American Baptist Women’s Ministries of Indiana
Officer Update Pages Spring 2014
The many languages in the theme logo (languages of Burma, Spanish, English)
represent the history of mission and ministry of American Baptist Churches USA
as well as the relationships we have with Christian women across the world,
each seeking to be Christ’s hands and feet in service in praise.
Theme Scripture
The gifts He gave were . . . “to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,
to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”
-Ephesians 4:12-13
President President President President President President President Spring Update 2014
Don’t you just love (or NOT love) getting a friendly reminder? How many times does God (through his Holy Spirit) send us a friendly reminder? Have I invited the woman sitting next to me in worship service to come to the next women’s meeting? Have I sent a thank you card to someone for the act of kindness they performed? Have I sent a get-well card to someone who has been ill? How about a thinking of you card to the person you haven’t seen in a while? Have I thought about sending a note to one of our Special Interest Missionaries? My “to do” list could be a mile long if I listed all the things I could be doing. Perhaps I should forget the “to do” list and just begin by doing one thing that would make a difference to someone else . . . and then another . . . and another. Get the picture?
“A Time to Serve” is our national theme for AB Women’s Ministries and, actually, this theme and the logo originated in the Women’s Day Task Group, as we planned and prepared for Women’s Day at the Biennial in Overland Park, Kansas, last June. The languages of the logo represent several ethnic groups of AB women that had a large presence at Women’s Day. The next Women’s Day will be in June of 2015, again at Overland Park. There will not be a national conference in 2015 – so that more women can attend the Biennial and Women’s Day. This year’s national conference will be two new and different events: 1) an intergenerational retreat held at Green Lake (July 26-29), immediately following the Mission Conference (July 21-26) and 2) a cruise to the Bahamas (September 19-22). Please check out abwministries.org for more information about both.
Have you made plans to attend Indiana’s Summer Conference at Franklin College? Our special guest this year will be Virginia Holmstrom, Executive Director of AB Women’s Ministries. The committee has been working to provide another Summer Conference with exceptional opportunities that you won’t want to miss. We’ll meet June 6-8 and the AB GIRLS will meet at the same time. We’re in a building program with the AB GIRLS with Tracy Karnes forming a new Leadership Team. We are hoping to see some of those girls at the Spring Retreat this year for the first time. We are thankful for the Ella Mae Tomlinson Fund that will provide the girls with the funding needed to attend some of these planning sessions. Joy Jamboree is coming up May 2 and 3 at Calvary Baptist Church in Kokomo. Just remember, you don’t have to have an official AB GIRLS group at your church to bring the girls to the Gathering at Franklin or the Jamboree at Kokomo. Registration forms are included in the update pages.
Janet Moore 1916 E 1800 N Summitville, IN 46070 765-621-7477
Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary Spring Update 2014
Dear Ladies,
As I write this update page for you, I am looking out on yet another cold, icy, snowy day. We are reminded that God is still in control even though spring is just three weeks away!
I just completed a three day Walk to Emmaus and was reminded how we serve a Mighty God who loves us SOOOO MUCH and wants us to put HIM first in our lives and serve HIM daily.
I would like to share this Prayer/devotion with you as we consider our theme “A Time to Serve”.
TIME FOR GOD
Loving God, I am reminded that there is a time for everything in life.
Help me to look at each day as a new opportunity to be your servant,
Allow me to see you in the lives of those who surround me.
Open my eyes to look at them as you do, with love and compassion, so I can give myself in love to them.
Blessed Jesus, as my journey continues,
I want you to be my companion.
Teach me to overcome my sinful thoughts,
my pride, and my selfishness.
Open my heart to your forgiveness and strength.
Lift me when I fall. Carry me when I am weak.
Holy Spirit, take away any negative attitude.
Guide me into the way that leads to life.
Make me sensitive to your promptings--
eager for the presence and power of sanctifying grace.
Allow me to be your servant wherever I go today.
May God Bless your service to HIM,
Jean Ponsler 10615 N. Co. Rd. 500 E. North Vernon, IN 47265 812-591-2701
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, October 11, 2014 – Women’s Day
Crooked Creek Baptist Church
5540 N. Michigan Road
Indianapolis, Indiana
Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer Spring Update 2014
“A Time to Serve”
Time. We all have 24 hours each day to work, eat, play and rest. It’s what we do with those hours that defines us. We can be very productive or we can choose to do very little.
