TENNESCENE: OCTOBER 22

A little unity and hard work can go a long way. Volunteers from the Women on Missions group at Beulah Baptist Church refreshed the church’s doors and door frames in two days for under $150. The doors hadn’t been refurbished in more than 20 years. Betty Cress, who helped lead the initiative, cited Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and emphasized the importance of unity in completing the project. Pictured, front row from left, are volunteers: Shirley Brown, Vivian Bradshaw, Charlene Jessee, Lynn Rodgers, Marsha Davis, Pam Shanks, Shirley Lane, Patty Jo Hicks and Betty Cress, WMU director. Back row: Jimmy Bowser, Keith Fink, Jack Bradshaw, Jerry Hobbs and David Shanks. Not pictured: Cindy Peters and Pastor John David Shanks.

A Carson-Newman nursing student gets hands-on experience in one of the University’s nursing labs. Student experience was factored into data that led The Princeton Review to list Carson-Newman as a “Best in the South” in its 2026 college listings.

Wilda Mabry will retire after more than 60 years serving in the nursery at First Baptist Church, Savannah, where she has cared for hundreds of children since 1960. Mabry, 85, began volunteering in the nursery shortly after her family transferred from Southside Baptist Church and became a full-time employee in 1964, consistently donating her salary back to the church through tithes or by purchasing books, cassettes and supplies for children. During her six decades of service, she changed an estimated 15,000 diapers, wiped 4,500 runny noses, read 3,500 Bible stories and sang “Jesus Loves Me”” approximately 20,000 times while raising four children of her own. Mabry, still works part time as a bookkeeper for her son’s local business.

First Baptist Church Surgoinsville licensed Jake Asquith to the gospel ministry on Sept. 14. Rev. Tecky Hicks is pastor and presenter.