FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
/JZ)
January 11, 1977
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session Tuesday, January 11, 1977,
2:00 p.m. , in the Baker James Cauthen Chapel. The First Vice-President, J. Roy Clifford,
presided.
PRESENT: State Members: Arkansas: James F. Sawyer; D.C. : B. Ross Morrison; Georgia:
William L. Self; Indiana: Ronald P. Liesmann; Mississippi : Joe Neil McKeever, Mis¬
souri: Homer D. Carter; Texas : Travis S. Berry.
Local Members: V. Allen Gaines, Franklin D. Hall, Scott C. Humphrey, Bruce H. Price,
M. Hunter Riggins, Jr., Mrs. E. S. Stratton, J. Roy Clifford, Paul E. Crandall, John
W. Patterson, Raymond L. Spence, Jr.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, J. Bryan Brasington, Charles W. Bryan, Winston Crawley,
William K. Dawson, E. L. Deane, James G. Edwards, Franklin T. Fowler, lone Gray,
George H. Hays, Ward S. Hildreth, Thomas W. Hill, Dwight A. Honeycutt, J. D. Hughey,
William W. Marshall, Frank K. Means, John E. Mills, Floyd H. North, William R. O'Brien,
R. Keith Parks, Samuel M. Pittman, G. Norman Price, Don A. Reavis, Sidney C. Reber,
Harold D. Richardson, Davis L. Saunders, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith, Robert L.
Stanley, Richard M. Styles, Wilbur N. Todd, Melvin E. Torstrick, William R. Wakefield,
Elizabeth Minshew.
The presiding officer called the meeting to order.
The audience joined in singing the Hymn: "How Firm a Foundation."
The audience joined in Responsive Reading: "The Testimony of the Redeemer."
Frank K. Means, area secretary for Eastern South America, led in the Opening Prayer.
Minutes of the Board for December 14, 1976 were approved.
The presiding officer recognized the Executive Director, Baker J. Cauthen.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Baker J. Cauthen
Dr. Cauthen brought highlights from his formal report.
Report of the Executive Director
In December the Cooperative Program increased 18.83 percent over December of
1975.
From January to December 1976 there was an increase of 13.46 percent in the
Cooperative Program receipts over the prior year. We are grateful for this
strengthening.
Encouraging reports are being received from remarkable giving to the Lottie
Moon Christmas Offering. While it is far too early to have any overall figure,
we are getting thrilling reports from individual churches, both large and small.
Final figures on 1976 gifts to relief will be available shortly. Tentative
figures indicate that gifts will be in excess of $1,644,288. We are extremely
grateful for these gifts. Disbursements for relief up to the first of November
total $1,540,656. We hope and pray that gifts for relief will continue to in¬
crease because needs continue in many lands.
I shall be meeting with the Executive Board of Woman's Missionary Union on Thurs¬
day morning of this week to discuss the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. It will
be my joy to convey at that meeting the deep gratitude of this Board for the
Offering and indication of the strengthening it will produce on fields.
Great interest is being felt in plans for the April meeting of the Board in
Atlanta. As a part of the preparation of that meeting, we will host a luncheon
in Atlanta on Thursday of this week for pastors and other church leaders, at
which time strong encouragement will be given toward building the attendance
for the appointment service in the Omni Auditorium on April 19. Dr. Parks, Dr.
Smith, and Mr. Rick Styles will participate in that meeting, and I have recorded
a video tape message for it, inasmuch as I cannot be present for it due to the
meeting in Birmingham. We are grateful to Bill Self and to Dr. Searcy Garrison
for the strong leadership they are giving for the April meeting.
