Tropical Storm Ida dampens numbers at FBSC meeting

Closing concert attracts 1,200 from community

Nov 18, 2009
By BARBARA DENMAN
Florida Baptist Convention

Related Coverage:

2009 FBSC Annual Meeting, Pensacola

MESSENGERS Hundreds of messengers to the Florida Baptist State Convention gathered at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola for the annual meeting Nov. 9-10. FBC photo

FBSC OFFICERS Re-elected without opposition were (l-r) John Cross, pastor, South Biscayne Church, North Port, president; Wayne Briant, pastor, Southside Baptist Church, Sarasota, first vice president; Gail Adams, layperson, First Baptist Church, Terra Ceia, second vice president; and Randy Huckabee, pastor, First Baptist Church, Okeechobee, recording secretary. FBC photo

PENSACOLA (FBC)—While persevering through the rain and winds of Tropical Storm Ida which cut short the Monday night session, the 146th annual meeting of the Florida Baptist State Convention convened Nov. 9-10 at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

“Imagine If” was the theme of the FBSC which drew 895 registered messengers from 419 churches and 226 visitors. A crowd of least 1,200—including guests from the surrounding community—attended the Tuesday closing session featuring contemporary recording artists New Song, Rush of Fools and BlueTree and the testimony of former missionary Carrie McDonnall.

The FBSC approved overwhelmingly a motion authorizing its president to appoint an “Imagine If ... Great Commission Task Force” to study how Florida Baptists “can work more effectively and more efficiently together in following Christ in fulfilling the Great Commission” (See related story).

John Cross, pastor of the South Biscayne Church in North Port, was re-elected without opposition for a second term as president. Also re-elected without opposition were Wayne Briant, pastor of Southside Baptist in Sarasota, first vice president; Gail Adams, layperson from First Baptist Church in Terra Ceia, second vice president; and Randy Huckabee, pastor of First Baptist Church in Okeechobee, recording secretary.

Convention officials said the threat of the hurricane likely dampened attendance as well as forced the cancellation of keynote speaker Ed Young Jr. A reception to honor long-term pastors serving the state also was cancelled and several program adjustments were made throughout the two-day meeting. The Monday night session was cut short to allow volunteers and messengers to travel before area bridges were closed due to high winds.

The storm came ashore in the early hours of the morning.

And despite Tuesday’s blustery weather, hundreds of youth attended the heavily publicized concert and McDonnall’s testimony.

The former IMB missionary along with her husband David and others went to Iraq to further humanitarian efforts in the war-torn country in 2003. Journeymen who had served previously, they had returned in spite of the dangers. “We were all five excited about what had taken place,” she said. “We wanted to return there and invest our lives in theirs.”

Related Coverage:

2009 FBSC Annual Meeting, Pensacola

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