Religion

The Rev. Mueller hopes to bring unity to area’s faith-based institutions

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

With approximately 70 local churches in its ranks, the Odessa Ministerial Alliance's newly re-elected president, the Rev. Michael Mueller, has a few plans for the local religious entity. He said the purpose of the alliance, essentially, is to take on... Full story

Raising the roof for God

Gospel music festival to feature ‘best of the best of the region’

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Local Pastor Don Norris just couldn't make any sense of it. Out in West Texas in one of the most devout areas amid some of God's most talented people, he had to get in a car and drive for hours before he could attend a gospel music festival - or at least... Full story

Odessans set sights to south

Couple aims to establish

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

It's the second-poorest nation in Central America, is 97 percent Roman Catholic and "has an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and high unemployment," according to the CIA World Factbook. It's called Honduras, a little nation of about 8 million... Full story

‘Be Still' blurs division between mainstream and Christian music

Midland musician says he makes faith inherent part of album, not repeated theme

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Bill Yuhasz hopes his music will "tug at your heart strings." And, with God in his corner, it just might.  The 30-year-old Midland musician celebrated the release of his debut album "Be Still" on Thursday evening at Midland's Stonegate Fellowship... Full story

Local Christians re-prioritize

First Priority returns on-campus leadership to students’ hands

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

One local Christian organization could have made a venerable beef Tower of Babel in Odessa High's parking lot on Monday. The 1,800 beef patties, assuming a height of about 1/2 inch if stacked without buns, would have reached about 75 feet toward the... Full story

Bigger and better in Gardendale

Church experiences explosive growth

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Gardendale is blooming. And one of God's houses there is set to sprout some new leaves this weekend. When the Rev. Terry Easley became the pastor at First Southern Baptist Church in Gardendale about four years ago, the congregation's core attendance... Full story

Promising developments

Church coalition receives facility donation, adds to its roster

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Only one string was attached to the donation of the facility: The church ministry must accept it fully furnished - no ifs, ands or buts about it. That, coupled with another church signing on, pushed one local promise two steps closer to being fulfilled. Eleven... Full story

Odessans walk the Stations of the Cross

Christians join trek even as it winds through streets of town

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Seventy-five people arrived at the park Friday afternoon to retrace the steps Jesus took en route to his crucifixion in Golgotha outside Jerusalem - only their plan was to make that journey fall somewhere closer to home.  The gathering of 75 worshippers... Full story

Local groups prepare for Passover

Both Jews and gentiles celebrate

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

Spring has come; birds sing and trees flower. So let's eat.For Jews in the Permian Basin and across the globe, a spring bloom means it's time for Passover, the seven- or eight-day Jewish festival featuring a couple of sacred feasts that, for lack of a... Full story

Peace-ing it together

New local pastor brings conflict resolution to Christian ministry

BY MATTHEW MCGOWAN

A new pastor took the helm of the Sixth & Jackson Church of Christ three months ago, but he knows how to be more than a liaison between God and the congregation. It turns out he makes a great middleman in lots of ways. Turning to a biblical summary... Full story

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