It was with great interest that I read about the Southern Baptist Convention electing its first black president.

At the group's meeting in New Orleans, the group enthusiastically elected the Rev. Fred Luter Jr. as president of the nation's largest Protestant denomination.

I always have wished I could have heard the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speak in person. King was a wonderful preacher and speech-giver. There are not many people who fall into those categories.

If the Rev. Luter visits anywhere close to Bluffton, I will be in attendance. I am an Episcopalian by birth, but that has never stopped me from visiting other houses of worship.

Now perhaps the road to salvation will once again be a little more exciting. Congratulations to Rev. Luter and to the Southern Baptists for taking a great step forward and appealing to a more diverse group of people.

The Yemassee Revitalization Corporation will hold its third annual Prince William Parish Cycle Tour at Buckfield Plantation on Oct. 20.

Interested cyclists can sign up for one of two tours, a 34-mile-tour or a 66.6 mile tour. Both tours meander through beautiful farmlands and our beautiful Lowcountry from Yemassee to Varnville and back. The bike ride will be on a paved surface.

There also will be a catered lunch and entertainment. Registration is open online at www.yemassee-sc.org. The entry fee for the race is $35 in advance and $45 on the day of the event. If you would like to sponsor a portion of the race, call 843-441-7402.

Yemassee train depot is a historic part of our region's history and worth a visit.

* For the 50th anniversary of the United States Studio Glass Movement, the Telfair Museums in Savannah will host an exhibit on contemporary glass.

Thirty works will be included in "Blown, Assembled and Cast: A Celebration of Contemporary Glass" at the Jepson Center July 7-Oct. 28. One of the exhibits is a custom-built glass house by Thurman Statom. The Telfair Museums are in downtown historic Savannah.

The Bluffton Children's Fourth of July Parade will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. July 4. The parade will form in front of The Church of the Cross on Calhoun Street and wander down to Lawton Street.

Children are invited to decorate their bikes and strollers and join in the fun. Parents and well-behaved dogs are invited.

Calhoun Street will be closed for one hour from Water Street to Lawton Street for the parade.

Babbie Guscio is the social columnist for The Bluffton Packet. She can be reached at The Store on Calhoun Street.