Recommendations from the Virginia Baptist Mission Board
Recommendation I
Amendment to 2010 Special Observances and Emphases
Items in bold are additions; items striked out are to be deleted
Observances and Emphases
January 3:
Collegiate Ministries Emphasis Day
January 17:
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
February 14-21:
WMU Focus Week
February 21:
Virginia Baptist Colleges
and Schools Day
March 21:
Special Education Day
April 11:
Cooperative Missions/Cooperative Program Day
May 2:
Virginia Baptist Homes Day
May 9:
Baptist World Alliance Sunday
May 16-22:
Associational Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
June 20:
HopeTree Family Services Day
June 27-July 3:
Virginia Baptist Heritage Week
July 4:
Religious Liberty Sunday
August 1
Developmental Disabilities
Ministry Day
September 12-19
Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
September 26:
Religious Herald Sunday
October 31:
‘Consider Your Call”
Recommendation II
2011 Special Observances
and Emphases
January 2:
Collegiate Ministries Emphasis Day
January 16:
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
February 13-20:
WMU Focus Week
February 20:
Virginia Baptist Colleges
and Schools Day
April 10:
Cooperative Missions/Cooperative Program Day
May 1:
Virginia Baptist Homes Day
May 8:
Baptist World Alliance Sunday
May 15-21:
Associational Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
June 19:
HopeTree Family Services
June 26-July 2:
Virginia Baptist Heritage Week
July 3:
Religious Liberty Sunday
September 11-18:
Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions Emphasis/Week of Prayer
September 25:
Religious Herald Sunday
October 30:
“Consider Your Call”
Recommendation III
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 IV
Resolution of Appreciation for Robert Y. Sandford
After 82 semesters of campus ministry in the Virginia Baptist family, Robert Yance Sandford, known affectionately to us as “Rob,” announced his retirement for June 6, 2009. For Rob’s faithful service to our Lord for 41 years, the longest serving campus leader among Baptists in the South, we offer our deepest gratitude and our fondest wishes.
Whereas, Rob has contributed strength and stability to the emerging leaders team as the Baptist Student Union director at Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee (1968-1970) and as the Baptist collegiate minister at Old Dominion University (1970-2009), making Rob’s successor at ODU only the third Baptist campus leader in 50 years, and
Whereas, Rob, a native of Kentucky, is a graduate and a former basketball team member of the University of Tennessee (1965) and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a master of divinity degree (1969) and a doctor of ministry degree (1977) with a thesis on ministry to commuting students (1977), and
Whereas, Rob has maintained a high profile in Tidewater churches and associations on behalf of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, preaching in many churches, sensitizing congregational members about cult groups and race relations, and teaching seminary extension classes, and
Whereas, Rob has demonstrated his consistent leadership over time by serving as Baptist Student Union president while a student at the University of Tennessee (1964-1965), chairing ODU’s University Chaplains’ Association (1983-2009), authoring numerous articles for National Student Ministries’ The Student magazine, being recognized as Director of the Year by the Seminary Extension Department of the Southern Baptist Convention (1985), teaching Sunday school and chairing the denominational relations committee for his local church, and achieving the status of Career Professional at the Virginia Baptist Mission Board (1995);
Be It Therefore Resolved, that we the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, meeting on April 21-22 at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia, celebrate the gift Robert Y. Sandford has been to the worldwide ministries of Virginia Baptists, and
Be It Further Resolved, that we ask the churches at the 2009 annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia on November 17-18 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to thank God for our partnership with Rob Sandford in advancing the Redeemer’s Kingdom and to pledge our continued prayers for Rob and his family.