ABCUSA Monthly Enewsletter - January 2023

January 2023

ABCUSA NEWS UPDATE

A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about ABCUSA

General Secretary Search Nominations and Applications Invited Through February 24 Information about the American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary Search is now available on the American Baptist Churches USA website. Please visit the General Secretary Search page for more information about American Baptist Churches USA and the General Secretary Search Process, to view a position profile, and to learn more about making a nomination or applying. The position profile and required application materials will be available for six weeks, from January 17 – February 24, 2023.

Special Prayer Service in Observance of the Two-Year Anniversary of Military Coup in Burma

American Baptist Churches USA and the American Baptist Churches Burma Refugee Commission are issuing a Call to Prayer for Burma (Myanmar) for a special prayer service at 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, January 31. (The service will be live in Burma at 8:00 AM local time, and live in Thailand at 8:30 AM local time.) This prayer service is being held to observe the second anniversary of the military coup in Burma. American Baptists and mission partners are invited to join together as we set aside one hour to lift up prayers for the people of Burma via Zoom. Wednesday, February 1, 2023 marks the second anniversary of the Military coup in Burma (Myanmar.) Since the coup in 2021 thousands have been killed, over 10,000 have been arrested and over half a million people have been displaced. Many churches from various backgrounds have been destroyed. There continues to be a great need for humanitarian aid. The Burma Refugee Commission members have worked with other groups to ensure the passage of the Burma bill, a U.S. government bill signed into law December 23, 2022. American Baptists continue to work alongside partners to advocate for freedom, peace and justice in Burma. Remembering God’s call to intercede for those who suffer we will join in prayer on this solemn day. The prayer service will be held during the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington D.C., a summit dedicated to religious freedom for everyone, everywhere and all the time. Learn more. Register Now

Join Us February 7 for Our Next Everyday ABC Conversation: Passing the Peace

You’re invited to join us for our next Everyday ABC Conversation event, “Passing the Peace” on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 3:00 PM ET, with presenters Driana Jamila-Lesan Arceneaux and Rev. Dr. Gina C. Jacobs-Strain, representing American Baptist Women’s Ministries. Most of us are familiar with Passing the Peace, in a congregational setting. We reach out to each other… shaking hands and giving a hug. We share words of affirmation, “The peace of the Lord be with you” and receive these words in return, “And also with you.” Passing the peace is a symbolic act of sharing the love of Christ. Let us think together about the ways that Passing the Peace impacts our individual and collective well-being and our responsibility to pass the peace in tangible ways both inside and outside congregational settings. Learn more.

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You're Invited to the 2023 Biennial Mission Summit, June 23-25, 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Registration for the 2023 Biennial Mission Summit will open next week! Visit www.americanbaptists2023.com to learn about our plenary speakers and workshop presenters and to view the schedule and learn more about all sessions offered. We hope you will join us in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with events beginning Thursday, June 22, 2023! #abcusa2023 #abcmissionsummit

“Looking Back and Giving Thanks” – Personal Memories of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Dr. Albert Paul Brinson

Dr. Albert Paul Brinson, retired associate general secretary, American Baptist Churches USA shared “Looking Back and Giving Thanks” – Personal Memories of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in January 2023. Brinson was the 2021 recipient of the Cora and John Sparrowk President’s Award. Learn more here.  My first memories of Martin Luther King, Jr., began as a child growing up in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Fourth Ward, Atlanta, Ga. My father left my life when I was about eight years old to grow up in segregated Atlanta, Ga. I was the oldest of three little boys. It was Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. who became a surrogate father to me and his wife, Mrs. Alberta Williams King was another mother. Their children, Willie Christine King (Later, Dr. Christine King Farris), “M.L., Jr.”, and A.D., became strong figures in my life. Read the full reflection here.

