Updated Monday, Oct. 29, 2007

WMU-NC gains special offering, loses NCMO

By Norman Jameson

BR Editor

ASHEBORO - Woman's Missionary Union of North Carolina (WMU-NC) will receive no funding in the 2008 North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO).

Moments after "authorizing" WMU-NC to receive a special offering for its own support, Executive Committee members approved a recommendation from the budget committee for the 2008 offering that includes nothing for WMU-NC.

NCMO allocations were the primary reason for the special called meeting Oct. 29 at Caraway. No other budget proposal was addressed beyond those presented in September. The Baptist State Convention (BSC) Board of Directors approved the NCMO proposal later that day with two members voting against it.

"I'm disappointed," said WMU-NC Executive Director Ruby Fulbright after the vote. Her board president Sandra James was the only Executive Committee member who voted against the 2008 NCMO allocation that included nothing for WMU.

"I am grateful they are endorsing WMU to have our own offering," Fulbright said. "Our Executive Board will have to decide where we go from here."

Fulbright said WMU-NC has a small reserve that will need to "get us through until we have an offering. We will be hard pressed until we get that offering."

She said WMU does not intend to "infringe" on the offerings of any other Baptist entity, because "we're one of their major promoters."

The 2008 NCMO goal will be $2 million, down from this year's goal of $2.5 million, recognizing that with a WMU special offering, "we can't expect $2.5 million for NCMO," said budget committee chair Larry Burns.

Allocations for 2008 include: North Carolina Baptist Men, $793,265 or 40 percent; church planting, $447,040 or 22 percent; missions education/promotion, $384,695 or 19 percent; a missions work camp, $175,000 or 9 percent and associations, $200,000 or 10 percent.

Burns suggested that WMU, "which has the expertise," could be contracted to help deliver the "missions education" part of the budget.

Allocation discussion focused on WMU-NC's changing relationship with the BSC. If WMU is going to be an independent organization, "can we put them in the budget?" said Burns. He said it may set a negative precedent to include in the BSC budget - of which NCMO is a part - an organization that is independent of the Baptist State Convention.

John Butler, executive leader for business services, reminded Executive Committee members that institutions are in the budget but no "entities without a direct connection with us were in the NCMO."

James argued that WMU-NC intends to continue its work with the BSC and its churches "just like we have in the past."

"That's why we feel we are a viable part of the BSC," she said. "Our history shows we have contributed to the Convention and we want to continue doing that in the future."

Steve Hardy of Winston-Salem, said to James that WMU action shows they "want to be independent and autonomous ... and want closer ties with CBF (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship) and other denominational groups."

"Many of us in this room and across the Convention see the CBF as the most destructive force in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention," Hardy said.