wfn.org | AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR DEC. 9, 1996

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American Baptist News Service_____________________
Office of Communication / American Baptist Churches USA
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Richard W. Schramm, Director (E-mail:
RICH_SCHRAMM.PARTI@ECUNET.ORG)

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UPDATE: DECEMBER 8, 1996
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REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES OF THE AMERICAN BAPTIST
CHURCHES USA GENERAL BOARD AND FROM PROGRAM BOARDS
December 5-8 /  Cherry Hill, N.J. 

o  In semiannual meetings the American Baptist Churches'
World Relief Committee considered proposals
presented by American Baptist International Ministries
and National Ministries, as well as those by the Baptist
World Alliance's BWAid.  The Committee establishes policy
for distribution of funds from the One Great Hour
of Sharing Offering.  The Committee voted $30,000 over
three years to the Church of St. Simon the Tanner to
expand the recreational opportunities/facilities the
church provides in the municipal dump of Cairo.  There
are
hundreds of families of squatters in the dump, eking out
livings by scavenging through the dump for sellable or
usable items.  As part of its ministry to these families
the Church of St. Simon the Tanner has provided
recreational facilities.  The new facilities would
provide a place for the squatters to go for a brief
vacation. 
Other major grants for domestic and international work
included: $40,000 over three years tot he Baptist
Convention of Southern Africa to support a job-training
program for youth; $25,500 to assist Chilean Baptist
churches in much-needed repairs as well as expansion of
their facilities; $10,000 to support a newly-developing
partnership between Second Baptist Church and A.L.I.V.E.,
Inc., St. Louis, Mo., addressing the needs of women
and children who suffer from domestic violence; and
$5,000 as a one-time seed grant to the Cleveland Baptist
Association Youth Empowerment Project, Cleveland, Ohio,
to aid in their work with youth from the community
that meet the "at risk" profile. The committee also
reviewed the results of the One Great Hour of Sharing s
burned churches appeal.  "This year has been an
outstanding response to the OGHS  burned church appeal,"
said
World Relief Officer Charles Sydnor.  "This is the second
largest response ever ($700,000) after the response
to the Ethiopia famine ($1,020,277).  What is unique
about this response is that the need itself--the burned
churches--did not appear on the evening news night after
night for consecutive months.  In addition over 160
churches which have not given to OGHS in the last three
years participated.  The response has been
overwhelming."
                              
o  During its meeting the Christian Unity Committee of
the American Baptist Churches' General Board voted
to present the Luke Mowbray Ecumenical Award posthumously
to the Rev. Bernardino Martinez.  The
award ceremony will take place next June during the
Biennial Meeting of American Baptist Churches USA in
Indianapolis.  Martinez, longtime staff member of the
American Baptist Churches of New Jersey, died suddenly
last May 16 during a hospital procedure.  He actively
represented ABC of New Jersey as staff to New Jersey
Council of Churches.  He was active with the Metropolitan
Ecumenical Ministry, the premier local ecumenical
effort in New Jersey, and was a founding member of the
Hispanic Pastors Fraternity of Hispanic clergy and laity
of North Hudson County.  He was instrumental in the
development of the American Baptist Churches of New
Jersey's Hispanic ministries program in the mid-1970s,
and had served for many years as coordinator for all
Hispanic ministry in that region.  He also was a longtime
area minister in New Jersey.  His outstanding
ecumenical legacy was in the arena of refugee
resettlement, where he has assisted more than 1,000
refugees to
resettle without regard to nationality or religion.  He
helped them to file immigration papers, attended
immigration hearings, scouted out housing, signed them up
for English classes, and arranged job interviews. 
Martinez, a refugee from Cuba, had served churches there. 
He came to the U.S. in 1968 to minister in Newark,
N.J., and later pastored First Spanish Baptist Church in
Union City while coordinating the Hispanic Ministries
program.  According to the Rev. Joan Parrott, American
Baptist deputy general secretary for Cooperative
Christianity, "His brand of ecumenism differed from that
commonly observed.  He was most concerned with
urban churches identifying themselves and linking with
other congregations across ethnic, racial and
denominational fences to make the Gospel of Jesus Church
close and real. He cared much about mission and
urged churches to move beyond themselves in order to
prosper."

