The Mainstream

News of Ministry and Mission

American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region

January 2009 No. 2 Email: grrabc@abcgrr.org web: www.abcgrr.org

GRR Calendar

2009 Theme - Plant the Harvest

March

14 -

14 - Area V Annual Meeting,

FBC Edwardsville IL

15 -

15 - Area II Annual Meeting

Jacksonville FBC

21 -

21 - Area IV Annual Meeting

First Baptist Church, Benton IL

22 -

22 - Area I Annual Meeting

First Baptist Church, Ottawa IL

22 -

22 - Area III Annual Meeting

North Bridge Baptist Church

Normal, IL

April

17 - 18 - Clergy Spouse Retreat

Lake Springfield Camp

2424 -25 -GRR Missions Conference- 25 - GRR Missions Conference

Cherry Hills Baptist

Church, Springfield, IL

May

28 -28 -Church for All GenerationsChurch for All Generations

with Edward H. Hammett

FBC Bloomington, IL

Area Meetings Harvest Time

Area I

FBC Ottawa, IL Sunday, March 22, 2009

Speaker: Dr. Alistair Brown President of Northern Seminary Children and Youth Events

Area II

FBC Jacksonville, IL Sunday, March 15, 2009

Afternoon: Reports From: Dr. Dwight Stinnett Rev. Lisa Harris Dr. John Grisham Breakout Groups

Evening Speaker: Rev. Lisa Harris

Area III

North Bridge Baptist Church Normal, IL Sunday, March 22, 2009

Afternoon Speakers: Pastor Christian Ricker, Chenoa FBC Rev. Wally Holt, Macomb FBC Dr. Brett Smith, University Baptist Church, Champaign, IL; Workshops

Area III (Continured)

Evening Speaker: Rev. Karen Boucher, Associate Pastor of FBC Pontiac, IL

Area IV

First Baptist Church, Benton, IL Saturday, March 21, 2009 Theme: Sowing For Harvest

Speakers & Workshop Leaders: Rex and Becky Cooper Charles Klassen, Jon Lobos Ron Haynes

Worship Leader: Rod Mays

Area V

FBC Edwardsville, IL Saturday, March 14, 2009 Speaker: Rev. Dr. Dwight Stinnett

The long process of recovery from Hurricane Katrina continues, and in places like the New Orleans neighborhood of Little Woods, much more help is needed.

Sunday, April 19 - Saturday, April 25 Sunday, April 26 - Saturday, May 2 Sunday, May 3 - Saturday, May 9 Sunday, May 10 - Saturday, May 16

Contact: Victoria.Goff@abc-usa.org

Claudia McCain Ordained To Christian Ministry

Claudia McCain (at left with her husband and sister) of First Baptist Church, Macomb, IL was ordained to Christian Ministry on Sunday, January 25, 2009. Dr. McCain serves FBC Macomb as the Director of Small Group Ministries. She is also very gifted in music. The Rev. Dr. McCain is retired from Illinois Western University where she taught key board and curriculum in the field of the business of music.

Rev. Wally Holt, pastor of FBC Macomb, gave the message entitled,”Lessons From a Minister’s Minister”. Dr. Richard Ricks, Regional Associate Minister for Area III gave the charge to the candidate and led in the vows of ordination and the laying of hands.

Pastor Dean Reeverts of Blandinsville FBC gave the charge to the congregation. Several selec

tions of special music were provided by family and friends. Claudia closed the service with prayer.

A reception was held following the service.

Bethel Neighborhood Center News

Mr. P. is a recently resettled refugee referred by Catholic Charities to Bethel for help with language interpretation and other resources. He is in his mid-30’s with a wife, 2 young children, and several extended family members for whom he is the sole wage earner. Originally from Bhutan, his family was terrorized by “government officials” when he was 6 years old. The family fled to nearby Nepal where they lived in a camp until immigrating to Kansas City, KS in September. He taught math in the refugee camp and has studied the literature of his native Bhutan. He currently works at Triumph Foods (a pork processor) near St. Joseph, MO. Transportation to this job is provided by Jewish Vocational Services and is a 90 minute bus ride each way.

