Messengers will consider releasing about $870,000 currently held in escrow to Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) when they vote on budget matters in annual session Wednesday, Nov. 12
The Baptist State Convention (BSC) Executive Committee will recommend the money, held in escrow from Baptist Retirement Homes, be given to BCH to establish North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministries.
The Executive Committee also considered a candidate for a significant staff position in executive session. An announcement is expected Tuesday. The most significant vacancy among six currently at the BSC is that of the newly established Executive Leader for Church Planting and Missions.
The escrowed funds will be used to set up the NCBAM office by hiring staff, and for printing and technology, according to Budget Committee Chairman Steve Hardy, who made the recommendation at BCH’s request.
The money represents a year’s Cooperative Program funding for Baptist Retirement Homes (BRH) and has been escrowed since BRH and BSC have not arrived at a mutually acceptable relationship. A task force in 2007 recommended steps for BRH to clarify the relationship, but none has been taken.
A recommendation is expected during business sessions this week to sever the BRH relationship, which would prompt a task force to recommend a new relationship to be voted on in 2009.
The 2009 budget contains $950,000 for ministry to aging adults if it is fully funded. While not designated for NCBAM, those funds “will be our avenue for doing that,” according to John Butler, executive leader for business services.
Butler said a “significant portion of these funds will be designated for projects in associations and churches to start up ministries.” BSC will administer those funds, he said.
The Executive Committee cancelled its December meeting as there is “no business online to take care of,” said Executive Committee Chairman Allan Blume.
In the face of current revenue and economic forecasts, Butler said he and staff have been working internally toward a budget some $4 million below that approved in 2007 for 2009.
He expects to meet the North Carolina Missions Offering Goal of $2 million, he said. The goal is a half million dollars below that of last year.