Wake Forest To Host New Baptist Covenant Gathering

4 Regional Gatherings of the New Baptist Covenant have now been announced for 2009.

2009 marks the 400th Anniversary of Baptists.

Here they are:

1. Wake Forest University (April 24-25, Press Release, Southeast Region)

Wake Forest University School of Divinity will host the Southeast regional gathering of the New Baptist Covenant, April 24-25, 2009. Maya Angelou, Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest, will deliver the opening address and President Jimmy Carter will present the closing address. The theme of the conference is “This is God’s Year to Act: Responding to a Society in Crisis.” The conference is free and open to the public....A Friday evening dinner sponsored by Baptists Today magazine will honor James Dunn, Resident Professor of Christianity and Public Policy at the School of Divinity, with a lifetime achievement award.

2. Norman, Oklahoma (August 6-7, Press Release, Midwest Region)

The Steering Committee for the New Baptist Covenant Midwest Region is pleased to announce that the New Convention Center in Norman, Oklahoma has been selected for the first ever meeting of the Midwest Region of the New Baptist Covenant. The meeting will be held on August 6-7, 2009. Former President Jimmy Carter has agreed to speak at our meeting. We will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Baptist denomination.

3. Kansas City, KS (April 2-4, Press Release, Midwest Region)

In June representatives from Kansas City area Baptist groups, including the National Baptist Convention USA, the National Baptist Convention of America, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, American Baptist Churches USA, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Missouri, the General Baptist Convention, met for conversation about how to further the efforts begun by the New Baptist Covenant movement in Atlanta earlier this year. The New Baptist Covenant movement, initiated by former President Jimmy Carter, has encouraged regional groups to pursue similar efforts. As a result of the June conversation, the Baptist Border Crossing Network has been formed. A task force made up of representatives of the various Baptist groups is planning a Midwest regional gathering of the Baptist family. The Baptist Border Crossing event will be April 2-4, 2009, at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, Missouri. Participants from all Baptist groups in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, and Nebraska are invited to participate in this historic event.

Plenary speakers for the Baptist Border Crossing event include Tony Campolo, David Coffey, David Goatley, and Carolyn Ann Knight. The task force is pleased to announce that President Jimmy Carter will also participate in the event. Breakout Sessions will be led by facilitators from the various Baptist groups and will deal with issues such as poverty, peacemaking, religious liberty, and diversity.

4. Birmingham, Alabama (January 31, Press Release)

BIRMINGHAM - Birmingham will host a regional gathering of the New Baptist Covenant on Saturday, January 31^st, 2009. The event will be held at 16^th Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Former President Jimmy Carter will be present to teach a Bible study and provide a keynote address in the sanctuary of 16^th Street Baptist Church.

See also Brian Kaylor, "Regional New Baptist Covenant Meetings Planned," EthicsDaily.com.