December 2024 | 7
2024 Annual Celebration
Reggie Hayes, SCBO senior staff, celebrated the fifth anniversary of CampUCAN and the Lord’s work among urban young men in Ohio. In 2024, 95 young men at- tended CampUCan and 65 of them accepted Christ as their Savior. In addition, 28 were baptized at camp. “Mentors preach the gospel and when we see a move- ment of God happen and see young men give their lives to Jesus, we know God is in the blessing busi- ness,” Hayes proclaimed. In the past five years, 190 CampUCAN attendees have accepted Jesus. Dr. John Heading, director, Ohio Disaster Relief, report- ed a record year for disaster deployments. “Ohio DR deployed 31 times this year with 12 deployments just in the month of October,” he said. Powerful Preaching SCBO President Adam Pursel, pastor of Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon, delivered the President’s Ad- dress from John 7:37-39, reminding messengers that God is not done saving the lost. “Is God done saving sinners in your city? Some of you, if we were to observe your church, would say the an- swer is yes.” Pastor Frederick Clement, One Love Community Church, Dayton, brought the Annual Sermon. He urged pastors to focus on “The Most Important Task,” preach- ing the word of God. Using 2 Timothy 4:1-5, he chal- lenged them to preach the word with consistency, with conviction, with patience and with conscientiousness.
“Be sober minded,” Clement said. “Stay focused on the great call of the word of God. Feed God’s sheep. Endure suffering. Endure in the call to pastor a church. Take comfort in knowing it’s hard for all of us.” Orderly Business Messengers approved a Cooperative Program Budget of $4,848,000 and continued a 50/50 split between SCBO and the SBC. The budget was increased one percent from last year. “Since our beginning in 1954, Ohio Baptists have giv- en over $183,000,000 to missions through the Coop- erative Program to not only reach the neighborhoods around Ohio, but the nations around the world,” Dr. Westbrook said. In addition, messengers unanimously approved a reso- lution “On the Lordship of Christ Over All Political Pow- ers” as well as a constitution and by-law amendment that removed the position of Historical Secretary from the officers of SCBO. Messengers reelected SCBO President Adam Pursel, Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon; First Vice President, Pastor Dave Welsch, First Baptist Church, Heath, and Pastor Karlie Hale, One Love Community Church, Cleveland, to their positions for a second year without objection. Messengers also elected Charity Betts, First Baptist Church, New Lebanon, to her first term as Recording Secretary, replacing Mary Leigh Snowden who retired. Kay Arnold, First Baptist Church, Lancaster, was elect- ed to her first term as Assistant Recording Secretary. The 2025 SCBO Annual Celebration will be held at Lifepoint Church, Mt. Vernon, November 10-11, 2025. Over 300 messengers, guests and exhibitors attended the 2024 SCBO Annual Meeting. Photo by AJ Frasure.
Attendees at the Annual Celebration enjoyed worship led by The Worship Team from Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon. Photo by AJ Frasure.
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