Few subjects are more vital to the life of a congregation and to the individuals within it than the matter of Christian stewardship. It is crucial to bridge between the will of God and the heart of a Christian in regard to the concept of a giving life.

Each year the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies offers a convocation on a chosen theme of current interest to Baptists. Stewardship is always a current concern. And this year we have chosen to provide an opportunity to share ideas on developing a giving life – our own life, those in our churches and our churches as congregations.

We are inviting pastors and lay leaders in the area of stewardship education or church finance to participate.

The keynote speaker and facilitator for the convocation is Dr. Stephen B. McSwain, vice-president of Cargill Associates (a leading fundraising firm for churches and charities). Steve has just written The Giving Myths, a new publication of Smyth & Helwys.

We also are offering at the same time a separate workshop on establishing an endowment fund for your church. If your church might be interested in beginning an endowment, someone needs to attend the workshop. If your church is among the few known to already have an endowment, again someone may want to attend so as to learn and share about the value of such an instrument of stewardship. The endowment workshop will be led by Carl Johnson, chairman of the First Baptist Church of Richmond Endowment Fund, which is one of the oldest and largest Baptist church endowments in Virginia.

The convocation begins at 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 20 at Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond. It will be followed by dinner at 6 p.m. which is included in the convocation fee. Please contact the Center at 804-289-8434 to register for this event. (Registration fee for the convocation/workshop is $40 each and includes dinner and a copy of The Giving Myths.)

Christian Stewardship is a whole life concept. As little children in Sunday school we learned that God wants to use our time, talents and treasure. We early learned about the tithe. As adults we need to be reacquainted with the full dimension of stewardship including the careful guarding of Planet Earth.

“Developing a Giving Life” will include reports by our Heritage Fellows on persons whom they interviewed. These include children, youth and adults who exemplify giving lives. They may be members of your own church. When you learn about them, you will wish they all were members of your church! You will hear Stephen McSwain share the secrets of “getting the life you always wanted.”

Earlier in the day, the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies will have hosted a convocation on stewardship education. Ministers and lay leaders will have had an opportunity to interact on the subject. They will join the Society members for the evening program.

The evening program is free and open to the public. A pre-meeting dinner at 6 p.m. is available by pre-registration only and the cost is $15. Make your reservation by May 1st and join other members of the Historical Society for a time of fellowship. Make checks payable to the Center for Baptist for Heritage & Studies.

Bon Air Baptist Church is located at 2531 Buford Rd. in south Richmond just off Huguenot Road. For further information on the program, please telephone the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies at (804)289-8434.

Also transcribed in the issue is a rare document entitled “Help for the Churches: A brief Treatise on the form and discipline of a Gospel Church.” Written by an unknown author and dedicated to the churches of the Goshen Baptist Association, “Help for the Churches” was an early suggestion of church polity for Baptist churches. The manuscript only recently became known and was purchased for the collection of the Virginia Historical Society. E. Lee Shepard, director of manuscripts and archives at the Virginia Historical Society, prepared the document for publication and included an explanatory essay. It is believed that the polity statement dates from the times of the early beginnings of the Goshen, perhaps as early as the 1790s.

Fred Anderson, executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, has contributed an article entitled “Letters Between Friends” which incorporates fifty items of correspondence written by Jeremiah Bell Jeter and Daniel Witt across a span of the 1820s-1860s. The two men were pivotal figures in the life of Virginia Baptists in the 19th century. As young men in the early 1820s, they served as the first state missionaries of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. They rose in prominence and were involved in many of the Baptist organizations of the period. Their friendship began as they traveled as missionaries for two years and they maintained a steady correspondence throughout the balance of their lifetimes. The letters include references to personal matters, business concerns, “the Baptist wars” over Landmarkism, and the Civil War.

Copies of the Register will be sent to annual members of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. Copies also are available for $6 plus $2 for postage and handling and can be ordered from VBHS, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173 or telephone (804)289-8434.

Two New Resources Now Available!

God’s Stories

An Illustrated History of Virginia Baptists

God’s Stories, a new history of Virginia Baptists to be released November 13, is a history book with a difference which covers 300 years of Baptist history in Virginia through beautiful illustrations created by artist Sidney E. King and through a text of stories and history written by Fred Anderson. Over a five-year period Sidney E. King painted scenes for the Virginia Baptist History Mural which graces the Heritage Gallery of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society’s headquarters at the University of Richmond. The paintings and the text bring to life the stories of how God moves among the people known as the Baptists of Virginia.

God’s Stories is available for $35. With over 250 pages of text and the 36 King paintings in full color, this oversized book is not only a great value but a tremendous teaching resource for families and churches. Please add $3 for shipping and handling.

In addition, a 40-page children’s resource also has been created which includes an additional 12 images from graphic illustrator Jonathan Koelsch. Through the text provided by Fred Anderson, children will be captivated by inspirational stories, engaged in active learning and immersed in Baptist heritage. God’s Stories for Children is available for $5 for a single copy and compliments the 250+ page resource, God’s Stories: An Illustrated History of Baptists in Virginia. Please add $2 for shipping and handling. The children’s publication also will be released on November 13.

Note: Children’s ministers and teachers will want to secure multiple copies at the reduced rate of $3 each. Shipping and handling charges will be included on the invoice. The following pricing structure is available for God’s Stories for Children:

• 1 copy is $5 plus $2 S&H
• 2-24 copies is $3 each plus S&H
• 25+ copies is $2 each plus S&H

Please secure copies of these two beautifully illustrated resources for your church or family by contacting the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173. You may also contact via telephone at 804-289-8434.

Single Issues of God's Stories for Children: