Around 80 members of Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) gathered at First Baptist Church, Auburn, April 20 for the group’s annual spring assembly. The theme of the half-day meeting was “reclaiming relationships through missions.”
According to CBF’s coordinator, Mart Gray, the focus of the day was on exploring missions and the concepts of the missionary church.
“We don’t want to see missions as just one of the pie slices of the church’s programs, but look at all the church programs as ministries that help us to focus on fulfilling the missional call of God,” he said.
Birmingham’s Shades Crest Baptist Church Pastor Dennis Foust emphasized this theme to the assembly during his morning message that focused on the concept of the missional church. “His message set the theological and philosophical framework for the day,” Gray said.
Following Foust’s message a panel discussion was led by Tim Lovett, pastor of Birmingham’s Huffman Baptist Church, and minister of spiritual formations at First, Auburn, Alica Kirkpatrick-Bremer. They explained how their churches in their own settings are seeking to reclaim relationships through their unique missional approaches.
“These two panelists led a great discussion,” said Gray. “Each of them explained how his or her church was reclaiming relationships in the community. Because of the cocooning and cultural upheaval that has taken place during the last 20 years, many churches have turned inward. Churches are now looking toward their communities to get reconnected,” Gray said.
Evolving concepts
The afternoon session offered a panel of missions committee members from various churches who shared the evolving concepts of missions and what churches are doing in their communities. Discussions revolved around what type of missions activities to have and how to form missions partnerships in the community. “We stressed building Kingdom relationships that would cross denominational lines, racial lines and community lines,” Gray said.
In new business, CBF named Robby White, pastor of Locust Grove Baptist Church, New Market, as moderator. Nick Foster, pastor of University Baptist Church, Montevallo, was the previous moderator.
The nominating committee named Carol Hunter of Deerfoot Baptist Church, Trussville, as the Alabama representative to the CBF National Coordinating Council.
Gray also noted that a second staff person was added to the Alabama CBF organization.
Valerie Burton was appointed to the position of associate coordinator for communications and networking. “She will be helping on community strategy, Web strategy, relationship building with youth leadership, college students and young adults,” he said.
Burton is a graduate of Belmont Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. She served on the staff of First Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., and was ordained there.
“We didn’t necessarily go out and look for an ordained woman to fill this position but we’re glad that her call has been affirmed in that way,” Gray said.
Burton had previously served as camp pastor for PassPort Inc., a free-standing youth camp with headquarters in Birmingham.
Gray also noted that more than 400 volunteers will serve this summer with the Sowing Seeds of Hope project in Perry County.
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