[1]LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (BP)– Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board trustees approved spending $6.4 million for building renovation and improvement to the agency’s Richmond, Va., facilities during their April 7-9 meeting in Little Rock, Ark.
To cover the cost, they will use some $2.25 million from a reserve fund and the rest from the board’s general funds.
The board uses no Lottie Moon Christmas Offering funds for stateside operation, so none of those funds will be used.
The renovation will squeeze more usable space out of the building’s existing square footage, as well as upgrade and modernize the facilities.
In other action, trustees:
— Unanimously approved a new charter for the agency, which will legally change its name to the International Mission Board. The FMB will officially begin using the new name June 18. The name change was requested by the Southern Baptist Convention as part of denominational reorganization to be completed during the upcoming annual meeting June 17-19 in Dallas. The new charter must still be approved by SBC messengers in Dallas.
[2]— Re-elected their current slate of officers to a second one-year term: Bill Blanchard, chairman, pastor of First Baptist Church, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.; Bill Sutton, first vice chairman, pastor of First Baptist Church, McAllen, Texas; Larry Weaver, second vice chairman, pastor of Parkwood Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla.; and Karen Dishman, secretary, a pastor’s wife from Richmond, Va.
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