[1] TOLEDO, Ohio (BP)–Messengers to the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio’s 46th annual meeting approved a $673,400 challenge to the convention’s 2000 budget, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Cooperative Program.
Messengers actually approved a total budget of $7,320,451, an increase over 1999 of $153,639, or 2 percent. The budget anticipates Ohio churches giving $427,064 in Cooperative Program gifts of which 40 percent will be sent to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program. The SBC percentage is the same as 1999.
In conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the Cooperative Program, a $673,400 addition to the budget was added as a challenge portion. All Cooperative Program funds received in excess of the convention’s operating budget will be distributed according to the 60/40 formula: 60 percent to Mission Ohio causes and 40 percent to the SBC.
The challenge amount received by Mission Ohio will be divided equally between Starting Churches and Strengthening Churches programs. Starting and strengthening churches are the twin focus of Ohio Baptists’ vision of reaching “One million Southern Baptists in 2020 churches by the end of the year 2020.” As of 1998 there were 615 churches in the convention with 146,079 members.
Meeting at the Clarion Westgate Hotel in Toledo, the 362 messengers also elected Will Langford, pastor of Lakota Hills Baptist Church in West Chester, as president. David Hill, pastor of Northside Baptist Church, Springfield, was elected first vice president. Dan Duffey, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sheffield Lake, was elected second vice president. All three are Ohio natives.
Faye Rogers was re-elected recording secretary and Nita Keim was elected assistant recording secretary. Both are members of First Southern Baptist Church, North Canton. Will Pollard, editor of the Ohio Baptist Messenger, was re-elected convention historian.
The 2000 annual meeting will be Nov. 1-3 at Liberty Heights Baptist Church, West Chester, a Cincinnati suburb.