Evergreen Notes. Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches

Transcription

1 April 2018 Volume 17, Issue 4 Evergreen Notes Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches Join Us April 1, 2018, 8:30 AM for Easter Sunrise Service at St. Ignatius Chapel Located on Seattle University Campus The service begins at 8:30 a.m. at St. Ignatius Chapel on the campus of Seattle University and will be led by members of Japanese Baptist Church, Seattle First Baptist Church, and University Baptist Church. The Rev. Bruce Chittick will preach. Order Tickets by May 25, 2018 Remembering the garden in which Jesus was buried and from which He rose, we will be reminded again as we gather near the memorial garden commemorating the Japanese Internment. Parking at Seattle First Baptist (about 3 blocks from the Chapel) is free. Evergreen Night at the Baseball Game Tuesday, June 12, :10 PM Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels Tickets: $13 each Contact Clem: clem@ea-abc.org or Inside this Issue What Will You Do With God s Amazing Love? America For Christ (AFC) Offering Haiti Mission Trip 2018: A Glimpse Social Media Corner Know Your Domain Information! Evergreen Way Training Postponed & Rescheduled Pray for Sister Churches 5 JBC Invites You to the Sukiyaki Dinner A Flower with Roots 7 ABSW Says Thank You 7 Pray for Churches Seeking Pastors: Filipino-American Christian Fellowship, Grace Baptist Church Tacoma, Burien Community Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Japanese Baptist Church and Community Church of Issaquah

2 What Will You Do With God s Amazing Love? NRSV Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you-- unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 God lives and loves us deeply. In the coming weeks we will be exploring the actions from that love that resulted in Jesus coming to be with us in the flesh. As we move away from Holy Week I ask you this, how prepared are you for reflecting on that magnificent love? How has your Lent preparation gone? God s love for us is so great, so permeating that sometimes I think it becomes easier for us to not see it. Like the nose we live with every day, we enjoy the benefits of God s love often without even seeing it even though it is with us every moment of our lives. Of course, we notice it immediately if something is not working just right, just think of trying to sleep with a stuffy nose. We have just walked through Holy Week. We have been encouraged to reflect through a promise in Maundy Thursday, feel the pain of loss on Good Friday and celebrate new life and a Remember Your America For Christ Offering by Rev. Douglas Avilesbernal promise fulfilled on Easter Sunday. Now we get to live what we have heard and experienced. So if you have not yet done so, spend some time thinking about all those great things that flow from God s love to you that are always there in your life, so much so that you may not be conscious of them most of the time. Discover the wonder that your every day life is. Then do something with it! Doug doug@ea-abc.org Rev. Douglas Avilesbernal Executive Minister The America for Christ (AFC) Offering 2018, seeks to raise $1,250,000 to support American Baptist mission and ministry across the United States and Puerto Rico. Building a better world one transformed by the healing power of the Gospel and by passionate American Baptist leaders and disciples who are creating and building ministries that meet human needs. The offering is distributed in three parts: 29% supports regional ministries (ABHMS is the only mission board to share its offering with American Baptist Churches USA regions); 59% supports the ministries of ABHMS; and 12% supports the offering s promotional and deputation costs Page 2 Evergreen Notes

3 Haiti Mission Trip 2018: Invite any of the Team to Share their Experience! The 2018 Haiti Mission Team: Ana Henderson Brian Henderson Clem Winbush Demetri Winbush Jesse Lucas Keith Madsen, and Mary Cline The team is grateful for your prayers and contributions which are supporting the progressing construction of the elementary school College Matondo Madeline. The Women s Department Clem on left; Kihomi right back Ana with new acquaintances Worship Service in a packed church Pastor Mano, retired executive minister of the Haitian Baptist Convention and administrator of the school construction project, expects the school will open in the fall of this year and plans to host an open house in early You are invited to plan to attend the open house events. Brian, Ana, Mary, Clem, Demetri, Jesse, and Nzunga Keith & Kihomi were preaching! Newest Mode of high- We are grateful to Dr. Steve & Nancy (standing) James for medical support when we needed it! Cool enough for blankets at the Mabudigas home? Ana, Keith and Demetri gloved up and began moving rocks for the foundation of the compound wall. College Matondo de Madeline Evergreen Notes Page 3

