By LORETTA FULTON

Each December, members of Religion News Association, including Spirit of Abilene creator and editor Loretta Fulton, vote on the top religion stories of the year. 

Those include the top national stories, international stories, and newsmaker of the year. For 2023, the Israel-Hamas war, along with the rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the U.S. and around the globe, were named the top international and domestic religion stories of the year. 

Pope Francis was named the top religion newsmaker of the year. He kept active despite health problems, traveling widely, convening a historic synod, denouncing anti-LGBTQ+ laws, overseeing the Vatican repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery and facing various controversies.

Click here to read about the top national and international stories and the list of nominees for newsmaker of the year. 

Locally, religion news stories were plentiful and meaningful, ranging from new pastors and university chaplains to noted speakers coming to town.

Following are some of the local highlights from 2023.

NEW CHAPLAINS
McMurry and Hardin-Simmons universities both named new chaplins. Shelli Presley was named Director of Spiritual Formation at Hardin-Simmons and Ricky Harrison was named University Chaplain and Director of Religious & Spiritual Life at McMurry, his alma mater.

PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLDS RELIGIONS
Abilene was well represented when the Parliament met in August in Chicago, the site of the original meeting in 1893. The seven Abilenians attending the Parliament represented the Abilene Interfaith Council and McMurry University. And, some of them presented papers or were panelists. Attending from the Interfaith Council were Angela Nicolini Starr, Linda Goolsbee, Tyler Gurley, and Mark Waters. Participating from McMurry were Philip LeMasters, Russell Miller, Anthony Avina, and Waters. LeMasters and Waters teach religion courses at McMurry, Miller is assistant director of religious and spiritual life, and Avina is a student.  

COACH SPEAK
Tony Dungy, who coached the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory in 2007, was guest speaker for the 50th anniversary dinner honoring Day Nursery of Abilene.

The dinner was held March 27 at the Abilene Convention Center. The Day Nursery issued the following statement about Dungy’s appearance:

“The Day Nursery of Abilene is honored to host Dungy and invites you to share in his message as the faith and family focused leader delivers a memorable evening during a monumental year for DNA.”

JULIAN BRIDGES DEATH
Dr. Julian C. Bridges, a longtime professor of sociology at Hardin-Simmons University, died in March. Bridges and his wife, Charlotte, members of First Baptist Church, were well known for their work with Abilene Baptist Association Social Ministries and City Light Community Ministries. Bridges was bilingual and he and Charlotte served as missionaries in Mexico City early in their married life. He was honored locally for his advocacy and on-going care for the Hispanic community.

HONORING ‘DR. BOB’
Hardin-Simmons University published a biography of Dr. Robert (Bob) Barnes, which was written by Loretta Fulton. Barnes created the Department of Counseling and Human Development at Hardin-Simmons, where he and his wife, Dorothy, both taught. Bob Barnes also was president for 28 years of the international Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy. His many accomplishments came despite developing polio at age 13. Bob and Dorothy Barnes were members of St. Paul United Methodist Church.

ACU INTERFAITH
Abilene Christian University added an interfaith chapel that meets weekly on campus. The group is known as AWOL (Away Without Leave), with Christians, Hindus, and Muslims joining together for discussion, fellowship and worship. In April they visited a Hindu Temple in Dallas. Jason Fikes, director of ACU Press, campus chaplain Cyrus Eaton, and Omar Palafox, assistant professor in the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry, are the faculty sponsors. 

NEW PASTORS
At least three congregations got new pastors in 2023. Brandon Hudson began his service as senior pastor at First Baptist Church in February. On July 1, Stephania Gilkey joined St. James United Methodist Church as pastor. Effective Oct. 16, Nilo Nalugon became pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church.

LAMPERT LEGACY
In May, Bruce Lampert retired as Director of Pastoral Care at Hendrick Health System. He was only the third person to serve in that position, following Charles Myers and Ken Thornton. Among the speakers at a retirement party was Brad Holland, president and CEO of Hendrick. He noted the loss that the health system would feel.