Our theme, “A Time to Serve”, gives us the opportunity to be a blessing to others and do what God asks us to do. I tried looking up a particular scripture where Jesus was talking about serving others and not being served, but I was not able to find it. What I’m trying to say is we need to be the servant and do what we can to help and not expect some one to do it for us.
One way to be a blessing to others is to give to the various funds we have through ABW Ministries, They include: our Operating Fund – used to further our State ABW Ministries; our State Project – this year Rainbow Acres in Camp Verde, Arizona, to help build a Green House for the ranchers; our Scholarship Fund – the amount given from April 1st – March 31st which determines how many $500 Scholarships we can award; our Ella MaeTomlinson Memorial Fund – which is used to help our AB Girls attend various events; and our National Funds: National Support, National Endowment, the Women & Girls Fund, Refit and Leadership Development.
Please remember Love Gift is given to your local Treasurer who sends it to the State ABC/IN-KY office in Indianapolis. Thank you to each and everyone who gives to our funds. Without you serving our Lord nothing would be accomplished.
Carolyn Porter 6317 Turner Drive Clayton, IN 46118 317-539-4483
MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: AB Women’s Ministries of Indiana
Donation given by ______(Association gift, circle, individual, etc.)
Name of Church ______Association ______
Your Name ______Your Address ______
AMOUNTFUND AMOUNT FUND
$______Operating $______National Support
$______State Project * $______National Endowment
$______Scholarship **$______AB Women & Girls Mission Fund
$______Ella Mae Tomlinson Memorial Fund$______Leadership Development
For AB GIRLS of Indiana$______Refit
$______(Other)
*Checks MUST BE postmarked by 12/31 to count toward current year’s State Project
**Checks MUST BE postmarked by 3/31 to determine number of Scholarships given in current year
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $ ______
MAIL TO: Carolyn PorterCheck No.______
6317 Turner Dr.Dated______
Clayton, IN 46118
Personal Development Personal Development Personal Development Spring Update 2014
Time to Serve
Have you been reflecting on our study theme? You may have heard that our ABWM theme for 2014 and 2015 was originally planned to be “Designed to Serve.” Then, our ABC National Headquarters received a letter from an attorney representing another organization who was already using “Designed to Serve” on their website. They threatened legal action if we continued to use the phrase that they considered to be their domain.
I believe it was divine intervention that our national leaders changed our theme to “Time to Serve.” Time is a very important concept in our culture. We value time to the extent that we have developed many time saving devices and efficient forms of transportation. Time saving has resulted in “multi-tasking” being developed into an art form. If we plan just right, we can be cooking our future meal in a crock pot, while the dishes from the last meal are washing in the dishwasher, the laundry is being washed by our washing machine, and the sprinkler system is watering the yard while we recline on the couch.
God tells us in His Holy Word to make good use of our time. In the King James version the phrase “redeeming the time” is used but in the NIV it is translated differently. See Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. This is repeated in Colossians 4:5(NIV)5be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
In spite of all of our time saving devices, we often complain that we don’t have enough time. However, since the beginning of time, the number of hours in a day has not changed. We have just as many hours in our day as Jesus had in His day when he lived here on Earth.
Here is my favorite poem about time:
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift,
That’s why it is called “the present.”
This poem makes the point that that only time we really have available is “now.” Now is the “Time to Serve.”
Rhonda Compise 406 Crest Way Henryville, IN 47126 502-468-5084
Church and Community Church and Community Church and Community Spring Update 2014
Spring! I love that word this week. Noun, verb, pronoun….feeling in the air. Time to shift gears from huddled in a corner of the sofa with an afghan and a good book to resetting our clocks and our daily agendas. The weather has changed along with our moods, and it is TIME to do something. Have you thought about what it will be?
As your new Coordinator of Church & Community I was thinking about this topic as I huddled in my afghan. How do we define Community? Is it our local church family or the town or city in which we live? Is it the whole wide world, our circle of friends, the millions who live in obscure corners of our earth or the elementary school down the street? Exactly what is the relationship that we have between our churches and our communities, and exactly what is the effect we can have, the difference we can make? Exactly what is it that we are called to do?
My job description came with several scriptures to help us with our goal setting and programming. I challenge you to prayerfully search the scriptures for guidance, and contemplate how you and your church will define community. I am sure God has the perfect scripture for each ministry that we can envision. What will be the scripture that moves you out from under your afghan and into your community?
