International Ministries (IM) is excited to announce a generous endowment gift of $40,000 from the American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, Southwest and Hawaii (ABCOFLASH).

“Our regional gift will help strengthen the present and future effectiveness and growth of IM,” stated the Rev. Dr. Samuel S. Chetti, executive minister of ABCOFLASH, in his presentation at the American Baptist Biennial Mission Summit on June 30, 2017. “We pray that this gift will encourage other regions and individuals to invest in the strategic future of IM.”

The Rev. Sharon Koh, IM Executive Director / CEO and former ABCOFLASH pastor, gratefully accepted the gift at the evening program before the gathered ABCUSA audience. “We are so inspired by the long-term thinking that the ABCOFLASH region is demonstrating with this generous gift,” said Koh. “May our Lord Jesus multiply these gifts in Kingdom ways. I am proud to have come from this mission-minded region.”

This gift represents a portion of a larger sum that was given to the ABCOFLASH region, Chetti explained. “The region has made the decision to tithe 10 percent to several mission endeavors. The IM endowment fund is one of them.”

In addition to this initial gift, the region is in conversation about setting aside a percentage of the investment income annually to undergird specific global mission projects sponsored by IM global servants from the ABCOFLASH region. “When this is implemented, it will bless four or five global mission projects every two years,” said Chetti.

ABCOFLASH has been actively supporting global mission since 1895. The members of the region’s churches represent over 100 countries and 35 different spoken languages. At the center of its strategic vision, ABCOFLASH embraces mission of local and international impact. Its mission statement is “To Proclaim the Kingdom of God on Earth.”