Southern Baptists of Texas gathering scheduled for Odessa

[TexasTowelie]

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — For the first time, the annual meeting of the Grapevine-based Southern Baptists of Texas Convention will be held in Odessa Oct. 28-29 with a total of attendance of more than 1,000 people from around the state expected.

The Odessa American reports First Baptist Church at 709 N. Lee Ave. will be the host church and the new Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at 305 E. Fifth St. the meeting's official hotel.

First Baptist Senior Pastor Byron McWilliams said the event requires "a ton of planning to make sure everything is ready for such a large number messengers (delegates) and church staff to descend upon Odessa and have a great place to gather.

"Our choir and orchestra will provide music on Monday night," McWilliams said. "We're only able to do this because of the new building we built five years ago. We couldn't have done it in our old sanctuary. Our new facilities are what makes this happen.

Read more: https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/texas/article/Southern-Baptists-of-Texas-gathering-scheduled-14538206.php

PSA to stay away from Odessa.

[tanyev]

1. I half expected it to be the Odessa in Ukraine.