by Logan Butts | Jun 26, 2014 | News Slider
Longtime Nashvillian Joe Dudney died on Tuesday at the age of 91. Dudney was best known for his work with the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort Inc., an organization dedicated to sending emergency supplies, including food, water and cleaning supplies, to areas hit by natural disasters across America. In his time with the company Dudney worked in the positions of vice president and executive director. Dudney moved to Nashville in 1967 with his wife Doris after spending many years in Jackson County, Tennessee. The Dudney’s have been members of Brentwood Hills Church of Christ for over 20 years, where Dudney served as both an elder and a deacon. While in Jackson County, Dudney became one of the charter members of the Jackson Country Livestock Association, before moving on to a position with the Tennessee Crop Improvement Association. Dudney became the chief inspector for the TCA in 1964 and stayed with the association, holding the positions of manager, secretary and treasurer until his retirement in 1991. The deceased is survived by a brother, a daughter, two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife. The family will receive visitors on Thursday, June 26, 3-8 p.m., and Friday, June 27, 10 a.m.-12 Noon, at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, and on Saturday, June 28 at 11 a.m. at the Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at noon on Friday at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ. A burial will take place in Gainesboro, Tennessee on Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Christian...
by Colleen Casner | Jun 8, 2014 | News Slider
Researchers from Abilene Christian University presented the results of a study measuring the change in church members’ opinions on gender roles Thursday morning at the Ezell Center as part of the Christian Scholars’ Conference. The study occurred before and after various churches held classes examining the role of women in ministry. The researchers, Lynette Sharp Penya, Suzanne Macaluso and Amanda Rigby, intend for congregations to use these results to aid in church-wide conversations of gender roles. The presenters emphasized how determining where a church stands on this issue can also determine how fruitful or divisive the discussions may be. One of the churches in the study was unable to complete the study because of polarization on the issue revealed in the pretest survey, among other problems. In measuring the opinions of church members of various demographics, the researchers found that women consistently have more conservative views on the issue than men.The study also found that men are more likely to change their opinions after the classes than women. Following the presentation of the study, Don McLaughlin (in the photo above), the pulpit minister at one of the churches in the study, and Naomi Walters, the minister in residence at Stamford Church of Christ, discussed ways to face the often-painful process of congregations’ transitioning to more egalitarian worship practices. Confronting the discouragement among more progressive members about the rate of change in gender roles, McLaughlin, minister at North Atlanta Church of Christ, said that people of his generation should not be deterred in their work if results are not seen in their lifetime. God’s timing may have other plans. “You...
