A record budget of nearly $41 million was approved by the Alabama State Board of Missions (SBOM) during its Sept. 6 meeting in Montgomery. SBOM members also approved a reorganization of the executive ministries team of the state staff and received reports from several sub-committees of the SBOM’s executive committee.
The 2003 budget totals $40,827,480. The Cooperative Program (CP) will provide $40,427,480, according to Executive Director Rick Lance. The other $400,000 is anticipated from the CP State Causes budget funds given by churches only for work in Alabama.
For the second consecutive year, the new budget goal represents a 3 percent increase over the previous year. “We remain fiscally conservative,” Lance told board members. He explained his objective was to project a budget that was obtainable and, with God’s blessings, might slightly exceed the goal.
The proposed budget maintains the current percentage of 43.3 percent for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) causes and 57.7 percent for Alabama cause.
Lance shared graphs showing no other major state convention contributes a greater percentage of total undesignated receipts to SBC cause than Alabama. He also noted 54.8 percent of all monies channeled through SBOM go to SBC causes. Of the $56,939,372 received by the SBOM in 2001 through the CP and designated offerings, SBC causes received $31,199,076.
Alabama causes received $25,717,150 through the CP and designated offerings. That amounted to 45.2 percent of the total, Lance said. He told board members that SBOM employees would receive a 2 percent cost of living increase for the fourth consecutive year. The other 1 percent going to the SBOM would help fund the Church Annuity Plan.
Each convention entity will receive a 3 percent increase in CP support.
SBOM members also adopted a challenge budget of $41,427,480 with the stipulation that any funds received over the budget amount be distributed according to budget percentages. For each of the last eight years, receipts have slightly exceeded the budget goal.
Goals for five special offerings totaling $16,575,000 were also approved. All five goals will be the same in 2003 as in 2002. The goals are:
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions –$9 million;
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions—$4.75 million
Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries Offering—$1.85 million;
World Hunger offering—$875,000;
Disaster Relief—$100,000.
Board members also approved combining information services and support services/annuity and insurance into one entity overseen by associate executive director Bobby DuBois.
The new area will have five work groups, each overseen by a coordinator. Jo Ellen Johnson will coordinate accounting service; Jeff Hammack, computer services; Doug Rogers, communication services; Jim Swedenburg, annuity and insurance; Ron Parnell, support services.
Derell Crimm, who previously served as director of support services/annuity and insurance, resigned from the SBOM for personal reasons Aug. 16.
Board members also revised downward the amount of money expected to be earned in interest income from the board’s reserves. Priorities in the new plan for 2002 and 2003 are board commitments to loans on the Baptist Building in Montgomery ($125,000) and Baptist campus ministry facilities ($100,000). Support for the Church and Law Center at Sanford University ($25,000) also remains a priority.
In 2002, Mobile chapels will receive $50,000. In 2003 missions partnerships will receive that amount.
In other actions, SBOM members:
Approved dedication of the 2002 annual to the memory of N.H. McCrummen who for 20 years was president of Judson College, and prior to that, a pastor in the state.
Received a report that two churches had been given $20,000 grants for the purchase of property and two churches had been approved for loans of $50,000 each.
Received a report that three churches had been approved to receive mobile chapel/education units furnished by the convention.
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