The 193rd Annual Fall Meeting of the Tar River Baptist Association was held on Monday, October 23rd, 2023, at Pearce Baptist Church in Zebulon, North Carolina. The meeting was a time to celebrate the work that God is doing among the churches of the association, to update the churches on the progress of the Associational Leadership Team, and to approve two matters of business: an extension of the restructuring process through the Fall Meeting of 2024, and the approval of a 2024 budget.
Mark Cottrell, pastor of Pearce Baptist Church, opened the meeting with scripture and prayer.
The meeting was moderated by Vice-Moderator Nathaniel Williams, pastor of Cedar Rock First Baptist Church, who shared an update on the associational restructuring effort. The restructured association will be built on the three pillars of church health, community outreach, and pastoral investment. After the retirement of longtime Associational Missions Strategist Dougald McLaurin in June and the departure of bookkeeper Pauline Muller in July, the association contracted with a financial firm to complete a full financial review and to update the financial policies and procedures of the association as needed. The clarity and transparency this process has provided will serve the association well for the remainder of the restructure. The Associational Leadership Team will now turn their attention to the structure of committees and teams needed to lead the association effectively, with the intention that this structure be presented for approval at the 2024 Spring Meeting. Additionally, the Associational Leadership Team intend to officially begin a search process at the 2024 Spring Meeting.
Financial Assistant Irma Boulden, member of Castalia Baptist Church, presented financial reports, including a balance sheet and income and expense statements for 2023. The Associational Leadership Team presented a budget for 2024 that includes a 36% decrease in spending and $30,000 budgeted for the three pillars of church health, community outreach, and pastoral investment.
Caleb Gibson, Acting Associational Missions Strategist and pastor of Salem Community Baptist Church, delivered the Associational Missions Strategist's report. He reported that the Associational Leadership Team have worked hard to instill core values of transparency and accountability through the restructure process and expressed enthusiasm in their efforts so far. He reminded those in attendance that the Tar River Baptist Association is not an entity but an association of churches who operate together as churches. Caleb reported that his focus as Acting Associational Missions Strategist is to support and celebrate the work of the churches and to facilitate greater partnership among the churches in the work of the gospel.
The meeting concluded, as all annual meetings of the Tar River Baptist Association do, with the congregation of pastors, messengers, and guests singing “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.”
Mark Cottrell, pastor of Pearce Baptist Church, opened the meeting with scripture and prayer.
The meeting was moderated by Vice-Moderator Nathaniel Williams, pastor of Cedar Rock First Baptist Church, who shared an update on the associational restructuring effort. The restructured association will be built on the three pillars of church health, community outreach, and pastoral investment. After the retirement of longtime Associational Missions Strategist Dougald McLaurin in June and the departure of bookkeeper Pauline Muller in July, the association contracted with a financial firm to complete a full financial review and to update the financial policies and procedures of the association as needed. The clarity and transparency this process has provided will serve the association well for the remainder of the restructure. The Associational Leadership Team will now turn their attention to the structure of committees and teams needed to lead the association effectively, with the intention that this structure be presented for approval at the 2024 Spring Meeting. Additionally, the Associational Leadership Team intend to officially begin a search process at the 2024 Spring Meeting.
Financial Assistant Irma Boulden, member of Castalia Baptist Church, presented financial reports, including a balance sheet and income and expense statements for 2023. The Associational Leadership Team presented a budget for 2024 that includes a 36% decrease in spending and $30,000 budgeted for the three pillars of church health, community outreach, and pastoral investment.
Caleb Gibson, Acting Associational Missions Strategist and pastor of Salem Community Baptist Church, delivered the Associational Missions Strategist's report. He reported that the Associational Leadership Team have worked hard to instill core values of transparency and accountability through the restructure process and expressed enthusiasm in their efforts so far. He reminded those in attendance that the Tar River Baptist Association is not an entity but an association of churches who operate together as churches. Caleb reported that his focus as Acting Associational Missions Strategist is to support and celebrate the work of the churches and to facilitate greater partnership among the churches in the work of the gospel.
The meeting concluded, as all annual meetings of the Tar River Baptist Association do, with the congregation of pastors, messengers, and guests singing “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.”