The Collective Conscience of our Country: A Pastoral Letter from ABCUSA General Secretary Lee Spitzer
Read a pastoral letter from General Secretary Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer, published August 5, 2019, below. If you would like download a printable copy, please click here.
“The Collective Conscience of our Country”
A Pastoral Update from the General Secretary
August 5, 2019
Dear ABCUSA Family,
TWENTY dead, 26 wounded.
NINE dead, 27 wounded.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), I find myself once again writing to our churches and leaders in reaction to horrific mass shootings. El Paso, Texas. Dayton, Ohio. In just a few minutes of violence, 29 people lost their lives, and 53 others were injured.
Like Virginia Beach (where we met in June) and many other cities before this weekend, these mass shootings continue to challenge the collective conscience of our country. These outbreaks of evil are not normal, and must not become normative. Communities in every geographical sector of our country have been victimized. As a spiritual family dedicated to serving as witnesses to the peaceable kingdom of Jesus, we must not become numb to the pain of people who have suffered loss, be tempted to rationalize away the hate, racism and prejudice behind most of these attacks, or give in to a despair which prevents us from embracing solutions to the underlying challenges symbolized by these events.
We need to speak out in Jesus’ name. In June, 78 ABC national leaders, regional executive ministers and I expressed our collective solidarity with the people of Virginia Beach in a public letter published in the leading local newspaper, as approximately 1,400 American Baptists gathered in that city for the 2019 Biennial Mission Summit.
Collaborating to Provide Mattresses for Clients of ABHMS Partnering Organization
The importance of sleep is indisputable—especially as it relates to the developing minds and bodies of children and teens. That’s the reason that Mahoning Valley Baptist Association (MVBA), Youngstown, Ohio, partnered with the Campbell, Ohio-headquartered Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries to provide mattresses to families in the low-income Youngstown metropolitan area. Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries is a partner of American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ (ABHMS) Community Outreach Ministries.
The organizations had learned from a Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority survey that only 40 percent of apartments in the Kirwan Homes development, Campbell, had enough beds for the number of occupants.
“Children are sleeping on couches, chairs and, in some cases, extra clothing piles on the floor,” wrote Dr. Rudy Braydich, MVBA president, in a report to ABHMS. “Proper sleep translates into better attention in school and reduced health issues.”
MVBA churches raised money to purchase mattresses. Clients from Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries’ three community centers—Kirwan Homes Community Center; Rockford Village Community Center, Youngstown; and Youngstown West Side Community Center—were invited to apply to receive mattresses. Volunteers from MVBA churches delivered 104 mattresses to residents’ doors.
Read more: Collaborating to Provide Mattresses for Clients of ABHMS Partnering Organization
193rd Annual Gathering October 8 & 9
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The 193rd Annual Gathering of the American Baptist Churches of Ohio will be held October 8th and 9th, 2019. All events will take place over two days (Tuesday and Wednesday only) at Crowne Plaza, Columbus North, 6500 Doubletree Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43229 (download the Hotel Information Sheet HERE).
Please note that there are no one day registrations. Election of officers and reports will take place on Tuesday morning.
We will live stream several events throughout the Gathering. Our live stream will be available on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to receive updates and tune in anytime during the Annual Gathering! https://www.youtube.com/user/ABChurchesofOhio/
Downloads:
{Registration Form} {Hotel Information}
“so the next generation might know them ~ even the children not yet born ~ and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands” ~ Psalm 78:6-7\
ABHMS Seeks Applicants for 2019-2020 ‘In Support of Excellence’ Pastors Cohort
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American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) is seeking American Baptist pastors to enroll in its 2019-2020 “In Support of Excellence” (ISOE) pastors financial-empowerment cohort to begin meeting in November. The application deadline is Aug. 28, 2019.
A pastor’s ability to effectively lead a congregation to be an agent of transformation in the community is significantly diminished when he or she is saddled with education-related debt, financial trauma and undercompensation. Ministries of excellence are the desired fruit of the ISOE program.
