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| Cooperative Program Supporters Recognized |
| Release Date: 02/28/2005 |
 LOUISVILLE – Kentucky Baptists recognized two strong advocates for missions at a banquet Feb. 28 honoring the top supporters of the Cooperative Program, the Southern Baptist giving plan that supports its missions and ministries around the world.
Mrs. Peggy Hicks and Dr. Ted Sisk were each presented the Distinguished Leadership Award for a lifetime of supporting the Cooperative Program at a dinner banquet held Feb. 28 at Valley View Church, Louisville, in conjunction with the Kentucky Baptist Evangelism Conference. A number of churches and associations were also honored for key achievements and milestones in Cooperative Program giving.
Dr. Hershael York, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, said Hicks and Sisk were chosen from among many worthy candidates because of their “years and years of distinguished service to Kentucky Baptists.” York, whose own ministerial life has allowed him to become familiar with both honorees, added that Hicks is a “paradigm of Christian service” and Sisk “embodies what Kentucky Baptist pastors ought to be.”
York stated, “I believe that what we honor, we reproduce. These two individuals are what we want to reproduce as Kentucky Baptists.”
 Hicks served as the director of the childcare program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville for five years while her husband, Dr. W. Bryant Hicks, served as pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church, Frankfort. Her life of service then took her overseas as she and her husband served as missionaries to the Philippines from 1955-1965. While in the Philippines, Hicks applied her experience in childcare to developing the childcare program at the Philippine Baptist Seminary where she also taught in the Christian Education Department.
Hicks has been greatly involved in the life of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. She served as Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union president from 1985-1989 and again from 1995-2000. She has also served as a member of the Kentucky Baptist Convention Mission Board twice.
Hicks is currently the associational WMU leader for the Long Run Baptist Association as well as the WMU leader for her church, Lyndon Baptist Church in Louisville.
Hicks said that she supports the Cooperative Program because “it has enabled missions to continue around the world.” She added, “Churches together can do what we alone could not do.”
 Sisk was called into the ministry in 1945 and served in various ministerial roles until 1995 when he retired after leading Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington for 25 years.
Sisk has also held many denominational positions including president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention from 1976-1977.
Sisk said that he felt the Cooperative Program was important because, “it helps the local congregation be a part of what God is doing around the world.”
During his 25 years as pastor of Immanuel Baptist, Sisk led the church to increase the total yearly giving to the Cooperative Program from $32,446.62 to $251,819.59. In per capita giving, gifts to the Cooperative Program increased 441 percent from $21.25 per member to $93.68 per member.
Immanuel Baptist Church was among the churches recognized this year as it passed the $6 million milestone in total giving through the Cooperative Program. Immanuel Baptist was also recognized as third in total giving for the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
The Kentucky Baptist Convention also recognized other churches for total contributions and per capita giving records for 2003-2004, as well as churches that passed million dollar milestones.
Porter Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, was recognized as the top church in total gifts to the cooperative program, while Gap Fellowship, Middlesboro, was recognized as the top church in per capita giving. Dr. Bill Henard serves as pastor of Porter Memorial, and Rev. Frederick Cummings serves as pastor of Gap Fellowship.
Churches recognized for passing million dollar milestones in addition to Immanuel Baptist were Owensboro First Baptist and Somerset First Baptist, $6 million; Campbellsville Baptist, $4 million; Beacon Hill Baptist, Somerset, Highview Baptist, Louisville, Richmond First Baptist, Shively Baptist, Louisville, Unity Baptist, Ashland, and Versailles Baptist, $2 million.
Cecelia Baptist, Hodgenville First Baptist, Morganfield First Baptist, and Springfield Baptist were each recognized for reaching the $1 million milestone.
Six associations were also honored for outstanding giving in the past year, based upon the giving of their member churches. The Elkhorn, Long Run, and Daviess-McLean associations were recognized for total gifts to the Cooperative Program. Anderson, Christian County, and Taylor County associations were recognized for per capita giving.
For more information about the Cooperative Program visit www.kybaptist.org/cpmissions or call (502) 489-3578 or (866) 489-3578 toll free in Kentucky.
Release prepared by Jonathan Johnston, KBC Communications |
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