Short Notices

Editor's Trips

Issue 2010.05, March 8, 2010

Haiti, Chile Earthquake Update

Celebrations, Concerns, Comings, Goings

§  [Updated] The Rev. Allen Bendert, pastor of Cherry Hill Baptist Church, Dearborn Heights, underwent heart valve replacement surgery last week in Indianapolis, IN. He was taken ill while attending the Face to Face event there. He came through surgery well and is now at home recovering. His recuperation is expected to take four weeks.

§  First Baptist Church of Mt. Morris has called the Rev. Dr. Mark Conn as senior pastor. Pastor Conn grew up in a pastor’s home and met Jesus the day after his eighteenth birthday, and a couple of months later surrendered to the call of the gospel ministry. Mark has been married to his wife Mychere for 24 years. They have two children: Marshall, age 20, and Martyn, age 17. His interests include home remodeling, technology, fishing, old car restoration, football, and ancient civilizations. In 1985 he received his B.S. degree from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO. Since then he has earned an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Baptist Bible Graduate School of Theology; a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Freedom Seminary, Orlando, FL; and an M.B.A. in Nonprofit Administration from Freedom Seminary, Springfield, MO. Previously he served as Lead Pastor of Nobile Hill Baptist Church, Willard, MO; Director, Administrative Support Center at Baptist Bible College; Associate Pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church, Barboursville, WV; and Pastor at Easley Community Church in Easley, SC. He is also the Founder and Principal of Ministry Center in Springfield, MO which assists churches in their marketing strategies and use of new media, with strong focus on internet presence. Ministry Center hosts church and ministry-related websites from across the nation and provides and marketing services. We welcome Pastor Conn to the ABC family and look forward to becoming acquainted with him and sharing in Christ’s ministry together.

Tucker Gunneman

§  First Baptist Church of Saginaw has called the Rev. Tucker Gunneman as senior pastor, effective March 14. He previously served the church as interim pastor until October 2009. After considering many candidates, First Baptist Church felt led of God to invite him to return as the called pastor. This new position will be less than full time, allowing Gunneman to continue his part time role as Consultant for Transitional Ministries for ABC-MI. He has previously been associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Plymouth, pastor at First Baptist Church, Sault Ste. Marie, and First Baptist Church, Eastpointe. In the past eight years he has served eight ABC-MI churches as interim minister. He states that in late 2008 God had placed it on his heart to return to a settled ministry and had been waiting for God to open the right door for this to happen. He had interviewed with two churches in Indiana and then with First Baptist Church of Saginaw, where it was clear that this was where God was leading. He and his wife Jane will be moving to Saginaw in late March or early April.

§  Towar Hart Baptist Church, E. Lansing, has called Jeff Howe as their bivocational pastor. Pastor Howe has served as an international educational conference speaker and has taught Bible Teaching Methods in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He has also served as co-director of a Christian community youth club, a teen worship band leader, and as a student teacher in Bible in, Reidsville, N.C. Pastor Howe is well known to Towar Hart, having served there as a Licensed Associate Pastor in 1996-97. He has earned Masters of Education (Educational Administration) and Bachelors of Arts degrees, both from Columbia International University, Columbia, SC. We welcome Pastor Howe to the ABC family and look forward to becoming acquainted with him and sharing in Christ’s ministry together.

A Message from the Region President

by Erica Van Brakle

[Editor's Note: the following article is taken from a letter being sent to all ABC-MI churches.] Erica Van Brakle

Two years ago, the American Baptist Churches of Michigan (ABC-MI) launched its first ever Region Offering under the the Sowing Seeds of Ministry. Offering materials, including the booklet Sowing Seeds of Ministry: Stories of Faith, Hope and Love in the American Baptist Churches of Michigan, shared stories of people who are actively sowing seeds of ministry across the state of Michigan. These stories revealed the variety of ways that our ABC-MI Region staff support our pastors, congregations, and affiliates so each may continue to grow in health and vitality.

The third annual Sowing Seeds of Ministry Region Offering is almost here! May is designated as the promotional month for the offering, though it may be taken at any time throughout the year. Offering packets containing promotional and support materials will arrive at your church in early April, and will include quality print materials such as bulletin inserts and posters as well as offering envelopes. Many resources, such as the offering logo and prior years’ bulletin inserts, will be available for download at www.abc-mi.org. >> Read more.

Region Offering in May

Sowing Seeds

It’s amazing what can happen when we partner with friends to join in God’s mission. May is the time of year when we accept the “Sowing Seeds of Ministry” as our annual Region Offering. This offering promotes our life together as American Baptists in our ABC-MI Region. New this year is a matching grant opportunity! Any new and increased gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar from a special mission fund that you will soon be hearing more about. Together with all of our God-given gifts we are growing healthy churches, cultivating health in our pastors and sowing seeds of the Gospel all over Michigan. What a blessing it is to work together toward a shared goal and to make a difference in the lives of those around us! Your support will assist us as we continue to work together building the kingdom and blooming where we are planted. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Hart, Mission Assistant, at 800.632.2953 ext. 221 or dhart@abc-mi.org.

Christian Community Credit Union Offers $35,000 in Scholarships

Do you or someone you know need money for college? Christian Community Credit Union’s “Focused on the Future” Scholarship Program is awarding $35,000 in scholarships! To qualify, applicants need to be members of the Credit Union and enrolled in 12 units or more for undergraduate students; 8 units or more for graduate and post-graduate students at a college, university or seminary. Applications for scholarship and membership can be submitted at the same time.

If you have a friend or family member who's looking for college funds and is not yet a member of Christian Community Credit Union, now’s a good time for them to join. Applications for scholarship and membership can be submitted at the same time.

Scholarship applications are due April 30, 2010. For details, visit: www.mycccu.com/students.

Ministry Leadership Certification

Scott Arnold

The next class is Theology and will be held Saturday, March 2,7 at First Baptist Church, Charlotte, from 9am - 3pm. The cost for credit towards certification is $100; the cost to audit is $30. This class will be taught by the Rev. Dr. Scott Arnold, Senior Pastor of Union Church in Quincy, MI. Scott also teaches Theology, Biblical Studies, and Ministry classes at the Flint School of Urban Ministry in Flint, MI. Dr. Arnold is a graduate of Michigan State University in Urban Planning. He has the MDiv from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a graduate of the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education in Chicago, and has a DMin in Discipleship from Luther Rice University in Lithonia, GA.

Scott loves to create art, poetry, and write songs for praise and worship. He is the author of a book “Soul Fruit” recounting his and his son Thom’s journey through cancer and has authored curriculum on discipleship for small groups and churches.

Dr. Arnold has been an ordained American Baptist Minister for over 25 years. He has served in pastoral ministry during these years in Chicago, Boston, Providence, R.I., Battle Creek, Grand Blanc, and now in Quincy, MI. He also serves on the leadership team of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan.

“Faith seeking Understanding” is the focus of this class and will be a historical pursuit of Theology. Some of the questions that will be engaged are: In the light of the Bible as God’s inspiration and word of authority, how will we understand and apply our faith in today’s world? How can we speak of our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Word of God, such that our message is faithful, articulate, and real to the life God gives? How can we begin to understand and express the key understandings of the Biblical promise of God’s Kingdom?

Is it possible to be ignited in vision and purpose when pursuing theological understanding and expression? YES! Come and discover a deeper ground and vast vision for your Christian faith. Register now for this class at the ABC-Mi website, www.abc-mi.org.

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.