Ministry News

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!

In Tragedy, a Sanctuary

The early overcast morning of February 16, 2012 was broken by the horrible news that a school bus on its way to bring children to the Chesterfield Elementary School in Chesterfield, New Jersey, was struck by a dump truck at an intersection, and that there were casualties. Knowing that we have an ABCNJ church in the area, I readily called Rev. Dr. Ed DeSilva, the senior pastor of Chesterfield Baptist Church to find out what he knew. He reported that the accident occurred just a few blocks up the road from the church, and that the accident was very bad.

An 11 year old girl was killed, one of a set of triplets, daughters of a New Jersey state trooper. Her two other sisters were also seriously hurt and are now in the hospital with another boy, also 11 years old, fighting for their lives. Several other children were also hospitalized with non-threatening injuries. Some members of CBC were directly involved in the accident, as they were volunteer first responders in town. Pastor DeSilva and the deacons of CBC decided to open the church this evening from 6-8 PM for anyone who might want to pray. The news spread rapidly, as it always does whenever our precious children are involved, and Philadelphia news stations already broadcast on their 4 PM segment that CBC was going to have a prayer service. To protect the sanctity of the moment, pastor DeSilva had to appeal to the journalists not to bring the TV cameras inside the sanctuary.

What started as a church’s simple response to open its doors to its community in a time crisis, turned out to be far more than they expected. On a cold rainy night, the church was surrounded by news media from major networks in the Philadelphia area. And the entire town seemed to show up, prompting local police to bring order to the burgeoning traffic. Hundreds came to the church from the community, quietly taking their turns in the pew. As people greeted each other, many were silently weeping, young and old alike – clearly seeking each other’s strength. Several came in bringing flowers, laying them on the communion table at the altar. Pastor DeSilva read scriptures every 10 minutes, and offered prayer and short words of  solace.

The heart of Chesterfield’s closely-knit community was broken today. An unspeakable loss has visited a family, and trauma has injured both the body and spirit of many. But God’s healing mercy is unfailing. Chesterfield Baptist Church made a powerful witness to the community tonight. They gave Christ’s compassion and love, and proclaimed hope. In tragedy, they offered God’s sanctuary. It was church.

Reunion Estatal De Mujeres Latinas

Les saludamos en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo y le deseamos que Dios les bendiga y que su gracia y misericordia sea con cada una de ustedes.

Nuestra primera reunión estatal será el sábado 10 de marzo en Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, comenzando a las 6:30 de la tarde. Enfaticemos en la puntualidad, pues no queremos que nuestra reunión se extienda demasiado ya que  tendremos una cena a continuación del culto. Necesitamos saber la cantidad de hermanas que asistirán a esta actividad antes del día 24 de febrero, 2012. Pueden contactarse conmigo directamente al teléfono o con la hermana secretaria Ruth Gómez Legrá.

Este año también hemos planeado ayudar a personas en necesidad. Les anunciamos que el próximo 18 de marzo las Damas estatales estaremos sirviendo a personas necesitadas de nuestra comunidad. En ese día de las mujeres estaremos asistiendo a ancianos, personas enfermas, discapacitados, personas sin hogar. Pronto daremos más información sobre este proyecto que se repetirá el 19 de mayo.

Judith Roberts (Presidenta) 862-215-6846

Ruth Gómez (Secretaria)  908-686-6068

Get On Board – Summer Jobs at Camp

Baptist Camp Lebanon is currently looking to build the summer staff of 2012!  Each year Camp hires a staff of about thirtyfive.  Currently, there are positions on each crew open.  The crews are as follows:

• Arts and Crafts Crew
• Counselors Crew
• Kitchen Crew
• Maintenance Crew
• Waterfront Crew

To be a counselor you must have graduated High School in 2011.  Members of all other crews must be at least sixteen years of age or older.

Click here to download an application today.

You may also email Don to have an application mailed to you.

Rev. Frederickson Representing ABCNJ on Board of General Ministries

Note - Rev. William Frederickson, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Freehold, is ABCNJ's representative on the ABCUSA Board of General Ministries. This is his summation of the Board's first meeting.  

