E-Link Online -- News of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan

2007 RMMO: It's Great to Be Remembered

The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO) gives us an opportunity to express our love and gratitude to retired American Baptist ministers, missionaries and their widowed spouses. Through their dedication, faithfulness and often sacrificial service, thousands of persons have come to know the love of God through Jesus Christ.The RMMO is an annual ABCUSA offering usually received in December that provides:

Thank you checks to over 3,000 retired ABC ministers, missionaries and their widowed spouses, based on 15 or more years of ABC service.

Emergency and other financial assistance based on need.

The 2007 national goal for RMMO is $1,521,555.00. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) This permits us to connect our giving with the motive of love that Jesus exemplified in his sacrifice for us on the cross. The minister or missionary who led us to Christ loved us with sacrificial love and gave all that he or she could to enrich our faith journey. How can we do less than "Remember with Love, give with Gratitude" as the RMMO offers the opportunity? Please give sacrificially in return for what has been done unto you.

Your gift to the RMMO is
ONE WAY TO SAY
THANK YOU
In a tangible way

For more information please contact Debbie Hart at the Region Office at 800.632.2953 ext. 221 or dhart@abc-mi.org .

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35 (NRSV)

Arrivals, Departures, Celebrations, Concerns

§ [Update - 5:01pm, November 19] -- Ruth Williams, wife of the Rev. Donald Williams, died on Sunday, November 18. Visitation will be at the MacDonald"s Funeral Home, 315 North Michigan Ave., Howell, Michigan, on Tuesday, November 20 from 1:00PM to 3:00 PM and 6:00PM to 8:00 PM. The service will be held at the First Baptist Church, Howell, on Wednesday, November 21, 11:00 AM. Her obituary is available on the funeral home website: http://tinyurl.com/yvthnx.

§ On November 2 Hartford Memorial Baptist Church of Detroit held a commissioning and consecrating service in recognition of the expanded ministries of Dr. Charles G. Adams and his son, the Rev. Charles Christian Adams. Dr. Charles Adams has been called to the Harvard Divinity School where he will serve as the Nickerson Professor of the Practice of Ethics and Ministry. Dr. Adams has served as senior pastor of the Hartford church since 1969, a position he will continue to hold along with his teaching position at Harvard. The Rev. Charles Christian Adams will serve as Presiding Pastor of the Hartford church. Both men were commissioned to their new ministries by a large gathering of Detroit area clergy and members of the Hartford congregation. The keynote speaker for the evening was the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Carter, Professor of Religion and College Curator at Morehouse College.

Tucker Gunneman and Allen Rogers

Allen Rogers and Burmese Friends

§ In a joyful celebration of ministry, the First Baptist Church of Battle Creek recently installed the Rev. Allen Rogers as pastor. The service featured a wonderful array of music from the First Baptist Church Chancel choir, the Burmese Youth Choir, the Burmese Youth Trio and long-time member Jim Bennett who sang a solo. Associate Minister Dr. David Laisum graciously led the service. Consultant for Transitional Ministries Tucker Gunneman gave the Charge to the Church, and the Rev. Pat Hernandez brought the Words of Installation. The Rev. David Mason, Pastor of the WeatherVane Christian Fellowship, a unique ministry which shares facilities with First Baptist, gave the Charge to the Pastor. Atta Clark, who chaired the Search Committee, recalled the activities of the committee and shared the story of the committee's journey to calling Pastor Rogers. Rogers comes to Battle Creek from Logansport, Indiana, where he pastored The Baptist Temple. He has served churches in Ohio, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and even in Michigan, which he is glad to once again call home. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Michigan State University, and Bethel Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Rogers brings to his ministry a passion for Christ, a love for the lost and great joy for all God's people. We welcome Allen. Rogers back to Michigan.

§ Dr. James Perkins, senior pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church of Detroit, and preacher for the Friday evening worship service at the recent Region annual gathering in Cadillac, is the author of a new book due to be released in February through Judson Press. The book is entitled Playbook for Christian Manhood: 12 Key Plays for Black Teen Boys. From his experience as founder of the Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy, Dr. Perkins has compiled a "game plan" for black males ages 12-15. The plan supplies twelve essential lessons to sustain teenage boys in their growth toward becoming men of integrity and godly character. The book will make a great gift for a young boy and will be useful in the church school setting. Contact Judson Press to purchase the book when it becomes available in the new year (www.Judsonpress.com or 1-800-458-3766). Dr. Perkins is also the author of Building Up Zion's Walls: Ministry for Empowering the African American Family (Judson Press 1999).

