1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

 CHURCH PROFILE Prepared by the Senior Minister Search Group 2014 MYERS PARK BAPTIST CHURCH 1900 Queens Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28207 704.334.7232 www.mpbconline.org 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION............................................................................... 4 OUR COVENANT AND CORE VALUES ........................................... 5 WHO WE ARE................................................................................. 6 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MYERS PARK BAPTIST CHURCH............ 7 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS .................................................................... 9 WORSHIP .......................................................................................10 MUSIC.............................................................................................11 FAITH FORMATION AND EDUCATION .......................................12 OUTREACH ....................................................................................13 MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS ...........................................14 CHALLENGES .................................................................................15 JESUS THE CHRIST IN THE 21ST CENTURY (“J21”).................16 STANDING UP FOR BELIEFS AND VALUES ................................17 GOVERNANCE................................................................................18 PHYSICAL FACILITIES ..................................................................19 HOW OTHERS SEE US .................................................................20 BUDGET ......................................................................................... 21 STEWARDSHP AND FINANCE ...................................................... 22 THE CORNWELL CENTER............................................................23 CHURCH SURVEY ..........................................................................24 CHARLOTTE...................................................................................26 THE BOARD OF DEACONS 2013‐2014 ...................................27 STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION ................................................... 27 THE SEARCH GROUP .................................................................... 28 3 INTRODUCTION Myers Park Baptist Church is an ecumenical congregation in the Baptist tradition with 2,196 total members on the rolls, including about 1,200 active members currently living in the Charlotte area. The church is located on eight oak‐shaded acres in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ours is a prosperous, modern city and region of 2.3 million that is one of the great success stories of the New South. Myers Park Baptist Church was founded in 1943 by a visionary group of families that shared a dream: to build a church that preached the gospel and reflected the spirit of religious freedom rooted in the Baptist tradition. They also envisioned a place where people would have the right to interpret scripture for themselves and where congregants could serve as priests to one another. The cornerstones of our ministry have always been a free pulpit, thoughtful education, an extensive local and national outreach ministry, and worship that is beautiful and draws upon the historic traditions of the church. In the words of our first senior minister, Dr. George Heaton, “A free pulpit is the very essence of religious and political democracy . . . A free pulpit means encouragement to break new trails in thought and action; a free pulpit is a great bulwark against tyranny.” For more than 70 years, we've built a reputation as a place where members are encouraged to ask questions, debate issues and seek truth. The church has flourished under the leadership of strong senior ministers, strong lay leadership and high‐quality staff. Our doors are open to all who wish to follow Jesus on a journey of faith. Myers Park Baptist is a healthy church in the midst of transitions − from one senior minister to another; from an aging congregation to one rich in younger members and families; from a haven for progressive Baptists to a home for members from many denominational and faith backgrounds. The church is seeking a strong preacher and a vigorous leader who, as Senior Minister, will work with the congregation to build on the church’s progressive tradition as embodied in its open and inquiring approach to theology, its dedication to Christian education and its commitment to taking care of people in need. The following pages provide a profile of our church’s history, its facilities, budget and staff, its programs and the city that is its home. You will read what our members think of our church, and how others see us. And in these pages you will see the challenges and opportunities awaiting our new Senior Minister, only the sixth in our 71‐year history. We are people on a journey of faith. With prayers that we will find God’s will for our future, we are looking for the right man or woman to become our Senior Minister and experience that exciting journey as a part of our spirited, challenging, sometimes contentious, always dedicated community of faith. 4 OUR COVENANT AND CORE VALUES THE COVENANT We, the members of the Myers Park Baptist Church, are a people on a journey of faith. By God's grace we are experiencing God's love through Jesus Christ and the community of the faithful. We are discovering in this experience our freedom to become new creatures and our responsibility to be faithful stewards of our lives and of this world. We will be open to all new light, strengthened by God and each other in our faith. We will sustain a critical examination of Scripture, belief and ritual as interpreters of God's active presence in the world. We will accept controversy as a reality of life together and an opportunity for growth toward maturity. We covenant to be a community of God's new creation and affirm that we are open to all and closed to none. We covenant together to nurture this church as a community of faith and as an instrument for reconciliation in the world: by worship, by Christian education, by the dedication of our personal and material resources, and by all the other ways we express the significance of our lives with God and one another. We covenant together to be priests celebrating God's presence in community and in the world, believing we are participants in God's kingdom on earth. Adopted January 11, 1981; amended October 13, 2002 THE CORE VALUES • Connectedness as a Community of Faith • Intentional Worship • Inclusiveness • Growth and Learning • Making a Difference Adopted Fall 2008 as part of the church’s Holy Conversations discernment work. 5 Our covenant declares, ‘We will be open to all new light, strengthened by God and each other in our faith.’ Whether that new light is generated through companionship, intellectual challenge, or wholehearted wisdom, the journey of faith is a vital, vibrant, spirited ― anything but stagnant ― process at MPBC. ― Carol Reid WHO WE ARE In January of 2014, the Senior Minister Search Group conducted a congregation‐wide survey to help discern members’ hopes, dreams and aspirations for the new senior minister and the future of the church. 455 individuals participated. The data below represent a sampling of the demographic information about the congregation gathered as part of that survey. See page 23 for more results. FAITH BACKGROUND (Respondents chose “all that apply,” so percentages add to >100.) American Baptist 32%
Southern Baptist 31%
Methodist 18%
Presbyterian 18%
Episcopalian 10%
Catholic 9%
Spiritual/not religious 5%
United Church of Christ 4%
Unitarian/Universalist 2%
Lutheran 2%
Quaker 1%
Other Christian denominations 10%
Other world faiths (Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, etc.) 3%
TIME AT MPBC Less than 5 years 22%
6‐10 years 18%
11‐20 years 22%
More than 20 years 37%
AGE Under 35 7%
36‐45 12%
46‐55 19%
56‐65 25%
Over 65 37%
EDUCATION High School 1%
Some college 5%
Associate’s degree 3%
Bachelor’s degree 37%
Graduate/professional degree 53%
6 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MYERS PARK BAPTIST CHURCH World War II had just begun, throwing the world into uncertainty. Yet twelve Baptist laymen, all members of thriving local Baptist churches, met on a Sunday afternoon in 1942 at the Charlotte YMCA to discuss the need for a Baptist congregation in Myers Park. Each wrote a $10 check to start a church treasury. The new church held its organizational meeting at Queens College, a Presbyterian liberal arts school, on January 17, 1943, and proclaimed, “We do … constitute ourselves a Missionary Baptist Church.” Worship began February 7, 1943, at Queens. A stellar lineup of preachers gave the new church a strong ecumenical send‐off: the presidents of Queens, Davidson and Coker Colleges and a faculty member from Wake Forest College. The congregation set out the following goals: • We are going to build a Baptist church that will be in full fellowship with all other Baptist churches. • We intend to exercise the inherent freedom of the Baptist position … to more effectively and more adequately meet the need of our … contemporary generation. • We intend to build a Baptist church which will cause young and old, however cultured, learned or sensitive, to be proud of their membership in a Baptist church. • We intend to build a Baptist church which will belong to the people, and which will never … deteriorate into a privileged social group. • We intend to … send out into … Christendom spiritually powerful lay leaders who will … understand the breadth … of the Christian faith. The church called its first minister in August 1943, Dr. George D. Heaton of Lynchburg, Virginia. By 1948 the church had grown to 877 members who contributed almost $200,000 to the budget and building fund. In 1952‐3 the congregation moved into its present sanctuary and the first education building. Both buildings were debt‐free when completed. When Heaton left in 1957, after 14 years as Senior Minister, his successor was a Tennessean turned Texan, Dr. Carlyle Marney. Marney preached radical Christian humanism in colorful, unmistakable language. Many came to hear his preaching, others left because of it. In 1965, Marney preached a Christmas Eve service on live nationwide television for CBS. During the ’60s he campaigned in the church, the community and in Washington for racial integration. Marney suffered a heart attack in 1966 and resigned the following year. The church found Marney’s successor, Dr. R. Eugene Owens, in Switzerland, where he was teaching in a Baptist seminary. Owens grew up in coastal North Carolina, graduated from Wake Forest College and earned a doctorate at Union Theological Seminary in New York. 7 Owens tested the church’s commitment to a free pulpit. During one morning worship service, he invited the congregation to sign a petition opposing the death penalty. Owens supported county‐wide busing to integrate local schools. And during the Vietnam era, he announced Myers Park would toll its bells to show opposition to the war. Some deacons objected, but the point proved moot, as the bells in the steeple weren’t working anyway. During the 1970s, the first women were elected to the board of deacons, and Dr. Bonnie Cone, founder of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was the first woman elected to chair the board of deacons. The church also opened its facilities for use by a new Jewish congregation. In 1993 Owens retired, and the next year, the Rev. John T. Walsh became the fourth senior minister. Walsh worked to reaffirm the church’s relationship with Temple Beth El, and spoke out when the Southern Baptist Convention called for efforts to convert Jews. Walsh resigned in 1997 to become the chaplain at the University of Redlands in California. The same year, longtime member W.D. Cornwell died, and his family — the Cornwells and the Spanglers — announced a gift of up to $5 million to build a family life center on the church grounds as a memorial. The Cornwell Center opened in 2003 (see page 23). In 1998, under Minister of Education Rev. Dr. William L. Dols’ direction, the church launched a program called “Jesus the Christ at the Millennium,” inviting the congregation and the area’s religious community to an annual weekend study and lecture series. It began with Marcus Borg, author of Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. The series has continued as the “Jesus the Christ in the 21st Century” lecture series (see page 16), also known as “J21.” In 2000, Dr. H. Stephen Shoemaker came to MPBC as the church’s fifth senior minister. Shoemaker grew up in Charlotte, studied at Union Theological Seminary and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and had held pastorates at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. During his 13 years as senior minister at MPBC, Shoemaker encouraged the congregation to embrace the particularity of its own faith, even as it reached out to people of other faiths around the world. After the 9/11 attacks, he reached out to bring Muslims, Jews and Christians together for interfaith services and community building. He was instrumental in leading the church to discern a new vision and new opportunities for the future through a process called Holy Conversations, and also encouraged lay leadership in a complete reworking of the church’s approach to governance. In the community, Shoemaker was a constant voice for society’s marginalized and dispossessed. He led the church’s response to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s action to sever its relationship with the church over MPBC’s policy of openness to LGBT people, and also led the church’s protest against North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which limits marriage to heterosexual couples. Shoemaker resigned in February of 2013. 