Entries for August 2009

Six Karen and Chin women attended the National Women’s Conference and six Karen young adult women and girls attended the National Gathering for Girls—both sponsored by American Baptist Women’s Ministries—on July 25-31, 2009, at Lake Williamson Christian Center in Carlinville, IL.

American Baptist Women’s Ministries distributed today grants in the amount of $28,341.37 each to six American Baptist-related ministries dedicated to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children, announced Virginia Holmstrom, executive director of AB Women’s Ministries.

Rev. Dr. Edwin Tuller, a strong advocate for human and civil rights, passed away August 25 in Pittsburgh, PA. Tuller served as the general secretary for ABCUSA from 1959 to 1970.

Thirty-eight 2009 grants have been awarded by the ABCUSA Burma Refugee Task Force to American Baptists working with Burmese refugees in the United States. The 2008 grants totaled 31. These grants are supported by ABCUSA’s Mission Initiative Fund and One Great Hour of Sharing funds from National Ministries.

National Ministries, The American Baptist Home Mission Societies, has awarded grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 to 15 American Baptist congregations and organizations in support of their work with children in their communities. The grant program is part of the Children in Poverty initiative, which began in 2006.

This may be a historical first. “A father and son will soon be at the head of major interests of two significant religious denominations,” according to Dr. Walter Parrish II who has served as the executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of the South (ABCOTS) since 1979. 

American Baptist-related Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, has announced residential scholarships for dependent children of American Baptist ministers and missionaries, beginning with the Fall 2009 semester.

Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), spoke to their annual meeting, held in Ede, Netherlands, July 25- Aug 1, calling on the international fellowship to set up a commission that would deal primarily with Baptist conversation with Muslims.

In June, the top leaders of the Naga insurgent factions came together and made an important step toward peace, despite over 30 years of internecine warfare, by signing a Covenant of Reconciliation. For the first time in this struggle, all the major leaders have publicly committed to the reconciliation process.

Former American Baptist General Secretary, Dr. Robert C. Campbell, died in California on Monday, July 27, 2009, after a long illness. Campbell served as General Secretary for ABCUSA from 1972 to 1987. He was 85.