CBF meets with American Baptists, reduces budget

WASHINGTON — More than 2,500 Baptists gathered June 28–29 for the annual general assembly of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) in Washington. For the first time, it featured a joint gathering with the American Baptist Churches (ABC) USA.

The service in Washington’s convention center marked the end of CBF’s annual general assembly and the beginning of ABC’s 100th anniversary celebration. Program organizers noted the joint ABC/CBF session had been five years in planning.

CBF celebrated religious freedom and participated in workshops about congregational life, HIV/AIDS, immigration, women in ministry, global poverty and hunger. It also took the first step June 29 toward joining the United Nations’ campaign against global poverty and disease, called the Millennium Development Goals.
The group also gave more than $22,000 to the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Offering for Religious Liberty and Human Rights. The Baptist World Alliance receives one-third of the proceeds. The other two-thirds are administered through partnering organizations with existing initiatives relating to human rights and religious liberty issues.

CBF’s portion this year will be shared with the European Baptist Federation, which works with governments and leaders to promote religious human rights. The federation consists of 51 member unions in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. The funds from CBF’s offering will allow the federation members to travel to countries where religious freedom is threatened.

Emmanuel McCall of Georgia, who ended his term as CBF moderator, introduced Fort Worth, Texas, laywoman Harriet Harral as the next moderator. He also spoke to the assembly about covenant relationships.
The assembly adopted a 2007–2008 operating budget of $16.5 million, a decrease from last year’s $17.05 million operating budget. As of May 31, CBF was operating at 88 percent of its 2006–2007 operating budget. Through May, the organization had projected bringing in $15.8 million in revenues but had received only $13.6 million, or 86 percent of its projection.