March 2014
Santa Clara First Baptist designates the month of March every year to emphasize our partnership with our wider American Baptist family in serving the needy within the United States. In order to extend our outreach beyond our walls we partner with the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) by contributing to the America for Christ Offering (AFC).
This organization finds its roots in several American Baptist mission societies. One of those is The American Baptist Home Mission Society, established in New York City in 1832 to preach the gospel, establish churches and support ministry among the unchurched and destitute. That same year the society sent 50 missionaries across the eastern and central United States to spread God’s Good News, and American Baptists have been planting churches—as well as schools, children’s homes, hospitals and nursing homes—winning souls for Christ, and speaking out for social and economic justice ever since.
The ABHMS is currently at work serving the needy in:
- Providing refugee resettlement support in 2012 to 2,265 individuals from 16 countries including: Bhutan, Burma and Somalia.
- Training mentors to partner with state authorities in Maine to provide re-entry services for former prisoners.
- Awarding "Children in Poverty" grants to AB related ministries such as the JOYA Scholars College Readiness Program of the Epic Church in Fullerton, CA.
Our participation in the AFC supports these and many other needed efforts to extend the gospel and grace of Christ to others. SCFBC's goal for this year's offering is $2,200. Please give generously.