On January 20-23, 2012, I attended the Board of General Ministries orientation in Orlando, Florida. The passage of the new by-laws for the ABCUSA in San Juan, Puerto Rico in June 2011 put into effect a new structure for our national denomination beginning January 1, 2012. As a regional representative, I no longer serve on a program board and the General Board. I was asked by our General Secretary A. Roy Medley to serve on the new Board of General Ministries. I am honored to represent ABCNJ in this way.

Our orientation schedule included a session on Baptist identity by Everitt C. Goodwin, author of Down by the Riverside. Several seminars on board development based on a survey we completed for Duke University were conducted. Updates and reports on “Transformed by the Spirit,” Baptist-Muslim dialogue and Burma-Burmese immigration were given to us. The Board of General Ministries members were also informed of the administrative services handled by the Office of the General Secretary. On our final day in Orlando, we conducted some necessary business items.

The President of ABCUSA, Ruth Clark from Kansas, presided over our time together. Worship services were conducted by our Chaplain, Jeff Savage from Oregon and Vice President Don Ng from California. The orientation for this new Board of General Ministries was very well done and a very positive, spirit-filled feeling permeated our time in Orlando.

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:

On the move!

Almost daily we receive messages from friends and colleagues in Brazil saying, “Glória a Deus que vocês voltarão ao Brasil em maio – que saudade!” (“Praise God that you will return to Brazil in May – we miss you!”). But a lot still has to happen between now and May!

An Extraordinary opportunity to minister in Southeast Asia in March

Thai Madonna

We are excited about invitations from partners in Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam to lead week-long trainings for them in March:
•    At Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, we’ll teach an intensive course called “Social Entrepreneurship for Church and NGO Leaders.”
•    For the Myanmar Baptist Convention in Yangon, Myanmar we’ll teach a seminar on “Mobilizing the Whole Church for the Whole Mission of God”

•    In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam we’ll teach an intensive course on “World Religions” for pastors of the Vietnam Baptist Convention.

Do you have some good materials or a good syllabus on any of these topics (social entrepreneurship, mission mobilization or world religions)? We’d love to hear from you!

Back to Brazil in May? – Yes, with your help

We are preparing to return to Brazil in May – and that’s only a couple of months away! We have already been invited back by our partners in Brazil and have now received medical clearance to return. So at this point, only one piece of the puzzle is missing. We have yet to reach the financial support-raising goal set by International Ministries, and the rule is ‘no goal, no go.’

February and March are therefore key months for churches and individuals who want to be part of the team that keeps us serving in Brazil.

Thank you for all you do to support God’s work here, there and everywhere!

Sharing the Gospel in Maplewood

On Sunday, January 29, 2010, it was a blessing to fellowship with First Baptist Church of Maplewood as they kicked off their Fifth Sunday Series. Under the leadership of Senior Pastor, Rev. Marsha Butler and Asst. Pastor Rev. Malva Wise-White, this series will enable a lay person to share the gospel on these designated Sundays. Brother Debo Gbadebo preached the first sermon lifting up Psalm 77:1-14,

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.1I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

He inspired each of us to be encouraged in the midst of our trials, for in struggle there is triumph as long as we keep our eyes on God. First Baptist has partnered with the Sierra House of East Orange, a transitional living program for homeless and at risk women, by sharing God’s love by providing gifts to the women that are both personal and practical. On Sunday, February 19, 2012 they will celebrate their 14th church anniversary at 11:00 am. Rev. Dr. Edgard Nicolas, Associate Regional Pastor for Haitian Ministries, ABCNJ, will be the guest preacher. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by February 13, 2012 to www.firstmaplewood@aol.com or 973-762-3778.

In 10 days… / En 10 días…

So much happened this last 10 days… God is good and faithful and we are blessed to be at His service in Spain, alongside our sisters and brothers in this land. We are grateful for your sharing with us this common journey. We spent a weekend in Lorca (visiting their ground zero, El Buen Camino, and sanctuary) and Elche (leadership workshop and church visit) and then continued with our class in Valencia on Monday (EBEVA) and our time at the church in Requena on Wednesday, completing our 10 days today at the church in Carlet. God has been at work. You can find the full testimony here.

