Two weeks ago I represented Georgia Baptists at the annual meeting of the Baptists of New York. Dr. J.B. Graham serves as the Executive Director-Treasurer of the New York Convention. The meeting was in Corning, New York. I was glad to get a chance to see Corning. When I was a seminary student in Louisville, Kentucky and trying, along with Janice, who taught school, to pay our way through seminary, I worked at Corning Glass in quality control. I flew into Rochester and made the one and one-half hour drive south to Corning. It was already cold and the leaves were off the trees. The terrain is rolling and beautiful. When I arrived at the meeting place for the Convention I was received warmly by our friends in New York.

I was at the meeting to sign the mission Partnership Agreement and to rejoice with New York Baptists that God has brought us together for Kingdom partnership for such a time as this. For the past four years Georgia Baptists have been engaged in a mission partnership with the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, which are in western New York. Their Convention asked if we would partner with the whole of New York with particular focus upon the I-90 corridor which includes the cities of Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo among others. What a joy it was to share with New York Baptists your heart for the Cooperative Program, missions and evangelism. They are anxious to get to know you. I would encourage our churches and associations to get involved in church-to-church and association-to-association partnerships. This way we will multiply our efforts and make a tremendous impact on this great state.

Three days after my trip to Corning, the Georgia Baptist Convention meeting began in Columbus. In our meeting you voted to begin the partnership with the Baptists of New York. We all rejoiced over this decision by our Convention. J.B. Graham was on hand to sign the Partnership Agreement. Now we have several years of very important work ahead of us. There are areas of New York that do not have a Southern Baptist church. We will be planting churches. Seventy percent of the population of New York is unchurched and we devote ourselves to an evangelistic effort across New York. We are anxious for the millions who do not know the Lord to come to know the joy of salvation through Christ.

The North American Mission Board has named New York City as a Strategic Focus City and is working diligently to prepare for a very special effort in New York City called "New Hope New York." Georgia Baptists are so pleased to be able to be heavily engaged in this project to introduce the greatest Good News the world has ever received to one of the greatest cities in the world today. This will require our very finest effort of people resources to make an impact on this huge city. It may seem an impossible task, but with God, nothing is impossible. It may be a huge city to us, but to God, it's a small neighborhood that can be reached in an unprecedented way.

Many other wonderful things were done at our annual meeting that set the course of Georgia Baptists for the years ahead. I am so grateful for all of you and what you mean to the Kingdom of God. Georgia Baptists are a wonderful people of God and I count it the greatest joy of my ministry to serve with you.

Let us commit to our new president, Tony Dickerson, our sincere devotion and pledge to pray for him as he provides crucial leadership in the life of the Convention in the midst of an already full schedule of caring for an outstanding and dynamic congregation. Tony loves the Lord and loves Georgia Baptists. He will do an outstanding job.

We are also grateful for those who were elected to serve as vice presidents for our convention: Terry Braswell, Jerry Speer, Don Hattaway and Gary Morton. They will also need our prayers. These are men of outstanding Christian character and integrity. It will be an honor to serve with them.

I give thanks for Billy Britt our recording secretary and for his assistants, Harris Malcom and Danny Henson who served so well during our meeting and were re-elected to serve for this coming year.

A very special thanks goes to Ray Newman who carries the load of planning and executing the convention meetings. He did an outstanding job with an unparalleled spirit. Thanks also to all of the wonderful people on our staff who carried out their responsibilities in such a professional manner.

God blessed us through the leadership of Wayne Robertson. He is a great friend of Georgia Baptists and Southern Baptists. I cherish the friendship that developed as we served closely together. His commitment to the Lord, the Bible, his church and his family had a wonderful impact upon my life.