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Volume 104 • Number 32 • Tuesday, February 18, 2014 • PO Box 188 • 111 E. Jenkins • Maryville, MO • 75¢
Centershot church ministry targets archers By KEVIN BIRDSELL Staff writer
The Bridge, a church located on South Main Street in Maryville, has teamed up with a Christian archery program, Centershot, to help budding bow-and-arrow enthusiasts keep their eyes on the real target. “The Centershot program, for someone who doesn’t know much about archery, it’s a teaching program,” trainer James Pedersen said. “But the slogan is ‘making Christ the target of your life,’ so it’s involved with the church.” Centershot first came to Maryville in early December, around the same time The Bridge opened. Members of The Bridge host the program, but you don’t have to be a member of the church to participate. “It’s put on by The Bridge,” trainer Tony Christian said. “It’s an outreach event. It doesn’t matter if they attend this church or another church, it’s giving them an open door to have a Christian fellowship and learn how to shoot a bow at the same time.” Centershot offers 10-week classes, the next of which starts March 10. Cost is $10 for all 10 sessions. See ARCHERY Page 12
KEVIN BIRDSELL/DAILY FORUM
Focused on the ultimate target
Competitors prepare to loose arrows from the firing line during an archery tournament Saturday hosted by Centershot. The tournament took place at The Bridge, a church located behind Walgreens on South Main Street.
Growing church honored with ‘ward’ classification By TONY BROWN News editor
Sunday was a special day for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on South Munn Avenue in Maryville. Long classified by the Salt Lake City, Utahbased denomination as a “branch,” or small local congregation, the church during worship services this week was officially declared a ward, a designation denoting both increased size and a timetested spiritual commitment. “We’re getting bigger,” said Christopher Graves, an assistant professor of graphic design at Northwest Missouri State University who serves as the church’s principle leader. For the past two years, Graves, who attended the denomination’s Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, has served as branch president. On Sunday, as head of the newly designated ward, he was ordained, or “set apart,” as a bishop. At the local level, the Church of Jesus Christ — the terms “Mormon” and “LDS” are discouraged — selects leaders from among laymen who serve on a part-time basis without pay. In addition to Graves, the Maryville church is headed by First Counselor Bill Morlan and Second Counselor Don McAdams. On Sunday, that group was joined by Platte City Stake President Ted
Thomas of Leavenworth, Kan.; stake First Counselor Scott Holman, a Maryville physician; and stake Second Counselor Ryan White of Platte City. In the Church of Jesus Christ, a stake is a group of wards so called because it holds up and supports its constituent congregations. The term comes from the Old Testament, which in Isaiah 54:2 urges the faithful to “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” In a similar vein, according to church literature, the purpose of both branches and wards is to give believers a means of bearing “one another’s burdens, that they may be light” while comforting “those that stand in need of comfort.” Graves said the Maryville church currently has about 300 members, which is also the approximate number of believers required for designation as a ward. “We’ve been at that level for about the past two years,” he said, “and this is a pretty significant step for this congregation. We have people who have been here for 30 or 40 years, and a lot of sacrifice went into building up this branch and making it a ward.” Graves described the church’s new status as “a great blessing,” though its role and ministry will remain much the same.
Ward members
ELAINE BLEDSOE/CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
The leaders of the newly established Maryville ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are, left to right, First Counselor Bill Morlan, Bishop Christopher Graves and Second Counselor Don McAdSee WARD Page 3 ams.
Guitar class broadens instrumental horizons By KEVIN BIRDSELL Staff writer
KEVIN BIRDSELL/DAILY FORUM
Beyond the standard music curriculum
Maryville High School junior Hunter Smith (left) and senior Breanna Sorensen practice their skills during guitar class. Vocal music director Nic Vasquez teaches the class year round, mainly to juniors and seniors.
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High-school students have long taken traditional choir and band classes in order to pick up their fine arts credits. But these days Maryville High School is offering something extra for students who want to go a different route. Again this year, vocal music director Nic Vasquez is teaching a guitar class during sixth and seventh hours. The class is mainly for juniors and seniors, though exceptions are sometimes made for the occasional freshman or sophomore who wants to sign up. “I have had freshmen and sophomores along the way,” Vasquez said. “But often
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they have already had some kind of guitar experience, and they need to fill a hole.” The class offers instruction at a beginning level, even though some of the young people have played before. “This class can be difficult for kids who have already played because we move pretty slowly,” Vasquez said. “A lot of kids have never played the guitar before. I (define) it as a beginning guitar class.” Whatever the students’ talent or skill level, however, the class has been a hit. “We all crack jokes and have a good time,” senior Katie Metcalf said. “I have my own guitar, and I think I’ll keep playing once I’m out of the class.” The guitar class is split up into Guitar I
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See GUITAR Page 3
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