Pastor's Notes (March 2010)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 02:26PM March is our month to celebrate and support “home mission” as American Baptists. In the history of our denomination, we developed a strong tradition of supporting the endeavors of missionaries in mission fields all over the world. At the same time, American Baptists developed ministry and mission fields right here at home.
Our “home mission” history is quite impressive. National Ministries, our home mission society, started just a few years after First Baptist itself was founded. In 1832, the American Baptist Home Mission Society began, expanding rapidly to serve our growing nation. (Indeed, the Rev. Jeremiah Hall left his pastorate here in 1836 to help start a church in Michigan, sent as a home missionary by the ABHMS. Rev. Hall later served as president of Denison University in Granville, OH.)
Without a doubt, American Baptists have enriched and transformed the lives of individuals and communities through our “home mission” work. Neighborhood centers, evangelism outreach efforts, advocacy for social change, scholarship support for colleges and seminaries, and refugee resettlement are just a few “success” stories of our past and present. American Baptists have a distinguished history, celebrating mission around the world and around the corner!
One reason I support the America for Christ offering is out of a sense of personal gratitude. Over the years, I have benefited from educational programming supported by National Ministries (my education was supported in part by scholarship aid from our denomination, making possible my studies at Ottawa University and Central Baptist Theological Seminary). My pastoral library has great resources for ministry and Baptist identity published by Judson Press, our denomination’s publishing house. I know a number of people whose lives were changed for the better, thanks to home mission efforts. When it’s March each year, I know it’s time to say “thank you!” through a financial gift to the America for Christ offering.
As a congregation, let us remember that First Baptist has experienced a great deal of “investment return” from our home mission support. Over the past four years, we have had great consultation and support from Dr. Ronald Carlson, Missional Church Strategist, one of our commissioned home missionaries employed by National Ministries. Our church has been enriched by Ron’s consultation, NM’s help assembling a great community-wide conference on community conflict transformation in 2008. Our missional efforts have been empowered by a $1500 grant in 2009 to help fund short-term missional projects. To give to the America for Christ Offering is a great way to say “thank you!” to National Ministries. Please consider giving generously to our 2010 AFC Offering!
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One final note:
We join with the ABC V/NH region, mourning the loss of the Rev. Rohn Peterson, acting executive minister, who died on February 17, 2010, after an extended battle with cancer. Rohn came to our region staff during a time of controversy and transition. He led us with grace and humor, providing his servant leadership faithfully in our midst. Rohn was our guest last Pentecost when the General Secretary visited. He valued the words of welcome and the prayers for his work and his health offered by our congregation.
May we honor his memory through our commitments to further American Baptist ministry and mission in our community, our region, our nation, and around the world.