Celebrate what God is doing in the US and Puerto Rico through local churches!

At American Baptist Home Mission Societies, it is our hope that visitors to the Home Mission Banner Board will be be inspired and encouraged by these stories about American Baptist and other ministry done through local churches in the name of Christ. We hope to see new ministries begin and grow as visitors find practical information for starting and sustaining their own ministries.

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"Home Mission on Our Doorstep" has literal meaning for this Lynwood, Washington congregation

Rendering of senior housing facility courtesy of Environmental Works, the architects on the project.

Photo of Good Sheherd church building courtesy David Smith

According to Rev. M Christopher Boyer, the church chose this way to utilize their property after studying the needs in the community and discovering a chronic shortage of affordable housing for low income elderly in Snohomish County, just north of Seattle. Local elected officials and community leaders have praised Good Shepherd for its effort to care for "the least of these."

Submitted by Rev. M. Christopher Boyer, pastor, Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Lynnwood, Wash. Church. Phone: 425-774-1010. E-mail: gsbchurch@verizon.net

Mission to the homeless revitalizes California church

Homelessness is a growing concern in cities across the United States. Recent statistics suggest that the numbers of homeless persons is increasing daily. For Rev. Mari C. Mucky of First Baptist Church of Desert Hot Springs, Calif., the issue of homelessness landed right at her church's doorstep.

"It all started, in back of Von's Market, when I saw people going through the trash for food. At that time our church pews were filled with people who came to church on Sunday and went home until the next week. Three years ago, when we were left without a pastor and no money, we had to make a decision. Should we close or remain open? Six elderly members decided [we] would stay open and become a mission church. Our community has many poor and homeless people that needed us.

The very week we made the decision to become a mission church God started to bless us. We had three new refrigerators, three new freezers and $1,000 donated to us. We now help 300 families each week with food and clothing; and share God's love. We also have a resource center to help them find jobs and shelter. Many of those have changed their lives for Jesus, including 35 people that we baptized this last year. Many of our volunteers are the homeless we serve each week.

We've added a bible study on Sunday evening that meets around a big table, just like the family we are. After bible study, we serve dinner to about 100 persons. Everyone is surprised by our [church's] resurgence except us. We knew that if we followed the path that God had put us on, He would walk with us. Our pay comes from God in the form of the blessings we receive from Him. He knows what we need and provides it. Some days we just stand back and praise Him because the blessings come so fast." 

Submitted by Rev. Mari C. Muckey, pastor, First Baptist Church, Desert Hot Springs, Calif., church phone, 760-329-5335.

Health emphasis for women in Columbus, Mississippi

The scriptures have a lot to say about how we are to care for our physical bodies. We know, for instance, that our bodies are "temples of the Holy Spirit…bought with a price." So when the Rev. Amanda Ducksworth of Columbus Fellowship Church in Columbus, Miss. was diagnosed with high cholesterol two years ago, she decided to get serious about improving her health.  With a family history of cardiovascular disease, Rev. Ducksworth was determined to not only correct her problem by improved diet and exercise, but also share what she had learned by starting a health ministry at her church.

"We embrace responsible health as apart of our stewardship. Our [health] ministry is about transforming the life of our church by enabling members to make educated decisions about their health and dietary habits. Healthy members are better able to perform quality mission work in the community," Rev. Ducksworth explains. Recently, Columbus Fellowship sponsored, "Sisters Walking for a Healthy Heart", a community-wide event to draw attention to the problem of heart disease among women. The local Baptist hospital provided educational resources for participants.

Rev. Ducksworth doesn't plan to stop there, however. "We have educational sessions, walking activities and exercise classes scheduled for this spring and summer as well as a state-wide women's conference in the fall. Community-wide projects allow our church members get more involved and give us a stronger presence in the community," Rev. Ducksworth adds.

For information about this health ministry, you may contact Rev. Amanda Ducksworth at her email: columbusfchurch@aol.com.

Submitted by Rev. Amanda Ducksworth, M.Div., Columbus Fellowship Church, 3020 Hughes Road, Columbus, Miss., 39702

Therapeutic justice at work in Indiana

Members of The First Baptist Church of Vincennes Indiana are working with 20 inmates at the Knox County Jail who have voluntarily entered a drug addiction recovery program being sponsored by the Church. Using a model pioneered by The Center for Therapeutic Justice, First Baptist and its partner, LAM (Life After Meth) have teamed up offer help to inmates who want to be free from addiction to illegal drugs. The program has been so well received that Sheriff Steve Luce has set aside a cell block to accommodate those men who want to join this therapeutic community. Future plans also call for a women's program to be offered to female inmates. 

Central to the therapeutic justice approach is the idea that local communities need to assume the responsibility for satisfying the requirements of justice and that correctional systems become human service centers. The Center for Therapeutic Justice (www.therapeuticjustice.com) is committed to policy decisions that reduce crime and increase community safety while saving costs. The Center, led by Morgan Moss and Penny Patton, can be contacted via email at justice@therapeuticjustice.com or at P.O. Box 641, Williamsburg, VA 23187.

I am excited about this opportunity because of the broad base of community support we are receiving. The Sheriff sees this as a therapeutic alternative to the punitive system. LAM's Board is made up of an inter-faith group of clergy, correctional, business, and recovering persons. The Knox County Association of Retarded Citizens (KCARC) [the fourth largest employer in the county] is working to help provide transitional assistance to LAM "graduates" who need to enter the work force. 

Submitted by the Rev. Daniel C. Clemens, senior pastor, FBC Vicennes, Vicennes, Ind.

Prairie Baptist Church, MORE2 change Kansas City

For about three years now, Prairie Baptist has been involved with an interfaith, inter-county, bi-state, multi-racial effort, known as MORE2 (Metropolitan Organization for Racial and Economic Equity) that is addressing social justice issues in the greater Kansas City area. Prairie was on the ground floor of this community undertaking, and our members have been crucial to its vitality and success.

We did not enter into this type of ministry without some skepticism, conflict and disagreement. In fact, you could still find varying opinions about whether community organizing is appropriate for a church. But through a process of discussion, discernment and interpretation, we took a step of faith and have had some amazing results.

The most recent accomplishment brought together education leaders, politicians and other concerned parties—who are often in opposition—to work on the goal of increasing high-school graduations. We called this the Gilead Table, and have witnessed a level of cooperation that never before has been seen in Kansas City.

I encourage other churches to follow our ecumenical heritage as American Baptists and join with other denominations in a common ministry. What the Spirit of Christ has been able to do through our joint effort here in Kansas City is much greater that what we could have done from within our individual congregations.

You can follow the history of Prairie's work with MORE2 since 2005 in our church's newsletter, Prairie Breeze, which is available on our Web site. Look in these issues from 2005: July 1, p.3; September 20, p.6; from 2006 July 1, p.9; October 17, p.4; January 5, p.6; February 2, p.5; February 16, p.5; July 3, p.4; from 2007: May 2, p.4; September 18, p.5; October 2, p.6; and November 2, p.4. Also find additional information about MORE2 on the Gamaliel Foundation Web site.

Submitted by the Rev. Heather Entrekin, pastor, Prairie Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kans.

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