wfn.org | AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR APRIL 3, 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: APRIL 3, 1997
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NEWS FEATURE
AMERICAN BAPTIST 'MISSION ADVOCATE COMMISSIONING AND
CELEBRATION'
TO BE TELEVISED SEPT. 13 VIA SATELLITE TO REGIONS ACROSS
THE U.S.              
     A first-ever American Baptist Churches "Mission
Advocate Commissioning and Celebration" will be
televised via satellite to gatherings in all 34 American
Baptist regions on Sept. 13.  Grace Baptist Church of
Germantown, Pa., will host the hour-long event.   
     American Baptist regional mission support staff and
local church pastors are recruiting individuals to
serve in the new program, Mission Advocates in
Partnership.  The goal is to strengthen the understanding
and
funding of American Baptist mission by creating and
maintaining a network of committed and informed local
mission spokespersons who work in partnership with local
church pastors and regional staff.
     According to Dr. Robert H. Roberts, American Baptist
Churches associate general secretary for World
Mission Support, the new program "could change the way we
do mission support for the next decade."
     All mission advocates around the country will be
commissioned at the same time on Sept. 13: 2 p.m.
Eastern; 1 p.m. Central; 12 noon Mountain; 11 a.m.
Pacific.  Grace Baptist Church of Germantown in 
Philadelphia, Pa., and its pastor, Dr. G. Daniel Jones,
will host a commissioning celebration that will be
uplinked
via satellite and downlinked to over 50 events in 34
regions, including Puerto Rico.  The program will be
broadcast in both English and Spanish. 
     The emphasis of the event will be a celebration of
mission, which includes ministries of reconciliation
and healing, in local churches across the United States
and around the world.  In addition to Grace Baptist, two
secondary origination sites will be involved: First
Baptist Church, Topeka, Kans., and Crow Community Baptist
Church, Crow Agency, Mont.
     Dr. Miriam M. Turner, minister of music and member
of Salem Baptist Church, Jenkintown, Pa., is
coordinating the music for event.  Serving on the music
team with her are A. Bruce Frazier of White Rock
Baptist Church, Philadelphia, and Sylvia W. Miles, a
music specialist at Widener Memorial School for the
Handicapped, Philadelphia.  Rebecca Shaw and the Rev.
Benjamin S. L. Chan will serve as co-commentators. 
Shaw is director of music at Lakewood Baptist Church,
Ohio, and an Emmy award-winning television
anchor/reporter.  Chan joined American Baptist
International Ministries in 1992 as area director for
East Asia and
India, where he coordinates relationships with the six
Baptist conventions and councils in Japan, Okinawa, the
Philippines and India.  
     The Mission Advocates in Partnership program and
satellite event are being coordinated by Susan L.
Moser, director of stewardship development, as a ministry
of World Mission Support and the Office of the
General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA.  
     The Odyssey network (formerly Faith & Values) will
tape the commissioning celebration and air it at 3
p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 14, 1997.

o   BIENNIAL MEETING UPDATE

A pre-Biennial event for ministerial and lay leaders,
"Renew Your Worship!," will be held 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24, at St. John s Church (across from
convention center) in Indianapolis.  Sponsored by
Ministers
Council and Renewed for Mission, the event will feature
Robert Webber.  Register through the Biennial
registration packet ("Ministers Council meeting").  There
is no charge for workshop; $1 will be collected at the
door for required materials.  CEUs available.  

The 20-year history and ministry of the
Ministers-at-Large program will be celebrated in a
pre-Biennial event
to be held Monday, June 23, at First Baptist Church,
Indianapolis.  For information: 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 1-
2063. 

Regarding Spanish translation : 1) Habr n 2 Estudios
B¡blicos en Espa¤ol-mi‚rcoles,  junio 25, 8:45-9:30a.m. 
Cuartos n£mero 116-117, dirigido por la Sra. Doris Mayol.
Y el jueves, junio 26, 8:45-9:30a.m.  Cuartos n£mero
101-102, dirigido por el Rdo. Joel Ayala.  2) Traducci¢n
en Espa¤ol sera disponible en todas las sesiones 
plenarias.  Receptores ser n disponibles gratis en un
escritorio afuera de (Exhibit Hall A)Sala de Exhibici¢n
A. 
Al recoger su unidad de traducci¢n o receptor se le
pedir  su licencia de manejar, la cual se le regresar 
cuando
regrese la unidad al final de la sesi¢n.  

97U43 
(FV/E)___________________________________________________
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