A new endowment has been established to honor longtime Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) executive director-treasurer Milton A. Hollifield Jr. and his wife Gloria for their service and contributions to Baptist life in the state.

State convention officials announced the creation of the Milton and Gloria Hollifield Ministry Endowment Fund during a meeting of the BSC board of directors on Feb. 16 at Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro. The fund recognizes the Hollifields’ “exemplary leadership and ministry” and will provide financial support for Baptist causes in perpetuity.

Milton Hollifield is retiring on Feb. 28 after serving as a Baptist state convention staff member for more than 27 years, which includes a nearly 15-year tenure as the BSC’s top executive. Prior to joining the state convention staff, he served as an associational missionary and pastored churches in North Carolina and Texas.

Gloria Hollifield has faithfully served alongside her husband throughout his ministry. She has traveled with him to churches across North Carolina, while also ministering to the wives of pastors and other women throughout the state and beyond.

The endowment was announced as part of a special retirement recognition for the Hollifields at the board meeting. During the celebration, BSC president Micheal Pardue, pastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, praised the Hollifields for their life of service to the Lord.

“Both of you have committed yourselves to loving and serving pastors and churches, large and small,” Pardue said. “You’ve given a large portion of your lives together to traveling across this state and serving the Lord among North Carolina Baptists. This endowment is, therefore, most appropriate.”

State convention officials worked with representatives from the N.C. Baptist Foundation to establish the endowment.

In a statement, N.C. Baptist Foundation president Clay Warf said the endowment is a fitting way to honor the Hollifields’ legacy of service.

“Milton and Gloria Hollifield have faithfully served North Carolina Baptists as partners in ministry throughout their lives,” Warf said. “This endowment will honor their many contributions to N.C. Baptist life by supporting missions and ministry until Jesus returns.”

Warf was unable to attend the meeting due to a prior engagement.

N.C. Baptist Foundation vice president Richard Childress presented the Hollifields with a certificate commemorating the establishment of the endowment that was signed by Pardue and board of directors’ president Matt Capps.

“The Milton and Gloria Hollifield Ministry Endowment Fund is a wonderful way to honor our retiring executive director-treasurer Milton Hollifield and his wife, Gloria,” Capps said. “The investment income from this endowment will allow financial gifts toward Baptist causes in North Carolina to perpetuate Hollifield’s leadership legacy for generations to come.”

During the ceremony, Pardue and his wife, Rachel, pledged the first financial gift to the endowment and encouraged North Carolina Baptists to prayerfully consider contributing to the fund, as well.

Individuals may contribute to the endowment by check made payable to “NCBF” with “Hollifield endowment” in the memo line. More information is available by contacting the N.C. Baptist Foundation at 1-800-521-7334.

The Hollifields expressed their gratitude to convention officials in establishing the endowment.

“You could not have honored us in a better way,” Milton Hollifield said. “Gloria and I both thank you.”

The endowment announcement was part of a broader recognition of the Hollifields’ ministry during the board meeting, which included video and verbal testimonies and tributes of the Hollifields’ service and devotion to the Lord from a variety of local, state and national leaders from across Baptist life.

Later during the meeting in his final address to the board as executive director-treasurer, Hollifield thanked North Carolina Baptists for their prayers and support through the years.

“It has been a good time serving the Lord together,” Hollfield said.

Hollifield called on N.C. Baptists to devote themselves to the Lord, to support missions through the Cooperative Program and to promote and engage in evangelism and discipleship. He also encouraged N.C. Baptists to support the work of the state convention, to pray for the convention during this season of transition and to support the next executive director-treasurer.

“I love this convention from the depths of my heart,” Hollifield said. “I want you to celebrate things God has done in the past, but God knows my heart. I want your greatest days to be in your future.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Chad Austin is editor of communications for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.)