Operation Planting Hope reimagines ways for American Baptists to serve as hands, feet of Christ throughout United States, Puerto Rico

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/13/20)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) announces its new Operation Planting Hope (OPH) program, which will continue the tradition of White Cross Overland. While White Cross has blessed many individuals, families and communities over the years, today’s changing times call for reimagining the ways to touch marginalized individuals, families and communities with God’s love. OPH expands ABHMS’ reach, providing opportunities for more ABHMS mission partners to benefit from financial and hands-on support.

An innovative model, OPH extends outreach to a wide range of related partners focused on healing and transformation, while streamlining the connection among American Baptist churches and vulnerable communities. It offers a fresh approach for individuals and groups to serve ABHMS’ Community Outreach Ministries partners, the Rizpah’s Children network and many other missional entities. It eliminates cumbersome paperwork, mailing and copying, while broadening opportunities for volunteerism.

OPH will support the underserved throughout the United States, from Alaska to Puerto Rico,  California to New Jersey, and all points between.

How you can become involved with OPH
OPH offers multiple ways to volunteer and share gifts of support:

• charitable gifts;
• donated goods (direct donation of goods to the ministry of your choice);
• short-term, project-based programs and
• long-term, service-oriented programs (i.e. feeding ministries, health care ministries).

Please note: ABHMS’ OPH program will continue the tradition of White Cross Overland. For questions about OPH, contact ABHMS’ Rev. Kadia Edwards at kadia.edwards@abhms.org or 610.768.2449. White Cross Overseas will continue to be managed by International Ministries (IM), also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. For questions about White Cross Overseas, contact IM’s Zofia Dripps at zdripps@internationalministries.org or 610.768.2311.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.

International Ministries, also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, works cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation.

 American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.