American Baptist General Board Meets Following Biennial

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (ABNS 6/29/11)­The General
Board meetings of American Baptist Churches USA
began in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Monday, June
27, at the Sheraton Hotel following the American
Baptist Biennial, Celebrate! 2011.

The first plenary session was called to order by
Frank Christine, who is presiding over his last
General Board meeting as president of ABCUSA.
General Secretary A. Roy Medley gave his report
and thanked all staff, volunteers, board members
and others who labored during the two years
preceding the Biennial to make all aspects of the event a success.

Medley spoke about his excitement for the new
initiative introduced during the worship service
on Friday evening, June 24, during the Biennial.
?God has been doing a tremendous thing in our
midst that led to the announcement of the
Transformed by the Spirit initiative,? said Medley.

American Baptist churches are in the midst of a
significant change. Demographic shifts, declining
revenues, newly arriving immigrant communities,
and proliferating communications have impacted
mission and ministry. God's spirit is at work
among us in the midst of these changes.
Transformed by the Spirit will invite American
Baptists to name and address adaptive challenges
in changing environments. "What issues are we
presently 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?"

?The National Executive Council is energized
about the vision that is coming forth from this
two-year process," said Medley. "It has brought
not only energy to us on the NEC, but new focus
as well. We believe that it holds great promise;
in fact it has already begun to shape us in new
ways.?  The NEC is comprised of Medley; Aidsand
Wright-Riggins III, executive director of
American Baptist Home Mission Societies; Reid
Trulson, executive director of International
Ministries; Virginia Holmstrom, executive
director of American Baptist Women?s Ministries;
and Sumner Grant, executive director of the
Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board.

Following Medley?s report, the ABCUSA General
Board voted to accept the Independent Auditor?s
Report on the 2010 ABCUSA Audited Financial
Statements for year end December 31, 2010
presented by budget review officer James R. Ratliff.

Ratliff also explained the 2012 Budget Process,
which will be taking place later in the 2011
calendar year. Included in the adoption process
are the budgets for the Office of the General
Secretary, the Representative Process, and Mission Resource Development.

The board meetings conclude following the final
plenary sessions on Wednesday, June 29.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most
diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500
local congregations comprised of 1.3 million
members, across the United States and Puerto
Rico, all engaged in God?s mission around the world.

> posted @ Wednesday, June 29, 2011 10:40 PM