Meeting to address Darfur crisis, tobacco use, other social issues

Though you can’t ever predict what might happen at a meeting of Baptists, this year’s business portion of the annual meeting of Alabama Baptists looks like it’s going to be smooth sailing, according to Henry Cox, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC).
   
“I feel that we will have a very good business session … a smooth convention with our business handled efficiently and running on time,” Cox said, noting that he doesn’t know of any controversial topics planned for discussion. “It should be our normal operation.”
   
Headlining this year’s business agenda will be votes on a possible new partnership with Baptists in Michigan, as well as retirement benefit changes for nonminister church staff and a proposed record Cooperative Program (CP) budget for 2007.
   
All of this will take place during the 2006 state convention annual meeting, set for Nov. 14–15 at Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover, in Birmingham Baptist Association (see agenda below).
   
“We are thrilled that the Alabama Baptist family is coming to Hunter Street,” said Buddy Gray, pastor of Hunter Street Baptist. “We want to roll out the red carpet and the welcome mat. We’re ready to embrace everybody, and we’re excited about having our family come.”
   
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), said he anticipated a positive meeting and reminded state Baptists that all are welcome at any time during the annual gathering. “We do want Alabama Baptists to realize that all members of our churches are welcome at the meeting,” he said. “While only registered messengers can vote, any Alabama Baptist may attend.”
   
Missions in Michigan will be a key item of business, as state Baptists will consider taking on the Northern state as a third domestic partnership in addition to New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Lance said.
   
“Our global partnerships director, Reggie Quimby, has already laid considerable groundwork for this new initiative to begin in 2007 if messengers approve the recommendation,” he said.
   
Messengers to the annual meeting will also vote on the retirement benefit changes coming from GuideStone Financial Resources and the SBOM. For details about the changes, go to www.thealabamabaptist.org and search for “ChRP.” Those in attendance will receive a recap of the information published in The Alabama Baptist May 25.
   
At another point during the program, messengers will discuss and consider action on relevant issues both at home and worldwide through resolutions. 
   
Joe Bob Mizzell, SBOM director of the office of Christian ethics and chaplaincy ministries, said a number of good resolutions have already been presented to the resolutions committee for consideration. The resolutions’ topics range from reaffirmation of the CP to encouraging Baptists to reduce personal use of tobacco products.
   
“We also have one that’s a call to the (U.S.) president to do something about the situation in Darfur,” Mizzell said, noting that many other evangelicals are also choosing this method to try to put pressure on the president to take action to stop the genocide (see story, page 5).
   
He said other resolutions were submitted to extend thanks to the state Legislature for passing the Brody Act and helping the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment through. Yet another was penned in appreciation for the work of churches involved in language missions here in Alabama.
   
“Resolutions give the Alabama Baptist State Convention a chance to take a stand on important current issues,” Mizzell said. Although messengers have until 9 a.m. Nov. 14 to turn in resolutions, he encouraged messengers to submit them to Joanne Farmer at jfarmer@alsbom.org before the committee meets Nov. 6 to go through them and prepare them for presentation at the annual meeting.
   
During the meeting, messengers will also consider a record CP budget recommended by the SBOM. According to Lance, the 2007 base budget is set at $43.925 million plus $400,000 for state causes. The challenge budget is $44.925 million.
   
Churches can request messenger cards by calling Susan Corley at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 266 or by e-mail at scorley@alsbom.org. The qualifications for messengers from Baptist churches cooperating with the convention who want to register for the convention are found in Article II of the ABSC Constitution:
   
“A. … Every church shall be allowed one messenger. One additional … shall be allowed for every two hundred … members in excess of two hundred.
  
“B. On a financial basis: One messenger shall be allowed from each church for any part of the first one thousand dollars contributed to the ABSC during the convention’s preceding fiscal year. One additional messenger shall be allowed for the next one thousand dollars above the first one thousand dollars contributed to the work of the convention, and one additional messenger for each two thousand dollars contributed to the work of the convention above the first two thousand dollars.
   
“C. No church shall have more than 25 messengers. 
   
“D. The records as shown in the last published Annual of the ABSC shall be used to determine the number … .
   
“E. The messengers shall be elected and certified by the churches to the convention … .”
   
For more information about this year’s meeting of Alabama Baptists and related meetings, watch upcoming issues of The Alabama Baptist and visit www.thealabamabaptist.org.