Executive Committee acknowledges NCMO designations

By Norman Jameson

BR Editor

ASHEBORO - Churches designating their gifts to specific ministries funded within the North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO) still receive credit for an NCMO contribution, the Baptist State Convention Executive Committee learned Aug. 14.

Although no vote was taken during the Executive Committee meeting at Caraway Conference Center, members indicated no problem with churches making designations among the offering's recipients. With offering receipts 16 percent below the 2006 level, there was a sense among members that some churches were waiting to see if they could designate before sending their gifts.

The 2007 NCMO goal is $2.6 million and primary recipients are Woman's' Missionary Union and Baptist Men - which receive their operating income from the offering - and church planting. Those three account for 81.3 percent of the goal.

Other NCMO recipients include the associations from whose churches the gifts came, 7.8 percent; African American, chaplaincy and special ministries, 2.7 percent; and associational partnerships, 2.2 percent.

The issue was never a question of designations being utilized according to the wishes of the church. "We are going to honor a church's designations," said Executive Leader for Business Services John Butler.

Instead, the issue was whether a designated gift could be counted as an NCMO contribution.

In other financial news, July Cooperative Program Missions Giving receipts closed the negative gap slightly between 2007 and 2006 totals. As of July 31, gifts totaled about $20.17 million or about $502,000 behind the same period last year. The June report showed gifts trailing 2006 by more than $603,000. Receipts trail the 2007 budget by $905,000.

Neither comptroller Robert Simons, nor Butler expressed concern about the income. "I'm pretty pleased to be where we are, honestly," said Butler.

Milton A. Hollifield Jr., BSC executive director-treasurer, did say he is "troubled" by the NCMO status. He also said that in Cooperative Program budget, the Convention is dealing with "competitor giving."

"People are being asked to redirect giving," Hollifield said. "That is a definite impact we have on this budget. I'm thankful for the churches that are increasing their giving."

Organizational moves

In an effort to "find ways to facilitate life transformation in our North Carolina Baptist churches," Executive Leader for Congregational Services Lynn Sasser received approval for a shift in several staff assignments. A position vacated by Steve Sumerel in January that included responsibilities for family ministry, Christian life and legislative monitoring will be focused strictly on family ministry.

Legislative monitoring will fall to a new position of public relations director, to be supervised by administration. Doug Baker, a public relations consultant with offices in Washington D.C. and Cary, will temporarily fill the position on contract.

A church ministry team leader position was approved and Sasser will begin a search immediately to fill it. "That position will greatly enhance our ability to address the Bible study needs of our churches," Sasser said.

The changes also will enable congregational services staff Janice Haywood to move exclusively to children's ministry; Cathy Hopkins to move exclusively to pre-school ministry; and David Moore to concentrate on leadership development.

"We do take seriously our role in helping congregations be effective in what God has called them to do and to be in changing lives in North Carolina," Sasser said.

Two studies regarding Executive Committee meeting times were presented, as members look for ways to decrease travel time and expense.

Committee members approved in principle the possibility of moving April, July and August meetings to Thursdays rather than Tuesdays to put some variety in meeting times. They also approved in principle moving the April and July meetings to the Convention staff building in Cary so that if the meetings are unnecessary or can be accomplished via conference call, there will be no facilities obligations to consider.

"We'll try to be more efficient with our Convention dollars, our mission dollars," said Allan Blume, executive committee chair.

Efficiency is one reason the board likely will not increase the frequency of meeting at Fort Caswell on Oak Island more than once every four years - the current schedule. A typical board meeting costs $20,500 in travel, food and lodging expenses at Caraway Conference Center. Because of dramatically increased travel expenses to the coast, it costs about $14,000 more to hold a board meeting a Caswell, according to Butler.

A request for a $55,000 loan, primarily for equipment, to Pine Ridge Baptist Church in Burlington was approved at seven percent interest over 10 years. The church, which has been organizing for 14 months, will launch Sept. 12, with a core team of 70. It has enjoyed attendance of up to 170.

Scott Davis, pastor of Pitts Baptist Church in Concord, said making no-interest loans would show a commitment to church planting "if church planting is our priority, and it certainly ought to be."