Indiana Avenue church to host annual session

7/29/2006

The 93rd Annual Session of the Northwestern Ohio Missionary Baptist District Association, open to the public, opens tomorrow night and continues through Friday at Southern Missionary Baptist Church, 1222 Indiana Ave.

It starts with a big musical kickoff on Sunday night, said Verna Chears, a spokesman for the district convention.

The Rev. Tommy H. Byrd, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Dayton, will serve as moderator and speak at the Tuesday evening session, which starts at 7 p.m., Ms. Chears said.

The local group has 15,000 members and is part of the Ohio Baptist General Convention, which has 60,000 members throughout the state. There are more than 30 churches in the local district.

The convention will include classes, open to the public, Tuesday through Friday starting at 8 a.m. Among the classes are Regeneration by the Rev. Cornell Phillips, and Eternity: Smoking or Nonsmoking? by the Rev. Phillip L. Paschal, which explores both the divine happiness of heaven and the horrors of hell.

A series of classes will focus on youth and young adults, including Enhancing Teaching with Technology, taught by the Rev. Fredrick Hayes, and Chillin and Dealin with Young People (ages 15-18), taught by Sister Elaine Watkins.

The Rev. Robert Lyons, Sr., will lead a class on how the Bible came to be, including help for efficient and effective ways of studying the Scriptures.

The regional convention has been held in Toledo before, but this is the first time it will be hosted by Southern Missionary Baptist Church, which has about 1,000 members and is led by the Rev. Robert Wormley, pastor.

More information is available from the church s office, 419-244-2822.