For the first time since Georgia Baptists began gathering for a yearly meeting 100+ years ago, the Georgia Baptist Convention was held in Statesboro. The 2024 event began Sunday evening and concluded Tuesday afternoon with a benediction inside the main sanctuary of First Baptist Church Statesboro.

"When you consider our church was founded here in Statesboro 142 years ago, it certainly is an honor to be selected as a host site for the first time," First Baptist Pastor John Waters said. "It has given us a chance to be a good host. To show hospitality with a cheerful spirit.

"It's a chance to express our support and appreciation for our shared work as Baptist churches. And just like any time you have somebody over to your house, you want to host them well and care for them and let them know they're appreciated."

Waters estimated more than 1,500 people attended the convention.

"We have our delegates, that we refer to as messengers, our Mission Board, Denominational staff members all here. We've got a number of vendors and exhibitors here. So, I would say 1,500 easily, if not more."

During the three-day event, attendees heard reports from the Convention's executive director and various committees, an address from the president and elected officers for the coming years.

"It is a blend of business matters, such as budgeting, reports from committees, but also worship time," Waters said. "And all those are interwoven. We'll go from a committee recommending a budget of millions of dollars and then turn around and we sing a song and there's a sermon preached. So, it's all connected together."

During each yearly meeting, new Baptist churches are officially voted to join the Georgia Convention. For 2024, 39 new churches were welcomed statewide.

"There's a year-long process behind the scenes for churches to work through and then be recommended to join the state convention denomination," Waters said. "When it gets to the point of the Convention meeting, all the vetting and all the hard work's been done. At this annual meeting, we celebrate the ones that are joining our ranks."

Waters said First Baptist Statesboro was selected as the site for the 2024 Convention about two years ago and preparations for the event began almost immediately. He said he was particularly pleased with the efforts of his congregation to make the Convention a success. 

"More than 200 of our church members stepped up to be volunteers," he said. "Everything from driving the golf cart in the parking lot, to our safety and security team, to food services, people cooking and cleaning up. We've got people setting up rooms, rearranging tables and chairs. We've got ushers, we've got door greeters and hosts. More than 200 of our lay members are here – some taking time off of work, some taking time away from the family. They're serving and that's part of the joy of hosting this annual meeting."

While each annual Convention includes taking care of business matters that are part of any large organization, it's the spiritual side that Waters said he cherishes.

"We know there's a shared ministry that we're all a part of," Waters said. "From Ringgold to Rincon, from Bainbridge to anywhere else in Georgia, north, south, east and west, there's a shared ministry. Being together reminds us that we're all connected. You know, we have different worship styles, we have different preaching styles, but there's a sense of family community. And the spiritual aspect reminds us that we're all serving the same Lord, pursuing the same purpose in different communities with different cultures. And, always, there's still a common connectedness. Our annual meeting helps us to celebrate that we're really all pulling together."