“We’re losing history that we’ll never get back,” Holland said. 

A COUPLE OF PASTORS
In July, Carlo Sosa-Ortiz and Grace Sosa became not only a husband and wife pastoral team but also ordained ministers in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The ordination service was held at First Central Presbyterian Church, where they serve as associate pastors. They met as students at Hardin-Simmons University their freshman year and were married in 2019. 

NOTED SPEAKERS BRING INSPIRATION
Will Willimon, professor of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and author of over 80 books, was guest preacher for the Festival of Faith series held at First Central Presbyterian Church in January 2023. He is a former bishop in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. A Pew research survey determined that he is one of the two most frequently read writers by pastors in mainline Protestantism. He is considered by many as one of America’s best-known and most influential preachers.

In November, the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest brought noted author Kathleen Norris to town for several presentations, which were open to the public. The following promotional note was issued by the Steven Barclay Agency:

“Norris is the award-winning poet, writer, and author of The New York Times bestsellers The Cloister Walk, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, and The Virgin of Bennington.”

BLACK HISTORY
Two predominantly Black churches in Abilene celebrated anniversaries in 2023. New Light Baptist Church, 518 N. Sixth St., observed its 100th anniversary with various events beginning Sept. 30. A state historical marker has been approved for the church by the Texas Historical Commission through the Taylor County Historical Commission. Documentation for the narrative notes that New Light Baptist Church was founded in 1923 by some members who had left Macedonia Baptist Church. Founding members were Mary Yates, Mariah Bennett, Lillian Wells and Mr. and Mrs. Sam Weir. 

Valley View Missionary Baptist Church, 3564 Clinton St., observed its 50th anniversary Sunday, Oct. 15. The church was organized in April 1973. Rev. Montgomery Ashford served as the first pastor for one year. The next pastor, Rev. Clifford Hughes, also served just one year. Then, Rev. Alex W. Penns Sr. started his 13-year tenure, and the name “Penns” has been associated with the church ever since. In 1977, Penns’ son, Andrew, returned to Abilene, where he grew up. When Alex Penns decided to step down, Andrew was asked to be the interim minister, beginning in 1987, and then permanent pastor. He now is in his 36th year.

MEDICAL MISSION ANNIVERSARY
In April, the Presbyterian Medical Care Mission, 1857 Pine St., celebrated its 40th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of Debra Burchett’s service as executive director. 

“I am blessed daily by working with an amazing staff, volunteers, and patients,” she said as preparations were being made for an anniversary dinner April 13. .

Presbyterian Medical Care Mission dates to 1983 when a community committee recognized a critical need in the Abilene area, affordable healthcare for a segment of the population that they described as the working poor. Many of the committee members were physicians from First Central Presbyterian Church.

AIDING UKRAINE
In April, Global Samaritan Resources celebrated loading its 20th shipment of goods to the embattled nation of Ukraine.

In March 2022, less than a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, Global Samaritan announced that it would be working with its longtime partner in Ukraine, Jeremiah’s Hope. Since then, the local nonprofit has packed 650 buckets with household goods to send to refugees leaving Ukraine and has sent semi trucks loaded with food, blankets, and other goods. Since Global Samaritan entered the picture a little over a year ago, it has shipped 5.4 million servings of soup, 4 million servings of rice, and 10,000 blankets to assist the people of Ukraine. 

BRINGING HOPE TO THE CITY
The Hope Center celebrated its grand opening Tuesday, Dec. 5, with a ribbon cutting and other festivities. The Center gives First Baptist Church space to expand its outreach ministries. First Baptist bought a neighboring property, with several buildings, from First Christian Church in 2019. The Hope Center isn’t actually open yet, despite the ribbon cutting by members of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce Redcoats. The renovation is near completion, and when it’s done, three of First Baptist’s ministries will either move into the new space or expand existing services: God’s Little Ones (GLO) child care center, Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment, and City Light Community Ministries, which offers a range of services such as financial assistance, meals, showers, and a Culinary Academy.