COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP)--South Carolina Baptist Convention messengers adopted a streamlined budget during their Nov. 10-11 annual meeting; weighed in on legislative issues ranging from health care reform to legalized gambling; and elected a president who says the denomination "is not going to be the way it used to be."

Before the meeting adjourned at noon on its second day, 1,080 messengers had registered for the state convention's 189th annual meeting. SCBC President Rudy Gray presided over business sessions and worship times inside the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center even as the blustery remains of Hurricane Ida drenched the capital city.

After considering and rejecting a motion from the floor to tap the SCBC's contingency reserve fund in order to maintain the convention's operating budget at last year's levels, messengers approved a budget of $32,180,000 -- a 6 percent reduction from a year ago.

The 2010 budget reflects a 5.67 percent across-the-board reduction for SCBC-affiliated institutions -- three universities, Ministries for the Aging, Connie Maxwell Children's Home, the Baptist Foundation and the Baptist Courier -- as well as all state Cooperative Program ministries. Also, SCBC employees will not receive a cost-of-living wage increase.

Dennis Wilkins, chairman of the SCBC executive board's budget, finance and audit committee, told messengers that the percentage of undesignated gifts from churches to be sent to the Southern Baptist Convention will remain at 40.44 percent.

He said if state CP gifts in 2010 exceed the budgeted amount, excess funds will be allocated as follows: International Mission Board, 55 percent; North American Mission Board, 25 percent; and mission scholarships for South Carolina participants in mission trips, 20 percent.

Wilkins said CP giving in South Carolina was down about 6 percent through August. "We do not foresee any turnaround in the economy," he added.

Messengers adopted a slate of resolutions ranging from opposition to federal hate crimes legislation to a call for restoring the practice of church member discipline.

Regarding national health care reform, South Carolina Baptists called for U.S. senators and representatives to "exert every effort ... to see that language is used that eliminates any vagueness in terminology and closes any possible loopholes that might be used later to approve public funds for abortion, intrusive family planning recommendations, and end-of-life counseling under the proposed health care reform."

On homosexuality and military service, messengers approved a resolution supporting the current military code, which bars the practice of homosexuality in the military. The resolution calls on President Obama not to abandon the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.