ABCUSA Enewsletter - November 2023

ABCUSA NEWS UPDATE

A newsletter to keep you informed about ABCUSA

Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain Called as General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA

The Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA has affirmed the call of the Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain to be the next General Secretary of the denomination. Dr. Jacobs-Strain’s term of service will begin on February 1, 2024. In announcing the call of Dr. Jacobs-Strain, ABCUSA President Jim Wolfe noted that Dr. Jacobs-Strain was the unanimous choice of the search committee. “The committee committed itself to prayer and the discernment of God’s will in this process. We believe Dr. Jacobs-Strain is the person that God has chosen to lead our denominational family. She has the academic background, professional and personal skills to lead this diverse family into the mission that God has prepared for us.” Read more here.

American Baptist Churches Board of General Ministries Meets November 3-5, 2023

The Board of General Ministries met at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in King of Prussia, Pa., beginning on Friday, November 3 with an Appreciation Celebration service for ABCUSA General Secretary Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods. At the service, family, friends, staff and persons who have worked with Woods recognized his leadership and impact on American Baptist Churches USA through his roles as pastor, leader, region Executive Minister (ABC of Ohio), Associate General Secretary, Interim General Secretary and General Secretary. The board received a report of the General Secretary Search Committee during an executive session, and at that time voted to elect the Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain as the next General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA. Dr. Jacobs-Strain’s term of service will begin on February 1, 2024. The call of Dr. Jacobs-Strain comes after a four-year transitional ministry plan originally adopted by the Board of General Ministries in November 2019. Rev. Dr. James O. Wolfe, III, president of American Baptist Churches USA said, “Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods has served with great distinction as General Secretary and as Interim General Secretary through this transitional period, and the board thanks him for his outstanding leadership and commitment.” Woods will continue to serve ABCUSA, ministering to regions in the role of Associate General Secretary for Regional Ministries. Read more.

ABCUSA Announces “Least of These” Grant for Giving Tuesday 2023

American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is excited to announce an inspiring initiative for Giving Tuesday 2023 that empowers churches to make a meaningful impact in their communities. The “Least of These” Grant, aimed at providing support to the most vulnerable in our neighborhoods, is set to be a game-changer. Read the story of the Least of These in Matthew 25:31-46. Giving Tuesday, a Global Day of Generosity, is on November 28, 2023, and ABCUSA invites all dedicated partners and supporters to join in this endeavor. The “Least of These” Grant is a pivotal step in the mission to serve those in need within communities. “The ‘Least of These’ grants will enable churches to apply for resources that support mission aimed at making a real difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities. It’s an opportunity for us to come together and amplify our impact by providing financial support where it is needed most,” said Rev. Dr. Robin D. Stoops, Associate General Secretary for Mission Resource Development at ABCUSA. Read more.

You’re Invited to an Everyday ABC Conversation: Post-Pandemic Impact on Ministry and Stewardship

You’re invited to the next American Baptist Churches Everyday ABC Conversation event, “Post-Pandemic Impact on Ministry and Stewardship,” on Tuesday, December 5 at 3:00pm ET. Register today and plan to join presenters Dr. Campbell B. Singleton III and Rev. Stacy Emerson for presentations and discussion around this topic. We recognize that even before the pandemic began in 2020, churches were already feeling overwhelmed by the state of things—in the church, in our country, and in the call to serve God faithfully in an ever-changing world. The pandemic has had a tremendous toll on persons, marriages, families and the church. In this ABC Everyday Conversation, we will talk about specific ways lives were impacted and the church’s response, reflecting on how ministry has changed due to the pandemic and how times of struggle impact how we view stewardship, mission, and ministry. The question is, what is working, and not working, as we navigate the overwhelmed-ness of these days? American Baptist Churches USA is happy to create space for the “Everyday ABC Conversations,” a series of dialogues around topics of interest. Each Everyday ABC Conversation begins with a brief introduction of the topic by one or two leaders associated with the subject area, followed by 30-40 minutes of small group conversation in randomly assigned breakout rooms of up to 10 persons each. Register today! Watch a recording of the presentations from our latest Everyday ABC Conversation - AI (Artificial Intelligence) with presenters Joshua King and Rev. Meriah Tigner on October 3, here. Learn more about Everyday ABC Conversations.

Register Now

United Mission Matters! Check out the first edition of “United Mission Matters” newsletter, a new enewsletter that will be released on a quarterly basis, aiming to share the valuable insights of our Regional Executive Ministers, local churches, national partners, and others on matters related to Discipleship. United Mission Matters will include a wealth of resources, inspiring stories, and insights into how churches throughout the United States are dedicated to instructing and engaging with their communities to align with Jesus’ mission in our neighborhoods. View the first edition of United Mission Matters here.

