Springfield | When messengers take up business during Session 3 of the IBSA Annual Meeting Nov. 13, they will be asked to approve considerable updates to the constitutions of all three Association entities—Illinois Baptist State Association, Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, and Baptist Foundation of Illinois (IBSA, BCHFS, and BFI). Proposed changes to entity constitutions must be presented at two consecutive Annual Meetings. Messengers will be voting on proposed changes that were presented for a first reading at last year’s meeting.
The second reading proposals can be categorized in three areas. The first, and most frequently occurring throughout all three documents, is adjustment to language used when referring to IBSA, the association of churches, and IBSA, the 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that serves the churches. In order to more clearly differentiate between the two, “the Association” is the proposed wording to be used when referring to the association of churches. All instances referring to the 501(c)(3) non-profit would be changed to “IBSA the corporation.” The committee is also bringing an amendment to the second reading that ensures all instances referring to IBSA the Association would read “the Association.”
The second change to be voted on would add giving to the Mission Illinois Offering as an acceptable criterion for a church to remain in friendly cooperation with the Association. Currently, church giving to the Cooperative Program is the single criterion.
The third change, which is being introduced through an amendment to the second reading would update the BCHFS mission statement.
The Committee is also recommending first reading changes to the IBSA Constitution, BCHFS Bylaws, and BFI Bylaws. First reading changes are only for consideration and will be brought for a vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
These proposed changes would seek to accomplish greater clarity in two areas. The first is the relationship between the Association and autonomous, cooperating churches. The second is the separation in governance of the Association’s three entities (IBSA, BCHFS, and BFI).
The full text of first and second reading recommended changes will be made available in advance at IBSAannualmeeting.org and in the IBSA Book of Reports received by Annual Meeting messengers.