To be eligible to participate in ISOE, a pastor must be a pastor of an American Baptist church, submit a reference from his or her regional executive minister and demonstrate key criteria, including: pastoral excellence, significant financial hardship, and potential for increased congregational generosity and stewardship as well as willingness to commit to full program participation and requirements.
Orientation and Learning Lab Retreat will take place Nov. 7–9, 2019, at ABHMS’ Leadership and Mission Building, King of Prussia, Pa. Future training sessions will be announced to cohort participants. Participant costs for onsite sessions are provided through funding from the Lilly Endowment’s “Addressing the Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders” initiative.
Apply online by midnight on Aug. 28, 2019. Those chosen will be notified by Sept. 30. Additional information is available online.
Rev. Dr. Morris W. Lee Sr. Transitions to His Heavenly Home
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Rev. Dr. Morris W. Lee Sr., 83 made a transition to his heavenly home Friday, July 26, 2019, surrounded by his family.
The Rev. Dr. Morris W. Lee was born Oct. 19, 1935, in Isle of Wight County, Va., son of Peter H. and Nannie Crocker Lee, and was reared in Portsmouth, Va., where he attended the public schools.
He attended Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va., receiving an A.B. degree in History. He then attended the Graduate School of Religion for three years and finished Cum Laude with a Master of Divinity degree.
Rev. Dr. Lee served from 1957 to 1960 as minister of the Jerusalem Baptist Church of Doswell, Va. In September of 1960, he was called to pastorate of the Third Baptist Church of Youngstown, succeeding the late Dr. S.S. Booker, where he was currently still serving as Pastor up until his death.
Dr. Lee has participated in many activities of civic, community and ecclesiastical nature in the Youngstown area as well as in a large arena. He had served as a member of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, of the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, the Executive Board of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, the Board of Trustees of the American Churches of Ohio and the Ohio Council of Churches.
He has been moderator of the Northern Ohio Baptist District Association, Director of Music for the Ohio General Baptist Convention, chairman of the Trumbull Baptist Neighborhood Ministries Committee, president of the Youngstown Ministerial Association and president of the Mahoning Valley Council of Churches.
Dr. Lee taught for several years in the Youngstown Extension of American Baptist Theological Seminary of Nashville, Tenn., in the Black Studies Program of Youngstown State University. He received an Doctor of Divinity degree from Virginia Union University. He completed course requirements toward a Doctorate in Ministry from Ashland University.
Dr. Lee married the love of his life, the former Beverly A. Chambliss, on June 11, 1966, and from their union they had two children, Morris W. Lee Jr. and Miriam M. Lee, both of Youngstown; one grandchild, JoLisa Collier-Lee; and a special granddaughter, Chelsea Anderson; two godsons, Michael (Cordella) Torbert of Mechanicsville, Md., and Craig McDowell of Syracuse, N.Y.; two special friends that were like siblings, Geneva Mason and Howard Pincham; along with a host of close cousins, friends all across the community, his beloved Third Baptist Church family; and his beloved cat, Zuri.
We lift up the Morris family in our prayers during this time.
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church Seeking Senior Pastor
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church (428 E Main Street Columbus, Ohio 43215) is prayerfully seeking a Senior Pastor. Mt. Olivet is a predominately African-American congregation located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The 112-year-old church as over forty ministries designed to reach the lost and serve the people of the community. There has been consistent leadership with only two men serving as Senior Pastor since 1946. The church is served by 11 associate ministers and an operational staff of 10. There is a membership of over 1000.
ABC OHIO has agreed to be the receiving organization for all applications for the position of pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist Church. If you or someone you know has an interest in this position, we ask that you download and read the "Directions for Application" document below.
Applications (Resume and Letter of Intent) must be submitted no later than August 23, 2019 via email, fax or US mail to:
Rev. Jane Gibbons, Executive Minister for Program and Ministry Development
American Baptist Churches of Ohio
136 North Galway Drive
Granville, OH 43023
jgibbons (@) aol.com
Fax: 740-587-0807