The election of a new president, the adoption of a 2008 budget and the consideration of a proposal that could allocate more Cooperative Program money to the Southern Baptist Convention will be at the forefront of business sessions when the annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention is held Nov. 13-14 at the Florence Civic Center.
Announced candidates to succeed Mike Moody as president are Eddie Leopard, pastor of Millbrook Baptist Church, Aiken, and Richard Porter, pastor of Branchville Baptist Church. Both have been pastor of their respective churches for 11 years.
Moody, pastor of First Baptist Church, Honea Path, has announced that the theme of the annual meeting – as well as that of the Pastor’s Conference – is “A Story to Tell.”
Moody said in a recent Courier article that the theme is “more than a slogan,” but rather is “a reality,” as “all across our state the churches of the convention have inspiring stories to tell of missions, ministry and evangelism.”
The proposed budget of $33.95 million represents an increase of $1.2 million over the 2007 figure. Messengers also will vote on the Cooperative Program Advance Plan recommended by the budget, finance and audit committee, allocating 50 percent of future budget increases to the Southern Baptist Convention.
This follows a motion at last year’s annual meeting and referred to committee that the convention move toward a 50-50 division of Cooperative Program contributions between the SBC and the state convention. Currently, 40 percent of CP funds go to the SBC.
It will be the first annual meeting for Jim Austin, the convention’s executive director-treasurer. At the Executive Board meeting in October, he encouraged board members to enlarge the convention’s reach, underscoring the challenges of ministering to multi-generational churches and ethnic minorities.
Richard Porter
Eddie LeopardAt the October meeting, Austin also said that the convention must address the issue of “the polarization of our churches,” noting, “We have our work cut out for us. Let’s get busy.”
The Tuesday evening worship celebration will feature music by the Honea Path First Baptist Church choir and a message from the convention president. The evening will be highlighted by a salute to the military, spotlighting members of Baptist associations with military backgrounds serving as color guards. The president’s address will feature testimonies from D.J. Horton, Ryan Pack, Jeffrey Allen and Tim Snyder.
Larnelle Harris, recording artist and multiple award winner, will give a mini-concert Tuesday morning, Nov. 13, accompanied by the Charleston Southern University concert choir. Harris’s current album is entitled “A Story to Tell: Hymns & Praises.” Kenneth Ridings, president of Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, will address messengers on Wednesday morning, Nov. 14.
Two ministries of the convention mark milestones this year. Royal Ambassadors are celebrating 100 years of ministry, while the SCBC and the SBC are celebrating the 300th anniversary of Baptist associations, which got their start in Philadelphia.
The Pastor’s Conference will be held Nov. 12 at Calvary Baptist Church in Florence, featuring Bobby Welch, Braxton Hunter, Richard Lee, Sam Cathey and others. The Gideons of South Carolina also will be honored.
Registration for convention messengers will begin Monday, Nov. 12, at the Pastor’s Conference and will continue on Tuesday at the Florence Civic Center.
Additional information on the annual meeting – including a list of exhibit hall vendors, event schedule and other information – is available online at www.scbaptist.org/2007annualmeeting, or by calling (800) 723-7242.