Congress Report

PRESIDENTIAL SUMMARY 2017

To Moderator Crossley and constituents of the association. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as congress president.

The Southwest District Congress of Christian Education (aka, Congress) serves as the primary training arm of the Southwest District Association. Our purpose is "To promote Christian education in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Bible, and to improve methods of training and equipping in the local church, and for Kingdom Building". Hence, we are to encourage and support Christian Education.

Our principal training activity is conducted at the Congress Annual Session in July, with additional year around educational opportunities, such as the Mini-Congress and the Youth Enrichment Conference. This Congress of Christian Education has met in sessions since 1896.

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I would like to take this opportunity to thank Pastor Lister, Pastor Massey and the respective churches which they serve, and also all those who assisted from section 2 churches!

This year, 2017, in the congress we were able to advance one of Moderator Crossley’s goals—that is to have a certified class in “Systematic Theology” for ministers. This class took place on Monday, July 10, 2017 and was taught by Rev. Rufus Hatley.

We asked the ministers for at least one (1) evening on Sunday evening, and one (1) full day (all day) Monday. Our district ministers were asked to make every effort to attend the Southwest District Congress of Christian Education on Sunday night for the pre-musical, to return on Monday morning for the Prayer Breakfast, to attend the" Systematic Theology Class", and to support Dean Smith during his annual address on Monday night. We structured the beginning of the Congress to accommodate bi-vocational pastors and ministers who have several meetings to attend each year, such as the congress. We planned this with the ideal, that when leaders are in the lead showing the example, and establishing the need to have Christian Education as a priority, we will grow greatly.

Dean Freddie Smith and his staff worked hard to bring enrichment and certified classes, for both, our youth and our adults. We had great classes and positive feedback. This year we were very pleased to have Dr. Janice McCoy teaching “Creative Ways of Teaching”. I highlight this class because of the opportunity we can begin to promote, to have secular education professional development hours for school teachers. She has the skills, the certifications, the experiences, and the Christian commitment for this to be a realistic goal; which was presented to me from our dean. Our primary focus will continue to be the developing of our Sunday school teachers, VBS teachers, and teachers working in our district and the state work.

Our congress workers were able to hold successful events in the "Youth Enrichment Conference" (it is always held the 1st Saturday in May, Sis. Patricia Blake will highlight this event momentarily). Section 2, Rev. C. T. Huey, President sponsored this event at the Prescott High School. We also held two Mini-Congresses. The regularly scheduled mini-congress is always held the 3rd Saturday in March and was held at Mt. Ephesus, where Dr. Benjamin Thomas was the pastor; and the other was held October 14, 2017 at Greater Pleasant Hill where Dr. Lewis Shepherd, Jr. is pastor and Sis. Fannie Scott was certifying as a new dean.

I congratulate Rev. Douglas E. Jones on his promotion to 2nd Vice Moderator. He has done an excellent job as 1st Vice President of the Congress, and I appreciate his willingness to continue helping the congress in any way possible. We will call on you Pastor Jones! Rev. Roderick McCollum of 1st Baptist Rockport will be serving in the role of 1st Vice President.

Pastors and Ministers Division

The “Parade of Pastors and Ministers” had 36.

Ministers' and Spouse Prayer Breakfast (38)

Rev. Bobbie Hampton, Presiding

Monday Only 7:00 am – 8:30 am

Held at Lonoke Baptist Church, Rev. Alvin Hunter, Pastor

702 South Hazel St., Hope, Arkansas

PRAYER BREAKFAST – “One Man Sang and One Man Prayed”

Scripture: Psalm 105:2; Luke 11:1

Ministers’ Seminar: Rev. Douglas E. Jones, Presiding

Monday-Certified Course “Systematic Theology”

Tuesday-Thursday 10 am – 12 pm – Enrichment

Held at Yerger Middle School

500 East 9^th Street, Hope, Arkansas

July 10, 2017 Monday

Certified Class – SP0007-Systematic Theology: Rev. Rufus Hatley/Alvin Hunter

July 11, 2017 Tuesday

Lecturer: 5007-Leading Change: Dr. D. L. Richardson, CMBSC Congress President--Dr. Richardson is the Consolidated Missionary Baptist State Convention’s (CMBSC) Congress President. He is also an author of several books.

July 12, 2017 Wednesday

7001-Building Healthy Churches: Pastor Douglas A. Jones, Lecturer

Sermon: Pastor Orlando Freeman

July 13, 2017 Thursday

7022-Developing Christian Morals in an Immoral World: Pastor J.O. T. Lea, Lecturer

Sermon: Pastor Derrick Newburn

In His Service,

Rev. Alvin Hunter, Congress President.