OPINION

GuideStone to host church safety seminar

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HOUSTON (BP) -- GuideStone Financial Resources will offer a seminar on church security at the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Houston, featuring a survivor of the horrific 1999 church massacre that killed seven people and wounded seven others Wedgwood Baptist Church in Texas

Jeff Laster, an associate pastor at Wedgwood in Fort Worth and a survivor of the shooting there, will participate in a panel discussion in part two of the seminar on Wed., June 12 from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in Room 362B on Level 3 of the George R. Brown Convention Center. Risk management and legal experts will join Laster on the panel.

Part one of the seminar, June 11 from 8-9 a.m. in the same room, will feature an industry expert from Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company to discuss how to address safety concerns, protect members and visitors and train an effective security team.

Seating is limited for the free seminar that includes a complimentary hot breakfast on both days. Register online beginning in May at www.GuideStone.org/SBC13 or onsite at the GuideStone booth in the Exhibit Hall.

Retirement experts will be on hand June 10 from 3-4 p.m., June 11 from 9-10 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. and June 12 from 9-10 a.m. in Room 350F of the convention center to discuss GuideStone's retirement income options. Designed for people within five to 10 years of retirement, each session will cover income needs, sources and options. Attendees will receive a retirement income solutions kit, learn more about income options and how to establish a benefit, discover valuable planning tools and resources, and receive answers to commonly-asked questions about GuideStone retirement income options. Pre-registration is recommended at www.GuideStone.org/SBC13 or onsite but not required.

GuideStone will make available its popular wellness center. Those who take advantage of this free resource will receive free blood-based screenings valued at $150. For best results, fast at least 12 hours prior to screenings. Participants will receive a personalized report suitable to take to their family doctors.

Messengers may order materials for Mission:Dignity Sunday, June 23 across the SBC. Mission:Dignity Sunday is an opportunity to help support retired Southern Baptist ministers, and in many cases their widows, living near the poverty line. For more details on this ministry, visit www.MissionDignitySBC.org.

The first 500 people who request Mission:Dignity materials and the first 500 people at the wellness center will receive a free copy of GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins' devotional book, "The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know."

Roy Hayhurst is senior manager of editorial services at GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).

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