Short Notices

Editor's Trips

Issue 2010.10, May 17, 2010

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Comings, Goings, Celebrations, Concerns

Double Dollars for Region Offering through Matching Gift

Through the generosity of the First Baptist Church of Royal Oak Mission fund, $15,000 is being offered to match dollar for dollar all new or increased gifts to the American Baptist Churches of Michigan 2010 Region Offering.

“Everything we have has been given by God to be managed wisely for the sake of God’s kingdom,” says the church’s pastor, Dr. David Nichols. “Investing in stocks or bonds offers little hope for the immediate future; the stock market is volatile and bonds are paying historically low rates. We believe it is far better to invest in God’s mission.”

In this day and age, where else do you have the opportunity to double your money? Let’s accept FBC Royal Oak’s challenge and double dollars for the destiny of ABC-MI.

All Friendship House Walkathon Funds to be Matched

All Friendship House Walkathon Funds will be matched dollar for dollar at the May 22 Walkathon. Originally, the First Baptist Church of Royal Oak Mission Fund was going to match dollars exceeding last year's net proceeds.However, the committee generously changed it to match all dollars. Those outside of the metro Detroit area may wish to send donations for the to Friendship House designated for the "Walkathon" on the check memo line. Address is 9540 Conant Street, Hamtramck, MI 48212.

Sowing Seeds of Ministry -- Helping in Time of Transition

by Deacon Russell Kirksey, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Flint, MI

Although Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Flint had previously utilized some of the resources available through the American Baptist Churches of Michigan, it wasn’t until the death of our pastor after 36 years of ministry that the full impact of the Region’s ministries became evident. During this time of transition, ABC-MI staff members were available to assist us in a variety of ways, including making arrangements for pulpit supply.

Mt. Olive Baptist Church

The Consultant for Transitional Ministries for ABC-MI facilitated a workshop on “Churches in Transition”, which helped us identify areas of strength and weakness and consider many important factors prior to calling a new pastor. After our search committee was formed, the Consultant walked us through the ABC-MI model for pastoral searches, and we prepared a church profile for prospective pastoral candidates. Although this model is different than the typical search process in African American congregations, it served us well.

We were reminded throughout the search process that God already had a person chosen for Mt. Olive; we just had to identify and accept that person. The Consultant’s experience with the pastoral search process was a great encouragement, and his expertise was invaluable. Overwhelming congregational approval of the search committee’s recommended candidate affirmed the process.

Mt. Olive Baptist Church, under the leadership of our new pastor, the Rev. Dr. Major A. Stewart, is poised to ascend to greater heights in the spreading of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the building up of the kingdom of God. We owe a great deal of thanks to ABC-MI for their ministry during our time of transition. [Click on picture for larger view.]

Impact of Michigan's Smoke-Free Law on Churches

by Trina Knox, Office Administrator, ABC-MI

The Dr. Ron Davis Smoke-Free Air Law went into effect on May 1, 2010. We want to make sure our churches are all aware that the law applies to churches as they are a public place. This is of special concern to those churches that host outside meetings that may, in the past, have been allowed to smoke in their facility.

What do business operators [including churches] need to do to comply with this law?

Business operators shall prohibit smoking in areas where it is not permitted. Compliance is determined by the following:

Further information about the law is available at www.michigan.gov/smokefreelaw. No-smoking signs can be printed from this page in addition to finding answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” and reviewing a “Checklist for Business Owners.”

This is a “complaint-based” law which means there is not a compliance officer who will inspect public buildings for violations. Rather, a complaint can be filed by an individual and if found to be true, the business can be charged.

If you do not have access to the Internet and want more information, you can call 866-59-SMOKE .

Retool Kit

Is It Time For Your Church To “Retool”?

Is your church ready to take a new step forward of revitalization and mobilization for mission and ministry? If so, the Retool Kit Pathway may be just what you need. Click here to view a descriptive brochure about Retool, or visit the Region website (www.abc-mi.org) for more detailed information.

Pastors: FACT 2010 Online Survey Responses Are Due Now

By Dr. Michael A. Williams, Executive Minister

Strengthening congregations is a goal shared by the American Baptist Churches of Michigan (ABC-MI); the American Baptist Churches USA; as well as many denominations in the United States. One of the ways of strengthening congregations is to understand them better. That is why I have decided to participate in the FACT 2010 survey. FACT – Faith Communities Today - is a national project aimed at better understanding congregations in the U.S. in order to enhance their mission and ministries. In the year 2000, FACT guided the largest study of congregations ever conducted. This year, a follow-up study is taking place and our Region has been invited to participate. The results will provide a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of congregational life in our Region, in other American Baptist congregations across the United States, and Protestant America.

Please complete the online survey by May 20, 2010.

