What is the mission of American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS)?
ABHMS ministers as the caring heart, serving hands, going feet and prophetic voice of Jesus Christ—establishing ministries of discipleship, community and justice along with equipping and networking followers of Jesus to transform persons, congregations, neighborhoods and cultures throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

What is the vision of ABHMS?
We seek to bring to bear the whole gospel on persons, congregations, communities and cultures, sharing God’s love in word and deed in places and spaces where God’s grace is not yet fully manifest. Our vision is about discipleship and incarnational practice.

What is the theme for the America for Christ (AFC) Offering 2012?
“Engaging Discipleship: Open My Eyes, My Heart, My Hands” (Mark 10:46-52)

What is the financial goal for the AFC Offering 2012?
The financial goal for this year is $1,500,000.

What is the distribution of the total AFC Offering 2012?
The offering is distributed in three parts:

29% supports regional ministries

59% supports the ministries of ABHMS

12% underwrites the offering’s promotional and deputation costs

(ABHMS is the only mission board to share its national offering with American Baptist Churches USA [ABCUSA] regions.)

What ABHMS ministries are supported?

Caring Ministries & Prophetic Justice

• Children in Poverty ($51,000 in Children in Poverty grants awarded in 2010 to ABCUSA-related organizations for children and family care programs; more than 200 congregations/groups have raised more than 5 million pennies for The Penny Project.)
• Neighborhood Action Program Christian Centers (serving more than 30,000 families and 100,000 individuals)
• Chaplaincy Programs (12 new chaplains and pastoral counselors endorsed for specialized ministry in 2010)
• American Baptist Homes and Hospitals
• The Christian Citizen Magazine (ABHMS awarded requests totaling $93,000 to help local churches and regional offices respond to disasters, such as flood, fire, tornado and winter storm-related damages.)

Discipleship, Evangelism & Transformation

• Missional Church Learning Experience (more than 1,000 church leaders from 16 regions involved in missional learning and community projects to date)
• Discipleship Planning Guide
• Evangelism Training (more than 100 churches in 10 regions participated in “Got Style?” training in 2010)
• Partnerships with ABCUSA Colleges and Seminaries
• Youth and College Campus Ministries
• Judson Press Discipleship resources (more than 600 individuals registered for Judson authors’ webinars)
• New Church Planting (three grants totaling $6,500 were distributed in two regions)
• Workshops for Church Life and Leadership (44 downloadable workshops, including workshops in English, Spanish and Karen)

Intercultural Ministries, Refugee Resettlement & Immigration Initiatives

• Intercultural (Multi-ethnic) Seminars, Workshops and Tools resources for Immigrant Communities
• Advocacy for Comprehensive Immigration reform, including the DREAM Act
• Refugee Settlement (credited with resettling more than 100,000 refugees from more than 53 countries to date)

How can I give online? Go to www.abhms.org and click the button “GIVE NOW.”

If I have a question about the AFC Offering 2012, whom do I contact?

• Susan Bogle, Administrative Assistant, 1-800-222-3872, x2028
• The Rev. Eddie Cruz, Associate Executive Director, 1-800-222-3872, x2423

Where do I find the electronic versions of the AFC materials to download? Visit the Resources page and the Clip Art page on this site for downloadable items.

How do I get more AFC 2012 materials? Call Judson Press at 1-800-4JUDSON (1-800-458-3766) to speak with a customer service representative.