Council Report
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The Churches' Council met in Portadown Baptist Church on Saturday November 28, 2009. Some 150 Representatives attended from 78 churches.
The meeting was conducted by the President Tom Moore, in a gracious and dignified manner. Warm fellowship and understanding were characteristic to the gathering.
The Council reviewed the Interim Report of the Executive Committee on the work of the Association to September 2009. A copy of this report may be downloaded by clicking the link below.
Budget for 2010 was approved. This showed a total planned expenditure in 2009 of £1,36m with donations from churches being set at £870,000. A copy of the paper may be downloaded by clicking the link below.
In the light of a proposal to develop the Baptist Centre to provide additional space for the Irish Baptist college a paper expressing the commitment of the churches to support running costs was put to the Council and received overwhelming support. A copy of the paper may be downloaded by clicking the link below.
The Association had partnered with Affinity several years ago but the hoped for benefits had not materialised and indeed have proven to be unsuccessful. In the light of this the Council gave authority to the Executive Committee to bring the present arrangement to an end from January 2010 but left the door open to maintaining a connection of interest and support. Details of this matter can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
In recent years insufficient members of Church Representatives have been prepared to stand for election to the Executive Committee. It is now running four members below its quota. In the light of this the Council gave the Executive Committee power to co-opt members form among the Church Representatives to fill places left vacant.
The meeting concluded with an extended time of prayer for the blessing of God upon the work of the Association and the island of Ireland. It was a time marked by fervency in prayer.