Brief

Retired pastor C.H. Zirkel dies Dec. 28 in Austin at 89
Castell church to name hall for former member
Special offering Jan. 20 supports human relations
Crystal City church marks 100th anniversary Jan. 20
Churches receive materials for Bring a Friend Sunday
Mission board resumes young-adult internships
Perkins picks bishop to get distinguished grad award
Actor’s $1 million to revive Wiley College debate team
Abingdon Press resources for kids, adults win awards

Retired pastor C.H. Zirkel dies Dec. 28 in Austin at 89
The funeral for the Rev. Clifford H. Zirkel was Jan. 3 at St. John’s UMC, Austin.
The retired Southwest Texas Conference clergy member died Dec. 28 in Austin. He was 89.
Zirkel began his ministry in 1943 in the New York Conference. He came to the Southwest Texas Conference in 1951. He served congregations in Austin, Corpus Christi, Eden, McAllen and Mission. He retired in 1986.


Castell church to name hall for former member
Trinity UMC, Castell, plans to name its renovated fellowship hall Sunday in memory of a longtime member.
The building is to be christened the C. Faith Miiller Fellowship Hall following the 9:30 a.m. worship service. Cassandra “Sandy” Miiller was an active member and supporter of the Castell congregation from 1984 until her death in 2006.


Special offering Jan. 20 supports human relations
Southwest Texas UMs can join church members around the globe Jan. 20 in collecting a special
offering for Human Relations Day.
The offering, established in 1972, is one of six on the UMC calendar each year. Proceeds support church-based community developers, grass-roots justice organizations and local youth-offender rehabilitation programs.


Crystal City church marks 100th anniversary Jan. 20
First UMC, Crystal City, celebrates it centennial Jan. 20.
Former pastors and members are to attend a special 100th anniversary gathering at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. The Rev. Bob Allen, Kerrville District superintendent, is to preach.


Churches receive materials for Bring a Friend Sunday
Southwest Texas congregations received planning materials last month for Bring a Friend Sunday 2008.
Set for March 9, Bring a Friend Sunday is the Lenten version of Home for Christmas. On the Sunday before Palm Sunday, UMs are asked to invite and escort friends to worship and a fellowship meal. Members then invite guests back for Palm Sunday and Easter worship.

Mission board resumes young-adult internships
NEW YORK—The UM mission agency is resuming a program that places young adults in mission settings in the United States for 10 weeks of summer service and education.
A dozen people ages 18 to 25 are to be selected for 2008 as the program is reintroduced after nearly a decade of inactivity. Those selected are to receive a $1,000 stipend, travel to and from their place of assignment, and room and board.
An online application form is at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/connections/youth/. The deadline for applications is Feb. 1.


Perkins picks bishop to get distinguished grad award
DALLAS––Bishop John Wesley Hardt, emeritus bishop-in-residence at the Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology, is the school’s distinguished alumnus for 2008.
The award is given each year to graduate of exemplary character who serves the church and community with effectiveness and integrity and is involved in the goals of the seminary and SMU. The award will be presented Jan. 29 during Perkins’ Ministers Week.
Hardt earned his B.A. from SMU in 1942 and his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1946. He was elected a bishop in 1980 and led the Oklahoma Episcopal Area until his retirement from active ministry in 1988.


Actor’s $1 million to revive Wiley College debate team
MARSHALL, Texas—Oscar winner Denzel Washington plans to give $1 million to UM-related Wiley College to reestablish its debate team.
School officials announced the gift Dec. 17—less than a week after the actor came to Marshall for the premiere of The Great Debaters. The film is inspired by the success of the 1935 Wiley debate team.


Abingdon Press resources for kids, adults win awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—UM-related Abingdon Press resources for children and adults have won seven Bronze Telly Awards for outstanding video and film production.
Winners in the Children’s Audience Programming category for 2007 included Live B.I.G., the DVD-based Sunday school curriculum with two Bronze Telly Awards and Lift Off! Vacation Bible School resources, also with two Bronze Telly Awards.
Winners in the Religion/Spirituality category included one Bronze Telly Award for each of the following adult video Bible studies: Living the Good Life Together—Attentiveness, Living the Good Life Together—Forgiveness and Invitation to Genesis, a short-term Disciple Bible Study.
Abingdon is a publishing imprint of the UM Publishing House.