Nazarenes in the News is a compilation of online news articles featuring Nazarene churches or church members. 

Indiana church hosts Night to Shine

Valparaiso, Indiana

(The Northwest Indiana Times, February 13) In a purple rhinestone-studded ball gown, Lee Anne Bettenhausen flashed her megawatt smile as she belted out “The Climb” on the karaoke stage.

Bettenhausen said the tune is a theme song, of sorts.

“It’s always been a fight for me to move ahead,” said Bettenhausen, of Valparaiso.

Celebrating their triumph over their challenges, Bettenhausen and other adults with special needs reveled at Night to Shine, a “prom night” sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation on Friday at Valparaiso Nazarene Church.

Now in its second year, Night to Shine is a worldwide celebration for adults with special needs. This year, more than 200 host churches in 48 states and eight countries hosted Night to Shine on Friday for nearly 30,000 adults with special needs, thanks to grants from Tebow’s foundation.

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Ohio church members offer kisses to community

Marion, Ohio

(The Marion Star, February 11) If somebody comes up and plants a Hershey's kiss, or a whole pack of kisses, on you this week, don't be surprised. It's probably just a member of the congregation of Marion First Church of the Nazarene.

The church is in the midst of its Kiss Marion project, which, according to Outreach and Young Adult Pastor Gregg Parkman, is intended to express the love of God in a practical fashion to residents of Marion County. Kiss Marion is part of a larger church outreach called So Random, which started in 2015.

"We actually do it twice a year," Parkman said. "The first one typically happens in February, with the theme being Kiss Marion. We do a second one in May when we distribute Coca-Cola all throughout Marion. It's called Coke and a Smile Day. We just go out and bless people with a can of Coke and follow up with a random act of kindness."

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Toler Brothers to debut new album

Bethany, Oklahoma

(NewsOK, February 13) The Toler Brothers will debut their new album "West Virginia Live" at a concert set for 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 3100 N Rockwell.

The public is invited to attend the free event hosted by the Rev. Jim Hill and Calvary Church.

Raised in one of the poorest counties in America, the Toler Brothers — Stan, Terry, and Mark — didn't have a radio in their West Virginia home. Their entertainment was singing around an old upright piano in the living room.

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--Compiled by NCN News