Finance/Business

 

If you are a Church Clerk, materials for reporting 2023 Statistics and 2024 Church Leadership Information should already have arrived by US Mail.

If you have not received those, please phone Wendy or John at the Region Office, 317-635-3552, and give us the address where you would like them sent. We will be happy to assist you!

IMPORTANT:  If your pastor, church clerk or treasurer changes at anytime throughout the year, please email webmaster (including the NEW person’s name, role, church name, preferred email address, US Mail address, and phone number).

Thank you!

 

If you are a Church Treasurer or Financial Secretary, here are several documents important to you and your congregation’s Finance Team:

1. Mission Support (Giving Categories for throughout the Year) – by Definition
2. Region Offering 2023 – Suggested Collection Time is annually, usually July and/or August
3. Other Major Offerings – Promotion/Collection Timeline
4. Mission Support Form – Local Church Giving Reporting Form
5. 2024 Pastor Compensation Letter and Worksheet (from the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board/MMBB)

Additional Notes about “Missionaries” or “Missions” Giving:

• The following International Ministries (IM) missionaries have a longstanding partnership with the ABC-IN/KY Region – The Bolicks and the Bonilla-Giovanettis (“BGs”). However, your church may support any international missionaries you wish (see the Mission Support Form, linked in the above section, for those missionaries most often supported by ABC-IN/KY congregations. This is not an all-encompassing list.) –To find info about other Global Servants (IM missionaries) you or your church might wish to support, go HERE.
• If you are wanting to help with specific IM Missionaries’ Personal Expenses, however, the ABC-IN/KY Region Mission and Finance Office asks you to send those monies directly to the missionaries (do NOT include on your church’s Mission Support Form in other words).
• Keep in mind, there are also Various “Domestic” Missions needing your church’s ongoing support, too, through the following:
  • ABC-IN/KY Region Mission and Ministry Emphases (to find out more, talk with your Region Minister)
  • ABWM “State” Project (e.g. Kodiak Baptist Mission is ABWM’s State Project for 2023 – Goal: $15,000);
  • One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) emphases (like the recent ABC-IN/KY direct initiatives supporting Kentucky storm survivors or additional efforts to support Puerto Rico hurricane survivors)
  • ABHMS (“Domestic”) Missions (e.g. Community Outreach Ministries, such as Edna Martin Christian Center in Indianapolis, Indiana), etc.
  • The ABC-IN/KY Region-supported organization Coordinated Assistance Ministries (CAM-Kokomo, IN).
  • Again, this is not an all-inclusive list!

With questions about Mission Support recordkeeping (reporting/receipt procedures), feel free to email John Dunlap, Manager of Mission Support and Finance, c/o ABC-IN/KY, or phone John at 317.635.3552, press 2. He will be glad to help you! – If interested in reading John’s Staff Bio page, go HERE!

——————————————————-

Wondering how to DONATE ONLINE to a specific ABC-IN/KY Region Ministry or Mission Project, or to PAY ONLINE for a specific program/educational opportunity/workshop? – Go HERE.

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, contact webmaster.

——————————————————-

Stewardship Resources are available ONLINE through ABCUSA’s Generosity Project.

A new section on the ABCUSA website highlights all the resources available for promoting generosity, stewardship, and the United Mission offering (launched late Summer 2023). Access the United Mission Toolkit at www.abc-usa.org/united-mission-toolkit.

Strengthening Your Financial Future (SYFF) is a program offered by the American Baptist Foundation, helping churches, regions, and ministry organizations to increase support in three stages: Vision. Communication. Celebration.

Estate Planning Resources are also available ONLINE through the American Baptist Foundation.

——————————————————-

Looking for Financial Support? – The following might be helpful resources!

For Churches

(Click on weblinks where highlighted)

• American Baptist Home Mission Societies-ABHMS (domestic) grant opportunities for churches and ABC related organizations known as Palmer Grants, offered and administered by the American Baptist Foundation. (Mentioned specifically as “domestic” grants because there are some international Palmer Grants made available as well.)
• Center for Congregations Resource Grants or Equity Grants.

