American Baptist Women’s Ministries

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…

American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) has a long heritage of being on the forefront of mission and ministry with women and girls worldwide. From its founding in 1951 through today, ABWM has addressed critical issues such as sex trafficking, poverty, equal voice, safety and security, access to water and other natural resources, leadership development, and, of course, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ!

Empowering Women

ABWM empowers women and girls to live into the fullness of who they are created by God to be. In commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, to the mission of the Church, and through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, ABWM provides opportunities for each woman to become and develop as God’s person, build God’s faith community, and serve God’s world.

The 2021-2023 Ministry Focus is Let the Walls Fall Down

Areas of Ministry

ABWM areas of ministry include:

  • Supporting American Baptist Missionaries – Three are International Missionaries and two are Home Missionaries.
  • Operation Planting Hope – Each year purchase items needed by Neighborhood Centers in the U.S., and provide financial donations.
  • Love Gift – This money is extra funding for United Mission, the basic funding source for American Baptist Mission work. We have a Love Gift Sunday every February and collect this offering at each of our ABWM meetings.
  • Prayer Shawl Ministry – Prayer shawls are knitted or crocheted, then blessed by the members of this ministry and distributed to persons who are facing some kind of crisis.
  • Support of local missions and organizations – Our support comes through monetary gifts and collections of needed supplies.
  • Providing food and help – We assist with bereavement meals when asked by the Family Care Committee.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The FBC Prayer Shawl Ministry was founded in 2010 as a sub-ministry of the American Baptist Women’s Ministry. This group includes church members who enjoy knitting or crocheting and who want to use their hobby to help others in need. It even includes others who don’t know how, but who still want to provide prayer and financial support for those that do!

When the group was first formed, they focused their efforts and talents on making prayer shawls. These shawls are shared with church members and friends who are experiencing times of celebration (e.g., marriage; birth of a child) or who are in the midst of a particular challenge (e.g., illness; relationship issues; loss of a loved one).

They are called prayer shawls because of the emphasis placed on prayer throughout the creation of the shawl itself. The shawl makers pray for the future recipient as the shawl is begun and think about that person throughout the making of the shawl. Once complete, the group gathers together to bless the shawl before it is given to the recipient.

Meeting Times:

The FBC ABWM meets on the 2nd Monday of the month from 1:30-3:30pm in Barker Hall for our monthly program. Please contact the church office or simply stop in for one of our meetings to learn more!

To support American Baptist Women’s Ministries or any of our other mission partners, consider online giving.