Advance Notice, October 2006

John V. Upton, Executive Director

Welcome to the latest edition of Advance Notice. We hope that this monthly eNewsletter provides you with relevant, useful information and resources.

All of the contents are for your use. Please feel free to use the information and illustrations in sermons, in newsletters, church bulletins, and on your website. Additionally, you can easily forward it on to your church leaders and members so they can be connected to resources and information that enable the Baptist General Association of Virginia churches to advance the Redeemer’s Kingdom.

“Valuing our Differences”

I think there is an important question that needs to be addressed in church life today. It’s an uncomfortable question but one which forces itself on us whether we like it or not. The question is: Do people with strong differing commitments and styles need each other for balance and completion?

What I’ve learned is the answer to that question is “yes”. One group needs the other because the other group has qualities that the first group lacks and needs to learn from; and without vital relationship between the two, each group succumbs to its worst tendencies and becomes a distortion.

More...

Join us on a “Voyage To Discovery” at Connect:2006, the BGAV annual meeting, as we chart a course for developing emerging leaders of every age within your church. We meet this year in the beautiful brand new Virginia Beach Convention Center.

Registration deadlines are approaching!

Jubilate East is a Church Music Conference sponsored by Pine Lake Music and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Clinicians include Joseph Martin, Craig Courtney, Pepper Choplin, and Milburn Price.

This tour to Minneapolis will feature a variety of experiences for persons who are responsible for designing and casting a vision for Children’s Ministry in their congregations.

Junior High Weekend is designed for students in grades 6-8. The weekend will include: celebrative worship, special interest conferences (targeted directly to the needs of junior high students), recreation and fellowship. In addition, adult leaders will also receive over four hours of youth ministry leadership training.

Set your own agenda for this four day contemplative retreat at CrossRoads Camp and Conference Center. Walk the hills, study, meditate and pray in an atmosphere of solitude guaranteed by a vow of silence from sunrise to sunset.

Since 1998, Transformers! has been an opportunity for adults to be actively engaged in a large group, hands-on mission setting. Each year nearly 150 adults gather for this event. Construction, worship, personal devotions, and fellowship help give this event a flavor that broadens the horizons of those who attend.

In this space we have been featuring many of our ministry partners that make up the BGAV. However, we also have many national and international ministry partners.

Baptist Center for Ethics

This month we feature the Baptist Center for Ethics (BCE). Baptist Center for Ethics’ mission is to provide proactive, positive and practical ethics resources and services to congregations. BCE believes church leaders and faith communities possess the keys to developing moral character, teaching sound decision making, offering a clear moral witness to the larger culture and advancing social change. Their goal is to equip leaders and churches with quality, relevant resources and services from a christo-centric perspective.

“Always ... Therefore: The Church's Challenge of Global Poverty,” is a new DVD and online study guide from the Baptist Center for Ethics that is designed to educate and empower Baptists to respond to global poverty.

Learn more about BCE and the new DVD...

That 367 messengers have already registered for Connect:2006, the BGAV Annual Meeting?
That the deadline for pre-registration is fast approaching? Pre-registrations by mail must be postmarked no later than Monday, October 16 and online pre-registration will cease at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, October 18.
That the deadline for getting the best hotel rates during the meeting is coming very soon? Rates will revert to the normal hotel rates after October 6. Register now to save money!

In addition to the packets that were mailed to every BGAV church in August, you can get all the information you need at the Connect:2006 website. Simply go to to learn all about it.

In light of the emphasis at Connect:2006 on emerging leaders, the Emerging Leaders Team is trying to learn the various ways in which churches discover new ministry leaders. Will you help them know how your church is identifying and calling out new leaders? Please fill out this brief survey so they can learn more about your church’s ministry!

It’s more than crunching the numbers. It’s more than paying the bills. It’s more than balancing the budget. It’s how your church multiplies its offerings to reach the world for Christ.

For free downloadable ads for use in your church bulletin, eNewsletter and/or website, click here.

This month in our history, on October 15, 1866, 140 years ago, just as the Civil War was over and a New South might arise, one of the preachers of the Old South died. Richard N. Herndon was 57 years old when he died and already he was worn out from the physical hardships expected of the old-time ministers. He had been exempted from service in the War because of his physical disabilities from years of travel by horseback across mountain terrain to keep his appointments as a state missionary of the General Association. In his neighborhood of the Valley of Virginia, there were ample opportunities to minister to soldiers and citizens from both sides. He bore no distinctions between those of the Gray and those of the Blue. Despite his Good Samaritan attitude, he was arrested by the Union sympathizers and placed in a prison. It was there that he contracted rheumatic fever; and already in a weakened condition, the fever eventually resulted in his death. We could call him a Christian martyr. More...

As always, we want to hear from you with your feedback. How can we better communicate with you? How can we better serve you? Let us know your thoughts by sending an e-mail to Paige Peak at paige.peak@vbmb.org .

Subscribe to the best source of news about Virginia Baptists and the Christian world at large! The Religious Herald is available at very reasonable rates.