8 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS 1942 Myers Park Baptist Church is founded by 12 Baptist laymen. An organizational meeting is held at Queens College. 154 congregants sign the Charter Member Scroll. 1943 The first Covenant is adopted. Dr. George D. Heaton begins his ministry using as the title of his first sermon “He Whom A Dream Hath Possessed.” 1944 The Scruggs family donates a new Aeolian‐Skinner organ. 1951 The sanctuary is completed debt‐free. 1957 Dr. Heaton resigns. 1958 Dr. Carlyle Marney installed as second senior minister of MPBC. 1962 The new education building is completed. I have found MPBC to be a place of intellectual and 1965 The Board of Deacons declares membership in emotional nurture for me; MPBC “is open to all men and closed to none.” CBS always encouraging me to televises Dr. Marney’s Christmas Eve sermon. wrestle and grow beyond my 1967 Dr. Marney resigns. The Mecklenburg Baptist shortfalls and challenges by Association excludes MPBC for accepting members offering many opportunities who have not been baptized by immersion. for leadership development 1968 MPBC calls Dr. Raymond Eugene “Gene” Owens to and personal growth. I will be be its third senior minister. forever grateful for having 1970 Women are first elected deacons. grown up in such an open and 1972 The MPBC Endowment Fund is established. accepting theological 1974 Dr. Bonnie Cone is the first woman elected chair of environment. the Board of Deacons. ― Fran Morrison 1979 The Rev. Carter Heyward, an open lesbian, is asked to speak at MPBC by the Women of the Church. 1983 MPBC celebrates its 40th anniversary with Charles Kuralt (former MPBC member) as guest speaker. 1984 MPBC and Christ Episcopal Church begin planning Southminster retirement center. 1986 In The Beauty of Holiness, a book on worship at MPBC by Jim Berry, is published. 1988 The Hymnal Task Force is appointed to find or develop a new hymnal for the church. 1992 MPBC celebrates its fiftieth year. Dr. Heaton returns to preach. Dr. Owens resigns as senior minister. 1994 The Reverend John T. Walsh is called by the congregation. 1997 By A Dream Possessed, the history of MPBC, goes to press. Rev. Walsh resigns. 1998 MPBC splits with Southern Baptist Convention over the issue of women ministers. 2000 Dr. H. Stephen Shoemaker is called as MPBC’s fifth senior minister. 2003 The Cornwell Center, a family life and fitness center, opens. God’s Garden, a new program for elementary‐age Sunday school, begins. 2006 Church begins to explore future direction as part of “Holy Conversations.” 2007 The N.C. Baptist Convention breaks ties with MPBC for affirming LGBT people. 2010 Adult education programs are re‐envisioned as “Faith Formation,” and a new ministry of “Connections” small groups is begun. 2012 MPBC revamps its governance approach, discarding the old committee structure in favor of ministries that emphasize the sacred nature of the work of the church. 2013 Dr. Shoemaker resigns as senior minister. 2014 MPBC joins other churches and community partners as a sponsor of Pinewood Elementary School as a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School. 9 WORSHIP Worship at Myers Park Baptist Church consists of a wide range of worship activities and styles, including our 11:00 a.m. formal Sunday Service; prayer services; informal campfire and retreat services; special services such as Ash Wednesday and the Maundy Thursday service of diminishing light; and, high celebratory services (Christmas, Palm Sunday, Easter and Founders’ Sunday). In our Free Church tradition, we have the flexibility to choose our own form for worship. For In developing our ‘format’ for our primary Sunday morning service, we historically have worship, we take seriously elected to follow worship traditions used through the ages by how Kierkegaard described the act. He saw the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, congregation on stage, being Methodist and Presbyterian churches (unlike those of most the actors and actually ‘doing’ American or Southern Baptist churches). The service has three the worship, while the parts: Preparation for Worship, consisting of assembling in silent ministers are in the wings as prayer, Call to Worship, Opening Sentences, The Processional, prompters with God himself Confession and Assurance of Pardon; Encountering The Word, being the audience. Thus, our consisting of Scripture lessons, a sermon hymn, the Sermon and intention is to bring each time for reflection; and Response to the Calling of the Spirit, person into the activity of consisting of Morning Prayers, the Offering, Personal Dedication, worship as much as possible. the Doxology, the Prayer of Dedication, and the Procession into ‐ from The Worship of the World for Service. God at Myers Park Baptist Church, by James Traditionally Myers Park Baptist Church has honored the flow of A. Berry, Minister of The Christian Year as our basis for planning services, including Music at MPBC 1958‐
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Eastertide and Pentecost. We 1983 keep a symbolic correlation between our Order of Worship and the flow of the Christian year, and we use symbolic colors on the altar, the pulpit, the lectern and ministers’ stoles to remind us of the time of year we are celebrating. We worship in a beautiful sanctuary, the architecture of which makes its own profound theological statement. Even so, we constantly are reminded of the tension between the beauty of the place in which we worship and the ever‐present call to respond to the poor and those in need in the world. 10 MUSIC Throughout our history, the church has had a deep sense of connection to the historical music of the Church, as well as to more contemporary compositions. The mission of the music Our choirs sing Gregorian and Anglican chant, psalms, motets, ministry of Myers Park Baptist anthems, master choruses, hymn‐based compositions and Church is to deepen the spirituals within the context of worship. The great classical worship experience, to literature for organ is played on the church’s magnificent Aeolian‐
