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 calvin@christianchronicle.org.
Featured image (above): Allen Wai Jang, right, receives American Tai Chi & Qigong Association Master status from Master Chung Wu from the Maryland Institute for Tai Chi Arts.
ALABAMA
FLORENCE — Hundreds of souls gathered on the grounds of the Mars Hill Bible School for an old-fashioned tent revival.
Twelve local Churches of Christ helped organize the event, which met five evenings on the Larimore Lawn. It’s the former site of noted Restoration Movement preacher T.B. Larimore’s home and the Mars Hill Academy he founded in 1871.
Larimore later changed the name to Mars Hill College and ran the school until 1887. The current K-12 school opened in 1947.
Hundreds of north Alabamians worship during a tent revival at the Mars Hill Bible School.
Attendees at the revival packed in and around a large white tent — with standing-room only Wednesday night — to hear a gospel message.
Guest preachers at the meeting included area ministers and Bible School teachers — Matt Heupel, Brad Adcock, Frank Mills, Harrison Chastain, Dewayne Tapscott — who spoke on the authority of Christ, Christ and his church, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and the Great Commission.
A contribution each night supported several local ministries: Isaiah’s Call, North Alabama Christian Children’s Home, the University of North Alabama Christian Student Center, Heritage Christian University and World Evangelism Missions.
MISSOURI
ST. LOUIS — The Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis celebrated its 50th graduating class, deemed the “Golden Graduation.”
The small K-12 school was founded in 1976 and is associated with Churches of Christ.
The academy hosted a series of celebratory events in honor of its anniversary, including a Kick-off Celebration Picnic, Coming Home Celebration and Appreciation Celebration Luncheon — dedicated to founders, donors and leaders who helped shape the school’s mission of “preparing students to live a life of value and meaning to God, society, and self.”
The 50th graduating class of the Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis celebrates commencement.
At the commencement, the nine graduating seniors stood alongside alumni from the academy’s first graduating class and a founding board member, Bob McGuire.
“The Class of 2026 joins a legacy of alumni who have gone on to serve in ministry, medicine, education and the military, with most of CA graduates pursuing higher education, military service and the trades,” the school said in a statement.
The academy also celebrates the retirement of longtime administrator and former student Carla J. Payne, who served as head of school for 35 years.
Payne was also an inaugural student, attending from 1976 to 1980.
TEXAS
FRITCH — Ministry League, a free app that for more than a decade has offered lyrics to hundreds of worship and devotional songs, launched a major update.
Developed by Tyler Brassfield, a member of the Fritch Church of Christ in Texas, the app has been rebranded as The Ministry Network.
In addition to Ministry League’s songbook and podcasts and teaching materials by members of Churches of Christ, the app refresh introduces Anchor Studio — a collection of devotional and study books with podcasts by the book authors.
The Ministry Network app offers new features.
The app also serves as a resource for participants of Exposure Youth Camp — an annual youth event in Huntsville, Ala. Attendees can register and access the schedule, news, keynotes and more.
“The app’s intent is to help provide materials, opportunities (and) knowledge for those in ministry both professionally and vocationally to spread the Word,” Brassfield said.
The new app rolled out alongside the Ministry Summit at the Piedmont Road Church of Christ in Marietta, Ga.
NEWSMAKERS
AWARDED — JOANNA ESTES, the Girl Scout Silver Award for her project, “Brighten Up the Blahs.” Joanna made flowers and butterflies from pipe cleaners to add color to the rooms of a hospital where she stayed during her treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma. She and her parents worship with the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. ALLEN WAI JANG, Master status from the American Tai Chi & Qigong Association. Jang is a member of the Sierra Madre Church of Christ in California. MELVIN L. OTEY, the Student Organization Faculty Advisor of the Year award from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala.
From left, Joanna Estes, Malik Beauford, Destiny Calderon, Erica and Jason Noble.
HONORED — MALIK BEAUFORD and DESTINY CALDERON as Mr. and Miss Falcon Athletics by Florida College in Temple Terrace, Fla. JASON and ERICA NOBLE for 20 years of service to the Friendly Avenue Church of Christ in Greensboro, N.C., where Jason is preaching minister.
NAMED — JEREMY ASHLIN, JENNA GOVE and KATIE WAMPLER to the theatre department at Harding University. BETTY BRUSH and GARRY STEINBACH to the board of directors of Program for Humanitarian Aid, a Texas-based nonprofit that serves vulnerable Ukrainians and is supported by Churches of Christ. GRANT BURNS, head men’s basketball coach for Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. The FHU Lions are defending NAIA National Champions. KENNETH HAWLEY, dean of the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Honors College and KREGG FEHR, Dean of the J.E. and Eileen Hancock College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Lubbock Christian University in Texas. ANDY MITCHELL, evangelist for the Wellsburg Church of Christ in West Virginia.
