ABCUSA Monthly Enewsletter - April 2021

ABCUSA NEWS UPDATE A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about ABCUSA Register Today for the 2021 Biennial Mission Summit Registration is open for the American Baptist Churches Biennial Mission Summit, meeting online Thursday, June 24 to Saturday, June 26, 2021. Plan now to experience the vitality of our American Baptist family together with other American Baptists from all corners of the United States and the world during our first ever denomination-wide online Biennial Mission Summit! Visit www.americanbaptists2021.com to register. Last Days to Reserve Your Spot… Watch The Generosity Project's Webinar “We Are Better Together: Cooperative Stewardship” The American Baptist Churches USA Office of the General Secretary hosted the webinar, “We Are Better Together: Cooperative Stewardship,” on Thursday, April 8. The webinar is a 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. In this webinar, four pastors shared on their views of stewardship and how working in partnership with others—congregations, church leaders, community members—have enhanced their ministry and impact. Watch "We Are Better Together: Cooperative Stewardship" Webinar.  ABCUSA Anti-Racism Task Force April 2021 Article In the April article from the Anti-Racism Task Force, read a personal reflection from co-chair Rev. Justin Thornburgh and consider the Task Force's recommended "Next Steps." New Ministers and Seminarians: There is still time to join us. Please consider the following invitation to Orientation to American Baptist Life! View an invitation from Interim General Secretary Jeff Woods, above and and a note from the OTABL Co-Coordinators below: Dear Friends,  Please join us as we plan our third in a series of six Orientation to American Baptist Life (OATBL) sessions. You can learn about each session, and view prior sessions, by going to www.abc-usa.org/otabl. We hope you will join us for sessions three through six by registering here. We look forward to welcoming you as your schedule allows.   Blessings, Rev. Judy Fackenthal Rev. Dr. Zina Jacque For more information please email otabl@abc-usa.org. A recording of the first session can be found here. No matter when, it’s never too late... A Call to Prayer for Myanmar The response across the American Baptist family to the Call to Prayer for Myanmar is encouraging. Following is an updated prayer request:   Please pray for the 2500 persons who have been arrested and detained for political reasons as well as the 8,000 persons who have been displaced from their homes. Some of the displaced persons have been without citizenship status for over 30 years according to Dr. Wado, President of the Kawthoolei Hope Theological Seminary. Prayers are also needed for the protestors against the military coup, 500 of whom have been killed with an average age of 17 years old. These young leaders need strength and hope, lest they burnout from the daily violence waged against them. In a meeting with the Vice-President of the CRPH (Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw), Mahn Win Khaing Than, he requested that we pray for more pressure to be placed on the military so that there will be an end to the control of the military.   Read the full updated prayer request here. Read an update of the ABCUSA Burma Refugee Commission (BRC) recent activities here. Access the collection of resources for the Call to Prayer for Myanmar and from the BRC here. Join the Baptist World Alliance's Myanmar Advocacy Weekend April 30-May 2, 2021 for a time of prayer, social media advocacy, and theological reflection.   Conference Leaders Announced for June 2022 Celebrating Ministering Women Conference The Planning Team of the “Celebrating Ministering Women: Radical. Redeemed. Ready.” conference, meeting June 15-18, 2022 in Green Lake, Wis., is excited to announce conference leaders for the event. Learn more about these lauded leaders who each bring a unique view to this celebratory event here. Creation Justice Congregations Conversations The ABC Creation Justice Network posts its third Creation Justice Congregations Conversation. Listen here to the conversation with Rev. Betsy Sowers, Minister for Earth Justice at Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ABC Rochester Genesee Region's Creation Care Collaborative The Creation Care Collaborative of Rochester Genesee Region hosts book discussions, Bible studies, documentary watch parties, and most recently a benefit concert as they embrace their commitment to creation justice ministry. Check out their latest events and how to get involved on their website. Small Church Pastors' and Leaders' Conference May 20-21, 2021 First Baptist Church Savoy, Illinois Learn more here. Visit our partners' websites for happenings around the American Baptist denomination. To list a full list of ABC ministries, click here. Visit our Website

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