Newsflash
| 2009 Southeast New Baptist Covenant |
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The event will be held at 16th Street Baptist Church, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and St. Paul's United Methodist Church, all located within walking distance of one another. Keynote addresses will be held in the sanctuary of 16th Street Baptist Church, while special interest sessions will be conducted in various rooms of the three buildings.
Good News for the Poor marks the theme for the day, culminating in Marian Wright Edelman's address on children's poverty in the South. Register today and bring a friend to the Southeast Regional Celebration of the New Baptist Covenant! The New Baptist Covenant is an informal alliance of more than 30racially, geographically, and theologically diverse Baptistorganizations from throughout North America that claim more than 20million members. Over 15,000 Baptists from these organizations attendedan assembly this past January, celebrating a common faith in Christ.Luke 4:18-19 provided the foundation for a shared vision where Jesusdeclared his intention to bring good news to the poor, release for thecaptive and sight for the blind.The purpose of the New Baptist Covenant Regional Gathering inBirmingham is to bring together a celebration of Baptist churchesacross racial lines in order to celebrate unity in Christ. Breakoutsessions will focus on one particular aspect of the Luke 4 mandate,good news for the poor. Rev. Arthur Price, pastor of 16th Street Baptist Church, and Rev. Gary Furr, pastor of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, will serve asco-chairs of the event’s steering committee, which includes pastors andlay leaders from across Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. “I am proud to be a part of the New Baptist Covenant Initiative,” saidPrice. “If ever there is a time when God's people must come togetherand be on one accord to make an impact in our churches and the culturearound us for Christ, it is now. It is time to put into practice thoselessons learned from the past so that our service is effective,unifying and relevant for today.” Baptists assembled at The Carter Center on March 12, 2008, to assessthe hundreds of comments and suggestions that poured in following theNew Baptist Covenant assembly in Atlanta. It was agreed that fiveregional gatherings would be held. Birmingham will host its gatheringon the one-year anniversary of the January celebration of the NewBaptist Covenant. Representatives of these Baptist organizations have reaffirmedtraditional Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of JesusChrist and its implications for public and private morality, as well astheir obligations as Christians to fulfill the biblical mandate topromote peace with justice, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelterthe homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, and promotereligious liberty and respect for religious diversity. “Unlike division and schism, unity requires hard, intentional work. The New Baptist Covenant Regional meeting will provide such an opportunity,”said Rev. Gary Burton, pastor of Pintlala Baptist Church in Hope Hull,Alabama. The event in Birmingham will seek to build relationships betweencongregations and clergy among various Baptist denominations, creatinggoodwill and possibilities for shared work in the future. “I am energized most by Christians coming together to worship God anddeepen their fellowship,” said Rev. Gary Furr. “The New BaptistCovenant is an event for all Baptists that we hope will fosterChristian unity. It is not about politics, party, or rehashing painfulhistories. My hope is that we will leave as better friends and believers, energized to serve the Lord, and committed to act like people of the Kingdom.” Michael Thurman, pastor of Dexter King Memorial Church in Montgomery,agreed that the New Baptist Covenant offers an opportunity for allBaptists. "We can come together from various walks of life and goodtogether in a meaningful way,” he said. “The world needs to understandhow interdependent we are with one another.” “While our Sunday worship experiences often have us in differentplace,” said Rev. Sarah Shelton, pastor of Baptist Church of theCovenant in Birmingham, “I look forward to sitting side by side withmy friends and brothers and sisters in Christ as we worship. It willfeel like the Kingdom of God.” |
Birmingham will host the first regional gathering of the New Baptist Covenant on Saturday, January 31st, 2009 featuring Former President Jimmy Carter, Marian Wright Edelman of the Children's Defense Fund and Dr. Robert Smith of Beeson Divinity School.
