ANDY PRATT RECEIVES AWARD

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- The Rev. Dr. Andy Pratt of Cape Girardeau was honored Tuesday with an award from the Southern Baptist Convention seminary extension program.

He received the award Tuesday during a statewide Missouri Baptist convention meeting at Tan-Tar-A at Osage Beach.

Pratt was honored for his support of seminary extension courses in Southeast Missouri. He was named the Seminary Extension National Center Director of the Year for state conventions west of the Mississippi River.

For the past 12 years, Pratt has helped area pastors and others take seminary and college-level Bible courses and ministry classes locally. He works through the Baptist Student Center at Southeast Missouri State University to offer the courses.

Classes have been held in Southeast Missouri at Benton, Poplar Bluff, Hayti and Charleston.

"It's a way of taking an opportunity and taking classes and other ministries to where the people are," Pratt said.