Your response is essential to ensure that congregations such as yours are appropriately represented in this national portrait. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey, or have it completed by another leader in your congregation. Only one person from each of our ABC-MI congregations needs to fill out the survey. In most cases this person will be the senior, solo, or interim pastor, but if you have received this invitation and feel that someone else may be better qualified to respond, you are welcome to forward the information to that person.

If at all possible, please submit the completed survey online by May 20, 2010.

You can participate by simply clicking on the link below and completing the online survey. The survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. You do not need to complete the survey in one sitting, but can save your work and return later to finish if necessary. If over 50% of our regional congregations respond, we will receive regional data that we may use to compare our congregations with other ABC and national congregations as a way of better understanding and better serving you.

http://faithcommunitiestoday.org/abcsurvey

Your individual responses are confidential. Only a statistical summary of the results will be made publicly available, so be candid in your responses.

On behalf of the FACT research team and our Region staff, thank you for contributing to our understanding of the vitality of American congregations. Statistical results from the study and a new round of resources based on the information will be available of the FACT website (fact.hartsem.edu) in 2011.

Ministry Leadership Certification: Conflict Transformation -- Last Week to Register

The next MLC class is on conflict transformation, Saturday, May 22, from 9am to 3pm at the First Baptist Church of Battle Creek. The cost for credit is $100; the fee to audit the class is $25. If at least two people from the same church are registered for audit and/or credit, each additional person is only $10 (for audit). This class is designed specifically for pastors and church leaders who want to gain skills and tools to move beyond merely managing conflict to developing a process which transforms communication and strengthens community. While conflict is often viewed as a negative, this class will lead students to a new understanding of conflict as an opportunity for growth.

Dr. Ross Lucas, Consulting Pastor at First Baptist Church of Battle Creek and instructor for the class, says, “In many church settings conflict is a dirty word. When I was a full-time pastor I wanted to believe that there would be no conflict in my church. That was a matter of my pride, not reality. I have come to realize that conflict is going to be present wherever there are a group of people. That does not mean conflict will necessarily be destructive. It is possible for conflict to increase the health and effectiveness of the group.”

The Rev. Dr. Lucas was licensed to preach by the First Baptist Church of Brazil, IN, in 1963 during his senior year of high school. He finished his undergraduate work at Indiana State University and then completed a Master of Divinity degree at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Over the next 20 years, he served as pastor of churches in Indiana and Oklahoma. While serving the McDoel Baptist Church in Bloomington, he completed a Doctorate in Educational Psychology. This led him to become a pastoral counselor and psychologist for the Samaritan Counseling Center of Central Michigan where he eventually became the Director.

In 2005 he began doing consulting with churches and not-for-profit organizations. The primary focus of the consulting has been conflict transformation and governance models. As a part of the consulting, he served as Interim Pastor for the New Hope Baptist Church of Bay City, MI. At the present time he is the consulting pastor of the First Baptist Church of Battle Creek, MI.

May is the Month for Region Offering

May is the suggested month to participate in the ABC-MI Region Offering. With your prayerful support, ABC-MI will continue to:

For questions about the Region Offering, please contact Debbie Hart, Mission Assistant at 800.632.2953 ext. 221 or dhart@abc-mi.org.

New this year is a matching grant (see related story in this issue of E-Link) that will double your dollars. There is no better time to give if you want to make an impact on ministry in ABC-MI! Click here for Region Offering bulletin inserts.

Worship Extravaganza at 2010 Annual Equipping Event -- Final Call

The 2010 Annual Equipping Event (Friday Oct. 22 – Saturday, October ,23 at First Baptist Church of Charlotte will feature a Friday evening worship extravaganza. If you or members of your congregation would like to share your gifts, please contact Pat Hernandez (phernandez@abc-mi.org).

Michigan Baptist Scholarship Society (MBSS) Applications

Members of American Baptist Churches in Michigan who are preparing for careers as professional church leaders and are in need of financial assistance for their studies are invited to apply to MBSS for help. The application form can be downloaded and needs to be returned to Bruce Carr, MBSS President, no later than June 30 for the fall semester.

Note that applicants from churches which currently support MBSS, have it in their budgets for next year, or which have supported MBSS in recent years will have priority over applicants from churches that do not or have not done so.

Send your completed applications with the necessary references and other material to Bruce Carr; 23436 North Stockton Drive; Farmington Hills, MI 48336. Phone: 248-474-8916 (day or evening). E-mail: Hbrucecarr@aol.com Again, the deadline for receiving everything is June 30 for the fall semester.

For people wishing support to begin in January, 2011, applications are due on October 15.

Short Notices

Editor's Trips

The Editor

Every edition of E-Link Online features links to articles the Editor has tripped over while wasting time surfing the Web. Posting of these links does not imply that either he or the American Baptist Churches of Michigan necessarily agrees with, endorses, or otherwise promotes the views expressed in them. Their value, if any, consists of whatever further thought, discussion, inquiry, discernment, fury, or occasional laugh they may provoke. Readers are welcome to send their own suggestions to the Editor.