Saturday, November 8, 1997

Outfront

HANSEL AND GRETEL

Englebert Humperdinck's opera, "Hansel & Gretel," will be performed at St. Paul United Methodist Church Thursday and Friday in a dinner theater format.

Richard Burke is director and conductor of the opera that features such local talent as Wendy Humphrey, Karen Wasson, Susan King, Marian Caywood, Putnam Reeves, Tammy Fite and Jane Guitar.

Members of the St. Paul Carol Choir and King's Company will be in the angelic choir.

Dinner will be served at 7 both nights and the production will begin at 8. Tickets are $15 for dinner and performance and $10 for the show only.

Reservations must be made in advance by calling the church at 672-7814 or by e-mail: stpaul@abilene.com. Reservations must be made by Tuesday.

Tickets can be picked up in the church office, 525 Beech, until noon on the day of the performance.

FASTING AND PRAYER

Broadview Baptist Church, 2500 S. 27th, will have a satellite hookup to broadcast the Fasting and Prayer '97 service Wednesday through Friday.

The event, to be held at the Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel, is sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ. It will be broadcast at 1,172 sites nationwide, said Carolyn Smalley, local organizer.

Broadcast hours at Broadview are 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, and 9 a.m.-noon Friday. A re-broadcast of Friday's session will be from 6-9 p.m. Friday.

The observation includes 18 hours of prayer and guest speakers on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, individuals will ask "for prayer for whatever the Lord has put on his heart," Smalley said.

The service focuses on healing for our nation and encourages people to repent "instead of doing our own thing," Smalley said.

NEW BOOKS

Two new books poses questions that seemingly have no answer: How Large is God? and Who Speaks for God? .

The first one is a collection of essays collectively titled "The Voices of Scientists and Theologians."

The book, published by Templeton Foundation Press, $22.95 hardcover, presents the perspectives of nine renowned scholars in science and theology, their approaches to scientific and theological answers and the limits to scientific and theological answers.

Who Speaks for God? , published by Delta, $11.95 paperback, presents an "alternative to the religious right - a new politics of compassion, community and civility."

Written by Jim Wallis, the book was the winner of the 1997 Christianity Today Book Award and the 1997 Body, Mind, Spirit Award of Excellence.

A cover note by former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey explains the purpose of the book: "Once again, Jim Wallis has spoken to the vast sea of Americans who wish to find a place for their spirituality in our politics."

PIONEER AWARD

Hardin-Simmons University graduate Dr. Charles P. McLaughlin will receive the Pioneer Award for service in missions during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting Monday and Tuesday in Austin.

The award is given by the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation. McLaughlin was director of the Baptist State Missions Commission from 1964-87.

After graduating from HSU in 1941, McLaughlin earned a master of religious education degree from Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. He received an honorary doctorate from HSU in 1952 and in 1986 was chosen for a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Under McLaughlin's leadership, the State Missions Commission began several new ministries that are still a part of the Texas Baptist missions emphasis.