CMBA’s Visionary Leadership Community (VLC) met Tuesday, Oct. 20, for its monthly session at North Trenholm Baptist Church in Columbia to share updates and conduct business. Comprised of CMBA ministers and lay leaders, the VLC operates under the association’s vision of “starting and strengthening congregations to serve as vital and vibrant missional communities.” Executive Director George Bullard and VLC Chair Ant Frederick conducted the meeting.
Of note, the VLC gave approval for the CMBA to participate in The Denominee Future Journey, a vision planning process offered jointly by the North American Mission Board and Consultant Will Mancini to 40 Baptist associations from across the Southern Baptist Convention. The 18-month process begins Summer 2021 and will chart a future course for the CMBA involving input and decision making from the VLC and staff. NAMB will sponsor half the cost of the process and the remaining cost to the CMBA will be divided between two budget years. Bullard sees Denominee as a “good succession plan, helping CMBA clarify how it will continue to help churches” while giving ownership and a strategy framework to future leadership.
In other news, the VLC approved Lexington Baptist Church as a new Church Network Connection which is an affinity affiliation with CMBA that does not impact its primary relationship with the Lexington Association. Lexington Baptist is part of a peer learning community of larger Midlands churches across several associations which is convened by CMBA. Treasurer Brenda Sheets reported the CMBA is under budget, and Bullard shared that five additional CMBA churches have begun giving to the association in the last seven months. The VLC also heard about a grant project opportunity which is in partnership with the Lilly Endowment through Duke University, that may be available to CMBA churches in the coming days that meet certain demographic guidelines.
The VLC declared the CMBA’s Annual Meeting Business Session will be held via video conferencing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19. Email office@columbiametro.org for more information about participating.
The VLC will reconvene Nov. 17 at North Trenholm.