Save the Date! MABC Cares Day, Saturday, April 29 (Time TBA) – It may seem far off now, but MABC Cares Day is just weeks away. Mark your calendars now for this day of volunteer work and fellowship. In past years, a team from MABC has volunteered each spring and fall for projects around the city, from beautifying schools to planting flowers in community gardens. In fact, most recently we’ve been helping out at the Daniel Wilson Garden in Harlem. Stay tuned for more info about this spring’s project and specific times. All are welcome to join us!

Community Ministries Focus for Women’s History Month

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Board of Community Ministries is excited to support both a national and international charity in March.  Locally, we have decided to support the organization Planned Parenthood. With the recent laws that have altered access to reproductive rights for women, we believe it is very important to support the work they are doing throughout the country.  To read more specifically on how your funds could help, see their website at www.plannedparenthood.org.

The international foundation we will support is UPAVIM (United for a Better Life/Unidas Para Vivir Mejor), a Guatemalan-based charity that empowers women economically through its income-generating initiatives.  Starting initially in 2001 as a craft program to help support the local Montessori school, it has grown substantially over the years and is now a place of employment for women as a bakery, pharmacy, library, and place for textiles within their community.  To learn more about their initiatives, read about their mission at www.upavim.org.

 If you are interested in helping us support this mission, please earmark the funds for this specific purpose so we know how to allocate them.  Remember, the Community Ministries Board will match donations provided by the congregation. You can send your donations directly to the church or make your donations HERE.

As many of you know, MABC partners with Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries (RMM) each year in their winter clothing drive. Their biggest needs are adult winter coats, pants, sweat-shirts, hats, gloves and underwear of all adult sizes. In addition, they can always take adult shoes! They take clean, gently used items or new. If people want to donate through our Amazon Wishlist, they can do so here. If you are able to donate any of these items, you can bring them to MABC and drop them in the box at the back of the Sanctuary. Or you can bring them to RMM at 410 West 40th Street in Manhattan. They will be open on Mondays each week through March and are always looking for volunteers. For more information, contact either Adom Crew (adom.crew@gmail.com), or RMM directly (212-594-4464 or volunteer@rmmnyc.org).

We look forward to resuming our work with Ecclesia in the near future.

MABC is now officially a sponsoring congregation for Ecclesia Ministries which ministers to the poor and marginalized in public spaces throughout NYC through worship services and lunches. Our church will be responsible for the fifth Sundays during the year. Rev. Susan Sparks will preach and our congregation led by our Community Ministries Board will prepare lunches for each of these worship services.  We are honored to be a part of this important ministry for New York City!

Please note: During this time of pandemic, our volunteer effort with the Ecclesia lunch program has been suspended.

Are you interested in reading scripture during our virtual services?  We’d love to include you!  If you would like to participate, please contact Brian Crowson, bcrowson@mabcnyc.org, to find out more information.

Madison Avenue Baptist Church partners with the Bowery Mission through their meal service and outreach program.