State leaders allocate funds, promote marriage

LEESBURG (FBC)–The distribution of $1.37 million in 2004 Cooperative Program budget overages, adoption of a $1,358,000 goal for the 2005 Maguire State Mission Offering and election of a new associate director in the Partnership Missions Department were among the business conducted by the State Board of Missions Jan. 28 at Lake Yale Conference Center.

The board also approved a developing strategy to place a marriage preservation amendment on the Florida general election ballot in November 2006. [See related story on page one.]

In action taken at the board meeting, Southern Baptist Convention causes will receive $200,000 from the $1.3 million in 2004 CP budget overages—$100,000 in undesignated funds and $100,000 for the International Mission Board’s tsunami relief efforts.

In keeping with the Florida Baptist State Convention’s Bylaws, the SBC Cooperative Program would normally receive 40 percent of the overages—the same percentage allocated in the basic budget. However, because the bylaw also permits the allocating of a lesser dollar amount in time of unforeseen circumstances, John Sullivan, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, citing the four hurricanes, asked the board to reduce the allocation from a percentage to a set dollar amount.

Following the Board’s approval of the overage distribution, Sullivan said, “I realize that using dollars rather than percentages will cause a shortfall of funds flowing to SBC causes. Now that we have taken care of some pressing financial needs caused by the storms of 2004, our staff will seek ways to make up some or all of the shortfall,” he added. “I will give a report to the State Board of Missions in May.”

Other allocations approved by the board will remain as earmarked: Florida Baptist State Convention agencies, $100,000; Associational Thrust missions and ministries needs, $180,000; Maguire State Mission Offering supplements for Haiti and Cuba projects, $94,068; conference center deficit, $246,000; FBC employee salary gift $236,537; expenses for the 150th Anniversary Celebration, $161,145; CP promotion contract workers, $60,600; www. flbaptist.org Web site design, $45,023; theological education building renovation, $26,015; and Florida Baptist Witness postage supplement $20,000.

After learning that gifts by Florida Baptists to the 2004 Maguire State Mission Offering totaled $1,002,196.29, the board authorized the prorated distribution of those funds to more than 20 missions and ministries supported by the Florida Baptist Convention. Set aside as priority items were William J. Guess Church Site Loan Fund, $250,000 and offering promotional expenses, $110,000. The board also authorized the distribution of $52,998 to 19 associations participating in the associational shared receipts program.

The Board also adopted a $1,358,000 goal for the 2005 Maguire State Mission Offering. Proposed allocations include: priority expenses (William J. Guess Church Site Loan Fund, Associational shared receipts and promotion expenses) $420,000; “Consumed with Hope” evangelism emphasis, $50,000; Haiti mission project, $120,000; Cuba mission project, $120,000; Brazil Evangelism/church starting mission project, $75,900; and partnership pastoral salary assistance, $135,000.

Other proposed allocations are $220,000 for mission outreach ministries (refugee resettlement, church based health ministries, jail and prison ministries, disaster relief, church emergency and ministry grants, and church revitalization); $168,000 for developing believers (camps for hearing impaired, Hispanic, Haitian and Korean youth, urban day care, Camp WorldLight, Mission Adventure Camp); and $50,000 for student evangelism outreach.

In a personnel related matter, Dennis Wilbanks of Mims was elected as associate director to the Partnership Missions Department, effective Jan. 31, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Wayne Taylor in December 2004. While serving as staff evangelist and senior pastor of the Mission Baptist Church in Titusville, Wilbanks, 53, participated and led Florida Baptist Convention partnership mission trips to Tanzania, Belgium, Haiti, Montana, South Dakota and Indiana. Additionally, he served as volunteer team leader for Haiti and oversaw Florida Baptists’ three relief efforts undertaken in Haiti. In 1987, the Commerce, Ga. native earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Georgia in Athens.

In other business, the board approved an action plan to encourage 800 unincorporated Florida Baptist churches to pursue incorporation for legal and liability issues that may adversely affect individual church members.

The plan will include creating awareness among Florida’s directors of missions, pastors and church treasurers of the legality issues related to being unincorporated. Annual reminders will be sent to the churches to file appropriate renewal forms.

In other action, the board:
• renamed the Stewardship Department to Stewardship/Cooperative Program Department;
• approved an interest-free loans to four new churches;
• authorized $50,000 for the Convention to conduct a relocation study for the Baptist Building in Jacksonville;
• learned 10 plateaued, declining or transitioning Florida Baptist churches had received financial assistance;
• learned nine churches had withdrawn from the Florida Baptist State Convention;
• The next board meeting is set for May 27 at Lake Yale Conference Center.