Baptist

A worship service and banquet on Nov. 6 marked the 75th anniversary of the Baptist Student Center at Southeast Missouri State University — a ministry started in an imperfect time but simply forged ahead.

Messengers elected a new slate of officers and mainly handled routine matters during brief business sessions of the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting Oct. 27-29 at Tan-Tar-A Resort on the shores of the Lake of the Ozarks.

Messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention approved five resolutions without comment or debate during their closing session Oct. 29 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, including one on same-sex marriage and another on human sex trafficking.

The Missouri Baptist Convention is seeking to collect attorneys’ fees and court costs even as its case against the Missouri Baptist Foundation continues in the legal system. The MBC Agency Restoration Group reported to messengers to the MBC annual meeting on the status of the lawsuit against the Foundation, The Baptist Home and Missouri Baptist University.

This year's Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting will be held at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach Oct. 27-29. "Together" is the theme of the 180th annual meeting based on Colossians 2:2. The sessions will feature messages, reports, music and leadership development as messengers conduct the business of the MBC. The meeting will be streamed live and can be accessed on the annual meeting page of the MBC website.

HESSTON, Kan. — Business, preaching, reports and fellowship highlighted the annual gathering of American Baptist Churches of the Central Region — covering Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas — at their conference center in Hesston, Kan., Oct. 17-18. President Jo Templin underscored the value of people across the region who help churches.

HESSTON, Kan. — Executive Minister John Williams closed the annual gathering of the Central Region of American Baptist Churches USA Oct. 18 by pointing to six contributions -- church health, clergy health, shared ministry, spiritual vitality, financial stability and future outlook -- the region made to its churches over the past year.

American Baptist clergy in Nebraska learned that some approaches to negotiation in business also might work in ministry. Longtime psychologist and business consultant Karl Slaikeu shared his Preferred Path concepts with about 30 clergy in a three-day retreat Oct. 6-8.

Sisters Heather Gilion and Holly Snell describe the loss of their husbands — James Brill and Scott Nesbitt — on Aug. 1, 2000, like it had just happened. The two women recounted their story at the Missouri Baptist Foundation Annual Conference Sept. 16 at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark, Mo., and they described God’s care and faithfulness in their lives for the 14 years since.