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Body Builders
July 31, 2020
Mid-American Baptist Churches of Iowa and Minnesota
strive to work together to build up the body of Christ.
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Dear <<First Name>>,
Board of Region Ministries Update
2020 M-ABC Region Biennial Gathering
Mark your calendars for SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD. Plans are currently underway for our 2020 M-ABC VIRTUAL Region Biennial Gathering. This year we celebrate 50 years as an American Baptist Region serving churches in Iowa and Minnesota. While we had planned an in-person celebration, the pandemic caused us to re-evaluate. However, we are excited that the celebration can still happen ... God does provide. This time it’s through technology.
Not only will technology bring our celebration to you, but also allow greater access to speakers and more. The technology allows us access to speakers that might not otherwise be able to attend. It will also let us listen to special music and participate in breakout discussion groups. We also want to celebrate our history and this is one way you can help. We need your help in gathering those tidbits of Region history and sharing them with of the planning committee, or sharing the name(s) of those Region “historians” who we should contact.
Watch for more details from your Biennial Gathering planning committee in the upcoming weeks.
Stay safe and may God bless you,
Dale Stevens, Region President and Rev. Jacquline Saxon, Region Executive Minister
MABC Church News and Quick Updates:
 The First Baptist Church of Waterloo, Iowa welcomes Rev. Carol Teare and Rev. Dr. Leonard Harmon as Interim Co-Pastors.  We celebrate with the FBC/COB in Cedar Rapids as they have called a pastor - Rev. Patrick Jackson. He and his family are in the process of moving to the Cedar Rapids area.
 Hi! I'm a member at First Baptist in Des Moines and we have a collection of Stephen Ministries training materials that we're no longer using. We would love to pass the materials along to another congregation. Any interested parties could contact me directly. Thank you!
July 31, 2020 - Rev. Saxon, Earlier this month letters of recognition and certificates of appreciation were sent to the top 100 United Mission-giving churches in 2019. We are happy to share with you that the following churches within your region received this recognition:
First Baptist Church of Greater Des Moines, Johnston, IA Overall Rank #22 $28,300
First Baptist Church, Ames, IA Overall Rank #46 $18,999.96
First Baptist Church, Pella, IA Overall Rank #61 $16,250
First Baptist Church, Fairfield, IA Overall Rank #65 $15,890.86
First Baptist Church - Church of the Brethren, Cedar Rapids, IA Overall Rank #66 $15,826.75
Westover Baptist Church, Des Moines, IA Overall Rank #86 $14,000
American Baptist Churches USA - Powered by United Mission
Thank you for your gifts to United Mission, which support the Office of the General Secretary, your Regional Offices, and our partners.
MABC Churches interested in obtaining a Zoom Account at a reduced rate with enhanced features- click on the the Ministrelife logo below to get more information and pricing. Then contact Erica Van Brackle with ABHMS - Ministrelife - erica.vanbrakle@abhms.org . Let her know that you are a church in our region and she will be able to assist you.
![[logo]](https://www.internationalministries.org/wp-content/themes/blankslate/images/im-logo.png) INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES GLOBAL SERVANT
Rev. Mercedes Gonzalez-Barnes is currently on home assignment. She is making herself available to groups for virtual visits. Her ministry emphasis is Theological Education for Spanish speaking groups in the Western Hemisphere. Mercedes was ordained by the First Baptist Church of Lake City, Iowa, at a time when her husband Rev. Rick Barnes was the pastor at FBC Lake City. Read more HERE
 Help Available to Identify Grant OpportunitiesNational Ministers Council has purchased a subscription to Grant Station. This member-only web site posts descriptions of all forms of private grants and federal and state grantmakers. Members can filter searches geographically, by the deadline, by the target audience, and by type of service provided. Though we cannot share access to the database, we can search it following filters you provide and send you the most promising opportunities.
More information can be obtained HERE
Monthly Newsletter can be found HERE
Latest Newsletter can be found HERE
Be sure and check out our MABC FACEBOOK page for more helpful information.
https://www.facebook.com/midamericanbaptist/?ref=bookmarks
Be sure and check out our MABC WEBSITE.
www.mid-abc.org
 A Call to Prayer Event on Wednesday, August 5th at 1pm CDT The American Baptist Churches USA Board of General Ministries Executive Committee voted at its June 2020 meeting to reconstitute the task force on race and racial violence. The new task force will have an “anti-racism” focus. ABCUSA President Karen Podsiadly recently shared the following definition of anti-racism, “Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably. (NAC International Perspectives: Women and Global Solidarity.)” To begin this work, the ABCUSA Office of the General Secretary is sponsoring this Call to Prayer event. This online event, that will include several points of reflection from various speakers, will give shape to the formation and ongoing work of the task force. President Podsiadly and Interim General Secretary C. Jeff Woods will co-host the Call to Prayer event. Following the Call to Prayer, persons interested in advancing the work of the anti-racism task force will be invited to share their interest with president Podsiadly. The goal of the task force is to identify and surface anti-racism resources for individuals, congregations, and institutions. The work of the task force will include online meetings, symposiums, as well as small and large group work. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
 American Baptists are invited to participate in a webinar series hosted by the American Baptist Churches Creation Justice Network. The four session Thursday webinar series, entitled “Praying with Creation: Sabbath, Lament, Restoration/Resiliency, and Resurrection,” will meet weekly from July 23, 2020 to August 13, 2020 at 12:00pm EDT/9:00am PDT. Each session will center on a theme: Sabbath, Lament, Restoration/Resiliency, and Resurrection and will include scripture, prayers, reflections, insight from a guest speaker, and an opportunity for discussion on that week’s chosen theme. Join guest speakers from across the denomination as we reflect on how we as individuals and as congregations can collaborate to restore/heal God’s creation and communities in this time. Join the American Baptist Churches Creation Justice Network, along with the ABCUSA Office of the General Secretary’s Minister for Creation Justice, Rev. Rebecca Driscoll, as we explore what God’s creation can teach us about living and responding to these times of global pandemic and ongoing racial injustice.
Register for the webinar series here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7294266099881869327
UPCOMING MABC EVENTS
August - November 2020 schedule can be found HERE
Events Happening at Forest Lake and Dayton Oaks This August and September
Please note that the Family Camp deadline has been extended to August 13th.
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Register here
Mindfulness for Beginners - Live Online - 4 week class
Monday evenings 5:30-7:00PM
August 10, 17, 24, 31, 2020
Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center
If you're curious about learning how to meditate and begin an on-going, personal meditation practice, come join this experiential educational class. Discover the healing power of mindfulness by learning various meditation and breathing techniques, practicing mindful movement, and self-compassion. No prior experience necessary. *This class will be live, online via Zoom.... READ MORE
www.dmpcc.org/MindfulnessforBeginners |
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Hello Friend,
American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) invites you to its webinar "Faith and Activism Town Hall" at 1 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada) on Aug. 19.This interactive virtual town hall will allow its audience to listen in as panelists delve into a conversation about "How Faith Intersects with Activism."
You must register to attend. Register online in advance for this free webinar. We look forward to seeing you there.
For questions, contact ABHMS' Beverly Allegretti at beverly.allegretti@abhms.org.
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Click on the image below for a very important invitation.
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