For Church Facility/Building Asset Resources

(Click on weblinks)

• American Baptist Extension Corporation (ABEC) Loans
• American Baptist Extension Corporation (ABEC) Building Planning Services

For Professional Church Leaders – PCLs

Pastors/Seminarians:

(Click on weblinks)

• Seminarians and Undergraduate Grants – through American Baptist Homes Mission Societies (ABHMS)
• Sabbatical Grants – through ABHMS
• Ministerial Excellence Fund (MEF) – through ABC-IN/KY and ABCGI
• In Support of Excellence (ISOE) – through ABHMS
• Strategic Pastoral Excellence Program (SPEP) – through Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB)
• Financial Wellness Program (FWP) – through MMBB
• Covid-related Emergency Grant – through MMBB
• Thriving in Ministry (TIM) and Bridges Program – through MMBB

Educational Partners (with several of these, the ABC-IN/KY Region has had specific “Memoranda of Understanding-MOUs”):

• Kairos University (email Rev. Dr. Dan Cash about the ABC-IN-KY Region “M28” Certificate in Theological Education HERE)
• Northern Seminary Teaching Church Initiative (TCI)
• Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) – the former Church Leadership Institute (CLI) had a partnership with BSK’s Flourish Program. (The successor program to CLI is M28 and is a program offered now through Kairos University)
• Oakland City University Seminary
• For a list of American Baptist-related seminaries throughout the US (many of whom have online programs and possibly scholarships for American Baptists), go HERE.

For Others

Undergraduates:

(Click on weblinks)

• American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) of Indiana Scholarship
• American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) Undergraduate Scholarship
• Franklin College ABC Student Scholarships
• Christian Community Credit Union (CCCU) Undergraduate Scholarship – To be determined if they will restart this scholarship (post-pandemic). To inquire, contact CCCU directly.

Educational Partners (several that Indiana Baptists helped to begin or with which have “Memoranda of Understanding-MOUs” in place):

• Muncie Student Ministries (through Muncie First Baptist Church) welcomes Ball State, Muncie Ivy Tech, and other nearby schools’ students! To request details, fill in their “Contact Us” form with your info HERE or phone: (765) 284-7749.
• The Found (Purdue Baptist Student Foundation)
• Franklin College
• Campbellsville University
• For a list of American Baptist-related colleges and universities throughout the US (many of whom have scholarships for American Baptist students), go HERE.

COMING SOON!

On our “Wish List” for the ABC-IN/KY Region’s FINANCE & BUSINESS page(s) in the near future is to offer [fillable] ONLINE registration forms for all Region programs. Some of the below programs already have them, while others do not (or we only have them LIVE during a specific registration time). When they are LIVE, they will be included below:

• ABC-IN/KY Region Camp (2024 Summer Options)- Indian Creek
• Healthy Boundaries
• Nehemiah Leaders
• M28 Certificate for Theological Education, etc. — Email Rev. Dr. Dan Cash, Dean of M28, HERE with questions.

In the meantime, please contact Jordan Morris at Indian Creek Baptist Camp & Retreat Center directly to register for camps, retreats and other events, or to talk about holding your own event at Indian Creek! — Although not a Region Camp (but instead an Associations-founded Camp), there is also Southeastern Baptist Youth Camp.

Contact ABC-IN/KY Region Staff to register or find out more about specific programs, as linked here, such as Healthy Boundaries or Nehemiah Leaders or M28 Certificate in Theological Education (click on whichever program interests you and email that staff member your specific registration request, including the date/s you plan to attend, clarifying whether you prefer in person or virtual IF both options are offered, and please don’t forget to include your contact info, including phone number, in case we have any follow-up questions or unanticipated connectivity issues on the day/s of the program you have chosen).

• Rev. Bruce Cochran, Region Minister, can tell you more about Healthy Boundaries (content covered, CEUs available upon request, etc.). He and any other Region Minister can also talk with you about the 2023 Region Offering promotion (local churches are encouraged to promote that offering during July/August of each year).
• Rev. Steve Allen, Region Minister, can tell you more about Nehemiah Leaders (content covered, the cohort opportunities if those interest you, etc.)
• Rev. Kristi Jones, Region Minister, can talk with you about youth ministry renewed emphases currently underway within our Region, including ongoing FUSE (events for youth) and occasional Youth Leader Meet-Ups!
• Rev. Mark Thompson, Executive Minister, can explain more about the current status of Church Leadership Institute, the exciting new successor program to CLI called, “M28,” meets with people interested in pursuing ordination, tracks on ABC-USA (national) happenings, serves as staff person involved with the Region Board and committees, etc.

Eventually, we hope to have electronic document sharing for ongoing business of the following groups:

• Region Board
• Finance Committee
• Personnel Committee
• Committee on Ordination, Recognition and Ministerial Standing (CORMS),  etc.