In mid-November Bethel had a Health Screening/Flu Shot Clinic staffed by KU School of Nursing students and faculty under the supervision of our nurse, Melinda Krautmann. When Mr. P., a recently resettled refugee, was screened by the student nurses, his blood sugar level was over 400 and his blood pressure was high. He complained of blurred vision and headaches. With his cooperation an appointment was made for the following day at a nearby clinic. He was put on medication, encouraged to attend diabetes education classes, and given a follow-up appointment. Without this intervention, Mr. P. could well have gone into diabetic coma and died, not knowing what was wrong with him.

Bethel has worked with immigrants and refugees for 97 years.

Our current clientele includes people from Burma, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia, Eastern Europe, Mexico as well as those who have lived in the neighborhood for years. Our staff speaks at least 7 languages and has an amazing ability to communicate when we don’t speak a language. For more information about Bethel, call 913-371-8218 or visit us on line at www.bethelcenter.org.

Ed Baxter - Interim Director

Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Elgin To Celebrate Anniversary

On February 22nd, 2009, at 11:00 a.m., we will be gathering for celebration of our 15th Anniversary of the Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Elgin.

We have walked through these years with faith and courage to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We wish to continue to provide guidance, love, peace, and justice to the Elgin community and neighbors. “Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock” (Matthew 7:25)”.

With love in Jesus, in the New Year 2009. God bless you.

Dr. Benjamín Manso Senior Pastor

GREAT RIVERS REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

There are scholarship programs in the Great Rivers Region to assist young people who are members of Great Rivers Region American Baptist Churches to help with college and/or seminary education costs.

Scholarships for any college student (regardless of major) or seminary student are available from the Gernenz-Shurtleff / Wilcoxen Scholarship.

Ministerial students attending ABC-related schools and seminaries in preparation for ministry can also apply for the Harold O. Long Scholarship. All applications must be received in the GRR office by April 1, 2009.

To receive an application for these scholarships, write to: Scholarship Committee, Att: Sharon Downs, PO Box 3786, Springfield, IL 62708, phone: 217-726-7366; fax: 217-726-7566, or email: Sharon@abcgrr.org

Harvest Grants

Harvest Grants are intended to empower and encourage churches to “open their eyes” to the fields all around them during 2009. These matching grants can be used by GRR churches for just about any evangelistic effort. Our operational definition of an “evangelistic effort” is any program, activity, or event directed to those outside the church and including an intentional invitation to Christian discipleship.

To get a packet, including application, call the GRR or download it from http:// www.abcgrr.org/evangelism/Harvest_ Grants_2009.pdf

Our Great Rivers Region Family Is Growing!

First Baptist Church Champaign, Savoy, IL Welcomes: Phylicia Bos, Rollen Easter, Dolores Easter, Yan Liu, Min Zhang, and Chenyuan Qi

First Baptist Church, Mattoon, IL Welcomes: Rich Phillips, Rhonda Phillips, Kim Koenig, Ray Wheeler, Carol Wheeler, Alec Coleman, Caleb Coleman, Clyde Masten, Shirley Masten, and Chris Keniley

First Baptist Church, Paris, IL Welcomes: Bailey Johnson

First Baptist Church, Sullivan, IL Welcomes: Nicholas Kelsey

Mainstream Contact Information

Send your stories of mission and ministry. Please also send the names of new members (fruit of this mission and ministry) to:

Linda Ricks 232 Devron Circle East Peoria, IL 61611

E-Mail: Ricks4Lr@comcast.net

The Mainstream is a twice-monthly publication of the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region, 3940 Pintail Drive, Springfield IL 62711 Telephone: (217) 726-7366 Fax: (217) 726-7566 Email: grrabc@abcgrr.org Web: www.abcgrr.org