About Us
Mission Statement
American Baptist churches in Nebraska are joined together as a Region in a covenant partnership (ABC/NE) to: encourage, challenge, and empower one another to be transforming Christian communities in the world.
Our Story
Moses and Eliza Merrill were the first protestant missionaries to come to the Nebraska territory in 1832. They established a mission in Bellevue, founded the first school, and translated portions of the New Testament and Christian hymns for the Native American Otoe and Pawnee communities.
In 1853 Nebraska was organized into a US territory and American Baptist missionaries and pastors began to plant congregations as they moved west. The first Baptist association was formed in 1858. As the Nebraska territory expanded, new towns founded, and settlers crisscrossed the region, a desire to join together for mission and ministry increased.
The Nebraska Baptist State Convention was officially formed in 1867 when Nebraska became a state. They aligned themselves with the Northern Baptist Convention, currently known as the American Baptist Churches USA.
Today our name has changed to the Churches Helping Churches American Baptist Churches of Nebraska, but our mission to conduct Baptist mission work of all kinds in the state of Nebraska, across the country, and around the world remains the same nearly 200years since the Merrill’s first crossed the Missouri River. Approximately 70 congregations join in mission and ministry to further the united ministry of encouraging, challenging, and empowering each other to be transforming Christian communities in the world.
What does Churches Helping Churches ABC NE Do?
Churches Helping Churches ABC NE is the integrated mission efforts of all the ABC Churches in the Region. Region staff and the Moses Merrill Camp and Conference Center Staff are commissioned as missionaries to serve the churches, pastors, and ministry partners of ABC Nebraska.
CHC ABC NE supports:
The local church [see Resources for more]
• As a resource center for churches
• Pastoral search process
• Mission training
• Pulpit supply
• Region Conventions
• Conflict Transformation
• Grant funded programs
• Receiving mission giving and managing disbursements
• Advice and resources for local church matters
Pastors and Church Leaders
• Pastor to pastor care
• Multiple continuing education events each year
• Department of Professional Ministry
• Ordination process
• Scholarships
• Clergy ethics
Ministry Partners [see Ministry Partners for more]
• ABCUSA Office of General Secretary
• International Ministries
• American Baptist Home Mission Society
• Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board
• American Baptist Women’s Ministries
• American Baptist Women in Ministry
• American Baptist Men
• American Baptist Foundation
• Other Ministry Partners
How can you support Churches Helping Churches ABC NE?
The mission of Churches Helping Churches ABC NE can be supported in many ways.
Praying with us for Christ focused mission and ministry efforts, region staff, region leadership team, camp staff, and all the other work of the region.
Volunteer to serve as a resource to walk with other churches who can benefit from your spiritual gifts. Volunteer to serve at the Moses Merrill Camp and Conference Center. Volunteer to serve on the region Leadership Team.
Direct financial giving to the Churches Helping Churches ABC NE and the American Baptist Foundation. Consider including Churches Helping Churches ABC NE in your legacy giving.
United Mission giving. Every church within ABC NE covenants together to support the mission and ministry of ABC NE and ABCUSA by providing 10% mission giving to United Mission to support our shared ministry together.
Participating in the annual offering cycles that include America For Christ offering, World Mission offering, One Great Hour of Sharing, and Retired Ministers and Missionaries offering.
Join the 2300 Team to support the Moses Merrill Camp and Conference Center.
Meet Our Staff
Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula
Transitional Executive Minister // Region Missionary
Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula
Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula is serving as the Transitional Executive Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Nebraska and Region Missionary. Greg is a graduate of Williams Baptist College, George W. Truett Baptist Theological Seminary. His doctorate in Jewish Context of the New Testament is from Northern Seminary in Chicago. He and his wife have two children, and live in Bellevue, NE. He is an avid baseball fan, hoodie sweatshirt advocate, tea snob, rec league softball player, and a lover of stories.
Greg has served Churches Helping Churches ABC Nebraska since 2012 in many ways include preaching, pastor searches, conflict transformation, church training, pastoral continuing education, clergy ethics, Baptist polity and history, the Department of Professional Ministry, consultation and education and other resource opportunities of mission and ministry for local churches through an ever growing network of partnerships.
Bev Pacas
Camp Director//Region Missionary
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Location
ABC Nebraska
11244 Blondo St.
Omaha, NE 68164
Hours
Region Office Hours are Monday to Thursday
8:00 am to 4:00 pm.