I would challenge you consider these questions in the next few weeks. Then come to Summer Conference at Franklin College, June 6-8and join me in our Church & Community Workshop. We will share scriptures, and ideas. We will consider the call that Jesus places on our lives as He calls us to serve our communities in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
A current tidbit that I must share with you came from our planning for Girls of Joy and AB Girl’s events. Here is my first official assignment for you. We are asking that you bring clean, gently used (that means washed at least one time) pillow cases to Summer Conference. Deliver them to the Church & Community display table. We will need ladies who are willing to take pillowcases and a pattern home and convert them into PILLOWCASE DRESSES before returning them on Women’s Day. Our AB Girls will finish, decorate and send these beautiful projects of love to girls they will never meet, but who will wear the love of Christ in the form of a cherished dress.
Pillowcases dresses will be the easy part for us. Now I want to issue bigger challenge. Find some girls in your community and get them registered for a GIRL’s event. That could mean the girls in your church, your local schools, your next door neighbor, your grand-daughter. YOU be the one to take charge. Find the information. Invite them. Find the financing for them. Deliver them, and stay if you should. If you need more info on our GIRL’s programming check with Tracy Karnes, Janet Moore or myself. Don’t let our GIRLS fall through the cracks.
I look forward to serving along with you in our Churches and Communities. And yes, this is A Time To Serve.
Nancy Bond 8041 N 800 W Middletown, IN 47356 765-354-2181
Mission and Service Mission and Service Mission and Service Spring Update 2014
Today is a beautiful day and it reminded me that summer will be here soon. Why not load up a car with willing hands and feet, drive to a work day at one of our camps, and help get ready for another season of camping? Service projects can be very rewarding! Maybe your elderly friends and neighbors aren't able to clean up all the branches that fell off trees due to our cold, snowy winter. Give them a hand! You'll both be blessed. Perhaps your church yard is also in need of some sprucing up. Gather a few of your congregation to work on a Saturday-many hands make light work.
I can't remember a time when we have 4 Christian movies playing at one time! Son of God, Noah, God's Not Dead and Heaven is For Real all will show between now and Easter. I have seen all except Noah. I highly recommend all of them! Make it a service project and take a friend or two—even buy their popcorn! You will come away a better person for it.
I am hoping to have a new list of SIMs by retreat time. I will have copies available for all Officers, Committee Members, and Association Presidents. Please get this info to all the churches in your area. By Conference in June, I will have prayer cards for all of them, too.
The Little Dresses for Africa are popular in other countries as well. If you are going to a country where they can use the dresses, contact me. If you have dresses done and don't know where to send them, please contact me to connect you. We feel that our Missionaries can get the dresses to the people that need them and the best way is to use them as suitcase fillers. Most people have a few corners in their cases open, so filling them this way is a double blessing!
Please contact me if you need help or information. Call or text me at 317-313-7526 or
email me at . I will attempt to get your answer in a timely manner. Thanks for all you do concerning Mission and Service Ministries!
Jan Jackson 8844 Rocky Hill Rd Indianapolis, IN 46217 317-313-7526
White Cross White Cross White Cross White Cross White Cross Spring Update 2014
I would like to start this year off by introducing myself. I am Barbara Mills from Tell City First Baptist Church, in the Evansville Association. I have just started my 3 year term this past November. I am looking forward to hearing from all of the churches about what they are doing for White Cross. Missions has always been a main focus of mine, as I feel we are called to help others when they have a need. When we are able to help others, we are doing the work of Jesus and helping to spread His love. Hopefully by now, most of you have been able to fill your White Cross quota, or at least made plans to do so. As soon as each church has collected their items or money and mailed them, please send your reports to the Association chairman so she can send her report to me and then I can send my report to National. I know it has certainly been cold and snowy this year but that is a good reason to get together and roll bandages, make pillowcase dresses, put together health kits, baby layettes, etc. If it is not been possible for your group to fill the request they received, please do the best you can and send the report forward so my state report can be completed.
I have recently received word that CWS is in need of school kits. This information was sent out to everyone on the state ABW email list. If your ladies are looking for a project to do, this may be just the thing for you! If your group did not receive this information and would be interested, you may contact me and I will either forward the email to you or send it through the mail. It is an easy project to do and a great way to spend time with your Christian sisters. It can put a song in your heart and put a smile in the hearts of those who will receive the items you have collected and made.
As I said earlier I am looking forward to receiving the reports from the Association Chairman, and to see what your group has done! As our gifts are shared, they express our commitment and bring joy to others.
Spring is coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!
Barbara Mills 1511 14th St. Tell City, IN 47586 812-547-8645