June 18, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/18/13)—From obstacles to opportunity—this is the roadmap that faith in God provided to Rev. Romal Tune. In his new work, God’s Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens, he highlights noted “at-risk” youth in the Bible and shares his own story of growing up in poverty amid crime and violence. Through these stories, he showcases how God heals teens and families through faith. Both practical and inspirational...
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/18/13)—Individuals who are considering a call to global missionary service, or who are in the process of responding to such a call will be participating in the “Embrace the Cause” conference August, 9-12 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin. The conference is sponsored by American Baptist International Ministries (IM).
During this high-intensity three-day weekend, about 40 participants will explore God’s call on their...
June 14, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/14/13)—”What I propose here is a new approach to preaching funerals,” pastor, scholar, and author Peter Wherry explains, “an approach that is pastoral, holistic, and healing.” In his new book, pastors and preachers will discover more than conventional homiletics theory about mechanics and methodology. In it, Wherry envisions anew the content of preaching in the shadow of death.
Preaching Funerals in the Black Church: Bringing...
June 7, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/7/13)—American Baptist Foundation (ABF) today announced the official launch of its Strengthening Your Financial Future (SYFF) Program. An initiative focused on the Foundation’s devotion to partnering with our American Baptist Ministries and individuals to develop and promote planned giving for the long-term sustainability of ministry and mission.
Through the SYFF Program, ABF is helping...
June 5, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/5/13)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) seeks volunteers to help rebuild homes, churches, communities and lives devastated by natural disaster.
New Jersey
While the first two weeks of the Hurricane Sandy response effort “Coming Together for New Jersey…Rebuild, Renew and Restore” took place May 4-11 and June 1-8, volunteers are needed July 13-20 and Aug. 10-17. This effort is co-sponsored by American...
June 4, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/4/13)—At a White House-sponsored National Conference on Mental Health yesterday, President Obama called for a national conversation about mental health, which has been an administration priority since a series of mass shootings last year prompted discussions about improving the nation’s mental health services.
Conference attendee Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, managing director, Resource Development, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS),...
June 3, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/3/13)—At American Baptist Churches USA’s Mission Summit/Biennial, June 21-23, 2013, in Overland Park/Kansas City, Kan., American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) will offer participants the unique experience of visiting a prison cell.
This model cell—part of ABHMS’ Mission Summit exhibit—is intended as a prayer site. Built by former inmate José Ramón Alicea, the “prayer cell” expresses Alicea’s gratitude to God and reminds fellow...
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/3/13)—Colleagues, friends, parishioners, and family members bid a fond farewell to the Rev. Dr. David C. Laubach recently, when American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) announced his retirement at a building-wide celebration at the American Baptist Churches (USA) Mission Center, Valley Forge, Pa. The event featured recollections of Laubach’s 27 years of faithful service to ABHMS, most recently as associate executive director for Higher...
June 1, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/1/13)—Faith and failure, triumph and travail, hope and hard questions—this is the complex mix facing youth ministry leaders in the black church today.
“[A] lot of kids out there … have a sense of being overwhelmed by circumstances and situations that they have no control over…. So, we have to do something to help transform that reality. They can’t do it by themselves. I see a lot of hope in our youth. And, I have a lot of hope for them...
May 29, 2013
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 5/29/13)—American Baptist seminarians and new-to-ABC ministers will meet for the Orientation to American Baptist Life conference in Orlando, Florida, January 6-9, 2014. For the third time, the orientation conference will be integrated with a Ministers Conference which is sponsored by ABCUSA. The 2014 event theme is “Emerge: Baptist Witness in the 21st Century” and is linked to Acts 1:8. In this 200th anniversary year of the...