Recommendation I
2012 Special Observances and Emphases
January 1: Collegiate Ministries Emphasis Day
January 15: Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
February 12-19: WMU Focus Week
February 19: Virginia Baptist Colleges and Schools Day
April 8: Cooperative Missions/Cooperative Program Day
May 6: Virginia Baptist Homes Day
May 13: Baptist World Alliance Sunday
May 20-26: Associational Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
June 17: HopeTree Family Services
June 24-30: Virginia Baptist Heritage Week
July 1: Religious Liberty Sunday
September 9-16: Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
September 23: Religious Herald Sunday
October 14: World Hunger Awareness Day
October 28: “Consider Your Call” Sunday
Recommendation II
Special Offerings
1. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions
2. The Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions
3. Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions
4. World Hunger Offering
5. Global Missions Offering
Recommendation III
BGAV Constitution and Bylaw Amendments
CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE VI
Section D: Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds
The Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds shall consist of fifteen (15) members, at least seven (7) of whom shall be ministers and at least seven (7) of whom shall be laypersons. The chair of the committee shall be appointed annually by the incoming president of the General Association and may be an additional member of the committee. The vice chair of the Committee on Emerging Leaders of the VBMB shall be an ex officio member.
BYLAWS, ARTICLE I
Section C: Committees
4. Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds
(a) The Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds shall consist of fifteen (15) members, at least seven (7) of whom shall be ministers and at least seven (7) of whom shall be laypersons. Upon nomination from the Committee on Boards and Committees, five (5) members shall be elected annually at the General Association meeting for three (3) year terms.
(b) The incoming president of the General Association each year shall appoint a chair of the Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds to serve for one (1) year. The appointee may be one of the committee members or some other eligible Virginia Baptist. If this appointee is not serving an elected term on the Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds, the appointed term on the committee shall be for one (1) year to coincide with the year of appointment as chair. The chair shall have had at least one (1) year’s previous service (not necessarily consecutive) on the Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds, and no person may serve as chair of the committee for more than two (2) years consecutively.
BYLAWS, ARTICLE II
Section C: Committees
4. The Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds. This committee shall oversee the awarding of financial assistance from the BGAV Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds to further the educational development of (a) persons who are preparing for the Baptist ministry and (b) emerging leaders of all ages.
BYLAWS, ARTICLE II
Section C, 3 (b): Delete “Chaplain Service of the Churches of Virginia” and add “Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia.”
Recommendation IV
Resolution of Appreciation for William T. Alphin Jr.
Bill Alphin has announced his intention to retire from the staff of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and from his ministry position as Coordinator for Christian Faith Formation on the Empowering Leaders Team effective November 30, 2010, following more than twenty-seven years of service to the Virginia Baptist family.
Whereas, Bill, beginning on September 1, 1983, has ministered to Virginia Baptists through a variety of leadership roles in Christian education, including Director of Adult Sunday School and Single Adult Ministry, Director of Adult Education Ministries, Adult Ministries Consultant, and Bible Study and Discipleship Coordinator.
Whereas, Bill, a proud native Richmonder, is a graduate of Henrico High School and a Navy veteran with degrees from VCU in business administration and from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Christian education. As a community volunteer, Bill has been a member of the Board of Directors for Hanover Habitat for Humanity. Bill is most content when he’s teaching others to apply the Bible to their lives and when he’s bicycling around Central Virginia.
Whereas, Bill has been church staff minister in Virginia at Staples Mill, Richmond, and Northside, Mechanicsville, with interim pastor stints at Deep Run, Richmond, Rhoadsville, and Westhunt, Richmond. Additionally, he served at Briar Creek in Charlotte, North Carolina and has led conferences across the United States.
Therefore Be It Resolved, that we, the elected members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board meeting at Eagle Eyrie on October 12-13, 2010, thank William T. Alphin, Jr. for his quality service to the Mission Board staff and the churches of Virginia and promise our prayers and best wishes to Bill, Brenda, and their family as they move into a new chapter of life, and
Be It Further Resolved, that we ask the messengers of the Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia on November 9-10, 2010, in Hampton to express our heartfelt thanks to God for the ministry of Bill Alphin.
Recommendation V
Resolution of Appreciation for William A. Cumby
Bill Cumby has declared his plan to retire from the staff of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s Support Services Team as Properties Manager on November 30, 2010, after thirty years of service.
Whereas, Bill joined the Mission Board staff on October 16, 1980, after serving on a Navy ammunition ship, graduating from VCU in business management, and working as a Henrico County law enforcement officer and IBM employee.
