(posted 11-20-09)
Bill and Mary Ellen Cook will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Dec. 25. They were married on Christmas Day 1949 when both were students of Lincoln (IL) Bible Institute, now Lincoln Christian University. Although Bill attended for four years, he did not receive his degree until 2004 when he walked across the stage with his grandson, Aaron Johnson, who is serving as a missionary in New Orleans, LA. The Cooks served with congregations in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, and also served on staff at Eastern Christian College (Bel Air, MD). Bill continues to preach every Sunday in Mexico, IN. The Cooks will gather on Thanksgiving Day with the families of their four children, five grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
(posted 11-20-09)
Glen Wheeler will celebrate the 65th anniversary of his ordination in December. He was ordained by the Reel Avenue Christian Church (now Franklin Heights) in Vincennes, IN, on Dec. 24, 1944. He married Evelyn Grove in 1948; she died in 1981. A graduate of Johnson Bible College (Knoxville, TN) in 1947, he later served JBC as a trustee for more than 20 years. He held ministries in Morristown and Harriman, TN, West Frankfort, IL, and Ironton and Columbus, OH. He also served as president of the Restoration House, executive director of the Ohio Church Development Fund, and chaplain with Worthington (OH) Christian Village for 12 years. His family includes three children, Judie of Westerville, OH, David of Knoxville, TN, and Dennis of Versailles, OH; four granddaughters; and five great-granddaughters. He has compiled or authored six books. He received an honorary degree from JBC and was inducted into the State of Ohio Seniors Hall of Fame, among others. He has lived at Worthington (OH) Christian Village for 20 years.
(posted 11-3-09)
Tim Mason recently began his ninth year as minister with Bethlehem Christian Church, Madisonville, KY. He was the homecoming speaker for his home church, Peaks Mill Christian Church, Frankfort, KY, on Sept. 27.
(posted 10-28-09)
Earl Eells recently celebrated 40 years in ministry. After graduating from Lincoln (IL) Christian College in 1969, he began preaching in Sturgis, SD. In 1983, he began his second ministry in Burwell, NE, and in 1992 moved to Antioch Church of Christ near Rossville, IL, where he began his 18th year of service in October.
(posted 10-26-09)
Howell’s Mill Christian Assembly’s 50th anniversary will be Feb. 4, 2010. HMCA, located in Ona, WV, has served as a summer camp and retreat center since Feb. 4, 1960, when the property was purchased and summer camp moved from the campus of Kentucky Christian College in Grayson. HMCA is marking this occasion with an anniversary “Love Dinner” celebration at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5. For more information or to request tickets, go to www.howellsmill.org.
(posted 10-16-09)
Ron Mobley, senior minister with Northwest Christian Church, Acworth, GA, began his 21st year with the church on June 1. The church honored him with a surprise party in recognition of his faithful service.
(posted 10-9-09)
On July 25, Earl and Ruth Anne Haubner celebrated their 40th year of missionary service in Brazil at their home church, Georgetown (OH) Church of Christ. The Haubners also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. More than 300 people, both family and friends, shared in the celebration. Earl also received the Goiania Citizenship Award for his service in the city of Goiania, their hometown in Brazil. Earl is a 1968 graduate of Cincinnati (OH) Christian University.
(posted 10-6-09)
Ben F. Pennington, missionary to Masvingo, Zimbabwe, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination on Nov. 30. He was ordained by the West End Christian Church, Louisville, KY, in 1969. Ben and Karen Pennington are in their 34th year of mission work in Zimbabwe.
(posted 9-25-09)
On July 26, Mark S. Krause celebrated 30 years of ordained ministry with a celebration of ordination service at Westwood Hills Christian Church, Los Angeles, CA, where he has served as minister since 2007. Krause was ordained at the Caldwell (ID) Christian Church on July 1, 1979, by the elders of the church and Charles Crane. At the celebration, Krause repeated his ordination vows as given by Myron J. Taylor, the church’s minister emeritus.
