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On Oct. 14, New Beginnings Children’s and Family Services Inc., will pay tribute to Stephen Drury and his wife, Evelyn, who are philanthropists and advocates for children in need of stable, loving homes.
The Drurys will be the guests of honor at New Beginnings’ eighth annual Celebration of Adoption, to be held at 6:30 p.m. at the BancorpSouth/Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center.
A graduate of the Apostolic Bible Institute in Minnesota and a licensed social worker, Drury currently serves as president of the United Pentecostal Foundation and since 2002 has served as director of the stewardship department of the United Pentecostal Church International.
Evelyn currently serves as dean of administration and academic dean of the Urshan Graduate School of Theology in Missouri.
The Drurys co-founded Tupelo Christian Academy and administered it for 21 years. They also founded what is now Life Church in Tupelo.
For 26 years, Stephen Drury served as president of the Tupelo Children’s Mansion, a residential group home endorsed by the United Pentecostal Church, which since 1953 has provided both short and long-term care to children in need of a safe environment.
“More than anyone else I know, the Drurys have exemplified our commitment that every child deserves a forever home,” said Tom Velie, executive director of New Beginnings.
The Drurys founded New Beginnings in 1985. Since then, the agency has served more than 2,000 children, birth mothers and adoptive families, and has finalized some 600 adoptions. Through its outreach efforts, like The Genesis Program, New Beginnings has also offered counseling to mothers facing unplanned pregnancies.
Tickets to the Celebration of Adoption are $40 in advance or $60 at the door. To order, call (662) 842-6752 or visit www.celebrationofadoption.com.
Contact Galen Holley at (662) 678-1510 or galen.holley@djournal.com.