Faith Matters

ACU featuring ‘Rally Cats Experiences’
Rally Cats Experiences are back in 2026-27 at Abilene Christian University. Sign up or renew young Wildcat fans, ages sixth grade and younger. VIP and sport-specific packages will be offered. Learn more and register here.

Celebrating 10 years of God’s love
The Catholic Women’s Conference for the Diocese of San Angelo is celebrating 10 years with a conference Sept. 11-12 at the McNease Convention Center in San Angelo. Registration is $50. Click here for more information and to register.

Sign up now for HSU service day
Hardin-Simmons University will host its annual “Serve Like Simmons Day,” 2-4 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 10. Participants will check in at the Johnson Building, Room 103, between 1 and 1:45 p.m. A free Chick-Fil-A lunch will be served.The first 75 participants to check in will receive a free “Serve Like Simmons” t-shirt. Click here to register.

HSU master’s program earns full accreditation
Hardin-Simmons University’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program has received full accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), marking a significant milestone for the university and its commitment to preparing the next generation of speech-language pathologists. Click here to read HSU news release.

Public invited to hear about Safe Haven Baby Box at AAC meeting
Karen Light, a member of Holy Family Catholic Church who was the driving force behind bringing the state’s first Safe Haven Baby Box to Abilene, will be guest speaker for the August meeting of the Abilene Association of Congregations. The public is invited to the luncheon meeting, beginning at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, in the dining room at First Baptist Church. Serving begins at 11:45, followed by a devotional, brief business meeting, and the program. A $3 donation is requested for lunch.

REMINDERS

‘The Future is Now’ conference registration deadline
Today is the deadline to register for “The Future is Now” conference at Hardin-Simmons University. The conference will be held Sept. 2. The in-person registration has reached capacity, but registration for the on-line presentation is open. The summit gathers leaders in AI, energy, cybersecurity, public policy, and faith. Click here to register.

Rehab Summer Dinner Show
A Summer Dinner Show benefiting the West Texas Rehabilitation Center will feature singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde and her acoustic trio Aug. 27. Doors will open at 6 p.m. at the Abilene Convention Center. Dinner will be catered by The Shed. For individual tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or more information, email events@wtrc.com or contact Karla Brown at (325) 793-3508 or Elizabeth Shea at (325) 793-3509.

Registration open for university homecomings
Hardin-Simmons, McMurry, and Abilene Christian universities have opened registration for their homecomings. First up is Hardin-Simmons, Oct. 15-18. Click here to register. Click here for a schedule. Next is ACU, scheduled for Oct. 29-Nov. 1 Click here to register. Click here for a schedule. McMurry’a homecoming will be held Nov. 5-8. Click here to register. Click here for a schedule.

HPU adds new programs for the fall
Howard Payne University has added three new career-aligned minors for the fall semester, in data science, cybersecurity and nutrition. Nutrition is also offered as an area of emphasis within HPU’s kinesiology degree programs. Current and incoming students may declare the new programs now. Click here to read full HPU news release.

Registration deadline Aug. 25 for ‘The Future is Now’ at HSU
Hardin-Simmons University will host “The Future is Now” conference in-person and virtually on Sept. 2. Registration deadline is Aug. 25. Click here to register. The daylong conference begins at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at 4:30 p.m. For those planning to attend in person, the address is Houston-Lantrip Center, 2241 Pine St. A link for the virtual presentation will be available with registration.

HSU alumni awards
Hardin-Simmons University recently announced its 2026 John J. Keeter, Jr., Alumni Service Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. They will be honored at the Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, Oct. 15, kicking off Homecoming 2026. Jane (Dennis) Hager ’67 B.S, won the Keeter Award. Distinguished Alumni Awards went to: Mr. Bennie Kniffen ’72 B.B.A., Chief Melvin Martin ’76 B.S., and Dr. Courtney Queen ’97. Click here to read more about each recipient.

Ballet Folklorico tickets on sale
Ballet Folklorico de Alvaro Munoz will present Bodas y Fiestas de Mexico at 6:30 p.m.on Sept. 19 at the Paramount Theater. Tickets are on sale now. Alvaro Munoz is the nephew of founder Martha Munoz, who started the ballet in 1963 at St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Church. Alvaro Munoz was one of the early dancers in the ballet.

More Civility Please
Glenn Dromgoole, former editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and a prolific author, has a new website, MoreCivilityPlease.com. Glenn is a frequent contributor to Spirit of Abilene. Click here to read his latest column, which of course, is about civil discourse. From the new website: “(Glenn’s) work centers on a simple idea, that reason, kindness, and generosity make life better for everyone involved. He has spent decades writing about gratitude, faith, and the value of treating others well.”

Summit registration opens
Registration for ACU’s annual Summit, which will be held Oct. 7-9, opened Monday, July 20, and ends Sept. 22. Cost for the pre-Summit workshop, to be held Oct. 6 and 7, is $25. The workshop will feature Dr. Willie James Jennings, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Theology and Africana Studies at Yale University Divinity School. Theme for Summit is “Romans 12: A Call to Genuine Love.” Click here to register for all Summit events.

Faith Matters

REMINDERS

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