educate, and to inspire Skinner organ. Piano is also used, not only as an accompanying participation that opens instrument for choral works, but as a solo instrument to enhance people to God, both in church the worship experience. We frequently host guest singers and and in the larger community. musicians from the broader Charlotte community, as well as ‐ Mission statement of the instrumentalists from within our own congregation, to deepen the Ministry of Music richness of our musical worship experience. Music is an integral part of our worship and our educational programs. The church has a comprehensive choral music program encompassing all ages from the youngest toddler to the oldest senior member of our Chancel Choir. Our music staff is highly skilled and committed to offering the highest quality musical training, resources and musical selections for all our choirs. 11 FAITH FORMATION AND EDUCATION Myers Park Baptist Church cultivates lifelong spiritual growth opportunities that serve people throughout their lives, including adults, children and youth. We are a people on a journey of faith. Not everyone starts the spiritual journey at the same place or in the same way. Our rich and varied learning pathways are designed to nourish people in body, mind and spirit, so that every person can be communally formed, theologically informed and spiritually transformed. SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAM Sunday classes and other gatherings through the week are age‐graded as well as intergenerational. Preschool and elementary children are present for a portion of the worship service before moving to classrooms and playground for age appropriate activities. The Sunday school program for elementary age children, God’s Garden, teaches traditional Bible lessons in rotations through classes focused on art, drama, film, cooking, games and technology. The Youth Group meets for Sunday school, as well as Sunday evening fellowship, and goes on several retreats throughout the year for fellowship, mission work and Youth Choir. Twelve Sunday morning classes for adults include Explorers, Bible Workbench, Faith and Arts Connections and the Landing Spot When we think about making for Parents. a financial commitment to the church, we think about all CONNECTIONS the many ways we are “Connections” is the name for MPBC's small group experiences blessed by Myers Park designed to help adults connect with God and one another. Baptist Church – this Connections small group ministries offer a wealth of community gives us a church interesting topics and activities that serve to deepen members’ home for our children… mind spiritual experience and build fellowship. Group activities are opening theological debates developed and run by laypeople for six weeks in the fall and at sermon talk‐back…dear the spring. Thirty offerings in spring 2014 include everything friendships and playmates for from Theology Pub and The Poetry Pew to Buechner 101 and our kids…our elder disciples… Challenging Charity. spring daffodils and cool fall days walking the labyrinth… THROUGH­THE­WEEK SCHOOL worshipful, masterful music… MPBC’s Through‐the‐Week School creates a nurturing hands‐on missions… and environment for toddlers through transitional kindergartners tireless staff working to and serves member and non‐member families. TTWS’s motto enrich our spirituality. – Beth Haenni is "We play to learn!" Through planned activities, children master the skills that precede reading, writing and math competence. Since it began in 1955 in an experiential environment, loving teachers have nurtured all aspects of each child’s development. The school adheres to the standards recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for preschool programs. 12 OUTREACH Outreach is an essential and natural part of the tapestry of ministry at Myers Park Baptist Church. As a community, we are drawn to service and to live out our commission, to be the hands and feet of God. Recognizing the importance of both giving and receiving, we pour back into our community the gifts we have received. Our vision is to provide opportunities for every member to become involved in outreach. MPBC and its members support and/or serve through many programs and external agencies. We host several intergenerational outreach activities to encourage fellowship inside and outside the congregation. From hosting homeless neighbors overnight on the very first night that Charlotte’s Room in the Inn program started in 1996 to partnering with Pinewood Elementary School to host a Freedom School starting this summer, outreach has always been a high priority of Myers Park Baptist Church. Some of our outreach partnerships include: Shelter, Homelessness, Affordable Housing, and Supportive Housing Outreach Partnerships $ Room in the Inn $ Urban Ministry Center $ Supportive Housing Communities $ Uptown Men’s Shelter $ Samaritan House $ Charlotte Family Housing Hunger Outreach Partnerships $ Loaves and Fishes $ Uptown Men’s Shelter Meals $ St. Peter’s Soup Kitchen $ Stop Hunger Now! $ Friendship Trays Educational Outreach Partnerships $ Freedom School at Pinewood Elementary School $ Sedgefield Middle School Health and Wellness Outreach Partnerships $ Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) $ NC MedAssist $ Charlotte Community Health Clinic Community Investment $ AIDS Walk $ CROP Walk $ Lakewood neighborhood partnership & Lakewood Preschool $ Crisis Assistance Ministry $ Annual Saturday of Service Environment $ EarthKeepers $ Friendship Gardens Community Support and Outreach $ LGBT Fellowship $ Missionary Roundtable $ Thursday Prayer Group 13 MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS Myers Park Baptist Church is affiliated with the following religious organizations: • American Baptist Churches ­ USA • Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists • Alliance of Baptists • Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America • North Carolina Council of Churches • Mecklenburg Ministries 14 CHALLENGES As we search for a new Senior Minister, we view this time of transition as an opportunity to look with fresh eyes at the challenges our church faces as we work