1964 Sauthern Baptist Convention For Release: 10:35 A.M. Convention Hall, Atlantic City, N. J Thursday, May 21 W. C. Fields, Press Representative Theo Sommerkamp, Press Room Manager Annuity Board Report Retired Minis ter Allowed To Serve A new option allowing a retired minister to serve a church and still continue to get his retirement income from the Annuity Board was revealed in that agency's 1964 report to the Southern Baptist Convention. R. Altan Reed, executive secretary of the Annuity Board, located in Dallas, told SBC messengers a retired person now may choose to serve as interim, supply or tem- porary pastor under either a time or compensation option. Previously, a retired person could serve only on a time option. The new compensation option allows a retired minister to eaxn up to $1,500 during any 12-month period. His compensation may include cash salary, car expense, transportation, house rent, etc, , Reed said. The time option, initiated several years ago, remains the same. A person who retires at age 65 may serve a church for three months without affecting his retirement income. The time increases as follows: age 66, five months; 67, seven; 68, nine; 69, ten; 70, eleven; and 71 years or older, 12 months. "The Annuity Board approved the options so retired persons may continue to serve the denomination, especially in pioneer areas and continue to receive their age retirement annuity," Reed said. Reed, in his tenth annual report to the messengers, said the year 1963 was a I I highly successful year of operation: for the Board. More than $3-1/4 million was paid in retirement-widow-disability benefits to Bap tis t minis ters , church or denominational employees in 1963 through the ~oard' s protection program. This sum brought the total benefits paid out by the Board since its beginning to more than $43,650,000, Reed said. Funds held in trust for future payments rose to a record $119,546,779, some $14 million more than 1962. Reed pointed out that these funds grow rapidly because of the increasing number of persons that join the program. For example, be said, 3,067 persons joined the retirement: program in 1963, with 1,987 of thembcing ministers. At present, same 18,571 ministers are now in one of the protection plans, Reed said, By contrast, Reed said, the relief roll decreased to 722 persons from a high of 768 last year. These relief beneficiaries are old ministers or their widows who did not join the program. They were given $201,421, allocated through the Cooperative Program and adminis tered by the Annuity Board. The Variable Annuity Fund, a supplemental plan reached a new high of $1,203,963 in income from 1,064 members. The Fund closed 1963 with a unit value of $12,625, the highest in its four years of operation. Reed also reported that heart conditions continued to be a major cause of death of ministers. Heart diseases claimed almost 60 per cent with cancer running second with 16 per cent, Reed said. The Annuity Board is one of the four major boards of the Southern Baptist: Con- vention. Its purpose is to provide and to administer the retirement-widow-disability protection program for all ministers, churches and employees of the various state and SBC agencies, 2.. ..Annuity Board Report K. Alton Reed has been executive secretary of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention since 1955. Before assuming the post, he was the agency's associate secretary in charge of public relations. Reed, a native of Henderson, Tex,, was born June 4, 1906, Following his education at Baylor University, Waco, Tex., and at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the University of Louisville, he become chief announcer and continuity supervisor for KRZD in Dallas, a post he held for 3-1/2 years. Prepared by John D. Bloskas CONVENTION BULLETIN FORTY-FIRST VOLUME ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, MAY 21,1964 THIRD DAY BJA REGISTRATION OR THE LORD THY COD is a merciful Cod;) he will not forsake ~egistrationfor the Baptist Jubilee thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers Celebration began in Convention Hall which he sware unto them. For ask now of the days that are past, lobby Monday morning and will continue which were before thee, since the day that Cod created man upon the throughout the week from 9:00 a.m. to earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether 9:00 p.m. daily. The registration fee is there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard $4.00 for a single registration, $1.00 for like it?" (Deut. 4:31-32). each additional member of the family. This amount includes one copy of the 500-page 160th anniversary volume, PROCEEDINGS Eaptist Advance, for