4 Social Media Corner Know Your Domain Information! Recently, we launched the new Evergreen website at As I was going through to update our list of churches, I did a search for each church s website. I was astonished that there were a few church websites I couldn t find via a Google search. Wherever possible, if your church does not have a website, I added a link to the Facebook page instead. Please go to our website, click on Churches, and then find your church in the listing and make sure the information is correct. If it is not, send me an so I can correct it. Also, if you do have a church website, but it doesn t show up in a Google search, make sure you have it registered with Google. Mindi Welton-Mitchell Pastor, Queen Anne Baptist Church and Evergreen Social Media Specialist However, there were a few church websites that I clicked on from the old Evergreen website and found that Page 4 those websites no longer belong to that church. If you have let your domain name registration lapse, someone else can buy it up. This happens often when the person who originally set up the church website leaves and does not transfer the domain name to the church before they go. Usually, the company from which the domain name was purchased will send an to warn whoever purchased it that it is about to expire. But if that person is no longer checking that , the website can be hijacked. Sadly, I have seen this happen to churches, and the domain name that they have used is now owned by someone else, who will often charge a lot of money to get it back. The church should have on file the domain name registry: who purchased the domain name, who it is currently registered to (sometimes it has to be a person rather than the church name, so make sure it is an officer of the church or the pastor), the address and phone number, as well as the login information. If it is in the name of someone who is no longer in leadership, be sure to transfer it. You can usually do this by logging into the site where you purchased the domain and changing the information there. Keep this information secure, but make sure someone (I recommend at least two people) in leadership have access to this information. Make sure you renew your domain name on time. And I recommend purchasing Privacy Protection, to keep the information surrounding your domain name registry private (it s usually around $10 a year to purchase this). Blessings, Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell media@ea-abc.org Sharing the Evergreen Way! Facebook: evergreenabcusa Hashtags: #ebaabc #IamEBAABC Send events and happenings in your church and community to Mindi at media@ea-abc.org and she will spread the word on the web through multiple media formats. Thanks, Mindi! Evergreen Notes

5 American Baptist Women PNW Annual Conference April 6 8, 2018 Howard Johnson Hotel, Yakima WA Feeling God s Love, Laughter & Grace John 15:9-11 Bible Study: Dr. Sandra Hasenauer, Associate Executive Director, ABWM,USA Mission Speaker: Sarah Jean Nash, newly endorsed Missionary to Bolivia Project: Conference Offering will go to Sarah Jean Nash Fund Contact Merletta Roberts, or Humor4U@mac.com EVERGREEN WAY TRAINING HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND IS RESCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY Details to follow as the dates near...online at Designed for all church leaders and Essential for every Evergreen pastor This training/reflection event is underwritten by a Palmer Grant. The five day training costs only $250 which covers room/board and resources as well as a travel scholarship for those outside of Western Washington. Pastors can get an ABHMS scholarship to cover the $250 registration fee. February 4 8, 2019 Camp Burton Retreat Center Vashon Island, Washington Pray Especially for these Sister Churches during the Month of April Good Shepherd Baptist Church Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church The United Church Moscow First Baptist Church Oakland First Baptist Church Mountlake Terrace Mt. Pilgrim Metropolitan Baptist Church Volume 17, Issue 3 Page 5

6 Japanese Baptist Church Invites You to the Annual Sukiyaki Dinner Saturday, April 28, 2018 Curbside Takeout 12 4 PM Indoor Takeout 12-6:30 PM Dine-in 4-6:30 PM Cultural Program 6:30 PM Suggested Donation: $15 adults/$10 children Haiti Kihomi and Nzunga serve as a vital link between International Ministries and the Haitian Baptist Convention. They both visit and preach in churches and serve through a variety of ministries. Nzunga teaches theology at the Christian University of Northern Haiti, trains assistant professors in teaching and administers a scholarship program for elementary, high school and university students. He manages two projects: the goat and pig project for children and the clean water project for communities. He also administers the Cap- Haitian Eye Clinic. Kihomi works with families in the areas of counseling, women s health, Community Health Evangelism and economic development. She also coordinates and advises the women s association of the Haitian Baptist Convention, representing women of all the Baptist denominations of Haiti at international conferences. White Cross Haiti Sewing & Education, Eye Care & Student Infirmary The Women s Ministries of the Haitian Baptist Convention (HBC) equip women by teaching them how to sew and by offering educational and health prevention classes. They also help support the Cap Haitian Eye Center, an important ministry that provides quality service to the poor. The center treats cataracts and glaucoma, offers exams and surgery. The Women s Ministries also help support the student infirmary at the Christian University of Northern Haiti. Their goal is to have the necessary medical supplies on hand to treat a growing number of students. It is anticipated that these projects will improve the overall lives of those who receive glasses in order to see; children to be able to improve their education; women providing for their families and students keep healthy while attending classes. Note: As this newsletter goes to press, Kihomi and Nzunga are stateside following up with doctors regarding Nzunga s health. Please keep them and their health care providers in you prayers. Volume 17, Issue 3 Page 6

