Utah-Idaho May Executive Board meeting highlights ACP reports and increase in baptisms
Salt Lake City, UT – The strength of the UISBC is in the churches that choose to affiliate together to live out the great commission every day of the year. While the Utah-Idaho SBC is in session one day in October, we also have business to attend to through the other 364 days of the year. Your UISBC Executive Board seeks to fill that gap, at least every May and September.
Our May meeting of the Executive Board gathered on May 15 and 16 at Canyons Church in Salt Lake City. Board Chairman Matthew Claridge, pastor of Redeemer Church in Grangeville, ID, shared a devotion that looked at the tenuous relationship between King David and his wife, Mikal, the daughter of former King Saul. The devotional reminded board members that we serve for the glory of God and not our own agendas. It was a good reminder for board members to remember who they represent.
The Saturday session included a rundown of reports from the previous day’s meeting and began with a roll call of board members present. Rob Lee, UISBC Executive Director, gave a financial report, followed by a compilation report from recent ACP data that was submitted from Utah-Idaho SBC churches.
Our annual church profile reports showed growth in baptisms last year with one church celebrating 132 baptisms. ACP reports remain a challenge to get and we pray all of our churches would report so we can see the real scope of what is happening across our State Convention. With that in mind, we have seen six years of growth in the number of people being baptized in our churches. This is reason to celebrate!
From reports: 10,423 Total Membership, 780 Baptisms, 602 Additions, 10,562 Weekly worship attendance, 5792 Weekly SS/Bible Study attendance, 4028 VBS Enrollment; undesignated giving $15,024,338, CP churches reported $789,723.
The board was also updated on the growth of Reach Idaho as they seek to minister to needs of churches in Idaho and seek places to plant new works. The board was asked to pray for the leadership of Reach Idaho and their full-time staff of Richard Dugger and Mike Palmer who oversee the ministry together.
The board addressed the upcoming retirement of DR Director Russel Hohmann and the future transition to a new contract worker from Burley, ID who has been approached about taking over DR leadership for Russ upon his retirement.
The remainder of the meeting entailed the updates from the various committees and approving the reports submitted by convention staff and contract workers.
The next meeting of the Executive Board will be held in Salt Lake City on September 11-12, with location tentatively determined but not confirmed.
Please be in prayer for the UISBC Executive Board as their members seek to support the work of the UISBC State Staff and seek to connect with churches across the two states in the interim between annual meetings of the UISBC.
