1. Haiti Sister Church Possibility: When Dr. Edgard Nicolas and Dr. Spitzer were in Haiti, the Executive Committee of the Haitian Baptist Convention asked us if ABCNJ churches would like to enter into sister church relationships with their churches.  Interested????  Let us know!
2. NEW!  ABCNJ Youth Ministry Network: Following the very successful One in Christ Flashforward event at Camp Lebanon in June, we discovered energy around forming a regional youth ministry network.  If your church has a youth minister or lay leader, we would like to invite them to join the network.  Please send us their name and email address.  Look for our new web site - www.abcnjyouth.net - which will be public soon!
3. The ABCNJ Public Mission Committee is establishing Specific Interest Teams that will do most of their work by Skype (a free internet phone service) and email.  No need to spend hours traveling to meetings!  Teams being created are focused on:  (a) Anti-Poverty Ministries  (b) English as a Second Language  (c) Environmental Concerns and  (d) Re-Entry Ministries.  Lay people and clergy are encouraged to get involved.  To volunteer, email Dr. Spitzer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  
4. Don’t delay!  Would you like to host the General Secretary of the Association of Evangelical Baptists in Rwanda (AEBR)?  This month, ABCNJ is hosting Rev. Andre Mfitumukiza.  If your church has a Bible study or dinner planned for September 21,22 or 27, he might be available.  Email Dr. Spitzer right away! 

Our ABCNJ Annual Session in New Brunswick is just over a month away!  It promises to be an energizing spiritual experience, and we are asking you to register yourself and your church members right away!  Don’t limit your attendance to just delegates – this is an Annual Session geared to bless your church’s leadership.

Registration Deadlines

Do you want to save lots of money?  Then please make sure you and your church’s delegates and members send in their registration forms by August 31!  Remember, you can come for all or part of the session.  Meals are included in the registration prices.  There are price breaks for pastors if you sign up at least 5 members from your church (sign up 9 and you attend for free!).  The Hyatt Regency Hotel has rooms available at the great rate of $109 per night.

Business Session Update – Regional Council Reorganization

At its August meeting, the ABCNJ Council made several revisions to the By-Laws and Rules of Procedure Proposal, to clarify language and to correct unintentional omissions (Ministers Council will still have a representative on Professional Ministries Committee and the tasks of the Nominating Committee have been re-inserted).  This revision will be online by month’s end and available on paper for Annual Session (or by mail if requested). 

Our current By-Laws state that a revision vote may only take place after written notice of the revision has been given at a meeting of the organization.  Therefore, this will be done at this year’s meeting, with the intent to call a special meeting of the region to vote on the new By-Laws Proposal at a special meeting of the region’s churches in March 2011. 

Accordingly, at this year’s Annual Session, we will not vote on the proposal.  Instead, we will share a brief overview of its important features and take questions.  An unofficial straw poll will be conducted (by paper) to get a sense of how the region feels about the Proposal.  Questions still needing to be answered will also be solicited.  This will give us another extended period of time for feedback and discussion.

Have You Written a Book or Composed a Music CD?

Share it at Annual Session!  email the region to secure a space at our regional book table.  Note:  You must be an active member of n ABCNJ church to join the book table.