Fall board session celebrates how God is working through our network of churches
Salt Lake City, UT – There was a unified spirit of cooperation and celebration of how God is moving across our Idaho and Utah churches during the Fall Executive Board meeting at Risen Life Church, September 6-7. The meeting began with outgoing Chairman Matt McGukin (Calvary Baptist, Idaho Falls, ID) asking for testimonies of how EB members have heard stories worth celebrating. Over nine different churches from areas across the two-state region shared testimony after testimony of baptisms, reconciliation, new churches being started, and whole families coming to faith with trickle down effects within entire communities. UISBC Convention president, Roger Naylor, who joined the meeting via Zoom, shared of an eighty-year-old Bonners Ferry resident who, within months of his passing, committed his life to Christ, but that was not all of the story. This man was so passionate about sharing Christ that he returned to the town where he grew up and shared his faith to others in that community. Several of those residents came to Christ as a result. At his funeral, Pastor Roger was able to share the gospel again, and the wife of this man’s closest friend asked if she can be saved and follow Christ in baptism. Stories like this were repeated by board members for over an hour. It was a great way to start our Fall meeting.
On day two of the meeting, EB members heard reports from Rob Lee, UISBC Executive Director. They received an update from our Abuse Reform Implementation Committee regarding the utilization of MinistrySafe to educate and perform background checks on all convention staff, contract workers, and board members. Additional discounts are available to churches in Utah and Idaho that want to utilize MinistrySafe within their church. More information about this partnership will be provided at the October UISBC Annual Meeting.
Rob also highlighted a healthy financial position of convention operations and was excited to report that by the October Annual Meeting, there will be one more church that will likely be admitted into the UISBC pending Executive Board approval in the coming weeks. The work anniversaries of Debbie Chidester (25 years) and Jason McNair (15 years) were also recognized in Rob’s report.
As for committee action, Budget and Finance presented a manageable budget that will be voted on at the October annual meeting. Properties and Loans presented the approval of a Trust and Memorial Loan to one of our churches to repair an outdated HVAC system. Program Committee recommended changes to the SMO Higher Education Scholarship application and funding process which was approved by the full board. Administrative Committee highlighted the plans for celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the UISBC at the upcoming Annual Meeting in October at Risen Life Church in Salt Lake City as discussed by the Committee on Order of Business during the first day of the meeting. Their next meeting will take place during the lunch hour of the annual meeting, followed by their Spring Executive Board meeting to be hosted at CityLight Church in Salt Lake City on May 9-10, 2025.
New board officers for the upcoming year are Matthew Claridge, Redeemer Baptist Church, Grangeville, ID, Chairman; Anders Snyder, Calvary Church, Nampa, ID, Vice Chairman, and Mike Eaves, Mountain View Baptist Church, Layton, UT, Recording Secretary.