Historian … Fall 2016

At the Fall Board meeting we were “reintroduced” to our former ABW Logo “the Purple Lady”. She was brought to the Board Meeting by Pat Robinson.

In 1990 the new Logo was introduced and chosen as our new symbol for American Baptist Women’s Ministries.

“It is biblical and the woman embodies the New Testament Women who were among the first to know and believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. The woman steps from her baptism waters confident in her belief in Christ and in her God-given talents and abilities. She carried the lighted lamp, serving the Christ of the empty cross, the light of the world. The symbol portrayed unity and was filled with life.”

In 2014 the logo for ABW Ministries was updated and the “Purple Lady” was replaced.

Did you know….? (and do you remember) that 2016 is the 65th anniversary of American Baptist Women’s Ministries!

In 1951 The National Council of American Baptist Women was formed to create a national organization to which each American Baptist woman could belong, and expand the ministry to include the total mission of the church, including mission with women in the U.S., Puerto Rico and all over the world.

In 1965, the name was shortened to American Baptist Women, and in 1990 became American Baptist Women’s Ministries to emphasize the ministries and mission we engage in as women of faith.

AB Women’s Ministries is taking the celebration of our 65th anniversary as a time to honor our past and all those visionary, courageous women who have come before, and to look towards the future that God is unfolding in us, through us, and for us!

Some key moments from our history:

– The first summer national women’s conference was held in 1954 and the first national event for girls was held in 1992.

– In 1967, American Baptist women formed a national Ecumenical Relations Committee as race, peace and ecumenism were a primary concern.

– In the late 1960’s and through the 1970’s American Baptist women recommended the establishment of the ABCUSAS Task Force on Women, the formation of the Women’s Caucus on the General Board, the establishment of an American Baptist Women’s Sunday and the formation of American Baptist Women in Ministry, an organization for women in professional church vocations.

Several national mission projects launched by American Baptist Women/AB Women’s Ministries over the years have led to the betterment of the lives of women and girls worldwide.

1977 – American Baptist women contributed $134,610.53 to the mission project “Water without Walking”, to provide pump set to make pure water easily accessible to women in India, Haiti and other countries. The amount raise exceeded the highest expectations by 500%.

1996 – American Baptist women raised funds to build the Mitendi Center in Kinshasa, D.R. Congo, Africa where the Congolese Baptist women teach sewing, health, hygiene and job skills to help women who are single mothers and women coming our of prostitution.

2007-2013 – American Baptist women raise $515,651. for the national mission focus, “Break the Chains: Slavery in the 21st Century”. This amount exceed the original goal by over 200%.

2011 – The Women and Girls Mission Fund was launched

Also shared from the 40th Anniversary Book of History of American Baptist Women of New York State, prepared by the Historical Committee: Betty Fortran, Doris Holt, Carolyn Perkins and Chairwoman Laura Mann in celebration of the 40 years of ministry from 1951 to 1991. “On June 11, 1951 the annual national Women’s Rally was held at the Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, Buffalo and that day the women voted to adapt the new organization of the National Council of American Baptist Women