together to address them. The congregation is aging, with more members over 60 than under 40. Myers Park, once a fast‐growing suburb on the edge of Charlotte, is now an affluent in‐town neighborhood far from the city’s new areas of rapid suburban growth. While the church’s many excellent worship opportunities, programs and facilities attract new families and younger members, we are aware of the need to do more on this front to achieve a healthier and more sustainable demographic mix in our congregation for the future. Programming for young adults, singles and younger couples without children are areas in need of development, as are programs to fully integrate new members into the life of the church, and help them strengthen their commitment. While founded by prominent and affluent families, many of the children of these families no longer attend our church. Moreover, our new members tend not to be as affluent as the older generation they are replacing. This has created challenges for our annual budget campaign as well as long term fundraising projects. We were given as a memorial gift a new family life center, The Cornwell Center (see page 23), which opened in 2003, and provides expansive programs for the congregation and the larger community, especially younger families. Since Myers Park Baptist was founded more than 70 years ago, it has been a haven for Baptists dissatisfied with Southern Baptist rigidity. While to most of our members the word “Baptist” signifies Our household has made a the autonomy of the local church and the priesthood of the deliberate decision to do our believer — the theological underpinnings of our commitment to most Generous Living at Myers Park Baptist Church. At every free inquiry and progressive policies — we know that many stage of our lives in Charlotte we potential members associate the denomination with theological have taken advantage of the fundamentalism and narrow‐mindedness. We seek to counter that church’s offerings. The act of presumption with all of our communication to the community befriending the people with about who we are and how we live as a body of faith. whom we pray each Sunday adds richness and texture to our lives. We are seeking a leader who, from the pulpit and in working with the staff and congregation, can help us re‐energize our existing I want this church to be as alive, membership and appeal to new members from around the strong, and vibrant when my Charlotte community. We seek a partner who will help us make the children have children as it was next seventy years of our journey of faith as inspiring and when its Founders opened her rewarding as the first seventy. doors after World War II. Our founders left us a legacy. It is our responsibility, and our honor, to be her generous stewards. ― Jeff Trenning 15 JESUS THE CHRIST IN THE 21ST CENTURY (“J21”) What then‐Minister of Education, Rev. Dr. William Dols and two laypeople began in 1998 as the Jesus the Christ at the Millennium lectures, has since become the Jesus the Christ in the 21st Century lecture series, or J21 for short. Initially focused on the work of the Jesus Seminar to explore the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, the series has expanded to explore a wide range of issues and perspectives related to individual and community faith formation. The series is produced annually by a servant leadership group of laypeople, working together with the church’s Minister of Faith Formation. The series’ goal is to offer access to the best of contemporary Jesus scholars, Christian theologians and other spiritual teachers to members of MPBC, as well as to any and all from around the region who are interested. This weekend event helps deepen our understanding of the role that faith, worship and works play in our lives and in our spiritual journeys as individuals, as members of MPBC and of the broader community. The event also is a way for MPBC to expose and attract newcomers to MPBC, creating opportunities for us to grow our community. In October 2014, MPBC is very pleased that we will be joined by Barbara Brown Taylor, the Butman Professor of Religion at Piedmont College in Demerest, Georgia. Rev. Taylor is an American Episcopal priest and theologian, and the author of 12 books, including the New York Times best‐seller An Altar in the World. Previous guest lecturers include: • Marcus Borg • Cynthia Bourgeault • Harvey Cox • John Dominic Crossan • Bart Ehrman • Roger Haight • Stanley Hauerwas • William Herzog II • Serene Jones • Amy­Jill Levine • Brian McLaren • Elaine Pagels • Stephen Patterson • Georg Retzlaff • Richard Rohr • John Shelby Spong • Walter Wink • N.T. Wright 16 STANDING UP FOR BELIEFS AND VALUES SEPARATION FROM THE MECKLENBURG BAPTIST ASSOCIATION During the Heaton era, the church became embroiled in a controversy over whether baptism by immersion was mandatory. Heaton favored a policy open to all types of baptism; the deacons disagreed. Heaton wrote to the congregation, “This is not the first time people and minister have disagreed. I am not here as your minister to tell you things you would like to hear.” With a free pulpit, the minister could speak his mind without fear for his job, but members also offered spirited retorts. Over time, Heaton’s view prevailed. The church’s policy upset the county Baptist association. In 1968, the association voted to restrict its membership to churches that required baptism by immersion, effectively ousting Myers Park unless it complied. Instead, the congregation formally adopted a policy statement that began, “There is no rite or ceremony the inclusion of which can make a confessor eligible or ineligible for membership in the Church of Christ....” SEPARATION FROM THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION On March 4, 1998, the congregation, acknowledging its irreconcilable differences with the Southern Baptist Convention, terminated its relationships with the SBC. THE RESOLUTION Acknowledging that in recent years the Myers Park Baptist Church and the Southern Baptist Convention have walked divergent paths, we of the Myers Park Baptist Church disassociate ourselves with the SBC in order to hold with integrity the historic Baptist principles and our church covenant. We celebrate: • The pivotal Baptist belief in religious liberty set forth by English separatists and Roger Williams in seventeenth century New England; • The priesthood of all believers; • The dignity of all human beings; • The separation of church and state; • The autonomy of the local church; • The pursuit of thoughtful inquiry and tolerance, accepting controversy; • The knowledge that the Holy Spirit calls men and women equally to ministry and belief; • That the Holy Spirit affirms diversity within the full body of the church. We also affirm and celebrate our Baptist name and roots, as well as the right and responsibility of this church to act with integrity in matters of belief and conscience. SEPARATION FROM THE BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION OF NORTH CAROLINA On Tuesday, November 13, 2007, the N.C. Baptist Convention voted to sustain the November 12 ruling of their executive committee that Myers Park Baptist Church no longer be considered in friendly co‐