§ The Union Church of Quincy installed the Rev. Dr. Scott Arnold as senior pastor during a special service held Sunday, November 4th. Participants in the service included:

Paul and Scott Arnold

† Rev. Tucker Gunneman, who brought the charge to the congregation
† Burmese Baptist Fellowship of FBC, Battle Creek shared music
† Rev. Dr. Paul Arnold, who brought the charge to his brother, Scott
† Rev. Dr. Michael Williams, who led the installation prayer
† Dr. Richard Schultheis, who shared Scripture readings.

Friends from the churches Dr. Arnold has served in the American Baptist Churches of Michigan were in attendance in addition to family members. ABC-MI churches Dr. Arnold has served include First Baptist Church of Battle Creek and First Baptist Church of Grand Blanc. He also was a member of University Baptist Church of East Lansing during his student days at Michigan State University. "Victory in Jesus" was sung in memory of Dr. Arnold's grandfather, Forrest R. Gilmore, who was an American Baptist pastor in New England for fifty years and in memory of Dr. Arnold's father, M. Gene Arnold and brother, Bruce Arnold. A formal dinner followed the service prepared by members of the Union Church of Quincy.

Christmas Open House at Region Office on December 1

All are welcome to attend a Christmas Open House at the American Baptist Churches of Michigan Region Office on December 1, 2007. Come for a time of fellowship, light refreshments and the opportunity to become better acquainted with the ABC-MI Staff and Specialized Ministries of the ABC-MI. Some of the specialized ministries of ABC-MI hosting exhibits include:

†  Jeff Rector, American Baptist Student Foundation
†  Rev. Robert Lacker, ABC-MI Historial Committee
†  Wendy Koerner, Meritain Health (formerly WEYCO)
†  Camp Lake Louise
†  Camp Lael
†  Kay Hoyt and Phyllis Christopherson, American Baptist Women's Ministries
†  Karen Horsman and Larry Wilson, American Baptist Foundation
†  Bruce Carr, Michigan Baptist Scholarship Society
†  Malcolm Brown and Timothy Goodrich, U of M Flint
†  Dr. Linnea Berg, Friendship House
†  Scott Cherry, Anchor Ministries (ministry to Muslims)
†  Dan Buttry, International Ministries Global Service Missionary for Peace and Justice
†  Tony Mills, Casner Insurance Agency, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance and Guide One Insurance

Free Advent Calendars Offered

The Region's Family Ministry Team and Commission on Christian Education are once again offering Advent calendars free of charge to local churches. These 8 1/2 X 11" calendars are brightly designed for families with children and are filled with daily Scripture verses, activities and "thought starters", helping families focus on the true meanings of the up-coming Christmas season. A limited number of advent calendars for teens will also be available. Calendars can be viewed on the Creative Communications for the Parish website (http://tinyurl.com/22ox2j and http://tinyurl.com/22wluq).

Each local church may request up to 30 or each kind of calendar. Simply send a request to Sue Ellen Glover (sueellen@fbca2.org; phone 734-663-9376; fax 734-821-0361) stating the church name and address, person to whom the envelope should be addressed, and the number of calendars requested. Please specifiy how many teen or children calendars you wish. Order early! Advent begins on December 2 so requests need to be received by November 20.

It is our hope that through these calendars our churches can support families by helping them to set aside a brief time each day during Advent to participate together in activities that focus on the Good News that Jesus brings and on serving others.

New Children's Ministry Magazine from National Ministries

National Ministries has published the first issue of The Children's Corner, a new children's ministry magazine. The current fall/winter issue - organized around the theme "Behold the Children" - offers articles about looking at children in new ways as they begin a new school year. Included are questions for reflection concerning the plight and promise of children, a list of resources for future study, and specific suggestions for making celebrations of Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas more meaningful at church and at home. Read the complete news release.

Short Notices

The Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church of Flint (Dr. Roy Greer, Pastor is hosting the Flint Area ABC-MI Churches Advent Service this year on December 2, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. We welcome you to our church and if we can be of any other service please let us know. We are looking forward to a great time and invite your participation in any way. It is important that we get your input as soon as possible. Whatever you plan to do at this service please contact us with your necessary information by replying at our E-mail address. Feel free to call for further information: Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 424 E. Kennelworth Ave., Flint, MI 48503, Phone: 810-234-8168, Fax: 810-234-7295, E-Mail: mtolivebc@ameritech.net.