Proposals for Theologians Commission Call for Papers Due by January 31, 2023 The American Baptist Churches USA Office of the General Secretary and the Theologians Commission will host the sixth pre-biennial theology conference around the theme “Holy Presence in a Post-Pandemic World” in an effort to foster ongoing, vigorous theological conversations among American Baptist theologians, pastor-theologians, and theological educators throughout the denomination. The conference will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023, ahead of the 2023 American Baptist Churches Biennial Mission Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Theologians Commission invites proposals of presentations that address (American) Baptist notions of the Holy Presence in a Post-Pandemic World. Scholars in social ethics, systematic theology, biblical studies, church history, missiology, and practical theology are invited to offer proposals for a 20-minute presentation. Learn more.

Join ABWIM and Illuminated Journeys Across the Camino de Santiago in 2024

American Baptist Women in Ministry and Illuminated Journeys invite you to "The Way," a Walk/Ride Pilgrimage across the Camino de Santiago in Spain, April 9-19, 2024. Learn More.

America For Christ 2023

Thanks to America for Christ (AFC) Offering contributions, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) supported communities distressed by the devastation of COVID-19 last year, as the pandemic swept our country and Puerto Rico. We also helped families who lost homes to floods, wildfires and storms, along with children living on the edge because of poverty, and seminarians preparing to devote their lives to sharing the Good News. These are just a few of the ways we minister to those in need; there are many more. Please help us continue to bring healing and hope to communities, families, children and Jesus’ disciples in 2023 by supporting this year’s America for Christ Offering.

Biblical Literacy ✔ Financial Literacy? Test Yourself!

Most clergy pride themselves on being biblically literate. We realize that biblical literacy is not a one-shot affair; we continue to dedicate time and energy to scriptural study throughout our careers.  But financial literacy? For most Americans, it’s not a consideration according to a recent article in Forbes magazine that indicates just four in seven Americans can be categorized as ‘financially literate,’ and only 24 percent of millennials understand basic financial concepts. Too often, the article finds, not taking control of their personal finances results in unmanageable debt, financial hardship, and insufficient savings for retirement. Take a few minutes to test your financial literacy.

Legacy Sunday is February 19, 2023

On Legacy Sunday, you can plan a service on generosity, as well as provide informational resources to your potential donors about how they can use planned giving with the help of the American Baptist Foundation to empower your ministry and mission. Planning a Legacy Sunday involves several components: Promoting the date in advance Providing the congregation with informational resources Developing a service about what it means to steward God’s resources while leaving a legacy At the link below, you may find resources necessary for each of these three steps. The American Baptist Foundation believes that it is important for ministries to have a conversation about generosity through planned giving and that is why we want to partner with you. Find resources and information about planning a Legacy Sunday event here.

What You Need to Know about Social Security Now

The days when Americans could count on pensions from their employers are long gone, as fewer and fewer organizations offer them to their staff. While pensions are becoming an endangered species, Social Security remains the primary source of guaranteed lifetime retirement income for many older adults. In addition, unlike other types of retirement earnings, Social Security usually keeps pace with inflation through yearly cost-of-living adjustments. In fact, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced an 8.7-percent cost-of-living increase for 2023 to adjust for the current high inflation — the largest hike in more than 40 years. The average Social Security recipient will pocket about $145 more per month in 2023 as a result. Most of us will depend on Social Security for at least part of our revenue when we retire, so here’s what you should know about this convenient benefit. Who is eligible for Social Security benefits? Read More.

Recent Highlights from the ABCUSA Website

ABHMS Promotes Valued Strategist to National Coordinator Role ABHMS Fills Key Positions on Leadership Empowerment Team Legacy Sunday is February 19, 2023 ABHMS Calls for Edwin T. Dahlberg Peace Award Nominations General Secretary Search Nominations and Applications Invited Through February 24 ABHMS Calls National Coordinator for Asian Ministries ABHMS Calls National Coordinator for Latino Ministries General Secretary Search Committee Announces Update on Search Process ABC of Vermont and New Hampshire Executive Minister to Retire Nominated ABCUSA Officers Announced for 2024-2025 Biennium U.S. Senate Passes Burma Act Bill

Visit the websites below for happenings around the American Baptist denomination.

To view a full list of ABC ministry partners, click here.

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ABC-related organizations who would like to submit upcoming news for a denomination-wide audience to this mid-month enewsletter may send submissions by the 10th of the month to communications@abc-usa.org.