o  During his report to the American Baptist Board of
International Ministries, International Ministries
Executive Director John A. Sundquist recounted the
initial work of the newly established Executive
Director's
Forum and noted the ambitious goal of appointing as many
as 34 new overseas missionaries next year.  The
Executive Director's Forum was established as "a vehicle
for direct contact with churches," Sundquist said.  Its
role is "to give us a place of dialog, to listen to key
pastoral leaders," as well as to "serve as a precursor
for the
next formal planning process" to be undertaken by
International Ministries.  He noted the success of an
initial
meeting of that group, and his hope that by the end of
the year as many as 30 pastors will have agreed to
participate in the Forum.  Sundquist also stated the
ambitious goal of appointing as many as 34 new
International
Ministries missionaries in 1997.  That number, which
would fill the many needs expressed by Baptist partners
overseas, could be possible if a very strong response to
the World Mission Offering were received.  In addition
Sundquist noted that four young former short-term
volunteer missionaries would represent International
Ministries
at the Urbana Conference, a national gathering at the
University of Illinois for youth interested in overseas
ministry.  Previously International Ministries has been
represented by staff and missionaries. 

o  At its semiannual meeting the American Baptist Board
of International Ministries honored a number of
longtime missionaries who are retiring this year, through
statements of appreciation for their careers and at a
dinner celebrating their work.  Cornelius (Neil) C. and
Ruth H. Jones were honored for their work in North
East India (1957-1971) and Thailand (1972-1980).  Neil
Jones also served on the International Ministries staff
in
Valley Forge from 1981-1996, for the past nine years as
International Ministries' treasurer and director of
Business and Finance.  Dolores K. and Rupert R. Nelson
also have served in Thailand, where since 1962 they
primarily have been involved in long-term agricultural
and economic development projects at the Center for the
Uplift of the Hill Tribes in Chiang Mai.  Laura Belle
Romeus, R.N., has represented American Baptists through
medical ministries first in Alaska (1958-1965) under
National Ministries and then in Haiti (1965-1996) under
International Ministries.

o  At its semiannual sessions the American Baptist Board
of Educational Ministries announced recipients of
1997 Christian education awards.  The awards will be
presented during the Educational Ministries Luncheon at
the June 1997 Biennial Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind.  The
Luther Wesley Smith Award for Christian Higher
Education, which gives recognition to an individual for
distinguished service in the area of collegiate or
seminary education, will be presented to Dr. Eduardo
Font, who has worked to provide quality theological
education programs at the American Baptist Theological
Center and has led continuing education events for
Hispanic pastors and spouses in California for nearly 20
years.  Font also was a creative force in the
development of Vision 2001, a strategy that focuses on
the growth and development of Hispanic churches and
leaders in the denomination. The Newton C. Fetter Award
for Higher Education Ministries, which identifies
a lay or professional church leader for distinguished
service in higher education ministries in campus
ministries
related to colleges or universities, will be given to the
Revs. John and Ruth Peterson.  They have served since
1962 as the first and only campus ministers for Baptist
Campus Ministry at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb,
Ill.  The Petersons serve a multiracial, multinational
worshiping community.  Working along with other
ABC/USA campus ministries the Petersons have been
involved with the Human Relations Commission of
DeKalb, developing programs for students to visit migrant
camps and organizing trips to Tallahatchie County,
Ms.  They have been active in Habitat for Humanity,
community development projects, voter registration and
integrated youth activities.  The Richard Hoiland Award
for Local Church Christian Education, which
recognizes an individual who has made a significant
contribution in the field of Christian education in the
local
church or community, will be presented to Mildred Arnold. 
In the late 1970s she served as the executive
director of the Los Angeles Council of Churches and
director of a YWCA residential facility in the same city.

She has been a public school teacher, director of
Christian education for a local church and consultant to
community and religious organizations working with the
elderly.  Arnold is the author of Taking a Look at My
Faith, published by Judson Press.  As a member of the
First Baptist Church of Moline, Ill., she continues to be
active in Christian education.  The Kenneth L. Cober
Award for Regional Christian Education, which
acknowledges an individual who has made a significant
contribution to the work of Christian education at the
regional level, will be given to Lisa Simmons, director
of Christian education for the West Virginia Baptist
Convention.  She is member of the Weston Baptist Church,
where her husband is the senior pastor.  In keeping
with the West Virginia Convention's theme of RENEW: to
Educate and Disciple she was asked to provide
discipleship materials that were theologically sound and
teachable.   Formulating a comprehensive plan to
provide this resource she was involved in recruiting a
leadership team, securing writers, and distributing the
resource to churches around the state.   She also
developed a "Travelcade" as a way of providing direct
educational support to local church leadership and
teachers.  

