Minutes from April 27, 2008 Semiannual Meeting

Sylvia Coates played a prelude. Then we sang “Happy Birthday” to Walter McIntyre, Partnership Coordinator, Toronto Baptist Ministries, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After that, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Semiannual meeting of Dover Baptist Association was called to order by Moderator Steve Adkins at 3:00 p.m. Chairman Virginia Wermuth, representing the Program Committee, moved the adoption of the program as printed. Messengers adopted the program. Sam Duenckel read Ephesians 2:4-10, and Abbie Duenckel led the opening prayer. Association Music Director Pam Cross led the congregation in singing “Victory in Jesus.” Then Pastor Vallerie King, representing the host church, welcomed those gathered for the meeting. Director of Missions Steve Allsbrook called for any Baptist partners, ministry partners, or guests to identify themselves. He recognized Walter McIntyre and VCU Baptist Collegiate Minister Alan Jones. Then he called for any ministers new to Dover to identify themselves. Brittany Massey, staff minister at Emmaus, introduced herself. Darlene Slater Herod, representing the 225th Anniversary Celebration Planning Team, and Jim Townsend, Church and Community Ministries Director, presented a shirt and commemorative gift bag to host pastor King. The bag contained Dover’s 2007 Annual replacement pages for the church notebook and materials for observing the 2008 Association Missions Offering. Darlene promoted the association’s anniversary celebration during the Annual Meeting on October 26 at New Highland Baptist Church. Jim promoted the 2008 Association Missions Offering, its recipient ministries, and goal. Moderator Adkins called the Association into its business session. Clerk Ethel Williams reported the presence of a quorum of messengers from at least 20 member churches–85 messengers registered from 29 churches–and 32 other persons, a total of 115 present.

Personnel Chairman Mike Gillen, on behalf of the Personnel Committee and with the concurrence of the Director of Missions, moved that Dover Baptist Association extend a call to the Reverend Samuel Duenckel to serve as Dover’s first Associate for Missions. The messengers voiced their unanimous approval. Mike further moved that the Association modify Sam’s pay package to show an annual rate of $15,913 salary and $14,000 housing, a total of $29,913 per year plus the related benefits Dover affords its full-time ministry field staff members. Messengers also approved this recommendation. Mike introduced Sam. Sam accepted the call and expressed his gratitude for this ministry opportunity.

• Ask permission from each student to share their contact information
• Locate the Baptist Collegiate Minister at each student’s respective campus
• Act–make the contact between each student and the respective collegiate minister
• Broaden the network between each new student and upperclassmen who can act as mentors

Nominations Chairman Fred Gibson thanked the other members of the Nominations Committee for their good work. On behalf of that committee, he moved the election of the officers and leaders as printed in the report with two corrections–the replacement of Kenneth Custalow who resigned as a representative to the Virginia Baptist Mission Board with Dean Witkowsky, a layman from North Run Baptist Church. The Association elected those nominated for the 2008-2009 program year.

Carolyn Hollins, Dover representative to the Central Virginia Baptist Ministries Coordinating Team, gave the CVBM report. On April 22 CVBM more than 75 volunteers–including Steve Allsbrook–representing churches from Dover, Richmond, and Middle District Associations spent a day helping build houses as a Habitat for Humanity project. Volunteers from five additional churches provided lunches for the CVBM volunteers, Habitat staff, and others. Dover volunteers represented Atlee, Berea, Grace Chinese, Mechanicsville, Mount Vernon, New Bethesda, New Highland, Pamunkey, Pioneer, and Poplar Springs. A report with pictures about this project is on the CVBM web site. Carolyn also reported that CVBM had sponsored a Vacation Bible School training event hosted by Brenda Jennings and Mechanicsville Baptist Church. More than 100 attended the event which introduced VBS leaders to Outrigger Island, the newest Vacation Bible School curriculum from LifeWay. CVBM is promoting “Bring a Kid to the Race,” an event sponsored by Central Virginia Raceway Ministry, on May 2. Churches are also asked to provide cookies for the hospitality ministry. CVBM will sponsor a ministry to carnival workers at the State Fair of Virginia, September 25-October 5. CVBM wants churches to help provide 300 bags for these workers. This year CVBM will offer two Church Leadership Development Conferences, one south of the James River on September 22 and one north of the James on September 29. Branches Baptist Church, a Middle District church, will host the conference on September 22. Dover’s Mount Vernon Baptist Church will host the conference on September 29. The two evenings will offer most, but not all, of the same sessions. Carolyn also reported that CVBM expects to have a volunteer project to assist Dover’s Rappahannock Indian Baptist Church this fall. This project will likely involve transforming basement space into an office(s).

Ted Dougherty, Dover representative on the Living Proof Church Advisory Team, reported on the progress of this new work in Caroline County. The church has been meeting since September 16, is growing, and is seeking a pastor. Ted asked that Dover Baptists pray for Living Proof Church. Dover is cooperating with neighboring Hermon Baptist Association, providing some financial support and lending expertise in this effort, Hermon’s first church plant.

Partnership Missions Director Todd Combee and Walter McIntyre reported on the Toronto Partnership. He expressed gratitude for the partnership. Walter expects some 300 volunteers will travel from the four participating Virginia associations this year. He reported that this year, for the first time, a team will travel from Toronto to work in a Dover church, Mount Olivet. Walter also cited Sandy Weakley’s leadership in helping bring two ministry assistants from Toronto churches to Virginia for training and fellowship. The partnership will officially conclude this fall. Todd noted that even though the official partnership will end this year, the relational partnership that has started will continue. Todd Combee reported that Dover is moving into a new international partnership. This partnership, in conjunction with Virginia Baptists, will help Dover and participating churches sponsor a church planter in South Africa. The Association has committed a total of $1,250 as one of thirteen partners needed to fund a church planter for five years. We are seeking twelve churches, groups, and/or individuals to commit the remaining funds. There being no other business or reports, this concluded the business session.

The congregation sang “Standing on the Promises.” Then Virginia Wermuth introduced guest speaker Aias DeSouza. She reminded the congregation that DeSouza had participated as one of the North American missionaries who spoke during Dover’s World Missions Celebration in 2005. The Emmaus Baptist Church Adult Choir sang “Into All the World.” The missions theme of the anthem prepared the congregation to hear the missions message. After the message, Moderator Adkins invited Director of Missions Steve Allsbrook to share a brief word. Vice Moderator Todd Combee pronounced the benediction, and Moderator Steve Adkins adjourned the meeting at 4:44.