|  September 2020
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| A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about ABCUSA |
| Planning Underway for a Virtual
2021 Biennial Mission Summit Event
 The Executive Committee of the American Baptist Churches USA Board of General Ministries, at its meeting on Thursday, September 10, voted to hold a virtual Biennial Mission Summit in 2021 and to seek to hold an in person Biennial Mission Summit in Puerto Rico in 2023. Planning is already underway for the 2021 virtual event! Click here to read a letter from the Executive Committee. Sign-up to receive updates about the virtual event here.
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Anti-Racism Task Force Formation
 The Call to Prayer event for anti-racism was held on August 5, 2020 with over 150 participants. ( Watch a recording here.) A dozen American Baptists participated in the Call to Prayer by sharing their prayers and reflections on anti-racism. Following the Call to Prayer, ABCUSA President Karen Podsiadly designed an application process for persons interested in serving on the task force. To date, 37 persons have applied to serve on the task force.
Due to the great number of applicants, three groups are being formed in addition to a task force. The three subgroups will help to identify anti-racism resources for individuals, congregations, and institutions as their overall work is guided by the task force. We are excited about the possibilities as we move forward in work on this critical issue. |
Golden Rule 2020: A Call for Dignity and Respect
As we get closer to our national election and as many Americans have concern that the days ahead  will be filled with hostility and hatred which will further divide our country, we encourage you to visit our page for Golden Rule 2020 to learn how you can participate. The initiative, which began a few months ago, encourages people to apply Christian teachings to our political discussions. The purpose of Golden Rule 2020: A Call for Dignity and Respect is to promote the application of the Golden Rule in interactions during this election year. American Baptist Churches USA invites partners and friends to participate in Golden Rule 2020 because it reminds us that the teachings of Jesus are relevant in all areas of life-even our political interactions. It is not easy to practice the Golden Rule-especially in difficult discussions with those who have very different views-but our faith requires us to try. |
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Rev. Dr. Daniel E. Weiss, who served as General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA from 1988 to 2000, died on Saturday, August 22. Prior to serving as General Secretary, Dr. Weiss was Executive Director of the American Baptist Churches USA Board of Educational Ministries from 1983-1988, and previously served as president of American Baptist-related schools, Eastern College in St. Davids, Pa., and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, from 1973-1981. During his tenure as General Secretary, Weiss emphasized a need for members and organizations within the denomination to understand, appreciate and live out the foundational understandings American Baptists long have espoused. He lifted up the call to commitment to Jesus Christ as God's gift of salvation, and to evangelism and mission undertaken in Jesus' name; the affirmation of the local church as the fundamental unit of denominational mission; the need for unwavering support of religious and other freedoms; and the importance of understanding, respect and dialog within the diverse American Baptist family. |
Three American Baptist regions have announced a weekly Multi Region Race and Justice Forum beginning on September 8, 2020. The forum will meet in the format of a Bible Study for Pastors a  nd Church Leaders every Tuesday from September 8 through October 6 on Zoom. Each week the forum will begin with a session led by Dr. Derwin Gray, which will be followed by Breakout Room Discussions. The Great Rivers Region of American Baptist Churches, the American Baptist Churches of Indiana/Kentucky, and the American Baptist Churches of Michigan have partnered together to bring this resource to pastors and church leaders. "We will discover, together, how the cross of Christ models for us what reconciliation can and should look like," the region executives note in a letter to interested persons. |
The Generosity Project Webinar "Stewardship and Pandemic" Available for Viewing The American Baptist Churches USA Office of the General Secretary webinar "Stewardship and Pandemic" is now available to view by clicking here. Part of The Generosity Project, an Office of the General Secretary initiative which examines the challenge of stewardship in the 21st century and looks at learning how to re-frame the conversation around stewardship, "Stewardship and Pandemic" explores the dynamics of mission and ministry, and the stewardship that undergirds it, in uncharted territory. |
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ABCUSA Together: We are American Baptists
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