o  The Board of Educational Ministries also heard the
progress of plans to implement a service center, which
is in the early stages of gathering information and
resources.  The service center concept is being designed
to
respond to questions and resource the areas of ministries
with children, youth, young adults, and adults, and
studying the Bible.  Executive Director Jean B. Kim
reported that four regions have agreed to participate in
a
pilot project of the service center concept, which could
begin as early as fall 1997 or spring 1998.  The Alliance
of Baptists has been invited and has expressed interest
in participating in the project.  The members affirmed
its
executive committee s proposal to continue the Bible
reading emphasis by focusing on the four Gospels and Acts
during 1997.  Several board members spoke of how their
lives had been touched by God through the Bible
reading exercise in 1996.  Some had encouraged
individuals or groups in their churches to read God s
Word with
them.  Beverly Fink, board member from Lamar, Colo., said
that the youth group in her church began reading
through the Bible together.  Committee reports
highlighted new Judson Press books, a new Web site for
Judson
Press that is now online; and plans for 1997 conferences,
including the "Raise the Roof!" National Gathering of
American Baptist Youth scheduled for Aug. 9-15 in
Bloomington, Ind., and a national Christian education
conference to be held Aug. 9-16 at Green Lake.  The
members approved the use of $527,250 to be used for the
financial aid program in 1997 from funds restricted for
that purpose.  The finance committee presented a 1997
budget with a total projected net income of $6,385,930,
which includes an 8 percent withdrawal from the
Common Investment Fund. This percentage reflects a
decrease from a 8.5 percent withdrawal used in 1996.  

o  In her remarks to the Board of Educational Ministries
President Trinette McCray focused on the promises
of God and the promising ministries of education in
regions, local churches, educational institutions and
other
arenas.  She also highlighted recent activities of
members and staff that have affirmed the mission of
strengthening local churches in their teaching
ministries.  Testimonies relative to Christian education
were shared
by Thomas Son, director of youth ministry; Donald Ng,
department director of Education for Discipleship; and
Kristy Pullen, associate publisher for Judson Press; and
Debra Sutton, director of adult ministries.  Executive
Director Jean B. Kim noted progress in the New England
Educational Ministries Project.  "This partnership,"
said Kim, "is a result of commissioning Linda Isham as an
Educational Ministries consultant to these regions and
of Linda s faithfulness and commitment."  Isham had
directed a consultation in November involving the five
New England regions that focused on Christian Education
ministries in local churches and envisioned educational
ministry for the future.  Kim also reported on her recent
activities, including staffing the Baptist Distinctives
Conference at Green Lake, Wis., in August, giving
leadership at Fiesta of Ministry, and traveling to the
Pacific
Southwest Region for its "Nine Great Days of Mission"
activities in November.  Dr. James Evans, board
member representing the American Baptist Association of
Seminary Administrators, reported on the seminaries 
efforts to be in partnership with each other. "The
seminaries have long experienced a covenant relationship
with
American Baptist Churches USA through Educational
Ministries," he said.  "Now we are working on finding
ways to covenant with each other."  He also noted the
important partnership between the American Baptist
seminaries and local churches.  "Together we must be in
partnership for leadership," he said.  Dr. Kate Penfield,
executive director of The Ministers Council, reported on
issues and directions of The Ministers Council.  "Our
denomination is quickly becoming a non-majority
denomination," said Penfield, adding that seeking
reconciliation was a priority for The Ministers Council,
as we all struggle with how to live out functionally what
we are becoming numerically.  

o  The American Baptist Board of National Ministries,
meeting in seminannual session, approved awards to
be given at the 1997 American Baptist Biennial Meeting in
Indianapolis, Ind.  Immediately preceding the board
action, the Rev. Kathleen Busby, board member and
hospital chaplain, informed the board of the death on
Dec. 4
of the Rev. Vernon Rex Woods, chaplain of the Theda Clark
Regional Medical Center in Neenah, Wis.  
Woods, the nominee for National Ministries' Institutional
Chaplain Merit Award, succumbed to complications
of injuries sustained from an automobile accident. 
Following prayer for Woods  family and members of the
American Baptist family who have been touched by his
life, the board voted to present the awarded
posthumously.  Other National Ministries awards and
recipients are: Edwin T. Dahlberg Peace Award to
Marian Wright Edelman for her work with children around
the world and in the U.S. through the Children s
Defense Fund; Jitsuo Morikawa Evangelism Award to Naomi
Craig, member of Sheldon Street Church in
Providence, R.I., for significant leadership in holistic
evangelism in her local church; Rosa O. Hall Award to
the Rev. Lynne Wayne Smith, pastor of First Baptist
Church, Scott City, Kans., for significant leadership in
town and country ministry; Pastoral Counselor Merit Award
to the Rev. Shoushan M. Salibian, Ph.D.,
director of the Pastoral Care Department of the Southern
New Hampshire Regional Medical Center for Pastoral
Counseling and Psychotherapy in Nashua, N.H.; Military
Chaplain Merit Award to Chaplain (LTC) Harry
W. Gilman, U.S. Army chaplain, Protestant community
chaplain at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., and deputy
chaplain for Combined Arms Command.

o  The American Baptist Board of National Ministries
affirmed unanimously the commitment of its Finance
Committee to designate $630,000 over a three-year period
to alleviate a shortfall in funding for American Baptist
shared support services.  The currently designated Shared
Support Services, which include American Baptist
Personnel Services (ABPS), Congregational Profile System
(CPS), orientation to American Baptist life (Ministers
and Seminarians Conferences), and World Mission Support,
recently have struggled against "caps" in budget
agreements and decreases in mission offering receipts. 
"We discovered," said National Ministries Executive
Director Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, "that it is
impossible right now to provide essential services under
our current agreements.  It s been a difficult strain on
our church family, especially for our regional partners."
Wright-Riggins proposed the idea of a contribution during
a Shared Support Services "summit" meeting with
American Baptist denominational leaders earlier this
week.  "We knew we had to do something," he said, "and I
felt as if the Lord spoke.  For me it was a kairos moment
of wondering what it would mean if we could stop
discussing the current shortfall in dollars and instead
ask how we can help local churches raise their mission
dollars to support mission in the years to come." 
Commenting on the Board s action Wright-Riggins said: "I
am
proud and pleased that we have the kind of finance
committee and board that made this happen.  It is a
wonderful testimony to the whole American Baptist family
about the sharing of our resources with each other. 
We are creating a window for God to work."  Responses to
the vote were immediate.  The Board of International
Ministries issued a statement noting "profound
appreciation" for "generosity in assuming the debt in
Shared
Support Services."  Educational Ministries  Board Member
Jean Cunningham, speaking on behalf of its Board,
said: "We want you to know how grateful we are to you for
this generous gesture."  American Baptist Churches
General Secretary Daniel E. Weiss noted appreciation from
the Office of the General Secretary: "We are deeply
grateful for this extraordinary commitment that will
strengthen the ongoing mission in our service to the
congregations of this denomination."

o  Wright-Riggins III reaffirmed National Ministries 
commitment to hold fast to its historic goals while
extending their implications into the 21st century.  "New
church planting has been, and will continue to be, a
priority for National Ministries," he stated in remarks
to the NM Board.  "Following the successful completion of
the '500 More by '94' campaign we set a new goal to plant
74 new churches each year through the year 2000. 
To support this goal we have sponsored training events in
Sacramento, Calif.; Ohio; and Green Lake, Wis., for
new church planters and potential planters."  In a
dialog-style presentation with Susan Gillies, deputy
executive
director of National Ministries, Wright-Riggins spoke
about the future of National Ministries and the
denomination.  He referred to the 1955 decision of The
American Baptist Home Mission Society and the
Woman s American Baptist Home Mission Society "not to
merge, but to do ministry cooperatively" under the
name of National Ministries.  "The Societies' original
vision," he continued, "was to bring women and men
together, to bring all gifts of ministry together."  Only
by having a "whole" ministry, where one aspect, person or
group is not more important than the other, can a
ministry effectively reach and minister to the "whole"
person,
he concluded.  "Sometimes it s hard," admitted Gillies. 
"But it was hard in 1955. American Baptist Churches
USA is so diverse, but we have this wonderful opportunity
to model for others what it s like to be a people in a
non-majority denomination."  Gillies continued, "It s
work, but there is also joy, a lot of joy."
 
