VALLEY FORGE, PA (08/22/2025)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) welcomed nine energetic young adults to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, from August 1–3 for a weekend of orientation, spiritual reflection, and vocational exploration. The gathering marked the official launch of the 2025–26 Emerging Leaders Cohort and Summer Passionary Institute (ELC/SPI).

VALLEY FORGE, PA (08/11/2025)—“Currently, 26 percent of Puerto Rico churches are without pastors,” noted Rev. Abigail Medina Betancourt, national coordinator of Intercultural Engagement at American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) and associate program director of Creciendo Juntos, an ABHMS program that seeks to build capacity for Latino ministries. Building Bridges, a three-year collaborative program developed by ABHMS, Iglesias Bautistas de Puerto Rico (IBPR, Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico), and Unión de Jóvenes Bautistas de Puerto Rico (UJBPR, Union of the Baptist Youth of Puerto Rico) addresses the problem of a lack of intergenerational leadership development opportunities that would appeal to emerging leaders. In recent years, it has become painfully clear that the need for training intergenerational clergy in Puerto Rico is pressing.

VALLEY FORGE, PA (08/08/2025)—On K Street in Lincoln, Nebraska, a sacred gathering is held on Saturdays. In an act of discipleship, volunteers from First Baptist Church of Lincoln and other churches in town come together to help fulfill their neighbors’ need for sustenance and human belonging. Thanks to the K Street Lunch initiative, those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Lincoln can partake in God’s bounty that involves a nutritious meal and community connection.

VALLEY FORGE, PA (08/08/2025)—Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds in Yamhill, Oregon, are American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ (ABHMS) longtime ministry partners. They grow food, welcome students, host tours, and teach earth-honoring ways of living. Indigenous spiritual frameworks define Eloheh’s mission, focusing on right relationship with the land, animals, water, and people; non-extractive, regenerative practices in farming and teaching; decolonization of theology; and healing and restoration through community and earth-centered justice.

VALLEY FORGE, PA (07/21/2025)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) is pleased to announce receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER), a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), to implement a pioneering two-year project titled “Equipping Congregational Leaders for Science and Technology Engagement.” The grant period extends through December 2026.

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 07/17/2025)—As violence continues to claim the lives of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, an increasing number of faith leaders are urging the church to examine not only its beliefs but also what it will do to help quell the carnage.