Short Notices

Editor's Trips

Issue 2010.08, April 19, 2010

Royal Oak Mission Fund Will Match Region Offering Up to $15,000

The First Baptist Church of Royal Oak Mission Fund has announced a $15,000 matching gift for the 2010 Region Offering of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan. All new or increased gifts to ABC-MI received by September 1, 2010, will be eligible to be matched by this fund on a dollar-for-dollar basis. This matching gift program is part of a larger effort by First Baptist Royal Oak to support American Baptist mission and ministry during this critical time in the life of the denomination.

We appreciate the ministries of ABC-MI in providing support for pastors through Ministry Leadership Groups and its emphasis on Growing Healthy Churches...
Royal Oak Members

The church came to this decision while considering a merger with Genesis, a non-denominational church in Royal Oak. By unanimous vote, the church chose to disburse accumulated assets of approximately $700,000 on behalf of American Baptist mission and ministry over the next few years.

David Nichols

The church's pastor, Dr. David L. Nichols, explained the church's decision: "Everything we have has been given by God to be managed wisely for the sake of God's kingdom. 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 these funds directly in God's mission with the understanding that the dividends such investments pay do not ebb and flow with the economy. We appreciate the ministries of ABC-MI in providing support for pastors through Ministry Leadership Groups, and through its emphasis on Growing Healthy Churches in a variety of ways. These programs are worthy of support and we want to do what we can to make a difference."

For more information about the matching gift opportunity or ABC-MI ministries and resources, contact the Region office at 800.632.2953 or online at www.abc-mi.org.

Materials for this year’s Region Offering have been shipped to churches. If your church has not received materials or needs additional materials, please contact the Region office (800 632-2953). Click here for Region Offering bulletin inserts.

Jazz Concert to Benefit Haiti Relief Effort

The Paul Keller Trio will present an afternoon Special Haitian Benefit Concert on Sunday, April 25, 4 to 6pm, at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.

Admission is $20 at the door. All funds collected at this concert will be for Haitian Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding, and will be channeled through Church World Service (CWS ). Your contribution is tax deductible.

Enjoy hearing Michigan's finest jazz musicians in an historic church sanctuary with superb acoustics and state-of-the-art sound system. Free parking in adjacent city lot. Casual Attire. Tel: 248-644-0550. First Baptist Church is located in downtown Birmingham on the corner of Willits and Bates, one block north of Maple Rd., one block east of Old Woodward.

2010 Church Annual Reports Now Due

Church Annual Reports for 2010 are now due in the Region Office. This important statistical information is used as a database for ABC-MI and ABCUSA as well.

The Officer information helps us know who to target mailings to with important information and changes for your church.

Please take the time to complete the forms, either in hard-copy and on the Internet at: annualreport.abcis.org.

If you need another form, of ir you have any questions, please contact Debbie Hart at the Region Office, 800.632.2953 or dhart@abc-mi.org.

Metro Association Men and Youth Event

The Men and Youth event featuring the nationally known "Stand Strength Team" is coming up this Saturday April 24 from 2:00-4:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Detroit, 21200 Southfield Rd. Southfield, MI. The "Stand Strength Team" will perform feats of strength and present their powerful message of making the right choices in life and sharing their testimony about "Standing Strong in the Lord". No charge to attend -- pizza and drinks will be provided. Call 734-284-6300 for reservations. Check out the Team at www.standstrengthteam.org.

Friendship House Walkathon on May 22

Walkathon

The Friendship House annual Walkathon will be held Saturday, May 22, from 9am to noon. Pledges to walkers help support Hamtramck's only food pantry. This year all funds raised will be matched dollar for dollar by the Royal Oak Mission Fund. Help support the food pantry by joining the Walkathon. It's "Friend-raising" and "fund-raising" at its best.

Click on links below for forms and posters:

Ministry Leadership Certification Class

The next class in the MLC program will be offered on Conflict Transformation, May 22, 9am – 3pm at the First Baptist Church of Battle Creek. Instructor for the course is the Rev. Dr. Ross Lucas, a Diplomate with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors who also holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology. The class will cover understanding conflict, building communication skills, and strengthening leadership capacity. The fee for credit is $100; for those wishing to audit the class, the fee is $25. Registrations can be taken online (www.abc-mi.org) or by contacting Sheila Kaminski at the Region office (800 632-2953).

Worship for 2010 Annual Equipping Event

Plans are underway for worship at the 2010 Annual Equipping Event, Friday, Octobe 22 – Saturday, October 23 to be held at the First Baptist Church of Charlotte. Individuals or groups interested in offering their musical gifts should contact Pat Hernandez (phernandez@abc-mi.org) as soon as possible.

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.

Credit Union Helps Students Pay For College

(San Dimas, CA, April 01, 2010) Christian Community Credit Union introduces a private loan solution called Credit Union Student Choice. This new program helps students fill the funding gaps that federal aid can leave behind. Unlike other alternative loan products, the Credit Union’s student loan offers significantly lower rates, zero origination fees and more flexible repayment terms.

“As a not-for-profit Credit Union, we have the unique ability to design products that are truly in the best interest of the student and their family,” said John T. Walling, President/CEO of Christian Community Credit Union. In addition to student loans, the Credit Union offers financial management resources for young adults and a full-range of products and services to help develop and maintain good financial habits. Student checking, auto loans, thousands of surcharge-free ATMs and free online banking and bill pay are just a few of the services available with the Student Advantage Banking.

Student Choice is available to members of Christian Community Credit Union. For information about Credit Union membership, please call 800.347.CCCU (2228) or visit myCCCU.com.

With assets over $500 million, Christian Community Credit Union has over 29,000 members worldwide and has served as a financial partner to Christian churches, ministries and their members for over 50 years. For more information about Student Choice, please call 866.464.9193 or visit myCCCU.studentchoice.org. [CCCU press release]

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.