each single regis- SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION tration or each couple registering. Atlantic City, New Jersey May 19-22,1964 Suggested Order of Business Tuesday Night, May 19 12. First Vice-President Paul S. Southern Baptist Convention James and Mrs. James (N. Y.), Second 1. With President K. Owen White Vice President Mrs. R. L. Mathis (Ala.), May 19-22, 1964 (Texas) presiding the One Hundred Atlantic City, New Jersey Secretaries James W. Merritt (Ga.) Seventh Session (119th year) of the and Joe W. Burton (Tenn.), and Porter K. Owen White, President Southern Baptist Conventicn was called W. Routh (Tenn.), treasurer, were pre- Lee Roy Till, Director of Music to order at six forty-five o'clock In Con- sented. GENERAL THEME: "For Liberty and vention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 13. Lee Roy Till introduced his Light" on Tuesday night, May 19, 1964. mother and wife; then led the Conven- 2. Pre-session music was presented tion in singing "I Love to Tell the THURSDAY MORNING by The Symphonic Band, Carson-New- Story." "We Will Live God's Word" man College, Wesley L. McCoy (Tenn.),: 14. Mr. Till sang "But This I Know." 8 :43 The Oklahoma Singing Churchmen- director : "Prelude and Processional, 15. Vice-President James presented James Woodward, Director "Saint-Saens," and "Deep River Suite," Dr. K. Owen White for the President's 0:00 son^ Service Frank Erickson; and by The Singing address on the Convention theme, "For Y :LO Scripture--Col. Wallace Hale, 2nd Army Churchmen, William L. R e y n o 1 d s Liberty and Light." Chaplain, Fort Meade, Maryland (Tenn.) director : "0 Zion, Haste." P r a y e r-Chaplain ROY E. Rrynolds, , 16. Lee Roy Till led in singing "When Washington, D. C. 3. President White introduced Lee We Walk with the Lord." D:lb Election of Officers Roy Till (Texas), director of music for 17. Gene Bartlett (Okla.) presented 0:30 Committee on Boards-H. Franklin Pas- the Convention. Mr. Till introduced Lew The Singing Churchmen (ministers of chall, Tennessee Zeiler (Texas), organist, and Max Lyall music), William J. Reynolds (Tenn.), 9:40 Committee on Denuminational Calendar (Tenn.), pianist. director. who sanp "Let All the World in -%bun L. Brantley 4. Mr. Till led in singing "To God Be Every corner ~Tng," "I Will Sing of 9 :45 Miscellaneous Business the Glory," "Glory to His Narn;," and Annuity Board-R. Alton Reed, Texan My Redeemer," "All That Thrills My 10:20 "Blessed Name, 0 How Sweet. Soul Is Jesus." "I Have C'ome from the 1035 American Seminary Commission-Ra- 5. Miss Linda Loftis (Texas) sang bun L.- Brantlev.-. Tennessee Darkness," "shall We Gather at the 10:45 Education Comrniilslon-Rabun I.. Urant- "So Send I You," by John W. Peterson. River," ,and "Let There Be Light." ley, Tennrssee 6. Hubert G. Keefer (Mich.) read 18. Pollowing the reading of Matthew 11:OO Committee on Ba~tistStnte l'auers- Euhes~ans 1:l-12, and Andrew Hall 16:15-18 by Warren Bultgren (Okla.), Louie D. Newton. Georsin (irk.) led in prayer. 11 :10 Congregational sons - who led in prayer, Enoch C. Brown 11:15 Brotherhood Co~~mission-George W. 7. Roy D. Gresham (Md.) welcomed (S. C.), preached the Convention ser- Schroeder. Tennesee the Convention. mon, "The Church Fulfilling Her Mis- 11 :a5 Christian Life Commission-FOY Valen- 8. bv tine, Tennessee Resaonse was made 0. Norn~an sion in World Crisis," using as his text 11:50 Sol-K'Anne Gore. Miilsissippi College, hands (MO.). Matthew 28:18-20. Clinton, Tississipgi 9. Secretary Jmoe W. Burton (Tenn.) 11 :56 Chaplains Commission-George Cum- 19. J. C. Clement (La.) led the mini, Georgia reaorted an enrolment of 11,726 mes- closing prayer. Address-Major General Robert P. Tay- sengers. He moved, and the motion lor, Chief of Chaplains, U. S. Air Force, carried, that these messengers consti- Wednesday Morning, May 20 Washington, D. C. tute the Convention and that duly 20. Pre-session music was presented Benediction-Chnnlain-. Cecil Ethcridae. Georgia accredited messengers from churches in b the Junior Choir, First Baptist co-operation with the Convention who ~turch,Columbia, S. C., James A. Fer- THURSDAY AFTERNOON arrive later be recognized as members guson, director, and introduced by R. "We Will Remember God's Word" of the Convention when they have en- Archie Ellis (S. C.), pastor: "Sing Unto the Lord," W. Dean, and "Lullaby, 1:45 The Adult Choir, Manhattan Bastist rolled ,on the basis of membership set z. Church. New York, New Yorlc-Bury1 forth jn Article I11 of the Constitution. Little Jesus, Magney. Red, Director 10. The President presented Mrs. K. 21. President White called the Con- 2 :00 Song Service Owen White, his son, Stanley White vention to order.