Whereas, Bill has served the staff as “expediter extraordinaire” over the years while managing the Mission Board’s printing and mailing services, maintaining and securing buildings, grounds, and fleet, guiding the transition to computers and electronic communications, arranging a myriad of renovations and moves, and regularly taking on “other duties as assigned.” Bill has witnessed major turning points in our Virginia Baptist world as he worked in two “Baptist Buildings” and through two organizational name changes, alongside Baptist leaders Richard Stephenson, Reginald McDonough, John Upton, Doyle Chauncey, Nat Kellum, Eddie Stratton, and Walter Harrow.
Whereas, Bill’s life calling is to serve as a manager and missionary, a combination he fulfilled well at the Mission Board. Given the pressures and challenges he faced each day, Bill’s gentle spirit has earned him the nickname, “Sunshine.”
Therefore Be It Resolved, that we, the elected members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board meeting at Eagle Eyrie on October 12-13, 2010, convey our deep appreciation to William A. Cumby for his faithful service to the Mission Board staff and Virginia Baptists, and we pledge our prayers to Bill, Linda, and their family, and
Be It Further Resolved, that we ask the messengers of the Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia on November 9-10, 2010, in Hampton to offer our thanks to God for the life and work of Bill Cumby.
Recommendation VI
Resolution of Appreciation for James Noel “Jim” Collie Jr
Whereas, James Noel “Jim” Collie, Jr. has announced his intention to retire on November 30, 2010 as Baptist Collegiate Minister in the Southwest Virginia area that includes the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, the Mountain Empire, Southwest Virginia, and Virginia Highland Community Colleges; and
Whereas, Jim is a cradle Virginia Baptist, having been born on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, growing up on Virginia’s historic Peninsula, and spiritually nurtured by the Hilton Baptist Church in Newport News where he was baptized and ordained; and
Whereas, Jim has been significantly involved in collegiate ministry as a college and seminary student, church staff member, and collegiate minister, serving for more than thirty-two years as only the second full-time collegiate minister at the University of Virginia at Wise; and
Whereas, while serving as Associate Pastor of the Clifton Forge Baptist Church, Jim engaged the academic community at Dabney Lancaster Community College, teaching courses in Bible, Religion and Philosophy, and assisting in the development of collegiate ministries at the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University in Lexington; and
Whereas, Jim has been a faithful churchman, deacon and Sunday School teacher of the Wise Baptist Church and a participant in both campus and community service organizations, including coaching cross-country athletes in the local high school and in both Men’s and Women’s programs at the University of Virginia at Wise for almost a decade; and
Whereas, Jim’s ministry in the Southwest Virginia area has established him as a person of impeccable integrity, credibility, and influence among the churches and the institutions of higher education in that region, establishing strong relationships with both clergy and lay leaders in member churches of five local District Associations; and
Whereas, Jim has established a strong connection with the staff, faculty, and administration at University of Virginia’s College at Wise, resulting in the University’s 2009-2010 recognition of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry as the outstanding organization from among the sixty campus student organizations; and
Therefore Be It Resolved, that we, the elected members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board meeting at Eagle Eyrie on October 12-13, 2010, extend our deepest appreciation to James Noel Collie, Jr. for his service to Virginia Baptists and pledge our prayer support for his continued ministry among us; and
Be It Further Resolved, that we ask the churches of the Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia on November 9-10, 2010, in Hampton to express our profound gratitude to God for the gift that James Noel Collie, Jr. has been to Virginia Baptists and to the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Recommendation VII
Resolution of Affirmation for Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond
Whereas, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond is celebrating her 20th anniversary of educating ministers, laypersons, and servant leaders with programs on campus highlighting her history and culminating with the 20th Anniversary Convocation on September 13, 2011.
Whereas, the seminary has been faithful in training and equipping women and men for ministry,
graduating 598 students, 293 of whom now serve and live in Virginia; and
Whereas, the seminary continues to prepare ministers with emphasis on academic and ministry excellence, classical theological disciplines, an ecumenical and global perspective, Baptist heritage and social justice, a love for and commitment for God’s church; and
Whereas, the seminary continues to foster a meaningful and positive relationship with the Baptist
General Association of Virginia and similar national Baptist fellowships and institutions; and
Whereas, the seminary has articulated a vision that moves theological education into churches through innovative approaches to theological education: Mission Immersion programs, supervised ministry and internships, spiritual formation, extensive online course offerings and a ministry-based curriculum;
Therefore Be It Resolved, that we, the messengers of the 187th Baptist General Association of Virginia meeting in Hampton Roads, Virginia, November 9-10, 2010, affirm the work and ministry of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond and extend to the seminary community our appreciation and affection for their partnership in ministry.