Events

ABCNJ’s Got Talent! – The Search is On!

Announcing the 2012 ABCNJ Annual Session Music Search

We all know ABCNJ has some of the most gifted and talented people around.  Here’s your chance to share some of those gifts with the region and the world!  If your church has a worship team or choir, they could be our worship leaders for Annual Session in September!   Here’s how:

1. Write an original song around our theme, “Caring Pastors, Caring Churches, Caring Mission,” and Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world.”.
2. Release that song under a CreativeCommons license and share the music with our ABCNJ Churches through the region office (we’ll make sure it gets out).
3. Record your group singing the song, and post it up on YouTube for us and the world to see!  Send the link to lspitzer@abcnj.net.  Or, send a DVD to the region office.
4. (Don’t have an original song?  Video your team or choir singing a song that fits the theme, and we’ll still consider it!).

All submissions should be in by April 12, 2012.  By submitting a song for consideration, your group or choir is stating they are available to lead singing at Annual Session, September 29, 2012.

Let’s show the world the creativity we possess all throughout our region!

Annual Session Preview: IM Missionary Lauran Bethell on Anti-Sex Trade Ministry

ABCNJ is excited to announce that one of our plenary speakers for the 2012 ABCNJ Annual Session is ABCUSA International Ministries missionary Lauran Bethell.  Rev. Bethell has spearheaded our denomination’s efforts to confront the world-wide sex trade and trafficking industry and to rescue women and girls from prostitution.

To whet your appetite for her appearance, here is a 9 minute video interview she did for an organization in Holland:

Open Your Heart and Mind to the Holy Spirit!

Property Insurance Meetings

UPDATE: ABCNJ sent this email invitation out on January 5. We still have room for 4 people for the February 6 meeting, and lots of room left for the February 13 meeting. Sign up today by emailing or calling the region office.

My pre-Christmas email inquiry about the possibility of a region-wide group property insurance plan received an overwhelming response, with 26 churches indicating interest!

Accordingly, we have organized two meetings to help your Trustees and other leaders learn more about church property insurance, and to see if we might create a region-wide plan. Please pass this invitation on to the appropriate people in your church.

The two meetings will be on successive Monday nights – February 6 and 13, 2012. The location will be the ABCNJ Region Office. The discussion will be facilitated by Jeff Dromeshauser from Sovereign Insurance. The meeting will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm., with refreshments and registration at 6:30 pm. Both meetings will be the same, so you only need to attend one.

We are asking for people to indicate their attendance prior to the meetings, so we can plan accordingly. Please send us the name, email and phone number of the people representing your church – and which night you will be coming. Trustees, treasurers and pastors are most welcome.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer

Executive Minister/Senior Regional Pastor

COAL Training Events Registration Form Available

The fourth annual COAL Training Events serve elected church officers and leaders engaged in ministries.  “Excellence in Ministry,” our 2012 theme, will be the focus of the worship, workshops and plenary speaker.

Dr. Ron Sider

Attention Pastors! The new pastor’s track is designed specifically for you.  Rev. Dr. Ronald J. Sider (Ph.D., Yale) is Professor of Theology, Holistic Ministry and Public Policy and Director of the Sider Center on Ministry and Public Policy at Palmer Theological Seminary in Philadelphia will lead this training. Pastors are privileged to be able to have Dr. Sider share in our focus – Excellence in Ministry.  Enroll now!

Attention Church Officers and Leaders! The 2012 COAL Training gives participants a chance to select three workshops.  Mark three different training sessions and the registrar will make every effort to honor it.  There is limited seating so sessions will be balanced for classroom size. Please use the attached registration form.

Below is a brief summary of the days program and a list of the excellent leadership we have for the COAL 2012 Training Events.

Read more →

Rev. Dr. Ron Sider is COAL Keynote Speaker

Rev. Dr. Ron Sider

 The Fourth Annual – Church Officers and Leaders Training Events – March 24, 2012 and March 31, 2012

We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for the Fourth Annual COAL Training Events will be The Rev. Dr. Ron Sider.  We are so thrilled that he is willing to come and participate in the day long events and to help address this year’s theme of EXCELLENCE IN MINISTRY.

We also want to share that Rev. Sider will lead our new addition to the COAL Training Event – a day long track specifically for our ABCNJ pastors. Dr. Pete Ely said,  “Here is truly an opportunity our clergy will not want to pass up. Those in the ABCNJ Academy will receive credits toward their certificate program.”  Truly, everyone who attends will be blessed.  These events promise to be bigger than ever.

The COAL Training Events will be held at two locations familiar to those who have participated in the past.  On Saturday, March 24, 2012, the First Baptist Church of Westfield will be the host congregation and site for our training.  We’re delighted to return to this fine facility for an opportunity to grow in excellence in ministry.  On Saturday, March 31, 2012, we will hold the second event at the Columbus Baptist Church in Columbus, NJ, where last year’s southern event was so graciously hosted.  Rev. Mayra Castaneda, senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Westfield and Rev. John Grove, senior pastor at the Columbus Baptist Church of Columbus both extend a cordial invitation to our American Baptist family to come and experience a wonderful day of learning and training together. They will open their churches for registration at 8:30 am and have coffee ready for a time of early fellowship.   The morning Bible Study will begin at 9:00 am, so be certain to arrive early.

Read more →

Together in Ministry Retreat on April 23-25, 2012

This letter from Rev. Rothangliani Chhangte (liaison for Burma Refugees American Baptist Home Mission Society) is about an invitation for a second Together in Ministry (TIM) retreat, on April 23-25, 2012 at The National Christian Conference center in Phoenixville, PA.

Dear Pastors,

Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas celebrations went well and you’ve had a good break from all the activities.

Joe Kutter, Florence Li and met last year in November of 2011 to discuss holding a second Together in Ministry (TIM) retreat. We all felt that it would be beneficial to bring all the pastors together again to see what the “learning” has been in the six TIM group over the past year. Therefore, I am writing to invite you to the second TIM Retreat to be held at the National Christian Center in Phoenixville, PA (5 miles from the Mission Center) on April 23-25, 2012.

At our meeting we discussed expanding the retreat to other pastors who did not Make it last year, but we wanted to give the first timers first dibs. If you would Like to be part of the Second TIM Retreat in April please respond to me by email At Rothang.Chhangte@abhms.org no later than February 6, 2012. After the deadline date we will open the retreat to other pastors who were not at the first meeting. We also want to make this retreat be a more inclusive group and so we will invite more Karen/Chin/KaChin pastors who currently serve a ABC congregation.

More details regarding registration and room reservations will be forthcoming after we hear from you and others. The retreat will start with dinner on April 23rd and end at 2:00pm on April 25th, if you wish to go ahead and make travel plans. Similarly like last year, we will reimburse you up to $100 for those traveling over 200 miles round trip. Lodging for 2 nights and meals during the retreat will be covered by the TIM grant.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. If you have any questions you may contact me by phone at 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext.2426, or Rev. Florence Li at ext. 2468. I will be back in the office after January 18th.
Peace,

Rev. Rothangliani Chhangte, Liaison for Burma Refugees

Palmer Seminary Exploring Ministry Conference

AB Women Hosting Love Gift Luncheon

ABWM Love Gift Event

NBTS Hosts Martin Luther King Event