EBEVA, another night of learning…

We’d like to point out our trio connection between ABCNJ, Stan Slade and us at EBEVA. Each Monday evening, for the last four months, we’ve been sharing Isaiah and an Introduction to the Prophets with a group of more than 20 faithful participants from different churches in Valencia. Despite the cold winter, and even rain, they have come for our two hours together.
We begin with a devotional time where they have learned to understand and use the method of inductive study that Stan Slade shared last October at our annual session but that these participants did not have an opportunity to learn then (which those in Dénia did enjoy). As an extension to what Stan did, we have shared with them this valuable Bible study tool provoking important insights that they have for the rest of their study of the book of Isaiah.
The participants are always eager for more; two of them traveled to Elche last Saturday to be at the workshop we held there for the southeastern region. Monday 13th is our last session and with it we complete the commitments we had in Valencia, Dénia, and Xàtiva for this academic cycle that ends in June with other classes and professors. We are grateful for the opportunity to share wisdom, knowledge, and discipleship in each of these places where we have been blessed to learn as we prepare and as we are with these sisters and brothers who thrive to prepare for better service.

Thanks for your faithful and generous support of ministries like the Borquists in Brazil, Stan Slade around the world, and us in Spain. In partnership we have made much more!

# # #

Ha pasado tanto en los últimos 10 días… Dios es bueno y fiel y nos sentimos bendecidos de estar en Su servicio en España, junto a nuestras hermanas y hermanos en esta tierra. Te agradecemos que compartas con nosotros nuestra mutua peregrinación. Estuvimos un fin de semana en Lorca (visitando lo que queda tras los terremotos, El Buen Camino y la iglesia) y Elche (para talleres y visitar la iglesia) y continuamos en Valencia con la clase del lunes (EBEVA) y nuestro miércoles en la iglesia de Requena, completando estos 10 días en la de Carlet. Dios ha estado obrando… Puedes leer todos los datos en www.internationalministries.org/teams/50-bonilla-giovanetti.

EBEVA, otra noche para aprender

Queremos resaltar la conexion del trio ABCNJ, Stan  Slade y nosotros en EBEVA. Cada lunes en la noche en los últimos cuatro meses hemos compartido Isaías e Introducción a los Profetas con un grupo de más de 20 fieles participantes de diferentes iglesias en Valencia. A pesar del crudo invierno, y hasta con lluvia, han llegado para las dos horas que compartimos.
Comenzamos con un tiempo devocional donde han aprendido a usar el método de estudio inductivo que Stan Slade compartió en octubre en la asamblea anual pero que estos participantes no tuvieron la oportunidad de disfrutar (como los de Dénia). Como una extensión a lo que Stan hizo, compartimos esta valiosa herramienta de estudio bíblico y han surgido reflexiones importantes útiles para el resto del estudio del libro de Isaías.
Los participantes siempre quieren más; dos de ellas viajaron a Elche el sábado anterior para el taller del sureste. El lunes 13 es la última reunión y con ello completamos los compromisos que teníamos en Valencia, Dénia y Xàtiva para este ciclo académico que termina en junio con otras clases y profesores. Damos gracias por la oportunidad de compartir sabiduría, conocimiento y discipulando en cada uno de estos lugares donde hemos sido bendecidos al aprender preparándonos y estando con estas hermanas y hermanos que crecen en su preparación para un mejor servicio.

Gracias por tu apoyo generoso y fiel a los ministerios de los Borquist en Brazil, Stan Slade alrededor del mundo y nosotros en España. En coparticipación hemos logrado mucho más…

Camp Lebanon needs financial helpers

Camp Lebanon depends on the generosity of each and every church and friend of camp to sustain such a large facility and all of the buildings and needs that arise.  Every once in a while a large need arises that cannot be dealt with through the regular camp budget.  This year Camp Lebanon must replace a hot water boiler in the Hoener Inn Facility.  We simply have no choice but to replace it.  The cost of this project will be about $9,000.00.  Please consider giving a tax-deductible gift to help off-set the costs of this new furnace – making sure to mark any checks with that intent.  Thank you for considering this need and caring for the ministry here at Baptist Camp Lebanon.