Annual meetings feature missions fairs

October has been a month filled with Alabama Baptist associational meetings. And with those meetings come a variety of activities, reports and styles.
   
More and more associations are holding ministry and/or missions fairs along with their associational meetings each year, said Jim Jackson, director of missions (DOM) for Elmore Baptist Association and secretary/treasurer for the Alabama Baptist Conference of Directors of Associational Missions. 
   
He said several are holding the fairs in place of hearing reports, while some are trying the combination approach — hearing reports in addition to having a display area. 
   
“Seeing and touching missions is a good way to have an annual meeting,” Jackson said. “It’s a way to involve a younger generation of Baptists.”
  
Tom Stacey, DOM for Selma Baptist Association, said the association sponsors a missions fair about every three years in order to give exposure to area ministries. “It really facilitates Kingdom work on a [citywide] and countywide basis.We want to share resources and ideas, and the fair fits into that.”
   
During this year’s missions fair, held at the new National Guard armory in Selma Oct. 16, participants perused booths from various Alabama Baptist groups, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board and several other Christian ministries, such as the Gideons and Sav-A-Life.
   
Participants were entertained by musicians and the clowning ministry from Summerfield Baptist Church, Selma. There also were activities for children “to create a fun, family-oriented atmosphere,” Stacey said. “A family-geared meeting that is three to four hours long fits the needs of the family better.”
   
The association held its annual meeting business session during the missions fair.
   
And for those not attending the missions fair, all they had to do was tune into the local country radio station WDXX and hear the live broadcast. Stacey said the broadcast, which is an unusual aspect of associational meetings, allowed the listening audience to hear live interviews with various exhibitors. 
   
While the station did not report on the business session, its first appearance at the fair was a success, said Kenny Hatcher, pastor of Northside Baptist Church, Selma, and Selma Association moderator. “I think it really did help [with attendance],” he said. (TAB)