Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Missouri annual meeting April 30-May 1 reelected Bill Miller as president and Sondra Allen as secretary. They also chose Owen Taylor as the organization's vice president.
Miller is pastor of First Baptist Church, Farmington, and Taylor leads Manchester Baptist Church in St. Louis County as pastor. Allen is a member of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City.
Messengers reelected Mike Cowan of Oak Ridge, L.D. Silvey of Bolivar and Taylor to three-year terms on the board of directors. Joyce Bunch also was elected as a director.
In other business, messengers authorized changing the BGCM's fiscal year from the calendar year, effective on July 1. The new fiscal year will begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year.
Approved at the annual session, the 2004-2005 budget anticipates a five-percent increase over 2003. The $400,000 budget estimates half to BGCM causes, including support for nine institutions and money for BGCM ministry and mission efforts. The convention plans to send funds to The Baptist Home, Missouri Baptist Children's Home, Missouri Baptist Foundation, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Word&Way, Hannibal-LaGrange College, Missouri Baptist University, Southwest Baptist University and William Jewell College.
Half the budget is earmarked for salaries, operations and reserves.
Messengers also elected Wendell Page, Ron Crosswhite, Lucy Engelbrecht and Marilyn Hall to the committee on convention committees. Named to other committees were Wandalea Sconce, nominating committee; Marilyn Manley and Richard Carter, credentials committee; Vernon Case, corporate document committee; and Ron Kemp, Richard Johnson, Ron Crain and Henry Addison, order of business committee.
