East District churches band together for Imagine No Malaria

By SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor Seven East District churches – Aley, Becker, College Mound, Kaufman, Kemp, Poetry and Mabank, all in Kaufman County – raised more than $10,000 for the Imagine No Malaria campaign through a March concert of the Connections Band. “We challenged each of our churches to bring $1,000 to the concert, rather than simple relying on passing the plate that night,” the Rev. Eston Williams of Aley UMC said. “We are very excited to have raised...

First Burkburnett strengthens youth ministry with Perkins program

By ANNE STROME Special Contributor Three young adults from First UMC Burkburnett recently attended courses at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Youth Ministry, an ongoing annual program for those called to youth ministry. Participation leads to certification after completion of four annual sessions. Attendees were Wade Beason, youth ministry intern; Casey Keksi, youth ministry volunteer; and Tanner Hodges, music ministry volunteer. Their training included group and...

Get out your hammers for WillieBuild

By LINDA S. JOHNSON Associate Editor The fifth annual WillieBuild, honoring the memory of Willie Tichenor, an irrepressible personality who died five years ago of cancer at age 19, runs May 7-21. Since 2006, Highland Park UMC Carpenters for Christ has led volunteer teams in the Habitat for Humanity projects in West Dallas, home to the Wesley-Rankin Community Center that is close to his family’s heart through volunteer work. Although he had been diagnosed with a rare form of bone...

SMU chaplain urges school to stay close to roots

By Sheron C. Patterson Editor Dr. Stephen Rankin, Chaplain of Southern Methodist University and a United Methodist clergyman, made headlines recently when he urged the university to embrace its United Methodist roots. “We need to own who we are and let people know who we are.” “We need to own who we are and let people know who we are,” he said. “SMU has great potential to model what church-affiliated higher education looks like. Faith has an important role to...

Sunnyvale church plans family carnival

New Covenant UMC, 3032 N. Beltline Road, Sunnyvale, TX 75182, will host a family carnival to celebrate Easter from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23. Activities include a bounce house, games, food and an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos with children.There is no charge for the carnival events. Call the church at 972-226-1092 with any questions.  ...

Survivors of suicide console each other in support group

By JOHN A. LOVELACE Special Correspondent They are survivors of suicide, the ones left behind after a loved one takes her or his own life. On the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, the survivors convene quietly in a classroom at Highland Park UMC. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. they share stories like these: An aunt, attending her first session, sobs softly as she describes a niece in college who hanged herself last fall. A young man tells of his lifelong best buddy who got up early one...

Texas Minister-Layman golf tournament is May 3

The 33rd Annual Texas Minister-Layman Tournament will be held Tuesday, May 3, at Brookhaven Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr. in Dallas. There is room for 140 participants for 27 holes of golf. Morning competition includes: 9 Hole, Two-Man Shamble (minister and layman) and a putt-off for ministry and layman putting champions. At lunch, author and golf pro Scott Lehman will give his testimony. There will be a surprise guest handing out prizes in drawings including an HD TV. After lunch,...