F&P Roundup: Greenwood Baptist holds first Impact Week, food pantry celebrates 30 years - Midland Reporter-Telegram

Big Brothers Big Sisters need volunteers for school program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midland is expanding its school-based program and is short of volunteers. The agency needs help because it added Houston Elementary to its program, which already serves Milam and Crockett elementaries.

“We’ve been asked to bring our program to several elementary schools in the past but have not had the volunteers to make it happen,” Executive Director Kay Crites said. “We could provide positive role models for hundreds of Midland’s children if we had the volunteers.

It is not a tutoring program, Crites said.

“The mentors are there to provide friendship and to be a positive role model. It seems like such a small thing, but it can have a big impact in a child’s life. According to the surveys we conduct, children who are matched with a mentor show improvements in their behavior, peer relationships and school performance.”

To volunteer or for more information, visit bbbsmidland.org.

Greenwood Baptist Church sets goal of 200 community service hours

This week has been the inaugural Impact Week for Greenwood Baptist Church. With a pledge to donate 200 hours of community service to Midland, the church has been partnering with different organizations and Greenwood ISD to bring an impact to Midland as a “tangible expression of God’s love,” Pastor Zach Crook said in a press release.

“We see Impact Week as an exciting way for our church to partner with other organizations that are serving Midland and the Greenwood Community. We want to show God’s love to our community in a practical way,” he said. “We know God has done so much for us and it compels us to serve others and love them in the same way that Christ has loved us.”

The 109-year-old church teamed with the Genesis Center, the Baptist Crisis Center and Helping Hands. Added endeavors have included nursing home visits, cookies for first responders and park cleanup.

For further information about Impact Week, visit gwoodbc.com.

Masonic Lodge hosts 28th annual fish fry

The Midland Centennial Masonic Lodge will host its annual fish fry fundraiser Saturday. The yearly event helps with the maintenance of the Midland Masonic Temple and goes toward nonprofits the lodge partners with.

The event will feature door prizes, live entertainment, baked goods auction and a fried catfish and steak finger meal. Guests are invited to dine in but food can be prepared to go.

The fish fry is 5 p.m. at the American Legion Building, 501 Veterans Airpark Lane. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children.

Disciples Food Pantry celebrates 30 years with fundraiser

When Memorial Christian Church Disciples of Christ closed its doors, First Christian Church D.O.C. stepped in to take over MCC’s food pantry that started 30 years ago when a few church members served food to those in need. The food pantry, renamed the Disciples Food Pantry, serves more than 350 client families each month.

The pantry will mark 30 years at its annual fundraiser, Beans and Jeans, on Sunday.

“We’ have been overjoyed with the enthusiastic welcome extended to the pantry’s outreach, volunteer leader Peggy Jones said.

Since FCC’s acquisition of the pantry, Jones and other leaders have seen an increase in volunteers with the combined congregations.

In the past six months alone, the pantry has provided for more than 4,800 individuals in the area.

“We have been blessed through the years with volunteers from several different congregations, financial assistance and constant prayers from many in the community, said H.A. Tuck, who has volunteered with the pantry for 22 years.

Beans and Jeans is set for 5 p.m. Sunday at the First Christian Church Family Life Center, 1301 W Louisiana Ave.

Casa de Amigos announces new coordinator

Former teacher Yolanda Ramirez is the new coordinator of Adult Education for Casa de Amigos. She will oversee the ESL, GED and citizenship classes at the organization.

Ramirez was a bilingual teacher at Ector County ISD and taught at University of Texas at Permian Basin. Her courses included multicultural education and educational leadership.

She has also served as a volunteer for the Tri-Ethnic Committee, which helped ECISD build a bilingual education model.

In 2010 she was appointed to the Texas Education Agency's Textbook Review Panel and has continued to help ECISD with ESL program development.

Cry Out! women's prayer event to be hosted by First Baptist Church

In conjunction with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's Revive Our Hearts Women's Conference simulcast, First Baptist Church will host Cry Out! in its Fellowship Hall on Sept. 23. Prayer will be led by different conference speakers such as Tony Evans, Kay Arthur and Joni Eareckson Tada. There will also be a simulcast in Spanish.

"This is not a conference about how to pray or how to be better at praying," organizer Denise Beckham said. "This is an opportunity for women across the United States to come together and spend time in prayer. The prayer emphasis is based on the calling of a solemn or sacred assembly. The solemn assembly is found in the Old Testament and begins with a call from God for His people to examine themselves and to turn back to Him."

Women from all denominations are welcome to participate. There will be opportunity for men's prayer albeit separately from Cry Out! participants. There will also be limited child care available.

The event is from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 23. For more information, visit http://ift.tt/2d4gfbk.