A Global Gifts And Crafts Shop is open to the public for the thirteenth year in downtown Birmingham, from now until Dec. 19, 2007, at First Baptist Church of Birmingham. The shop is non-profit, staffed by volunteers, and all "profits" go to mostly Third World craftspersons and artisans who made the gifts and crafts. The Shop offers a large and varied inventory of quality merchandise at reasonable prices. The Shop is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Entrance is on Bates Street, just north of Willits Street or Downtown's Ring Road (Across from The Willits). Customers enter and walk down a half-flight of stairs to the Shops. Free parking for two hours is available adjacent to the Shop in the municipal parking lot. Indigenous crafts made by people who otherwise would have little income are for sale in the Shop from nations and cultures around the world, including the United States. Suppliers for the Global Gifts and Crafts Shop include SERRV, Ten Thousand Villages, and ABC World Wide Gifts. This year the Global Gifts and Crafts Shop will highlight hand-made items from Bangkok, Thailand. A women's crafts cooperative in a very poor neighborhood of that city make greeting cards and colorful silk flowers. These artisan sales provide primary income to low income families in that city.

Palmer Theological Seminary (formerly Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary) will hold its annual "Exploring Christian Ministries" conference March 7-9, 2008. There will be seminars exploring the variety of ministries such as pastor, chaplain, church administrator, missionary, educator and journalist. Palmer wants to work with individuals struggling to determine God's Will for their life and ministry. In their promotional materials, they state, "We want to work with you as you seek God's Will...we want you to be able to make a decisive difference for Christ as you translate God's Will into concrete action; therefore we are sponsoring this three day event." Registration fee for the event is $40 per individual or $65 per married couple. Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 27. For more information or to register, contact the Admissions Office at 1.800.220.3287 or e-mail: semadmis@eastern.edu.

The award-winning Detroit Handbell Ensemble will present a special Chriastmas program on Saturday, December 8 at 7PM at First Baptist Church of Birmingham. Please call the church at 248-644-0550 for more information on tickets. And new this year, the church will offer its very popular B'Jazz Vespers program on Sunday, December 16, 2007 -- 6 to 8PM, A Special Jazz Christmas Concert presented by The Paul Keller Jazz Ensemble. Join us for an afterglow with the musicians in the church parlor after the concert! Free, open to the public. The church is located on the corner of Willits and Bates in downtown Birmingham.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Center for Excellence in Preaching will hold their annual international conference on worship, January 24-26, 2008. Over 100 presenters and 1,500 registrants from all over the world are expected to attend this event which will be held at Calvin College and Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids. For more information, visit the website: www.calvin.edu/worship/sympos.

Have you discovered GoodSearch.com yet? It's a search engine that contributes about one penny to your favorite charity every time you use it. Not only that, it's powered by Yahoo and it automatically filters out objectionable adult material. Just click on the link below, select Friendship House (Hamtramck, MI) as your charity and save it as one of your favorites. You'll be helping those in need and it will cost you nothing. Such a deal! http://www.goodsearch.com/

Read the latest issue of International Ministries Prayer Call: http://abc-mi.org/elink/prayer-call.pdf.

The Friendship House Newsletter is now provided in both PDF and DOC formats. The DOC format is a much smaller file and will take much less time to acquire on slow dialup connections. Read it in PDF at http://abc-mi.org/elink/fh.pdf or in DOC format at http:abc-mi.org/fh.doc.

The latest Friendship House Virtual Family Shop newsletter is here: http://abc-mi.org/elink/vfs.pdf.

The next issue of E-Link Online will be published on December 3. Please send news items and notices to the Editor (editor@abc-mi.org) by November 29.

Editor's Trips

Disclaimer: listing of these references does not imply endorsement of positions or policies advocated in them by either the American Baptist Churches of Michigan or the editor of E-Link Online. They are provided here for further thought, discussion, and inquiry. Caveat lector.

The Editor

§  Looking for a Worship Leader? -- http://www.furl.net/item/28512450/forward
§  One Great Hour Funds to Wildfire Victims -- http://abc-usa.org/news/2007/20071108a.htm
§  Avoid Conflicts of Interest on Church Boards -- http://www.furl.net/item/28492242/forward
§  Tawas City First Baptist Church Member is Humble the Clown -- http://tinyurl.com/2utsjp (thanks, John Cail)
§  Many Homeless People Are Veterans -- http://tinyurl.com/27p4tm
§  Are Pastors Competitive Enough? -- http://tinyurl.com/2rof9o
§  Sermons on Baptist Distinctives -- http://www.centerforbaptiststudies.org/sermons/

About E-Link Online