By Lori Bredemeyer, Managing Editor

Former Board of Trustees members H. Lynn Packer and Robert Onstead and missionary Jo Ann Halbert were remembered in dedication ceremonies Saturday as the Biblical Studies Building and the Institute for Missions and Evangelism were renamed their honor.

Family and friends and members of the administration and faculty gathered in the Hall of Servants at 12:30 p.m. to officially rename the building the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, and at 3:30 p.m. they gathered again to rename the institute the Jo Ann Walling Halbert Institute for Missions.

Onstead and Packer co-chaired a major fund-raising campaign to construct the building, and Halbert was a missionary in Sydney, Australia, and was a board member of the Missions Resource Network, according to a press releases.

Packer died October 13, 2001, Onstead on Aug. 3, 2004, and Halbert on Dec. 29, 2003.

Speakers at the first event included Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, Don Crisp, chair of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Ian Fair, former dean of the College, who all spoke of how influential the two men were to the university.

Money said during the ceremony that Packer and Onstead had a “pervasive and lasting impact” on ACU.

“They wanted this building to make a statement, and I think they’ve achieved that goal,” he said. “… We hope for years to come that students will be reminded of the power that comes when they surrender their lives to Jesus Christ and to each other and live faithfully.”

The south wing of the building that includes the classrooms, faculty offices and Hall of Servants will be called the Robert R. and Kay Onstead Wing. The north wing that includes Hart Auditorium and Chapel on the Hill will be called the H. Lynn and Barbara Packer Wing.

Kay Onstead, Robert’s widow, said she felt “very honored and proud,” although the men probably would not have allowed the dedication. Barbara Packer, Lynn’s widow, agreed.

“If they were here, they would have said ‘no way,'” she said. “I’m in awe; it’s just overwhelming.”

Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, said this is a good way to honor Onstead and Packer because of their contributions to the university.

“Those of us who go back to the beginning of this building know the role they played in it,” he said, “and I’m just thrilled that the board decided to honor them. This is a significant occasion.”

A new plaque on the south side of the Hall of Servants memorializes the two couples, and new signage has been placed on the exterior of both wings.

Reese also announced that Dr. James Thompson, associate dean of the Graduate School of Theology, will be the new Onstead Chair, taking Dr. David Wray’s place. Reese said this will allow Thompson to do “first-rate academic research.”

Speakers at the second dedication included Money, Reese and Lynn Anderson of San Antonio.

Halbert’s son John said during the ceremony that his mother, whom many called Momma Jo, would have been honored.

“Momma Jo loved people, and it really came out in the sense that she loved to share her faith,” he said. “I think she’d be pleased that this is being named after her.”

Money said in a press release that her family wanted to contribute something to the university in her honor.”

“Through their generosity,” he said, “the Institute for Missions received a large endowment that will ensure its continuation of motivating and educating ACU students to prepare for missions throughout the world.”

The money will help the institute in its goal to train 200 men and women to establish at least four church-planting movements on each continent in the next decade, Reese said.

“We have been working hard to find donors for this,” he said. “… Being able to have our missions coordinators funded so they can be here on the long haul, build a program, work with our missions faculty and not have to spend their time raising money from churches-it’s a huge difference”

Sonny Guild, director of the institute, said the endowment is an answer to many prayers.

“It empowers the dream and vision we have at ACU,” he said. “For 18 months we’ve been looking for an appropriate way to honor someone and fulfill the vision for the institute, and Jo Ann Halbert was perfect for that.”