DEACONS

JAMES LANKFORD

James E. Lankford, Deacon, was baptized at age 14 at the Cleveland Avenue Church of Christ in Wichita, KS. He graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a B.S. degree in biology and married Vera while attending the University of Oklahoma where he graduated with MS and PhD degrees in audiology. They then moved to DeKalb, IL where he was employed at Northern Illinois University for 31 years as professor and eventually dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. He retired from NIU in 2001. They have two children (Michelle and Mark) and four grandchildren. James has taught Bible classes, preached periodically and led singing at the Sycamore Church of Christ. One of his favorite Bible verses is Titus 2:7-8: "You yourself must set an example in everything by doing good deeds. When you teach, be serious and be sincere. Offer a healthy message that cannot be criticized, so that an enemy will feel ashamed, having nothing bad to say against us." (IEBible).

STEVE RAE

PHILLIP VERMILLION

Phillip Vermillion, Deacon & Evangelist, was baptized into Christ at the age of 12 and has been preaching for the church of Christ in Sycamore since 1995. He has participated in several Bible campaigns within the United States as well as the foreign countries of Canada, Brazil, England, and France. Although he began college as a "Bible Major", Phillip's official degrees are in music education; he also holds a doctorate in education. Phillip, and his wife Cassie, have a daughter named Brynne and a son Brighton. One of Phillip's favorite Bible verses is, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV)