wfn.org | AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR FEB. 7, 1997

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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: FEBRUARY 7, 1997
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o  Sixty-three national and regional American Baptist
Christian education and camp/conference staff,
representing 23 regions, met Jan. 23-27, 1997, at Delray
Beach, Fla., for continuing education, collaborative
planning for effective educational ministries for
American Baptist churches, worship and networking.  Speed
B.
Leas, senior consultant with The Alban Institute, led
continuing education sessions on "Systems Theory:
Understanding Our Situations for Effective Ministries." 
Conferees worked on individual case studies relevant to
the material Leas presented.  During staff meetings
participants learned of projects being developed by
regional
and national colleagues, including a grant program to
empower local churches in new ministries, curriculum
developments, a lay ministry institute, leader
development programs, an adjunct consultant system to be
implemented by Educational Ministries, a pre-Biennial
Meeting event for those involved in ministries with young
adults, and a Black family ministries conference.  In
addition many of the conferees participated in meetings
of
Sectional Teams, formed of five geographical staff teams
that include regional and national representation.  Dr.
Carole "Kate" Penfield, executive director of the
American Baptist Churches Ministers Council, coordinated
and
lead worship experiences during the event with themes
centered around "journeys," using scriptures from the
book of Exodus.  This event has a 53-year history; the
first such gathering was held at Green Lake, Wis., in
1944.  The 1997 conference marked the first in which both
camping/conference directors and Christian educators
participated in the same event.  The 1997 Conference
Planning Team members included Christian educators and
camp directors: Donald Anderson (ABC of Rhode Island),
Larry Graves (Mid-American Baptist Churches),
Marcia Patton (ABC of the Northwest), Chris Roush (ABC of
New York State), Debra Sutton (ABC Educational
Ministries), Mark Estrop (ABC of Great Rivers Region),
Charles Armstrong (ABC of Ohio), Wayne Dvirnak
(ABC of the Dakotas), John Murrow (Philadelphia Baptist
Association) and Donald Ng (Educational Ministries).  
         
o  American Baptist congregations again will be among
those in the wider Christian community celebrating
Family Life Week during the week before Mother s Day. 
This year s suggested celebration dates are May 5-11. 
Materials exploring the theme "Strengthening Families for
Change: Finding Value(s) in Media" are available at
no charge from American Baptist National Ministries.  The
packet includes a poster listing "Ten Commandments
for Family TV Viewing," resource listings, Bible study
and suggestions for action.  For the packet or for more
information contact the Rev. Richard Sutton, director of
Family Life Ministries for National Ministries, at 1-800-
ABC-3USA, ext. 2454.

o  Esther Salzman, R.N., former American Baptist
International Ministries missionary to China and the
Philippines, died Dec. 3 at age 90.  She was appointed by
the Woman's American Baptist Foreign Mission
Society in 1939 to serve in China as a medical
missionary.  She left that country in 1948 because of the
growing
communist activity there, and was reassigned to the
Philippines in 1950.  There she worked at the Iloilo
Mission
Hospital, where she was instrumental in the organization
of the College of Nursing of Central Philippine
University.  She retired in 1971. 

o  American Baptist-related Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Lombard, Ill., has joined a select group
of U.S. seminaries as part of the $6.8-million
"Information Technology for Theological Teaching" program
offered by the Lilly Endowment.  The program supports
seminary professors in their use of computer 

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technology for teaching; it also encourages cooperation
among librarians, computer technicians, media
specialists,
faculty members and administrators.

o  BIENNIAL MEETING UPDATE

The American Baptist Campus Ministers Association Retreat
will be held on Friday, June 20, through
Monday, June 23, 1997, at Fatima Retreat Center,
Indianapolis. To register call (513)751-5237. 

Serving With Young Adults into the 21st Century, a
daylong pre-Biennial event for those interested in
ministry with young adults, will be held on Monday, June
23, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Southport Baptist
Church in Indianapolis.  Well-known author Tex Sample
will be the speaker.  Contact the Rev. Charles
Armstrong at (330) 683-9314 to register.

The American Baptist Higher Education Team will sponsor a
luncheon from 12:15 - 2:00 p.m. on Thursday,
June 26, at the Indianapolis Athletic Club.  Speaker will
be Dr. Sharon Parks, Harvard professor and author. To
register contact Dr. Robert Hornyak at (513) 922-6241. 

The Chaplains and Pastoral Counseling Services Luncheon
(Monday, June 23/by invitation) will feature as
speaker the Rev. Brenda Little, pastor, Bethany Baptist
Church of Christ, Evanston, Ill.  Call 1-800-ABC-3USA,
ext. 2428, for information.

Tickets for the following events may be ordered on the
Biennial Meeting registration form.

A Young Adult Family Picnic for young adults and their
families will be held at White River State Park Shelter
on Thursday, June 26, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.  For
information contact Fred Fackenthal at (317) 635-5055.   

The American Baptist Women in Ministry Breakfast,
Tuesday, June 24, at the Indiana Convention Center,
Indianapolis, is open to everyone.  The Rev. Angelique
Walker-Smith, executive director of the Church
Federation of Greater Indianapolis, will be the speaker. 
Women in professional church leadership are invited to a
Women in Ministry Fellowship and Dinner on Tuesday
afternoon and evening, June 24, also at the Convention
Center. 

The National Youth Conference Leadership Reunion
Breakfast, set for Friday, June 27, at the Indiana
Convention Center, will be a gathering place for American
Baptist youth leaders.  For information contact Sharon
Ballenger at (712) 328-0992 or Don Ng at (800) ABC-3USA,
ext. 2140.

The American Baptist Homes and Hospitals Dinner (Tuesday,
June 24/5:00-6:45 p.m.) will feature the Rev.
Rodney Romney, pastor, First Baptist Church, Seattle,
Wash.

Dr. Keith Russell, pastor and Doctor of Ministry director
at New York Theological Seminary, New York, N.Y.,
will address the Public Mission Team Dinner (Wednesday,
June 25/5:00-6:45 p.m.).
 
The Rev. Charles Walton, pastor, Olive Grove Missionary
Baptist Church, Littleton, N.C.  (See Jan/Feb. In
Mission, p. 10.) will be the speaker for the Social
Action Breakfast  (Thursday, June 26/7:00 a.m.). 
                                                          
            o
Additional registration forms and publicity materials are
available 1) by calling the Biennial Meeting
Helpline: 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2244 (English and Spanish)
and 2) on the Biennial Meeting page of the
American Baptist Churches Web site: www.abc-usa.org.

Bible studies led by Doris Mayol (June 25) and Joel Ayala
(June 26) will be conducted in Spanish.  Spanish
translation will be available for all plenary sessions.  
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o  CALENDAR

Project Hope, April 13-18 at the American Baptist
Assembly, Green Lake, Wis., will focus on urban ministry
through four tracks (education and tutoring; economic and
community development; racial, gender, generation 
reconciliation; and gangs and violence) plus celebration,
inspiration and worship.  For information call Marc
Dosogne at 1-800-558-8898, ext. 7333.  

April 20 has been designated ABC Volunteer Sunday. 
Materials to help recognize both local and missionary
volunteers is available from Volunteers In Mission,
Carole L. Dieciedue, Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-
0851.

A National African American Family Ministry Conference,
May 15-17 at Second Baptist Church, Detroit,
Mich., will feature workshops and worship and provide
church leaders with tools and models for empowering
black congregations to minister to today's families.  For
registration material phone (810)493-6888/fax (810)493-
6889.

Walk the Talk II, July 12-16 at Green Lake, Wis., will
build on the success of last summer s first national
conference for college-age young adults through small
group Bible study, spiritual growth and fellowship.  Call

Inger Rivera at 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2268. 

World Mission Conference, Aug. 2-9 at Green Lake, Wis.,
will celebrate the theme "Build the Body of Christ
Worldwide."  Missionaries and international guests,
workshops and evening services will highlight the event. 
For
housing information call 1-800-558-8898.  

Raise the Roof, Aug. 9-15 at Indiana
University/Bloomington, Ind., marks the 25th anniversary
of American
Baptist national youth gatherings.  Over 3,000 high
school-age youth, peer leaders, and adult sponsors will
gather
for small group Bible studies, worship, music, and
evening festivals.  A preview video is available free
from
Educational Ministries.  Call Shirley Reifsnyder at
1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2260, to borrow a copy or to
register. 

Making All Things New, Aug. 9-16 at Green Lake, Wis., is
Educational Ministries  national Christian education
conference for all church leaders. It will include
workshops, worship experiences, music, fellowship and
Bible
study led by Dr. John W. Kinney, dean of the School of
Theology/Virginia Union University.  For information
call Marcia Jessen at 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2143.

Coloring Outside the Lines: Evangelism for the 21st
Century, the 10th Annual Evangelism Meeting, Aug.
9-15 at Green Lake, will deal with how local
congregations do evangelism for the 21st century,
personal
evangelism training, and revitalizing outreach to meet
changing social realities, among other areas.  For more
information contact Joanne Powers at 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext.
2452.  Scholarships are available.

An International Conference on Baptist Studies, Aug.
13-16 at Regent's Park College, Oxford, England, will
explore history, identity and other aspects of Baptist
life.  For more information contact Dr. D. W. Bebbington,
University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland. 
                                    
                                    
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