BURTON, MI – Every year, sometime in the beginning of November, messengers from our cooperating, convention of churches gather together to conduct the business of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. And, some years, God comes along side us to move our hearts to see Him and His glory, and experience a revival of the spirit. I believe we just experienced one of those years.
Thank you Church Starting Mission Action Team for giving us an opportunity to meet and pray over our church planters, for helping us understand the struggles and blessings of these men and their families, for giving us hope that we as Michigan Southern Baptists can transform our state for the glory of God by expanding His Kingdom, and for thanking Old Navy for selling shirts for triplets (you would have had to been there.) Thank you Church Sending Mission Action Team for showing us opportunities to serve and for championing evangelism, not only in our churches, but more importantly, in our hearts. Thank you Church Strengthening Mission Action Team for informing us about all the opportunities that we have individually and as church bodies to be trained, to be encouraged, to be challenged.
Thank you Dan and Angela Kucharczyk for faithfully serving as our camp managers for the last six plus years and for reminding us, as you so eloquently do, that Bambi Lake is a place where lives are transformed for the glory of our Lord.
Thank you to the women who gathered for the Ministers’ Wives Fellowship led by our Executive Director’s wife, Sabrina Patterson. It was a good time of laughter, delicious food, and sharing - finding strength together.
Thank you to all our Southern Baptist Partners; our International Mission Board, our North American Mission Board, LifeWay, GuideStone, our seminaries, for sharing with us what our partnership means and giving testimonies as to what the power of our cooperating together does to shape our world to better reflect our heavenly home.
Thank you Dr. Kevin Ezell, Pastor Chuck Turner, and Pastor Tim Patterson for bringing conviction to our hearts to do more than we think we are capable of by relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit in each of us. So often during the messages, God’s Spirit taps us on our shoulder and says, “Did you just hear that? Take it to heart!” Thank you for being the vessels God can use to speak His truth.
Sure, we passed our budget for 2017, we elected some officers, we passed a motion or two, but I think more importantly we were reminded that even though we come from various walks of life and different racial and economic backgrounds, we are still brothers and sisters in Christ. That is what unifies us today and forever. I hope you can join us next year as we celebrate 60 years as the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. We will gather together at our Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center on November 7-8, 2017. Come prepared. We may experience another revival!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Glissman is the Office Manager and has been employed at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan for 22 years.