KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Churchnet elected both its first layperson and its first woman as president when it named Donna Potts as the top elected leader during the organization’s annual gathering April 5-6 at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City.
Potts, a member of Fee Fee Baptist Church in St. Louis, served as vice president of the ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Missouri until her election. She is a current board member of North American Baptist Fellowship, one of the six regional arms of the Baptist World Alliance. She has been active for several years in Woman’s Missionary Union leadership in Missouri.
Newly elected Churchnet President Donna Potts (center) poses following her election with new Vice President Forestal Lawton (left) and Churchnet Executive Director Jim Hill.
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Potts succeeds Doyle Sager, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, who completed three years as the organization’s president.
Members elected Forestal Lawton, a Churchnet board member and church administrator at Metropolitan, as the new vice president. Lawton also serves as director of the Men’s Department of the Baptist World Alliance, and serves as president of the North American Baptist Fellowship’s men’s organization.
Churchnet reelected Melody Pryor, pastor of First Baptist Church of Stanton, as secretary.
Meeting in the historic downtown Kansas City church, participants focused on the meeting’s theme, “Share Hope…with those who need it most! Sharing your faith, ministering to needs and speaking for the poor.”
During a brief Saturday morning business session, members also approved the organization’s cooperative giving budget, which calls for 68.5 percent, or $324,690, to be used for Churchnet ministries. They set the budget goal at $474,000, up $2,000 from the previous year.
The remaining 31.4 percent, or $149,310, will be distributed to institutions.
The Baptist Home, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Missouri Baptist University and William Jewell College will each receive 5 percent, $23,700; Missouri Baptist Foundation, 2.5 percent, of $11,850; Central Baptist Theological Seminary, 0.7 percent, or $3,318; Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, Hannibal-LaGrange University and Southwest Baptist University, 0.5 percent each, or $2,370; and Word&Way, 6.8 percent, or $32,232.
Members set a $474,000 cooperative giving income goal, with an anticipated total income of $489,000.
Attendees set a state missions offering goal of $18,000 to be distributed through Churchnet mission partnerships, 50 percent; North American Baptist Fellowship, 20 percent; and Baptist World Alliance, 30 percent.
In other action, members elected Tim Kelley, Savannah; Doyle Sager, Jefferson City; Kevin Payne, Independence; David Holman, Farmington; and Blake McKinney, Lee’s Summit, as new members of the board of directors. They reelected Tamara Everly, Liberty, and Noah Angel, Jefferson City, to second terms of service.
