Resolution of Appreciation
With praise and thanksgiving to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we have gathered, and to whose glory we consecrate our work together,
We the messengers of the 184th of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, meeting at Richmond, Virginia, November 13-14, 2007, do hereby make it known that:
We express our gratitude to the City of Richmond, Virginia, to Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, to the staff of the Greater Richmond Convention Center and to local businesses for their gracious hospitality. We commend the Richmond, Middle District and Dover Baptist Associations and all the volunteers for all they have done to facilitate this annual meeting. We thank the Program Committee for planning and conducting this meeting. We commend all the program participants for their positive contributions. We are grateful to the staff of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board for their faithful and thoughtful preparation of this annual meeting. We cherish their continuous, committed service to Virginia Baptists, our churches, ministers and lay people. We especially appreciate the capable leadership of John V. Upton Jr., our executive director.
We convey our appreciation for the heritage of a free and unfettered Baptist press and to James White and staff for their ministry with the Religious Herald. We value the Herald's continued support of the BGAV in its goals. We respect their faithfulness in reporting Baptist news to our churches.
We commend the service and contributions of our first vice-president, Joseph Lewis; second vice-president, Steven Pollard; assistant clerk, Wayne Hannah; parliamentarians, Richard Bidwell, Beth Fogg, and John Mann; we further express our appreciation to our clerk, Frederick Anderson, for his faithful service.
We esteem Boyce Brannock for his valuable and tireless leadership as our president.
Finally, we resolve to continue working together in our Baptist General Association of Virginia to advance the Redeemer's Kingdom.
Resolution for Virginia Tech
Whereas as Virginia Baptists have been united in prayer for Virginia Tech;
And whereas Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief workers provided childcare, administrative support in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries Center, and Crisis Care Chaplains in the days immediately following April 16, 2007;
And whereas as Blacksburg and New River Valley area churches have ministered faithfully through these days to students, families, and the community;
And whereas as student leaders and staff, led by Darrell Cook of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at Virginia Tech, have continued to represent Virginia Baptists on the campus with a presence of hope and healing;
And whereas as the Virginia Baptist Mission Board staff and officers have continued to provide support, prayers and presence for the work of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Virginia Tech;
Be it therefore resolved that Virginia Baptists, in business session on November 14, 2007, express our gratitude for brothers and sisters who have served so faithfully in the midst of tragedy;
Be it further resolved that we pledge our continued prayers for the comfort of those who were affected by the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16.
Resolution on Payday Lenders
Whereas a segment of money lenders has come to be called payday lenders because of their practice of lending money to employed persons until they receive a paycheck; and,
Whereas payday lenders have circumvented the Commonwealth's usury laws by being granted a special exemption from the legislature; and,
Whereas payday lenders charge exorbitant interest rates far exceeding the usury cap established by the legislature for other lenders; and,
Whereas payday lenders, by their unscrupulous practices, contribute to a cycle of poverty wherein financially challenged borrowers fall victim to repetitious borrowing to pay off previous loans; and,
Whereas such practices prey on the poor who have few advocates speaking on their behalf; and,
Whereas the Bible speaks with unmistakable clarity to both the issues of usury and of taking advantage of the poor,
Therefore be it resolved that in its 184th annual session meeting in Richmond on November 14, 2007, that the Baptist General Association of Virginia denounces the payday lending industry and its practice of further impoverishing the poor.
Resolution on the New Baptist Covenant
Whereas, the New Baptist Covenant was initiated to demonstrate the breadth of the umbrella of the Baptist faith in the United States and in Canada, reflecting the welcoming nature of our faith and our Baptist distinctives;
Whereas, the New Baptist Covenant was initiated to be a reflection of the breadth of Baptist polity and a reflection of the spirit of Jesus' sermon recorded in Luke 4: 18-19, to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God;
Whereas, the New Baptist Covenant is designed as an open gathering of Baptists to remind ourselves and to proclaim to all of North America the expansive and expressive faith of Baptists;
Whereas, the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) entered into the New Baptist Covenant in the spirit of cooperation;
Whereas, the goals of the New Baptist Covenant require an open, inviting atmosphere representative of diverse Baptist views in an entirely nonpartisan forum;
Be it therefore resolved, that the BGAV's 184th annual meeting in Richmond, Virginia on November 14, 2007, endorses the principles for which the new Baptist Covenant was created;
Be it further resolved, that the BGAV endorses the nonpartisan spirit of the New Baptist Covenant and calls upon the New Baptist Covenant to honor its promise and pledge for a nonpartisan gathering;
Be it finally resolved, that the officers and executive director of the BGAV continue their participation in the New Baptist Covenant in order to honor the BGAV's commitment to the principles of the New Baptist Covenant without involvement in partisan activities.