ABCRM Executive Minister’s Update

March 7, 2011

I don’t know about you, but it always feels like February always flies by for me. Now, I know there are three less days in the month than in most other months, but still, that doesn’t seem to justify how soon the March bills come and we are starting a new schedule.

Key Achievements During February
A lot happened during the last month that I want to share with you. The first part of the month was filled with a bunch of meetings with pastors and churches. It was a joy to meet with a couple of new pastoral prospects for our Region and Denomination as well as to visit with many of our pastors about their ministry and the many exciting things that are happening in their lives.

Bill Mankin and I made a trip across Wyoming to visit with the congregation at Evanston to discuss the needs of the small congregation there and to look at their future. The congregation has dwindled to a small core group of seven members and faces a mortgage that they are not financially able to meet. They are looking at selling the property to satisfy the demands of the mortgage and must then consider whether to continue to meet as a home church or to close the church that has been meeting since the 1800’s. It is the second oldest Baptist church in Wyoming and has a significant history of ministry and mission. Please keep this congregation in your prayers as they seek God’s leadership on the significant decisions they must make and pray for Bill as he seeks to minister to them on your behalf.

On a more joyful note, I had the privilege of meeting with Pastor Joe Sanchez of The Healing Place Church in Brighton. Joe also serves as “interim Pastor” of FBC-Brighton and has ministered to the remaining core group of members in that congregation in the midst of his 400 member Hispanic ministry. They have taken over the payments on the new building that FBC Brighton built before a series of difficult events caused the decline of the church to just a few members and have built a ministry that has now outgrown the new building there. Joe and the Healing Place Church are interested in aligning with ABC, not only as a “covering” for their ministry but also to preserve and recognize the historic ministry of FBC-Brighton. I will be talking more with them over the coming months and look forward to the possibility of welcoming them into the membership of ABCRM at our annual gathering in October.

Early in the month, the MLC (Ministerial Leadership Committee) sponsored another of its “Academy” classes that are designed to provide a pathway to a recognized ordination for lay, second-career folks and others who might be unable to seek a traditional pathway. The classes are also valuable as continuing education for our clergy folks who might not have had these particular classes or for lay leaders who might like training in these particular areas. Dr. Matt Melton, pastor of FBC of Gillette taught the class – An Introduction to Preaching—and we had nine students participate! The classes were held at the Region Offices and it was good to see them being used for this purpose.

Just this last week, we sponsored a week long, Mediation Skills Training Institute that was taught by Lombard Mennonite Peace Institute. Richard Blackburn, who came and taught the “Healthy Churches” Seminar at our Annual Gathering a few years ago, was our instructor. We had 32 folks participate in this training, 21 one of whom were from our Regional churches and members of our Regional staff. We were also joined by another of our ABC Executive Ministers, Rev. Robin Stoops of Nebraska, for the training., several from the Presbyterian church in Colorado and Nebraska, and a couple of other tribes (denominational families) were represented as well. This 40 hour training event taught us listening skills, healing strategies and mediation and negotiation processes that will assist in transforming conflict situations. It was a very powerful time and I know our Region will see great benefit as a result of our investment in this. I will be asking the participants and others who have participated in the past to join the staff in a conference call in April to discuss future possibilities for this ministry. We particularly appreciated having Calvary Baptist of Denver host us for this event in their wonderful, newly remodeled facility. It was a real blessing and treat to be able to meet there.

The staff and president Dave DeMott also spent two days in February reviewing our Mission and Vision Statement with Dr. Jeff Woods of the ABC-USA Office of the General Secretary Staff, to further refine and give better focus to our core functions of ministry. We were able to produce the first draft of a document in each of our key areas of ministry that we will present to the board for further refinement and input in March. These vision pieces will then be used to help guide our action steps for the coming few years of ministry. I think you will be pleased not only with the documents themselves but also with the common ministry that they will help to create.

A Current Prayer Concern…
I am writing this report as John Turnage, chair of our ABCRM Mission Team and I are taking five ABC Pastors to meet with our missionaries in Chiapas, Mexico. In addition to John and I, the team includes, Anne Jernberg of Calvary, Rick Cederholm of FBC-Torrington, Fred Dyer of Trinity Baptist, Douglas, John Tellis of Solomon Temple in Denver, and Mike Oldham of our staff. In addition to visiting Ebenezer Baptist Church, the small church in village of Maravilla whom we are helping replace their building and rebuild their youth program, we will be meeting with a number of local pastors in the Chiapas region to share our expertise. I look forward to this time of learning from one another and trust that all of you will keep us in your prayers during our trip. We will return on March 17.

Upcoming Events
The Region Board will also be meeting on our return to the Region. We will be meeting on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19. The agenda appears to be pretty full with lots of good reports about our ministry and several decisions to be made. We will also be engaged in a time of learning about “inclusion” and as shared above, discussion our core ministry priorities. Please keep your board members in prayer during this time.

Brad Berglund and Anne Jernberg of our Region serve as our denominations representatives to the Consultation on Common Texts, the Committee that reviews and updates the Common Lectionary used by many of you as well as many denominations and fellowships to guide them in worship and worship planning. This committee will be holding a special meeting in Denver on April 11 and you are invited to come and learn more at a forum to be held at Calvary Baptist in Denver. The forum begins at 8:45 and lasts until noon. You can register to attend and even receive a free resource at www.commontexts.org. Register beforeApril 4 to receive the free resource.

Blessings to all as you prepare to enter into the Holy Time of Lent and prepare to celebrate once again the death and resurrection of our Lord. My prayers go with you all and I look forward to celebrating this critical event in all our lives with you.

In Him with Whom our Salvation Lies,

Steve Van O