Baptists from all over Georgia are descending on Statesboro for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention. The Georgia Baptist convention makes up the largest religious, faith-based group in the state with 1.4 million members. If you have tried to get a hotel room in Statesboro for this week, you can get an idea of the positive economic impact this meeting is having on our community.
The annual meeting is being held at First Baptist Church in downtown Statesboro and began on Sunday evening with an inspiration service. The meeting continues through Tuesday.
However, many of their leadership and attendees came to town early to complete a few service projects in our community. One of the projects involved renovating the Korean Mission building on the campus of First Baptist Church. The second was joining the "Statesboro Love" disaster recovery day of service on Saturday.
Jeff Parmer, Associational Missionary of the Ogeechee River Baptist Association, partnered with the Ogeechee River Baptist Association, Southbridge Community Church, and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board to launch “Love Statesboro,” which was a large-scale disaster relief cleanup initiative on Saturday, Nov. 9th to support the residents of Bulloch County.
They made an appeal for help earlier in the week, and over 70 volunteers responded to the call showing up at 8:00 am on Saturday morning. Eight hours later, 43 citizens had been blessed in extraordinary ways thanks to their efforts.
"This is where Georgia Baptist Mission Board really shines. When people are in need, things are going wrong and they are experiencing a difficult time, Georgia Baptists show up. It is amazing how Georgia Baptists are always running into things that everyone else is running away from," said Dr. Thomas Hammond, Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Convention. "All across Georgia there are an army of people just like you that desire to work together to encourage, to bless and strengthen churches, pastors and believers. And to reach those who do not know Christ -- to minister to them in his name by showing his love and sharing to Gospel. Jesus said I did not come to be serve, but to serve."
Twelve churches and local organizations joined the effort including:
- Southbridge Community Church
- First Baptist Church of Statesboro
- Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church
- Friendship Baptist Church
- Hispanic Mission
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Ogeechee River Baptist Association
- Georgia Baptist Mission Board
- Georgia Southern Baptist Collegiate Ministries
- Bulloch VOAD
- Bulloch County Public Safety and EMA
- Savannah LIFE
For weeks, first during Hurricane Debby and then Hurricane Helene, we saw this army of volunteers firsthand as the Georgia Baptist Mission Board had disaster teams headquartered at Southbridge Church in Statesboro. They have helped with flooded homes and then debris cleanup and tree removals.
The difference they have made for so many in our community is inspiring. The Georgia Baptists have given and continue to give our community real life examples of what it is like when a church becomes the hands and feet of Jesus.
Our community is grateful they chose Statesboro to host their annual meeting -- our community that has seen again and again what happens when they show up.