SBCV Meets

by  A. C. Smith                                                                                                                                            Vol. VII, No. 8, October 1994

The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, meeting in the new sanctuary of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Colonial Heights, Virginia, approved an operating budget of $105,000 and elected new officers. Four candidates ran for president, and the one with the most votes was elected president, the second highest vote getter became first vice president, and the third highest is the new second vice-president. The cordial atmosphere of the meeting was reflected in the vote; only 22 votes separated the high from the low man, only one vote between first and second place,

Bob Melvin, pastor of dynamic Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg and trustee of the SBC Sunday School Board, was elected president of the SBCV for the 94-95 term. Tommy Taylor, pastor of London

Bridge Baptist Church of Virginia Beach, as the outgoing president presided at this year's meeting.

The new first vice-president is Terry Harper, who was the host pastor of this year's meeting. Harper also serves as a trustee of the Foreign Mission Board, as well as pastoring Colonial Heights Baptist Church. The new second vice-president is Jim Bradshaw, pastor of Norview Baptist Church in Norfolk.

Chris Baldwin, wife of interim executive director Howard Baldwin, was elected secretary for the coming year. She served as secretary at this year's meeting since elected secretary Anne Frazier could not be present.

The $105,000 budget includes $58,265 for missions, which includes money for instate work, scholarships for ministerial students, and foreign and home missions. $30,990 is for maintaining an office for the interim director. Just $9,000 of that amount is budgeted for his salary for one year. Even with this small budget, over half goes to missions. Doyle Chauncey, the treasurer, called upon the churches to give more so that the SBCV can do more work in Virginia.

Churches wishing to support the SBCV may send donations to Doyle Chauncey at P.O. Box 62000, Virginia Beach, VA 23466. (Please note the box number is 62000, NOT 6200.) [Note: The SBCV address is 4101 Cox Rd., Glen Allen, VA 23060-3320 as of September 2004.]

The new SBCV budget does not include money for The Baptist Banner. Over 11,000 copies of the Banner are mailed out with each issue, reported editor T. C. Pinckney. Last year nine issues were produced, and there would have been more if funds had been available, he reported. Churches and individuals wishing to contribute may send gifts to The Baptist Banner, 4009 Lafayette Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22408.

Messengers also passed a resolution on support of the Cooperative Program, and the two primary offerings for missions: the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for foreign missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter offering for home missions.

The presidential race was the only area where votes were split at the meeting. Every issue passed without opposition. Tommy Taylor quipped at one point that he was not sure if it was really a Baptist meeting since no disagreement was expressed.

The meeting drew the attention of The Religious Herald and The Richmond times Dispatch, both of which had reporters present to cover the meeting.