VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/16/14)—The board of American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) seeks nominations for ABHMS ministry awards to be announced at the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) 2015 Mission Summit/Biennial to be held June 26-28, in Overland Park/Kansas City, Kansas, and Space for Grace, a national conference sponsored by ABHMS in Los Angeles November 4-7.
Nominations are needed for 12 national recognition awards that honor American Baptist individuals, churches and organizations for exceptional faithfulness in ministry:
- Edwin T. Dahlberg Peace and Justice Award to an individual or church for outstanding work for peace and justice;
- Jitsuo Morikawa Evangelism Award to a layperson for outstanding leadership in holistic evangelism;
- Rosa O. Hall Rural and Small Town Award to a pastor for exceptional effectiveness in rural or small town ministry;
- Edward H. Rhoades Urban Ministry Award to a pastor for exceptional effectiveness in urban ministry;
- Richard Hoiland Local Christian Education Award to an individual for faithful, effective leadership in Christian education;
- Luther Wesley Smith Education Award to an individual for faithful, effective leadership in strengthening Christian education at an American Baptist-related college or seminary;
- Kenneth L. Cober Regional Discipleship Award to an individual for faithful, effective leadership in discipleship education in an American Baptist region;
- Newton C. Fetter Higher Education and Campus Ministry Award to an individual for significant innovation in campus ministry;
- Suzan Johnson Cook Religious Freedom Award to an individual, church or organization for leadership in defending God-given religious liberty for all;
- Institutional Chaplaincy Award to an American Baptist-endorsed institutional chaplain for faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in an institutional setting (e.g. hospital, hospice, organization);
- Military Chaplaincy Award to an American Baptist-endorsed military chaplain for faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in the United States military; and
- Pastoral Counseling Award to an American Baptist-endorsed pastoral counselor for faithful and effective pastoral counseling.
Deadline for nominations is Jan. 15, 2015. Submission of nominations by the deadline is important because final selection of award recipients will be completed in January.
Nominations for these 2015 awards can be submitted online.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies—the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA—ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community and justice.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.