Organization

Officers of the SDB Missionary Society

2011-2012

Relation to General Conference and Churches:

 From a legal standpoint the Missionary Society is responsible only to the commonwealth from whom it receives its charter, but Seventh Day Baptist Churches through General Conference organized it, for the conducting of their missionary work. Therefore, it is morally responsible to the churches. The General Conference is the one organization that best represents the churches, and through which they can best express their wishes and give their contributions. These things being true, it shall be the policy of this Board to solicit at all times the advice of General Conference and individual churches and it shall act upon its own best judgment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Relation to Other Boards and Interests:

The work of this Board and that of other denominational Boards are part of one great whole, and in all consistent ways this Board shall cooperate with other denominational Boards and agencies for the promotion of our common cause.

Membership:

The constitution provides that a duly elected voting member may exercise his voting rights by proxy, or in person, at any annual or special meeting of the Missionary Society. Voting members are those of the Seventh Day Baptist faith who have made application annually and paid the annual dues of $10.00. Non-voting members are those persons who contribute one dollar or more annually to the funds of the Society or are members of a church belonging to the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference USA and Canada, LTD, and may be observers at the annual or special meetings of the Society.

Meetings:

The annual meeting of the Society is held the third Sunday of March at 2:00 p.m., usually in the Pawcatuck Seventh Day Baptist Church, Westerly, RI. At such time the officers and a Board of Managers are elected to carry on the work of the Society. The officers of the Society are the officers of the Board, which consists of fifteen or more members and meets regularly in January, April, July and October of each year. Members of the Society and all Seventh Day Baptists are welcome at these meetings.

Committee:

The officers of the Society, including an Executive Director who is the administrative officer, form an executive Committee that carries the management of the Society when the Board is not in session. The president also appoints, from the membership of the society, standing committees which are located in specified Associations and relate to areas of interest and responsibility and which give in-depth study for their recommendations to the Board session. These committees include: Africa Committee, Americas Committee, Asia Committee, Hispanic Committee, Home Field Committee, Missions Committee, and Youth/Young Adult Committee.

Missions Advocate:

The Missions Advocate position was established to provide a means by which to disperse information to the individual churches on a more regular basis. The Advocates responsibility is to secure, implement, and distribute missionary materials to church and Sabbath School members regularly, to dramatize our mission outreach, and to stimulate missionary interest and support in the local church.

Each local church is asked to appoint one member as their KeyworkeAdvocater, informing the Executive Director of the Board of their name and address. This Keyworker is to secure, implement and distribute missionary materials to church and Sabbath School members regularly, to dramatize our mission outreach and stimulate missionary interest and support in the local church. On occasion reports as to observances and mission emphasis activities and suggestions should be given. Volunteers for this position are encouraged to contact the church president or pastor.

The Advocate is to communicate suggestins and comments to the Executive Director of the Society.