wfn.org | American Baptist News Wrap-up Jan 11, 1996

[George Gundrey <ggundrey@igc.apc.org>]

Office of Communication / American Baptist Churches
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320
Richard W. Schramm,
Director__________________________________________

News Wrap-Up________________January 11, 1996

     o  Delegates from American Baptist Churches USA congregations
within the denomination's American Baptist Churches of the West
regional organization met Jan. 6 in Sacramento, Calif., pursuant to a
call of the region's Board of Managers.  The special meeting was
called to consider proposed amendments to the region's Covenant of
Relationship with its congregations, adopted in 1974, and to advise
the regional board regarding its proposed disfellowshiping of four
congregations.  The board's proposal to disfellowship, according to
the call for the special meeting, was based on its objection to the
four congregations' affiliation with the Association of Welcoming and
Affirming Baptists.  The regional organization's 1974 Covenant of
Relationship was the focus for three amendments proposed by the
Board.  The vote to amend, brought before 605 delegates representing
159 of the region's 227 churches, was passed with 485 yes, 115 no and
5 abstentions.  Among the amendments proposed, to the section
"Expectations of Participating Congregations," was one stating: 
"Pursue its ministry as a congregation sensitive to: its own mandate
for mission; its partnership responsibilities to its sister
congregations; the expressed theological convictions of the American
Baptist Churches of the West and the American Baptist Churches in the
U.S.A.; and the right of the American Baptist Churches of the West to
take actions necessary to maintain the unity of its own life and
mission."  Another proposed amendment, to the section "Monitoring the
Covenant Relationship," deleted the existing sentence, "Nothing in
this Covenant is to be construed as eliminating the appropriate
independence of the local church."  The following text was added to
that section: "This Covenant is intended to increase the
interdependent life and mission of the covenanting partners while
respecting the appropriate autonomy of your congregation.  Together
we claim the unifying power of the Holy Spirit as we seek to live out
our faithful obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ."  In a
subsequent action, delegates were "...asked for their guidance for
the Board of Manager's future action(s) regarding the four member
congregations which are also members of the Association of Welcoming
and Affirming Baptists--whether they should continue to be included
or be excluded from membership in the American Baptist Churches of
the West."  Delegates voted 127 to continue to include those
churches, 457 to exclude them, with 10 abstentions and 2 invalid
ballots.  This advisory vote was to disfellowship the San Leandro
Community Church, San Leandro; the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church,
Oakland; the First Baptist Church, Berkeley; and the New Community of
Faith congregation, San Jose.  The Jan. 6 meeting was moderated by
Dr. Harold Davis of Oakland, a former president of American Baptist
Churches USA.  The American Baptist Churches of the West is one of 34
regional organizations within American Baptist Churches USA.

     o  Elizabeth (Betty) Gordon, Member Service Representative of
the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (M&M), has become
manager of M&M's office at the American Baptist Churches Mission
Center here.  Gordon has been an M&M staff member since 1962.   She
succeeds M&M Associate Executive Director Richard Arnesman, who
retired Dec. 31 and who is now serving as M&M interim Member Service
Representative for Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska,
Oklahoma and South Dakota.  Inquiries may be directed to Gordon by
phone at 1-800-ABC-3USA, extension 2336, or by fax at 610-768-2018.

PLEASE POST OR CIRCULATE.                                             
                                     96WRAP1
-0-