American Baptist Church Missions
The American Baptist Churches, USA, is a denomination of approximately 1.5 million Christians representing 5000 churches in the United States and Puerto Rico. The mission thrust of the denomination is two-fold – to spread the Gospel of Christ, and to conduct ministries that raise the quality of life for all people. Home missions which include urban Christian centers, American Baptist Homes and Hospitals, Military and Institutional Chaplaincy services, educational ministries, and local church support are administered by the Board of National Ministries. The Board of International Ministries oversees the work of 125 missionaries at mission and teaching stations all over the world. The Office of the General Secretary conducts mission promotion and builds relationships with other Christian bodies and interfaith organizations. Partnerships drive this small but extremely effective denomination.
Local churches like First Baptist Church of Rochester give to United Mission of ABC, USA, the funding mechanism that makes possible all the good work of American Baptist life. We are a leading constituent congregation for the American Baptist Churches of the Rochester/Genesee Region.
In addition to United Mission, our congregation, like nearly all American Baptist congregations, participates in four additional denominational offerings each year.
ANNUAL SPECIAL OFFERINGS
America For Christ
The America For Christ Offering supports mission in the United States in two important ways. Two thirds of contributions support home mission facilitated by American Baptist National Ministries and one third supports home mission as it's carried out by American Baptist regions.
One Great Hour of Sharing
North American Christians have long sought to ease the plight of the poorest of the poor. For more than fifty years One Great Hour of Sharing has made development aid, disaster relief, and refugee resettlement assistance possible in more than 70 countries around the world. One Great Hour of Sharing works with local communities of faith, helping people to help themselves. Partnerships of hope are created in places overwhelmed by poverty, hunger, disease, conflict, and natural disaster. By this work, all are enriched as God's people strive to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with their God.
Retired Mininsters and Missionaries Offering
The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO) is a means by which American Baptist congregations express their gratitude to the denomination's retired ministers and missionaries as well as their widowed spouses. The offering provides Thank You checks to over 3,000 recipients, based on 15 or more years of ABC service, and emergency and other financial assistance, based on financial need.
World Mission Offering
The World Mission Offering is the single largest source of financial support for the global outreach God accomplishes through ABC International Ministries. Your gifts to the World Mission Offering make it possible for missionaries to serve in over thirty countries, and for staff to provide vital support to the mission outreach of local believers in even more places. What God is doing in our world today is truly amazing, and the World Mission Offering is a vitally important tool you can use to join God in that amazing work!
citation: www.abc-usa.org website informational materials for each offering.