The 110th Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), Nov. 14-15, at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs (14613 N. May Ave), will feature important business, officer elections, powerful preaching and great music, fellowship, meetings and more.

Messengers to the 2016 Annual Meeting will elect a new BGCO president, vice president and second vice president. Various reports will be heard from Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, Baptist Collegiate Ministries and more.

The theme for the event, “Legacy of Faith,” is designed to bring focus to our shared effort as Oklahoma Baptists to share the Gospel with every person in the state.

Anthony L. Jordan, BGCO Executive Director-Treasurer, encouraged all 1,800-plus Oklahoma Southern Baptist churches to elect and send messengers to the annual meeting.

“These are not days for business as usual for the church,” said Jordan. “The state of Oklahoma is facing growing lostness, and people need to hear the saving Gospel.

“Those who participate in the annual meeting will be blessed. We are particularly honored to have (SBC president) Steve Gaines and other special guests on the program.”

Pastor Hance Dilbeck of Oklahoma City, Quail Springs, who is serving in his second one-year term as BGCO president, said the church is honored to host the important meeting.

“We are blessed by God here in Oklahoma to have so many great pastors and churches. The annual meeting is a great opportunity to connect with fellow Oklahoma Baptists, as together we seek to fulfill the Great Commission in this state and abroad,” said Dilbeck.

In addition to Gaines, pastor of Memphis, Tenn., Bellvue, other preachers on the program include Dilbeck, Jordan and Peteris Sproģis, bishop of the Latvian Baptist Union, with whom the BGCO has a missions partnership. The annual sermon will be delivered by Shane Hall, pastor of Del City, First Southern.

A full schedule of events will be published at www.bgco.org/annualmeeting and in a future edition of the Baptist Messenger.

/// How to elect Messengers to the Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the BGCO consists of messengers from cooperating churches, in accordance with the Convention’s constitutional requirements. Church members interested in becoming a messenger should contact their local church office for information on the appropriate process to be elected as a messenger.

Each cooperating church has the privilege of sending at least one representative from their church as a messenger to the Annual Meeting. The process is simply for the church, during a business session, to nominate and elect the appropriate number of people to serve as messengers from their church. Upon arrival at the Annual Meeting, the elected messengers must register at one of the two messenger registration desks. During registration, the messengers will be provided a packet of materials and ballots to use during the Annual Meeting business sessions. Only registered messengers have voting privileges.

/// Registration options

1) Messenger Cards

Messenger cards will be mailed to each church prior to the Annual Meeting. Messengers using the card system must present the messenger card at one of the Convention Registration desks. Messenger cards must be properly filled out and signed by the pastor or church clerk; otherwise, it will be necessary for the messenger to be certified by the Credentials Committee. Once registration is complete, the messenger will receive a messenger packet, which includes the program, name badge, ballots and additional information.

2) Online Pre-registration

Pre-registration will be available for your convenience. Information will be made available on the Annual Meeting website, www.bgco.org/annualmeeting. At the Annual Meeting, Nov. 14-15, there will be a separate check-in table for all pre-registered messengers. Once check-in is complete, the messenger will receive a messenger packet, which includes the program, name badge, ballots, and additional information.

For more information on becoming a messenger or questions related to the new online pre-registration process, please contact the BGCO Executive Office at 405/942-3800, ext. 4528.

Visit www.bgco.org/annualmeeting for more information.