Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) Global gathers in St. Louis next week for its annual general assembly.
Have you ever been to a restaurant whose menu is so full of options that ordering requires true effort? The server returns with everyone’s glasses of water, but you are still only on page 1 of 12. This is how I feel as I am planning my time at CBF Global’s annual general assembly in St. Louis. Next week, Carol, Michael and I will be joining staff, pastors, and lay representatives from partner congregations all around the world. We will fellowship, network, learn, conduct business, and worship together from Tuesday-Thursday. Our version of that 12-page menu is a lineup of 64 gatherings, learning labs, services, and breakout sessions from which to choose.
I plan to attend the CBF of South Carolina gathering and dinner, as well as the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists breakfast. In addition, I will attend the CBF Advocacy Listening Session to get an update on the “sensitive locations” lawsuit and represent the church at the annual business session. On the final day, Michael and I will join Carol at the table she reserved for the Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM) Luncheon. There, we’ll celebrate and affirm women in ministry and leadership, and hear from speaker, author, pastor and journalist Angela Denker.
I think this is a good summary of the vision for this year’s general assembly:
“In a year that feels more polarized than ever before, we want to be a place of belonging—where everyone is not just welcome to our table and in our communities but feel a deep sense of belonging in our Fellowship. Together, we will reflect on what radical hospitality can look like and explore the texts that call us to no longer be strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.”
It is a privilege to represent our congregation at these gatherings, and I look forward to reporting back when we return!
—Matt Rollins, Minister of Community Engagement