March 2013
ABCUSA NEWS UPDATE
A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about ABCUSA

Are you proud to be an American Baptist?
American Baptist Churches USA has a rich history, reaching back to 1814, to the start of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (now International Ministries), and 1832 with the American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
  
2013 is an anniversary year for quite a few events that have been central to American Baptist history:
  • Ann and Adoniram Judson arrived in Burma, 1813
  • Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
  • March on Washington, 1963
  • First Baptist Church in America, 1638
Our history is one of the many reasons I am proud to be an American Baptist. Our commitment to ecumenical work and human rights issues are also important to me. In the coming year, ABCUSA will be highlighting the stories of many people across the United States and Puerto Rico who are proud of their American Baptist heritage. You can visit the following page for more information: http://www.abc-usa.org/proudtobeanamericanbaptist/ 
  
We hope that you will join in our excitement as we thank God for our heritage and pray that we learn God's plan for us and the bright future of our denomination. 
  
A. Roy Medley, General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA
Want to share your story?
We want to include your voice on our ABCUSA website and in our publications! Tell us why YOU are proud of being an American Baptist. Maybe it's our heritage in freedom. Maybe it's because over the centuries, we have acted as a voice of justice for the needy and oppressed. Maybe it's because your church has a special mission or ministry that has made a difference in the lives of others, or even yourself. Whatever the reason, let us know!
 
Easter Sunday - March 31
  
As we celebrate the Easter Season, we remember the new life in Christ that was brought to us through the resurrection.
New at the Biennial: Mission Summit Conversations
  
Mission Summit 2013, occurring at the ABCUSA Biennial, will come in the form of conversations among American Baptist leaders and lay people from across the United States and Puerto Rico.

A Mission Summit Conversation is an open opportunity for anyone attending the Mission Summit/Biennial to engage in meaningful dialogue about a topic of interest by self-selecting into a small group. The Mission Summit Conversations are the heart of the Mission Summit.  Three rounds of Mission Summit Conversations will be held.
 

Attendees should take away from the Mission Summit Conversations:
(1) an understanding that they and their local congregations are not alone in the challenges that they face in mission and ministry;

(2) contact information and helpful insights from others who are facing similar challenges; and

(3) an experience to inspire discernment and excitement about possible experiments for their local church setting. 

 

Check out the Mission Summit FAQ at www.americanbaptists2013.com to learn more and register today!  Note that there will also be a GoToMeeting about the Mission Summit Conversations on April 24 at 4pm EST, for those with questions or who are interested in learning more. Email [email protected] if you are interested in participating.
Transformed by the Spirit - Spring 2013 Update!

Originally introduced in June 2011 during the American Baptist Biennial in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Transformed by the Spirit invites American Baptists to name and address challenges they identify in their local congregational environments. Identification then leads to a process of "adaptive changes," changes that are in response to the Spirit's leading. These changes help to unleash our Baptist DNA for innovation and embrace the transformative work of the Spirit in the life of the church.

 

The question being asked in this initiative is: "What challenges are we facing, for which we do not presently have an answer, but which must be addressed if we are to live into the future God has for us?"

 

At the upcoming Mission Summit/Biennial, June 21-23, 2013, adaptive challenges originally identified through the Transformed by the Spirit process will be considered as attendees examine the Spirit's leadings during the "Mission Summit Conversations."

 

View the update for new video testimonies!

American Baptists serving as the hands and feet of Christ
Where in the world is General Secretary Medley?
General Secretary A. Roy Medley travels and represents American Baptists Churches USA wherever he goes. February 27-March 1, he attended the ABCUSA sponsored conference on Statelessness in Washington, D.C. March 10-14 he was in Chicago for ABCUSA Leadership Team, Transformed by the Spirit, and Board of General Ministries Executive Committee meetings. From Chicago he went to San Francisco, visiting ABCUSA Vice President Don Ng and preaching at New Life Christian Fellowship in Castro Valley, CA. March 25-27, Roy was able to take some time to reflect and recharge through a Spiritual Retreat.
More recent highlights from the ABCUSA website
  
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