JEFFERSON CITY – During an Aug. 7 meeting at the Baptist building, The Baptist Home (TBH) and The Baptist Home Foundation Board of Trustees met to hear financial and consultant reports and to vote on several recommendations. Social distancing measures were in place. Masks and hand sanitizer were made readily available.
TBH Board Chair Ken Parker welcomed trustees, staff and guests saying, “This is a historic gathering as this is the first time our new Baptist Home President Rodney Harrison has had the opportunity to meet many of the board of trustees in person.”
While at the meeting, board members were able to view the new offices on the 6th floor of the Baptist building.
The meeting opened with prayer and devotion led by Neil Franks, president of the Missouri Baptist Foundation. Franks then announced that The Baptist Home would be the recipient of an estate gift of approximately one million dollars which was designated for a central Missouri campus.
Harrison expressed to trustees and staff that, “It is our job to ensure The Baptist Home is always open and ready to continue this ministry now and into the future to the Glory of God. As of today, we have not had a single positive case of COVID-19 at any of our four campuses across the state, which includes 175 employees. This is a testament to God’s faithfulness and of our taking an abundance of caution.”
Harrison went on to say that despite many challenges in the midst of this pandemic, his focus has been on Psalm 92:1, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” His desire is that The Home’s response would be God-honoring. “I see an organization that truly embodies what we should be showing to the world.”
TBH Trustees were provided an update on construction plans for The Baptist Home-Ashland campus by Harrison and Acting Administrative Coordinator, Derek Tamm. Revised plans updating the design of the Duke-Nelson Chapel so that it connects with assisted living and intermediate care buildings. The connected floor plan will accommodate 20-assisted living units and 40-intermediate care units which will maximize staff efficiencies while still ensuring a community atmosphere and easy access to chapel services. When completed, the Ashland community will serve a similar number of residents as the Arcadia Valley, Chillicothe and Ozark campuses.
TBH Trustees heard a report provided by consultant Glenn Miller of Miller Management regarding the progress of The Home’s organizational realignment and strategic planning. Miller shared the results of the first two Strategic Planning Workshops made up of a task force of TBH leadership staff from each campus, TBH Executive Committee members, and key regional pastors. The task force reviewed The Baptist Home’s mission, vision and core values, as well as The Home’s financial strengths and weaknesses. Later in the meeting, the board of trustees was given the opportunity to approve revised mission, vision, and core values statements which were a direct result of the meetings.
Other Business
TBH Trustees voted and approved the following:
• Recommendation 1: Revised Core Values, Mission and Vision
• Recommendation 2: Affirmed the ongoing process of organizational realignment, with an emphasis on quality staffing, census building, stewardship of resources, strategic planning, and a sustainable business model.
• Recommendation 3: Approved the revised Duke-Nelson Chapel and Ashland Assisted Living and Intermediate Care Master Plan.
• Recommendation 4: Approved Adjusted Articles and Bylaws to provide greater clarity, provide alignment with MBC recommended changes and eliminate areas of potential non-compliance.
• Recommendation 5: Approved the “For Family, For Life” Campaign in partnership with the MBCH Foundation and Missouri Baptist Foundation, to educate, advocate, and endow the Sanctity-of-life activities of our benevolent ministries.
• Recommendation 6: Approved motion to pursue land acquisition for a future campus near the Kansas City area.
• Recommendation 7: Affirmed Rev. Derek Tamm as The Baptist Home-Ashland Campus Administrator.