wfn.org | ABCUSA: Orphan's Court Approves ABBEP Petition

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/10/04)--The Orphan's Court
Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
approved March 3 the Plan of Dissolution of the American Baptist Board of
Education and Publication (ABBEP). The plan was adopted by its members last
June as part of a process to wind up its affairs. 

The most important part of the plan is the assignment to National Ministries
of discipleship and publishing programs previously carried out by ABBEP. The
court's approval allows ABBEP to transfer to National Ministries all assets
required to carry out those ministries, including assets associated with
Judson Publishing/Press. The petition approved by the court also permits
ABBEP to complete the winding up of its affairs and proceed with the final
steps of the dissolution process. As part of that process, assets of ABBEP
that are not necessary to carry out the work of the ABBEP ministries assigned
to National Ministries, or required to pay creditors of ABBEP, will be
transferred to the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. These will allow
ABCUSA to provide administrative services to various American Baptist
organizations previously administratively related to ABBEP.

At the June 2003 ABBEP annual meeting its members voted to wind up its
affairs as recommended by the General Board's ABC Discipleship Task Force.
The ABBEP vote also affirmed the task force's recommendation that Educational
Ministries' discipleship and publishing ministries, including Judson Press,
be assigned to National Ministries along with the assets required to
accomplish these ministries.  The decision to wind up Educational Ministries'
affairs followed votes by the Board of Educational Ministries and the Board
of National Ministries in respective meetings.

Consequently the American Baptist Churches USA General Board voted in June
2003 to assign discipleship and publishing programs at that time within
Educational Ministries to National Ministries.

"Our commitment to discipleship as a primary missional task continues
unabated," noted American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr.
A. Roy Medley.	He added, "The dissolution of EM was an emotionally difficult
decision, but it was a decision rooted in a primary concern for our
commitment to the Great Commission and how we marshal our resources most
effectively to that end.  Our vision of our denomination as a missional
people was key throughout our deliberations."

K/2004ABNS/04ABN29

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org