TAYLORS, S.C. (ABP) — Messengers to the 186th annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention increased their budget by $600,000 for 2007 and elected a strong Cooperative Program supporter as president Nov. 15 in Taylors, S.C.
For nine of the past 10 years, South Carolina Baptists have met or exceeded budget requirements and are on track to exceed its 2006 budget goal. The 2007 convention budget of $32.75 represents a $600,000 increase over this year's budget of $32,150,000.
Sixty percent of the budget, or $19,705,000, will go to support the state convention's ministries and missions endeavors. Forty percent, or $13,045,000, will go to the Southern Baptist Convention for national and international missions causes. Any overages are divided equally between the Southern Baptist Convention and the state convention's Kingdom Challenge Fund, a newly created fund designated for special international, North American and state missions projects.
Mike Moody, pastor of First Baptist Church in Honea Path, S.C., won the presidential election with 550 votes, or 67 percent of the votes cast, over Tom Tucker, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Rock Hill, S.C..
In nominating Moody, Von Reynolds, pastor of Seneca Baptist Church in Seneca, S.C., said, “There is something that stands out about Mike Moody, and that's his loyal and unswerving support for the Cooperative Program.”
Reynolds said the election of Frank Page as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in June was “an affirmation of our support for the Cooperative Program,” and added that “we need a leader who will carry the banner for the Cooperative Program.”
Moody is completing a term as chairman of the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee of the state convention's Executive Board. South Carolina Baptist Convention presidents are elected for one year and are not eligible for a second term until a year has lapsed.
In other business messengers approved resolutions that included:
— appreciation for Carlisle Driggers, who will complete 17 years of leadership to the South Carolina Baptist Convention when he retires in February. Driggers has been executive director-treasurer for the past 15 years.
— affirmation of Clemson University for offering an opt-out alternative for students who objected to an assignment in its 2006 Summer Reading Program for incoming freshman.
— addressing illegal immigration, in which messengers called upon elected officials to “agree upon comprehensive immigration reform which will recognize and protect our borders” and to deal “fairly and swiftly” with an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.
— urging parents to stay informed concerning public policy issues related to education and “actively make their voices heard in the debate about how their children are educated.”
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