operation with the Convention, primarily because MPBC (along with other NC churches) is welcoming and affirming to LGBT people. These actions came after church leaders spoke to the officers of the convention and to the convention itself. 17 GOVERNANCE In the fall of 2011, a Governance Task Force recommended, and the Board of Deacons accepted, a new governance structure for the church. The new structure better reflects our nature as a spiritual organization rather than a business organization. Some of the goals of the changes were to encourage member involvement, provide transparency, have our Deacons focus on strategic instead of operational issues, and create a stronger link among the various ministries and the Board of Deacons. We created a Strategic Planning Council, which reports to the Board of Deacons, to oversee our ongoing strategic planning process as well as guide the Deacons as they focus on church strategic issues. We formed an Operating Council to handle the day‐to‐day operating business of the church − some of which was formerly handled by the Deacons. We are two years into our new governing structure and it is working as intended: Our church is more focused on the important strategic and spiritual issues that face us today. Major functions of the church are now implemented by the following ministries, which are chaired and populated primarily by lay leaders: • Community Life • Congregational Care • Faith Formation • Financial Resources • Human Resources • Leadership 18 • Outreach • Property and Grounds • Worship and Music PHYSICAL FACILITIES Myers Park Baptist Church is located in the Myers Park area of Charlotte, two miles southeast of the central business district. The Efird family donated the first three and one‐half acres in 1943. The sanctuary was built and occupied in 1952. Additional buildings occupied in 1953 and 1962 increased the size of the facilities to approximately 126,000 square feet. A 30,000 square What will happen to our faith foot family life center, the Cornwell Center, opened in 2003 at a when we worship in our new construction cost of $5 million. All the church’s buildings and sanctuary? Will our fighting faith facilities have been debt‐free from the time they opened. soften into the fatuous futility of those who worship in beauty and The sanctuary seats 969 and the adjacent chapel, which seats 36, quiet? I pray God that our contains our baptismal facilities. The church provides offices and sanctuary will always lead us to meeting space for a variety of congregational and community greater dreams. It must not activities. The education building is the home of our Through‐the‐
become a place of hiding; it must Week School for toddlers through transitional kindergarten be a place where heroes refresh children. themselves for struggle. ‐ Dr. George Heaton, from his The church properties have an insured value of approximately d value of approximately September 16, 1951 sermon $18.2 million. They are maintained by funds in the annual budget $18.2 million. They are maintained by funds in the annual budget and by a special fund in the church endowment. and by a special fund in the church endowment. 19 HOW OTHERS SEE US THE REVEREND CHIP EDENS, Rector, Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte “Myers Park Baptist Church is known for its prophetic voice in the Charlotte community and the greater Christian communities. It has taken a stand to embrace all people and is known for the role it has played in inter‐religious conversation. MPBC is also known for the role it has played in matters of charity and justice for the poor and vulnerable in our city.” DALE MULLINIX, Founder and Executive Director, Urban Ministry Center “From its founding, Myers Park Baptist declared its intention to be open to all and closed to none. Like all affirmations of faith, this commitment to openness has stretched the congregation in ways it never could have predicted, yet it has sought to remain true to this calling. The result has been the formation of a church of seekers, searchers, pilgrims and a few spiritual refugees. What they all share is a refusal to settle for a way of believing that focuses on the trivial and neglects the essential, or that expects an unblemished record of believing and the avoidance of independent thinking.” JUDY SCHINDLER, Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth­El “Myers Park Baptist Church and Temple Beth El were born two days apart in January of 1943 – fraternal twins born to Abraham and Sara who took different paths but share common values. We rely on MPBC to be a steadfast partner in interfaith dialogue and a courageous voice for social justice. Dr. Heaton’s first sermon at MPBC, ‘He Whom a Dream Hath Possessed,’ was prophetic − for the members of MPBC have dreamt and achieved so much. They now seek a pastor who will inspire their congregants anew, and who will engage the community when necessary to call for change. We are excited for a new MPBC pastor to come and help make our big dreams for the church and the world a reality.” THE REVEREND JOHN CLEGHORN, Pastor, Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church “Myers Park Baptist has been a ready and reliable voice for love and justice in Charlotte for decades. Its members take seriously the words from the prophet Jeremiah that we are all to ‘seek the welfare of the city.’ As Christ commanded, the saints there worship God with all of their ‘heart, soul, strength and mind’ and their neighbors as themselves.” DR. RODNEY SADLER, Associate Professor of Bible, Union Presbyterian Seminary “Myers Park Baptist Church is a Charlotte institution that has for years served as a beacon for progressive thought. I was pleased to serve on a panel sponsored by MPBC and Temple Beth‐El in which we discussed the intersection of religion and politics with elected officials, pastors and scholars brought together despite their differences; few congregations would sponsor such potentially volatile events. MPBC is one of the leading congregations in this city, introducing Charlotte to an active and engaging vision of God and the Christian faith.” DANNY TRAPP, Executive Director, Mecklenburg Ministries “Myers Park Baptist has been at the forefront of engagement where faith and society intersect in Charlotte. I have been especially grateful for the Jesus the Christ in the 21st Century series, the wonderful example set through its partnership with Temple Beth‐El and its vital role in helping to start and sustain Charlotte’s interfaith network, Mecklenburg Ministries. Through these examples of faithfulness of mind and cross‐faith interaction and dialogue, Myers Park Baptist is a community of believers that truly ‘gets it.’” 20 BUDGET Revenue Pledge and non‐pledge contributions, prior year pledges, use of facilities, interest income Loose Plate Offerings 5‐in‐1 Offerings Rice Bowl Offerings Other items Total Revenue 2012 Actual 1,938,018
2013 Actual 1,901,238 2014 Budget 1,903,250
35,763
34,208
8,953
5,482
30,344 22,018 8,846 67,211 2,029,655 32,000
24,000
10,000
20,000
2,022,424
1,989,250
Expenses Salaries and Benefits Outreach Loose Plate Offerings 5‐in‐1 Offerings Rice Bowl Offerings Operation Budget Contribution Total Missions/Outreach Community Life Congregational Care Faith Formation Worship and Music Administration Property and Grounds Utilities Food Service Other Total Program Expenses Total Expenses 1,317,739
35,763
34,208
8,893
128,312
207,176
7,560
2,967
48,532
33,889
158,554
100,400
124,992
2,710
14,241
493,835
2,018,750
21 1,318,985 30,344 22,018 8,846 119,061 180,269 6,436 2,069 43,181 34,344 170,545 104,457 140,042 4,409 24,918 530,401 2,029,655 1,293,050
32,000
24,000
10,000
105,300
171,300
4,000
2,600
43,300
35,000
170,000
100,000
140,000
2,000
28,000
524,900
1,989,250
STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE ANNUAL OPERATING CAMPAIGN Members of MPBC come from diverse spiritual backgrounds, yet we share a common vision to live our faith fully– no matter how that faith is expressed. For the ministries to thrive, it is essential for participants in the life of this church to feel called to support the work we do in God’s name. A monetary pledge, made annually by members of all ages through our Annual Operating Campaign, is one way we renew this commitment – to our church, to the world beyond our doors, and to one another. Such annual member pledges typically account for about 90% of the church’s annual operating budget. ENDOWMENT FUND In September of 1972, the congregation approved the establishment of the Myers Park Baptist Church Endowment Fund as a way to expand the ministry and help enrich the future of the church. The fund provides important support for the campus and grounds and creates new opportunities for mission outreach and ministry over and above the annual operating budget. It also enables the church to provide revenue to initiate new ministries and programs. The Endowment Fund provides a way for members to support areas of special interest through gifts, bequests and other forms of planned giving. Gifts of any size are welcomed into the Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund is divided into three targeted funds. The Cornwell Center Endowment Fund is for maintenance of the Cornwell Center. The General Endowment Fund is set aside for programs and missions of the church. The special funds, raised in capital campaigns, are set aside specifically for maintenance and upkeep of buildings and grounds. The total value of the church’s Endowment Funds was $5,194,362 at the end of 2013. About $209,975 from endowment income was available for disbursement during 2013. CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS Our campus is beautiful, and has been a gracious, stately presence in the heart of historic Myers Park for more than 70 years. There are times when standard maintenance and upkeep requirements cannot be met from the limited funds available from the Annual Operating Campaign. We have used capital campaigns to increase the church’s endowment. Disbursements from earmarked endowment funds raised in our 50th and 65th anniversary campaigns, and the Cornwell Center Endowment Fund, help us pay a portion of our annual maintenance expenses. Significant outreach projects have been undertaken with funds raised in capital campaigns. SPECIAL GIFTS Financial gifts to the church are not always limited to a particular campaign. Often individuals, or groups of donors, are inspired to fund a project or initiative on their own. Myers Park Baptist Church is blessed by the generosity of its members. 22 THE CORNWELL CENTER In 1997, upon the death of longtime MPBC member W.D. Cornwell, his family ― the Cornwells and the Spanglers ― announced a gift of up to $5 million to build a family life center on the church grounds to honor Mr. Cornwell and his wife Ilease. The gift has more recently been increased to include an endowment fund to cover maintenance and repair expenses of the facility. The Cornwell Center, which opened in 2003, includes a full‐size gymnasium, a variety of workout rooms, an indoor track and a computer lab. Programming for members and for the wider community includes youth gymnastics, sports classes for all ages, personal training, massage therapy, computer and photography skills, adult and youth pottery, painting and mosaics classes, family caregiver and CPR courses, after‐school programs and much more. 23 CHURCH SURVEY In the January 2014 congregation‐wide survey referred to on page six, we asked participants to rate the current quality of various aspects of our life together as a faith community, or the quality of specific church programs. We also asked participants to rate the characteristics they would most like to see in our new Senior Minister. The data below represent a sampling of the results. GENERAL QUALITIES OF THE CHURCH (top five and bottom five, score out of possible five points) Is ecumenical, drawing on other faith traditions 4.30
Offers opportunities for personal and spiritual growth 4.01
Offers opportunities for fellowship 3.93
Offers worship opportunities that have depth and meaning 3.85
Collaborates well with other churches 3.84
Handles conflict and controversy well 3.53
Attracts new members 3.40
Nurtures new leaders 3.26
Integrates new members well 3.15
Raises sufficient funds to meet church budget needs 2.98
QUALITIES OF MPBC PROGRAMS (top five and bottom five, score out of possible five points) Adult Choir 4.48
Through‐the‐Week School 4.41
Youth Choir 4.16
Preschool Education 4.12