7 A Flower with Roots A Flower with Roots: The Story of Mary D. Jesse and Shokei Girls School written by our own former Missionary to Japan, Roberta Lynn Stephens,is a book...with a double storyline with many intertwining segments. Mary D. Jesse, a woman from a family of means, abandons everything to follow her vision to help lift the burden of Japanese girls during a time when education was a privilege and not a right. She is a model of faith, perseverance, and leadership, who discovers God s guidance in difficult experiences. Already a school with history, Shokei Girls School begins its walk with Jesse as she and other missionary colleagues share their Christian faith the flower their love for the students, and Christ s love as it is rooted in their daily living.at the same time the drama of misunderstanding, misery, and pain leads to forgiveness and rebuilding. The story of Shokei Girls School is a compelling account of the resiliency of a mission school where you will see the love and loyalty of the students for their school while the school leadership was experiencing endless drama in management and personal relations. A Flower with Roots will take by Roberta Lynn Stephens you on a journey you won t forget. [Excerpt from the Afterword by Komei Sasaki] Copies may be purchased from Amazon or call Roberta at American Baptist Seminary of the West Says Thank You We are in receipt of a letter of thanks from James E. Brenneman, President of ABSW, which reads in part: On behalf of the American Baptist Seminary of the West I want to offer sincere gratitude for your generous gift of $471.20, which will be applied to the Seminary Fund. That fund provides an enduring level of support for the ongoing needs of the seminary and our students. We are pleased to have Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches as a sustaining partner in this sacred enterprise. Too few consider [from] where the next generation of moral and spiritual leaders will come, yet their expectations for excellence are undiminished. Thus, if those leaders are to have the highest quality of preparation for the challenges of ministry in the 21st century, we must join together to ensure that they have the support they need. We at ABSW are honored to have you stand with us in this great work Volume 17, Issue 3 Page 7

8 Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches 409 Third Avenue S, Suite A Kent WA Phone: eba@ea-abc.org Like us on Facebook: Hashtag: #ebaabc #IamEBAABC Return Service Requested Non-Profit Organization US PAID Kent WA Permit No. 451 Evergreen Notes, the newsletter for member churches, ecumenical partners, national affiliates, and friends of the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches is published monthly. Please submit articles by the 20th of the month prior to expected publication. You are encouraged to copy and/or reprint information and articles. Building Bridges, Resourcing Churches & Translating Our Unity Calendar of Upcoming Events April 1, 2018 Community Easter Sunrise Service, St. Ignatius Chapel, Seattle University. Japanese Baptist Church and Seattle First Baptist Church, cohosts. See you there! May 18, 2018 Association Board Meeting, Seattle First Baptist Church (SFBC), 9 AM May 21-25, 2018, Evergreen Way Training Event, Camp Burton, Vashon Island POSTPONED* August 18, 2018, Association Board Meeting, SFBC, 9 AM October 12-13, 2018 Evergreen Annual Meeting, Grace Baptist Church San Jose CA *February 4-8, 2019 Evergreen Way Training at Camp Burton February 8 9, 2019 Leaders Retreat; noon on the 8th 3 PM on the 9th. Executive Committee meets on the second Thursday each month at 6:30 PM, Japanese Baptist Church. Rev. Douglas Avilesbernal Executive Minister MISSION STATEMENT Being a culturally diverse people who are one in Christ and who value the liberties of our American Baptist Heritage, the Evergreen Baptist Association will Build bridges between communities; Provide resources to equip member churches to share Christ and teach God s word; and Translate our unity to the world.