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Arizona pastor to chair SBC Executive Committee


NEW ORLEANS (BP)–Bruce Coe, pastor of First Baptist Church, Chandler, Ariz., was elected chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee June 11 in the plenary session prior the SBC June 12-13 annual meeting in New Orleans.

In nominating Coe, Rob Zinn, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Highland, Calif., said Coe, who has been the Executive Committee’s vice chairman the past year, is pastor of one of the fastest-growing churches in Arizona and has a heritage that spreads from the South to the West.

“Bruce didn’t go to the West to run away, but he went west to minister,” said Zinn in his nomination. “We are proud to be Southern Baptists in the South, the West, the Northeast or Northwest.”

Coe’s second term on the Executive Committee will end in 2003. He was first elected in 1993 for a four-year term expiring in 1997.

Also nominated for the position of chairman was Frank Cox, senior pastor of North Metro First Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga. He was nominated by Executive Committee member Pat Pajak, senior pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Decatur, Ill. Cox is serving a second term that ends in 2002. He was first elected for a 1997-98 term.

Elected as vice chairman was Gary Smith, pastor of Fielder Road Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas, who was nominated by Bill Elliff, senior pastor of The Summit Church, North Little Rock, Ark.

Also nominated for the position of vice chairman was Herb Thomas, pastor of Circlewood Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, Ala. He was nominated by Jerry Tidwell, pastor of West Jackson Baptist Church, Jackson, Tenn.

Elected as recording secretary was Ann Frazier, a homemaker/educator from Calvary Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. She was nominated by Conley J. Bordeaux Sr., senior pastor of West Monroe Baptist Church, Monroe, N.C.

Also nominated for the position was Carol Anderson, a managing partner/executive recruiter and member of First Baptist Indian Rocks, Largo, Fla. She was nominated by Les Coggins, president of Stafford Technology Group and a member of First Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, Fla.
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  • Joni B. Hannigan