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ABA Messenger Meeting 2009, Springfield Missouri - Tuesday Morning

The Missionary Committee meeting opened at 10:00 am with a welcome, specials in song, and a devotional by Bro. Billy Shepard of Texas. Following the opening remarks and ceremony, Bro. Randy Cloud brought the annual report of the Secretary-Treasurer of Missions for the fiscal year of 2008-2009. (The following is but a synopsis of the entire report. The entire report will be posted at a later date.)

For the fiscal year 2008-2009, $2,499,210.41 was given to help the missionaries preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (through the office of Secretary-Treasurer in Texarkana). Approximately 640 churches and individuals send mission offerings monthly to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions. The 2008 Special Thanksgiving Mission Offering totaled $263,337.48. The Thanksgiving Offering was received from 29 states and 3 foreign countries.
For the past year, the missionaries have reported 22,605 professions of faith, 5.062 baptisms, 57,053 visits made, 55,945 personal presentations of the gospel, 17,661 sermons preached, and 16,321 lessons taught. Self-supporting churches have been established in Africa, India, Germany, Philippines, Mexico, Costa Rica, Texas, and Colorado. Missionary Joel Cobbs reports 24 churches organized in Africa. Missionary James Taylor reports the organization of one church in Africa. Bro. Sankya reports 3 churches organized in India. One church has been organized in Germany with many organized in the Philippines, etc.
185 missionaries will be recommended for support through the office of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions. These missionaries are serving the Lord in 26 states and 31 foreign countries. If all of the Interstate, Foreign, and National Missionaries are approved as recommended without any raises, the monthly payout will increase approximately $9,500.00. With any raise, the payout will, of course, increase. The balance in the mission treasury at the end of May 2009, was $683,383.19.

A motion was made and seconded for the report to be approved. The motion passed. A motion was made and seconded for no pay raise to be given to the missionaries this year due to economic issues. The motion passed. The minutes of the sub-committee meeting held in May was read and adopted.

The moderator, Bro. Charles Murphy of Texas, called for a vote on the newly recommended missionaries for interstate on salary. A note was made that Daniel Tijerina's sponsoring church withdrew his name. The vote was taken and the missionaries approved (Bro. Larry Frye and Bro. Danny Young). A vote was then called for on newly recommended interstate on designations. Bro. David Law's name was withheld from the voting due to a change in location. His name can be brought up at the Tuesday evening meeting for addition to the list. The vote was taken and the missionaries approved (Bro. Alan Schoeff, Bro. Kelly Stringer, Bro. Caleb J. Wood). A vote was then called for newly recommended foreign on designations. The vote was taken and the missionaries approved (Bro. David Bostick, Bro. Wally Mann). A vote was then called for newly recommended national on salary. The vote was taken and the missionaries approved (Bro. Romeo Dizon, Bro. Orlando Lastimosa, Bro. Fernando Pangilinan, Bro. Boyet Ricafrente). A vote was then called for newly recommended national on designated funds. The vote was taken and the missionaries approved (Bro. Aaron Teck). A vote was then called for newly recommended missionary helpers. The vote was taken and the missionary helpers approved (Bro. John Claypool, Bro. Roy Walls).

The following contains the re-recommended missionaries (which will not be listed individually except for cases of a separate vote being called). The Interstate on Salary missionaries were approved with the exception of Tom Patterson. His name was removed because he is now pastoring a church. The Interstate on Designations were approved. The Foreign on Salary were approved. The Foreign on Designations were approved. The National on Salary section had the following discussion concerning: Bro. Solomon Travilla. The meeting adjourned at 11:30 and was to reconvene at 1:30 pm.