since 2023 and previously spent 12 years as vice provost. JARED KELLY as youth minister for the Prattville Church of Christ in Alabama. He and his wife, Whitney, have worked with Churches of Christ in Florida and Alabama.
