BGAV

[Chris]

I was a messenger to the BGAV (the older of the two Baptist Conventions in Virginia). This is the "moderate" one. We adopted a new Constitution and By-laws. Nothing controversial happened.

I would be interested in hearing about other state conventions. Thanks to the person who posted about Kentucky's news.

This will probably be my last. I am growing bored with the contemporary music that goes on and on and on. The rock bands seem to think they are "the show" and everyone is more interested in hearing them than the featured preacher. I.e., they take up far too much time.

P.S. I ran into Dave Roberts, the first morning. Took me a few seconds to recognize him.

[William Thornton]

Just about all the SBC state convention meetings are dominated by action and laments over budgets being reduced. We are in a prolonged period of declining receipts, staff reductions, and loss of interest in Comvention structures by younger pastors and churches.

Music was splendid a the GBC. Organ, piano, orchestra and the combined 250+ voice statewide men and women's churus was excellent. My wife sings in this. No cutesy dittys for this group.

[Dave Roberts]

It was good to see you, Chris. I agree with William's assessment of convention life as a whole. There are too many readily available resources from the web and other venues for everyone to be in need of state convention, much less associational services. BGAV was a good meeting, and I will be interested to see how the new structure plays out in reducing the number of people required to make major decisions between BGAV meetings. One interesting sidelight--a messenger rose to say that he believed too many of the nominees for the new Executive Committee and Missions Council came from CBF. I have served on CBFVA's Coordinating Council, and I certainly didn't recognize many names or churches among them. His comment died for a lack of a response or any others supporting him. Another messenger tried to press the body to adopt a new resolution on abortion rather than reaffirming the five or so already on the books. His motion failed, as it should. If you already have a batch of such resolutions, why add a new one every year?