Sign Up for United Mission Matters Here

American Baptist Churches World Relief Committee Meets, Approves Development Grant Requests The World Relief Committee of the Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA met Thursday, November 2 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in King of Prussia, Pa. At its meeting, committee members heard development grant proposals presented by the American Baptist Home Mission Societies and American Baptist International Ministries. Grants were considered by committee members, who then made decisions on disbursements of One Great Hour of Sharing funding to be used toward the development grants. “The generosity of American Baptists to the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering is what provides the funds for these life transforming grants,” said Lisa Rothenberger-Winter, World Relief Officer with International Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. “Because of these grants, each year hundreds of children around the world will study in adequate school facilities, hundreds of young girls and boys will participate in youth development programs, clergy will receive training on how to support survivors of domestic abuse, a hospital in India will be able to improve its facility to better serve patients, and so much more.” One Great Hour of Sharing, which is administered by the World Relief Committee of the Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA, provides funding for American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work, and development assistance. The committee does this by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing the distribution of the annual OGHS offering received by churches. OGHS funding is disbursed in a variety of ways, both throughout the year to aid in emergency relief and disaster rehabilitation, and also toward grant applications focused on supporting refugee work and development assistance. Read more about the grants approved at the November 2023 meeting here.

We are United in Christ, Together in Mission

View the above video in Spanish, here.

RMMO2023: Good will come. As an ABCUSA leader your voice helps elevate ABCUSA Churches annual offerings, including the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO). RMMO is always about celebrating, thanking and lifting up our servant leaders. The theme for RMMO 2023 is: Good will come. Learn more and download RMMO2023 resources here.

American Baptist Churches of Nebraska Calls New Executive Minister The Churches Helping Churches American Baptist Churches of Nebraska met Friday, November 10 in a special session of their Leadership Team to select Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula as the next Executive Minister for the Region, effective immediately. Search team chairperson Rev. Rick Wheatley, long-time pastor in Nebraska, said the search team was unanimous in its decision to recommend Dr. Mamula after the year-long process that reviewed candidates from the nationwide search. “There were excellent candidates for our committee to prayerfully discern in the selection of the next Region Executive Minister of Nebraska. But one stood out above the rest, and that was Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula. Familiarity with the Region and its functions, awareness of the theological landscape of our day, and a visionary way of addressing some of those issues is what drew him to the top. Our hope is that our region church family will prayerfully support Greg and his family in this new role.” Read more.

ABCOPAD Now Accepting Applications for Regional Executive Pastor The American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware (ABCOPAD) has announced that applications are now invited for the region’s next Regional Executive Pastor. The deadline for applications is November 20, 2023. View the position description and region profile here.

Understanding The Clergy Housing Allowance

Learn the basics of getting the most out of your tax benefits with MMBB’s Housing allowance graphic below:

For more information click here.

Scams are on the Rise: How to Stay Safe

Your cell phone dings. It’s a text message from an unknown number. The message is from a service company saying your account has been hacked and to call them right away. The landline rings. The person on the other side of the line tells you the electricity is going to be turned off unless you pay right now. You question whether you forgot to pay your bill. Isn’t it set up on auto payment? You sign into your email and the first message is from your bank saying your account has been locked. Again, you need to call a certain number right away. Last year, Americans received 376,032,773 spam text messages a day, an increase of 1,024 percent over 2021.1 In 2022, there were over 50 billion scam and spam phone calls in the United States with victims losing a total of $39.5 billion to the callers.2 Phishing emails increased 29 percent over last year.3  To learn how to avoid being scammed, read more here.

Recent Highlights from the ABCUSA Website

American Baptist Churches Board of General Ministries Meets November 3-5, 2023 ABHMS Continues to Foster Beloved Communities with Intercultural Leadership Institute Preview Co-Creators Cycle 3 Culminates with Launch Summit Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain Called as General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA Signature ABHMS Event Will Explore Intergenerational Faith, Celebrate Judson Press Bicentenary Dr. Jeffrey Haggray Receives Prestigious Alumni Award from Yale Divinity School Violence in the Middle East and in the United States - a Message from Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods Nomination Window for ABHMS Ministry Awards is Open A Message about the Lewiston Tragedy from the American Baptist Churches of Maine IM Requests Prayers for Peace in Israel and Gaza; Offers Relief Support to Partners in the Region

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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