Posted on Nov 16, 2005 | by Eva Wilson

LINCOLN, Neb. (BP)--With a knee-high stalk of corn standing by the pulpit as a visual aid, Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists focused their annual meeting on the 50th anniversary of Southern Baptist work in Nebraska, the Cornhusker State.

The Oct. 10-11 meeting at New Covenant Community Church in Lincoln was attended by 267 registered messengers and 54 registered visitors. While celebrating the past and anticipating the future, the crowd was reminded not to forget the vast needs on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes.

Bob Mills, director of missions for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, praised Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists for their response to the two-state convention's ministries on the stricken Gulf Coast.

"I am overwhelmed with how Kansas-Nebraska has responded," he said. "I can't thank you enough for your response, your generosity."

Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists have given more than $240,000 to hurricane relief. The money is funding the ministries of Kansas-Nebraska disaster-relief feeding teams in Biloxi, Miss., and Pearl River, La., plus a shower unit in Pascagoula, Miss. Two associational cleanup teams have served in Texas and Mississippi, and plans were afoot for their return.

In addition, disaster relief funds given to KNCSB will be used for direct assistance to churches and people affected by the hurricanes.

Along with giving money, Mills urged volunteers to continue helping in hurricane relief.

“We are really in need of volunteers,” he said. “Please go back to your churches and encourage those who are willing to go.”

Messengers approved a 2006 KNCSB budget totaling $5,499,438, which is down slightly from $5,517,990 for the current year. Cooperative Program receipts from Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist churches are expected to total $3,173,700. Of this, 32 percent will be sent to national and international Southern Baptist causes, the same percentage as in the 2005 budget.

All convention officers were elected or re-elected by acclamation. Steve Dighton, pastor of Lenexa Baptist Church in Lenexa, Kan., was elected as the convention's new president after serving as KNCSB vice president. Steve Holdaway, pastor of West Bellevue Baptist Church in Bellevue, Neb., was elected vice president.

Bryan Jones, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Junction City, Kan., was re-elected recording secretary. And Tony Mattia, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Wamego, Kan., was re-elected historian.

The 2006 annual meeting of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists will be Oct. 16-17 in Salina, Kan., and will celebrate the 25th anniversary of KNCSB's Webster Conference Center on the north edge of Salina.
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