(posted 9-25-09)
Robert “Pete” and Janet (Locke) Taylor celebrated 50 years of marriage on Aug. 15. The couple, both graduates of Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian University, were married at River Park Church of Christ, South Bend, IN. Pete served in ministry from 1959 to 2009. Janet received her master’s degree from Indiana University and taught first grade in the public school system for 28 years. Pete served with Shelby Christian Church, Versailles, IN, Leatherwood Christian Church, Bedford, IN, Milburn Boulevard Church of Christ, Mishawaka, IN, and Eleventh Street Church of Christ, Rushville, IN. He retired after serving more than 15 years with New Heights Church of Christ, Connersville, IN, and completing 40 years in ministry. After retirement, Pete entered the part-time ministry serving with Valley Christian Church, Brookville, IN. He presently serves as minister to senior adults with West Side Church, Hamilton, OH. The couple have one daughter.
(posted 9-1-09)
On Aug. 29, Harry and Lorene Brooks celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a Hawaiian luau hosted by their children at Parkside Court Retirement Center, Columbus, OH. Mr. Brooks and the former Lorene Sweeney were married Sept. 3, 1944. They have three children: Stephen of Hudson, FL, Holly McArthur of Charleston, IL, and Sheila Briles of Port Charlotte, FL; six grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Mr. Brooks retired after serving in ministry for 60 years.
(posted 9-1-09)
Alaska Christian Church, Cloverdale, IN, celebrated her 174th anniversary Oct. 4. The church also commemorated the 125th anniversary of her present building. Kevin Short serves as preaching minister.
(posted 9-1-09)
Cecil Todd begins his 61st year of Christian ministry in November. Todd is founder/president of the Revival Fires Ministry, Branson West, MO. He is a product of the Kiamichi Mountain Christian Mission in southeast Oklahoma. The 1954 graduate of Ozark Christian College was ordained at Christ’s Church, Nashoba, OK. He preached his first sermon at the Nagle Christian Church near Willow Springs, MO. He began Revival Fires Ministry in 1964 and has conducted more than 5,000 soul-winning rallies, crusades, and revivals across America and in 22 different countries. He provided the funds to build four chapels on or near Russian military bases, distributed 2.5 million Bibles to Russia’s military and another 2 million Bibles for Russia’s public schools. He has pastored with five congregations: Rinehart Christian, Richards, MO; Crossview Christian, Fort Smith, AR; Christian Church, Clayton, OK; First Christian, Eureka Springs, AR; and Christ’s Church, Moscow, Russia. He has started, or helped start, 17 congregations in the U.S. He has served as a full-time evangelist for 48 of these 60 years. Todd began his broadcast ministry on radio as a Bible college student in 1951. His program, The Bible Revival Hour, was heard nationwide on several radio stations. He originated and served as the only speaker for the Revival Fires TV program for 20 years; Russ Martin served as host. The programs aired weekly on 153 TV stations. For almost 40 years, he has provided funds for missionary P.V. Alexander to build Mercy (mission) Hospital, an outpatient clinic, two orphanages, a nurse’s training school, and 65 church buildings across Kerala State, India. He currently is helping Alexander build Mercy College of Nursing. Todd conducts more than 40 “Yellow Ribbon” rallies each year that have helped provide almost 200,000 Bibles to U.S. troops. His greatest thrill is that all six of his children have become Christians, been ordained into ministry, and serve the Lord faithfully.
(posted 8-21-09)
Elk Park (NC) Christian Church celebrated 100 years of ministry Sept. 20-24. Robert Wetzel spoke at the Homecoming services Sept. 20 and former ministers spoke each evening thereafter (Marvin Elliott, David Fulks, Buddy Zuercher, and Allen Sellars). Palma L. Bennett is the current minister and Phillip Green is youth minister.
(posted 8-21-09)
Arthur L. and Martha E. McIntosh Grove celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a celebration hosted by their children on Aug. 16 at St. Joseph Valley Church of Christ, Mishawaka, IN. Mr. Grove served as librarian at Great Lakes Christian College, Lansing, MI, and most recently with First Christian Church in Michigan City, IN.
(posted 8-21-09)
Gerald and Ruth Moreland celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary with a three-week trip to Alaska. They were married Aug. 30, 1964, in Nashport, OH. They have served churches in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. Gerald served with Markle (IN) Church of Christ for 25 years before moving to the Warren (IN) Church of Christ six years ago. Ruth, a retired elementary school teacher, volunteers as secretary with the Warren church. The Morelands are planning to retire from the located ministry in January. The couple have four children—Rachel Smith, Angela Denney, Sarah Hubert, and Luke Moreland—and eight grandchildren.