o
                

OTHER NEWS
                              
o  In Cherry Hill, at its third and final meeting, the
Biennial Program Committee completed its extensive
planning for the 1997 Biennial Meeting of American
Baptist Churches USA to be held next June in
Indianapolis, Ind.  That planning reflects the intention
of the committee, Chair Beverly Dunston Scott and
American Baptist Churches USA President G. Elaine Smith
to provide a gathering focusing on worship and a
celebration of faith and mission.  The Biennial Meeting
will be held June 24-27, 1997.  The theme of "Renewed
for Mission: Rooted in God's Word" will continue to lift
up the longterm denominational emphasis, "ABC 2000:
Renewed for Mission," that was launched in 1993.   The
Committee responded in its planning to a goal it
articulated in January: "To provide an atmosphere in
which we renew our commitment to know, speak and live
God's Word."  Program elements will include multiple
morning Bible studies and prayer times, evening worship
experiences, music, action on Statements of Concern and
on denominational business, and the election of
American Baptist Churches officers for the biennium
1998-1999.  Also, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons will
feature a wide variety of interactive and other
"Adventures" that in recent Biennial Meetings were
included as
workshops, pavilions and mission encounters.  The
planning included developing details for an opening night
celebration that will lift up the theme through music,
drama and other art forms.  Plenary speakers for the
following evenings include: Dr. Daniel E. Weiss, American
Baptist Churches USA general secretary
(Wednesday); Dr. G. Elaine Smith, American Baptist
Churches USA president (Thursday); and the Rev. Bill
Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in
South Barrington, Ill. (Friday).  The Biennial
Program Committee has been chaired by Dr. Beverly D.
Scott of Orange, N.J., an educator and former vice
president of American Baptist Churches USA.  Other
members include the Rev. Lemaire Alerte, Jersey City,
N.J.; M. Ingrid Dvirnak, Bismarck, N.D.; Brenda Edwards,
Tulsa, Okla.; the Rev. Randy Gauger (American
Baptist Churches USA vice president), Savoy, Ill.; David
I. Greenfield, Bloomington, Ill.; Elizabeth Higgins,
Broken Arrow, Okla; Ruth K. Housam, Lady Lake, Fla.; the
Rev. Rheanolte Lebarbour, Hilton, N.Y.; Vernell E.
Neely, Nashville, Tenn.; the Rev. Helen A. Phillips,
Fairbanks, Alaska; Thomas C. Ross Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.;
the
Rev. Jeffery L. Savage, Springfield, Oreg.; G. Elaine
Smith, Washington, D.C., and Dr. Daniel E. Weiss, Valley
Forge, Pa.  Also involved in the planning are the Rev.
Larry Sayre, executive minister of the American Baptist
Churches of Greater Indianapolis; the Rev. Larry Mason,
executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of
Indiana; and Joseph Huse, chair of the Local Arrangements
Committee.  Dr. Paul Little, Redlands, Calif., and
Paul Baker, Los Angeles, are serving the Committee
respectively as program and music consultants.  Other
ongoing support and resourcing for the planning is being
provided by a staff advisory group led by Barbara
A.Williams, American Baptist Churches USA associate
general secretary for Administrative Services, and Linda
Bonn, director of Special Services for American Baptist
Churches USA.     

o  The recent successful reconciliation meeting between
Baptist bodies in South Africa included American
Baptist input, encouragement and on-site observers.  The
November meeting between the predominantly black
Baptist Convention of Southern Africa and the
predominantly white Baptist Union of South Africa
resulted
in the Kempton Park Tembisa Resolution, which reported a
positive movement toward reconciliation.  American
Baptist observers at the event included International
Ministries missionaries Sandy and Dan Cole; Dr. Ray
Bakke, International Ministries associate; Dr. Leah
Fitchue of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary; and Dr.
Denton Lotz, general secretary of the Baptist World
Alliance.  Lotz, in noting the work of Sandy and Dan Cole
with the Convention over the past few months, praised
them for being "culturally sensitive, pastoral, capable
of
many things and great counselor(s) for ... the
Convention."      Lotz also noted with appreciation a
videotape of
support and encouragement that had been sent to the
meeting by International Ministries.  It featured
greetings
from IM Executive Director John Sundquist, IM Area
Director Evelyn Hillman, ABC/USA General
Secretary Daniel E. Weiss and ABC/USA Deputy General
Secretary for Cooperative Christianity Joan S.
Parrott.  The resolution produced at the meeting in part
notes: "This prayer retreat has again reminded us that
God is a God of miracles.  We met in the context of years
of protracted struggle and conflict.  However, the
commitment to reconciliation that has been apparent at
this meeting has convinced us that this process is of
God. 
"[The retreat] has been marked by a sense of God's
presence and God's call to us as brothers and sisters to
be
reconciled and healed...made possible by a spirit of
openness, affirmation, repentance and forgiveness.... 
Therefore, we have resolved to commit ourselves to
beginning a process that will lead to us becoming a
united
Baptist body."  That unity, the resolution stated, "can
only be achieved through a process in which we worship
together, share our experiences of the past and create
opportunities for mutual repentance, forgiveness and
healing."  General Secretaries Desmond Hoffmeister of the
Baptist Convention and Terry Rae of the
Baptist Union will be featured speakers at the
International Ministries luncheon at the ABC/USA Biennial
Meeting next June in Indianapolis.                  

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