Connections Groups 4.08
Youth Education and Fellowship 3.65
Adult Education 3.65
Fellowship/enrichment for older adults 3.30
Fellowship and retreats for adults 3.00
Programs for single adults 2.25
LIFE WITHIN OUR CONGREGATION (top five and bottom five, score out of possible five points) It is important that our church be a voice for justice in our community and 4.49
beyond There are many ways for a member to be involved in this church 4.26
This church exposes me to new ideas and experiences that deepen my faith 4.14
The staff does a good job supporting the church’s programs 4.12
Our church demonstrates strong commitment to the environment 4.11
I am as involved in our church as I want to be right now 3.69
This church helps youth and children feel spiritually connected and 3.64
develop their own understanding of God MPBC members give generous financial support for the church and its 3.23
ministries It is easy for members to find where they fit in at MPBC 3.11
I wish I were more involved in this church 3.03
24 EXPECTATIONS OF OUR NEXT SENIOR MINISTER (participants picked up to five) Strong, inspiring preacher Courageous voice for social justice Spiritual leader who generates passion and strong commitment Theologically compatible with the principles of our church covenant Visionary leader who offers innovative leadership and new ideas Ecumenical in orientation, with knowledge of, and appreciation for, other faiths Good communicator who works well with lay leaders and members Leader with good people skills Grounded and spiritually centered Keen intellectual curiosity and capability 25 79%
48%
41%
38%
34%
33%
32%
29%
28%
26%
CHARLOTTE From Wikipedia: Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2012, the Charlotte metropolitan area was 23rd largest in the U.S. and had a population of 2,296,569. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as “Charlotteans.” Charlotte is the second largest financial center by assets following New York City. Bank of America and the East Coast operations of Wells Fargo are headquartered in the city. Charlotte is also home of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association, the Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse, the Charlotte Knights AAA minor league baseball team, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Carowinds amusement park and the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Institutions of higher education in the city include the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Queens University, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson and Wales University, and a satellite campus of the Babcock School of Business at Wake Forest University. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte and its resident county received its name in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg‐Strelitz, who had become queen consort of Great Britain the year before the city's founding. A second nickname derives from the American Revolutionary War, when British commander General Cornwallis occupied the city but was driven out by hostile residents, prompting him to write that Charlotte was “a hornet's nest of rebellion,” leading to the nickname The Hornet's Nest. Charlotte is located several miles east of the Catawba River and southeast of Lake Norman, the largest man‐
made lake in North Carolina. Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller man‐made lakes located near the city. For more information on Charlotte, please visit: • Full Wikipedia article • Charlotte Chamber of Commerce • City of Charlotte government website 26 THE BOARD OF DEACONS 2013­2014 Bob Bishop Frank Deaton Todd Geer Allen Hull, Sr. CLASS OF 2014 Cliff Jarrett Maria Long Richard Pearsall Carol Reid Rick Bahnson Angie Byers Mack Clark Steve Cornwell CLASS OF 2015 Charley Faulkenberry Ophelia Garmon­Brown Charles Melvin Janet Miller Dale Allison Britt Canady George Currin Gene Doar CLASS OF 2016 Paul Hanneman Vicki Hunley Barbara Linney Lisa Rubenson Fred Allen Bonnie Banks Mollie Brugh Suzette Buchan Don Bynum Edith Collins Dick Cornwell Frank Dowd Gloria Gibson Skip Gribble Dean Hamrick LIFE DEACONS Robin Hicks Ed Hinson Tom Holmes Mary Kratt George Linney Jane Lucas Ted Lucas Bob Maccubbin Barbara Mishoe Ray Owens Todd Rubenson Kay Turner Nancy Walker Holly Hobson Wood Dave Dougherty Tommy Odom Ginny Sullivan Jeff Trenning Jeanne Steele Marji Tate Lynn Trenning Ed Williams Richard Pearsall Billy Pinson Bob Ruppenthal Dick Spangler Bob Thomason Tillie Tice Mack Turner Bill Walker Dan White John Wyatt STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION Reverend Dr. Everett C. Goodwin Reverend Joe Aldrich Sharon Bremer Reverend Robin Coira Reverend Dr. Jonathan Crutchfield Mariah Currin Reverend Sharon Doar Reverend Laura Gundel Cheri Lindblom Dr. Matthew Manwarren Reverend Barry Metzger Frances Morrison Deb Steiner Reverend Chrissy Williamson Open Interim Senior Minister Associate Minister Director of Stewardship Executive Minister Minister of Music Director of New Member Ministry Elementary Children’s Minister Interim Director of Early Childhood Ministry Director of Outreach Assistant Organist Church Administrator Associate Minister of Music Music Associate for Children Minister of Faith Formation Youth Minister Click here for full list of MPBC, Through‐the‐Week School and Cornwell Center staff.
27 THE SEARCH GROUP Our church commissioned the Senior Minster Search Group during late October, 2013, to begin the important work of calling the next senior minister to Myers Park Baptist Church. Our work began with the important foundational step of gathering input from our congregation. Through a church wide survey and a series of listening groups we have learned much about the hopes and dreams of our members and understand more about their priorities for our next senior minister. During the weeks following the survey and listening groups, we analyzed the congregation’s input, and have now begun to engage candidates. As we move forward with our search we are supported by the prayers of our congregation. In keeping with the words of our church covenant, we are striving to remain open to all new light, seeking to discern God’s will for us in the next phase on our shared journey of faith. For further information, please contact Skip Gribble, Myers Park Baptist Church Senior Minister Search Group Chair, at [email protected], or visit our website at www.mpbconline.org. Todd Rubenson Tobie Steele Skip Gribble, Chair
Dale Allison Tracy Eggleston Tillie Tice Janet Miller MaryAnn Largen Tara Harris