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| Cooperative Program Leaders Honored |
| Release Date: 11/13/2007 |
 LOUISVILLE – Kentucky Baptists honored two individuals and several churches for outstanding leadership and support of the Cooperative Program during a special Tuesday afternoon celebration at the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s annual meeting on Nov. 13.
Anna Mary Byrdwell and John Christian were recognized for their leadership in supporting the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ method for collectively funding mission and ministry efforts.
Byrdwell served for 37 years in a variety of positions with the Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union. She first joined the missions organization in 1967 as state director of the Sunbeam Band. Byrdwell went on to serve as state director of Acteens beginning in 1971, and then as state director of Baptist Young Women in 1976.
Byrdwell transitioned to consulting work in 1980 when she became the Baptist Women consultant. She then served as consultant for Baptist Young Women and Baptist Women before assuming her final role as general WMU consultant in 1997. Though she retired from WMU leadership in 2004, Byrdwell continued her volunteer involvement for several years as WMU director for Hurstbourne Baptist Church in Louisville.
“It's hard to think of the Cooperative Program and not think of WMU, and it's hard to think of Kentucky’s WMU and not think of Anna Mary Byrdwell,” said Steve Thompson, assistant executive director for the KBC. “Hers is one of Kentucky’s most recognizable missions faces.”
Christian’s 61-year ministry career began in churches in Lafayette and Sinking Fork, where he served from 1942-1947. He then pastored Oak Grove Baptist Church near Springfield until 1963, First Baptist Church in Goodlettsville, Tenn., from 1963-1971, and Second Baptist Church in Hopkinsville from 1971-1987.
Upon his retirement in 1987, Christian moved back to his hometown of Trenton, where he then served as interim pastor at Sinking Fork Baptist Church for the next 13 years.
“Second Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, became one of the leading givers to CP under John Christian's leadership,” said Thompson. “That church has given over $4 million dollars in cumulative CP gifts, which ranks them eighth out of all Kentucky Baptist churches. Much of that giving came during Christian's years there.”
The selection committee for the Distinguished Cooperative Program Leadership Award each year is composed of the current and immediate past three KBC presidents and a Kentucky WMU representative.
Churches celebrating significant milestones in Cooperative Program giving were also recognized.
Six churches were recognized as top givers to the Cooperative Program. Three were recognized for total dollars given in 2006: Living Hope Baptist Church, Bowling Green, which gave $417,356.09; Immanuel Baptist Church, Lexington, $332,671.38; and Porter Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, $303,435.36.
Three were recognized as the top per capita givers, including: Mexico Baptist Church, Marion, whose 212 members gave a total of $81,898.17, or $215.52 per member; Lighthouse Fellowship, Louisville, whose 11 members gave $2,128.87, or $212.89 per member; and Riverview Baptist Church, Cattlesburg, whose 10 members gave $2,011.87 or $201.19 per member.
Churches reaching significant cumulative giving milestones in the 2006-2007 budget year were also recognized.
Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington and First Baptist Church, Owensboro, were both honored for giving $7 million through the Cooperative Program.
Living Hope Baptist Church, Bowling Green, reached $4 million; Lone Oak First Baptist Church, Paducah, reached $3 million; and Westport Road Baptist Church, Louisville, reached $2 million.
Five churches were honored for giving $1 million, including Reidland Baptist Church, Reidland; High Street Baptist Church, Somerset; Mexico Baptist Church, Marion; First Baptist Church, Russell; and Broadway Baptist Church, Lexington.
Release prepared by Kristie Randolph, KBC Communications |
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