January 5, 2005

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. - American Baptists In Mission, the quarterly feature magazine of American Baptist Churches USA, will be reformatted as a quality printed newsletter and expanded Web-based resource in spring 2005.

In announcing the change, Richard W. Schramm, deputy general secretary for communication, Office of the General Secretary, emphasized "American Baptist Churches USA, like many church organizations, is being confronted by expanding opportunities for sharing mission through electronic media, which has become an increasingly cost-effective and user-friendly means of telling our story."

"A large number of American Baptists now are comfortable receiving-and responding to-information disseminated through internet communication," he said. "And yet while our General Board has affirmed computer-based communication as the denominational standard, we all know that quality print media needs to remain accessible for everyone who wants or needs it."

The cost of maintaining a four-color 32-page magazine "was not consistent with the best stewardship of mission dollars," Schramm said. "And with inevitable increases in paper and production expenses not far ahead, we needed to look at the most effective means we can utilize for sharing the great stories of American Baptist mission with our denominational family and others."

Schramm said that the newsletter format will be carefully designed to include concise but substantial information on American Baptist mission, and will direct readers to http://www.abc-usa.org/ and other ABCUSA Web sites for expanded and additional features, photographs and audio and video resources. The new format will be introduced following publication of the Spring 2005 issue of the American Baptists In Mission. It will continue the unbroken heritage of American Baptist national publications that began in 1803 with the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Magazine.

American Baptists In Mission, which has a circulation of 37,000, is sent at no cost to the 5,800 congregations of American Baptist Churches USA representing 1.5 million members.

Please note: The Winter 2005 American Baptists In Mission (mailed in December) and the Spring 2005 issue (to be mailed in February) contain detailed information and all registration forms for the July 2005 Denver Biennial Meeting. (As most respondents in 2003 indicated they utilized the Biennial Meeting resources contained in American Baptists In Mission and on http://www.abc-usa.org/, a separate packet of materials will not be sent to each church this year. The Biennial Meeting Web page on http://www.abc-usa.org/ includes a wide range of information and will be updated regularly.) All materials for the regional youth representatives to the Biennial Meeting will be mailed within the next few days, with additional information to be included in the Spring issue and online.

American Baptist News Service