VALLEY FORGE, PA (6/21/17)—Before the end of 2017, the domestic personnel of International Ministries (IM) will be making a half-mile move to a new office building. IM Executive Director/CEO the Rev. Sharon Koh announced the move today, saying, “We are thrilled to have found a space so close to our national-level American Baptist sisters and brothers that suits our global mission needs.”

Located in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the Mission Center has been the proud home of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) for over 50 years, and the decision to leave it was not reached lightly. However, due to the building’s aging infrastructure and a dramatic reduction in numbers of onsite staff, ABCUSA, IM and their other denominational partners determined that it would be the best stewardship of God’s resources to find new office space that better suits the organizations’ needs.

IM began the search for a new location with a firm commitment to remain as close as possible to its denominational partners. After an extensive search, IM’s planning team found an office space that is an excellent match for its requirements about half a mile from the future site of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), which was announced earlier today.

“I am excited about this new location because it will be an efficient use of space, and it is well designed for collaborative work,” Koh said. “It is also a work environment well suited to the habits of our home office staff.”

“The IM Board of Directors sees God’s powerful hand at work in the availability and suitability of this building for our next chapter in God’s mission,” said the Rev. Dr. Reginald Mills, IM board president.

The majority of IM’s American Baptist partners will be relocating to a building purchased by ABHMS. These include the American Baptist Churches USA Office of the General Secretary, the American Baptist Extension Corporation, American Baptist Women’s Ministries, the American Baptist Computer Center, the Ministers Council ABCUSA, one staff member of the American Baptist Historical Society and ABHMS itself. The American Baptist Foundation will also be relocating, though its new location is yet to be determined.

International Ministries, also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, works cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation.

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.