VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/13/17)—This summer at the 2017 Biennial Mission Summit, June 30-July 2, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., the Mission Summit Conversations will showcase seven dedicated rooms for the seven denominational priorities: Anti-Violence, Discipleship, Ending Poverty, Gospel in a Rapidly Changing Society, Innovative Models of Pastoral Ministry, Next Generation of […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/6/17)—Forty-six of American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ (ABHMS) new and historic partners from churches, campus and community ministries in Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington participated in ABHMS’ first aligned action network meeting on May 17 at Linfield College, McMinnville, Ore. A new ABHMS strategy for accomplishing mission, aligned action […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (6/5/17)—Emilie Ballard and Newton Old Crow, Sr., have been named the 2017 co-recipients of the Cora and John Sparrowk President’s Award. The award will be presented at the Biennial Mission Summit, June 30-July 2, 2017, on behalf of the Board of General Ministries. The recipient must be an American Baptist, who has […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (6/5/17)—The search for a dynamic leader to serve as Executive Director of American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) is now open. Located in Valley Forge, Pa., the Executive Director of ABWM will be responsible for providing and implementing a vision for the organization’s ministries with women and girls. Visit www.abwministries.org/apply to view position […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/1/17)—Viola Rae Hefta, 96, of Owasso, Okla., an American Baptist home missionary, died on Friday, May 26. She was the wife of the late Joseph S. Hefta. In 1944, the American Baptist Home Mission Society—a precursor organization to American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS)—appointed her to serve at Phoenix (Ariz.) Christian […]

UPDATE (6/1/17): American Baptist Home Mission Societies recognizes a historic moment in shareholder engagement that occurred yesterday at ExxonMobil’s annual meeting. The climate change proposal co-filed by members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) received 62 percent of the vote. Institutional investors supported the proposal, helping the vote to exceed the 50 percent […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 5/31/17)—The ABCUSA Office of the General Secretary and the Theologians Commission will host the fourth pre-biennial theology conference June 29 around the theme The Church’s Public Witness, in an effort to foster ongoing, vigorous theological conversations among American Baptist theologians, pastor-theologians, and theological educators throughout the denomination. The Keynote Speaker for […]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 5/18/17)—National Executive Council members this week expressed welcome, congratulations and appreciation for the incoming General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA). Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer was elected by the Board of General Ministries on May 8, in a special meeting of the Board at the Springhill Suites in Chicago. Dr. […]