VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 4/3/20)—In light of COVID-19, the conference Leadership Team for “Celebrating Ministering Women: Radical. Redeemed. Ready.” announces their intention to postpone the conference at Green Lake Conference Center for a future time.

The conference is designed to celebrate and affirm the historical, current, and future contributions of women across American Baptist Churches USA while also deepening fellowship, broadening friendships, and affirming the call of God on all persons. It had been scheduled to meet June 16-19, 2020.

The Leadership Team members (Tom Wiles, Soozi Whitten Ford, Gina Jacobs-Strain, and Patricia Hernandez) expresses their gratitude for the countless hours and participation of the boards of American Baptist Women in Ministry and American Baptist Women’s Ministries.  Persons from across the ABCUSA family expressed excitement for the conference and many willingly agreed to serve on the planning team, as Bible study and workshop leaders, and plenary speakers.  The leadership team is grateful for their national partners and staffs: Dr. Jeffrey Haggray (ABHMS); Rev. Sharon Koh (International Ministries); and Dr. C. Jeff Woods (Acting General Secretary); and especially acknowledges the contributions of Ben Mott (CEO and President, Green Lake Conference Center) for his early support of the conference, and for his willingness to seek creative solutions in light of the realities presented by COVID-19.

In an announcement previously sent to the Planning Team, speakers, workshop leaders and registrants, the leadership team pledged, “we will be the custodian of our collective enthusiasm and good work until we gather in the future.”

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.