A letter from ABCNJ Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor, Rev. Miriam Méndez.
Read MoreInformation on how you and your congregation can partner with ABCNJ in providing relief in Haiti. On August 14, 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastated Haiti. While lasting less than a minute, over 54,000 houses were destroyed, in addition to public and religious buildings, schools, and businesses. The earthquake caused over 2,200 deaths and 12,000 serious injuries.
Read MoreDear ABCNJ Family, Please join us in prayer for our sisters and brothers in Haiti. Many of you have called and asked how can we provide support to our sisters and brothers in Haiti. We join the rest of our ABCUSA family in continued prayer for Haiti and in giving through One Great Hour of Sharing.
Read MoreABCUSA Anti-Racism Task Force article for July 2021. We celebrate our time together at the Biennial Mission Summit. We prayed together, brainstormed ideas, and shared our stories. We embraced the sacredness of the human story, and we honored the human experience as a denomination and as a people. We are grateful for your interest, curiosity, and willingness to explore with us in the work of anti-racism, especially in the context of our faith. Together we created brave sacred spaces where we answered the call to prayer, self-understanding and listening, and learning, unlearning, and relearning. We answered the call to reflection and introspection—to look inward and inward and to examine our individual and collective thoughts and feelings. As the ABCUSA, we dared to open ourselves to better understand who we have been, who we are, and who we desire to become. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others.” We continue the journey.
Read MoreWhile we had to postpone our mission trip to Puerto Rico due to Covid, we are excited to announce that we can now announce our rescheduled date!
The American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ), in partnership with the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), is providing an opportunity for our churches to get directly involved in “Rebuilding, Restoring, Renewing Puerto Rico,” a multi-year initiative following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
Read MoreThe American Baptist Churches of New Jersey join our Haitian brothers and sisters in prayer.
On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his private residence located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.
Read MoreNews from the ABCUSA Anti-Racism Taskforce, including pre-biennial events. “One aspect of the work of the ABCUSA Anti-racism Task Force has been to identify resources. What we have discovered is that ABCUSA has a variety of resources created within the denomination. The American Baptist Policy Statement on Racial Justice (1985) is one of these resource treasures.”
Read MoreWith our deepest condolences, we inform our ABCNJ community of the passing of Rev. Dr. James A. Scott, beloved Pastor Emeritus of Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, NJ. Rev. Dr. Scott went home to be with the Lord on the morning of Saturday, May 15, 2021. Our prayers go out to his family and the Bethany Baptist Church family.
Read MorePray for the people of Goma: IM global servants safe after devastating volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Read MoreThis is hard work. It requires being honest with myself and listening—truly listening—to my beloved friends who are speaking a truth that can be hard to hear. It takes letting go of the fear that I hold onto: fear that my ego will be hurt, that I will lose…something, fear that I’m not doing the work I claim to be doing.
Read MoreOnce again, creation groans and our hearts are full of sorrow because of the violence and hatred that continues to touch our world, neighbors, and lives…
Read MorePlan to experience the vitality of our American Baptist family together with other American Baptists from all corners of the United States and the world through the June 2021 online Biennial Mission Summit event!
Read MoreReunión de Mujeres (vía zoom…)
Read MoreThe Anti-Racism Task Force met for the first time on November 10, 2020. This meeting yielded an unprecedented commitment and dedication to the work of Anti-Racism. Through prayer, discernment, and honest reflection we have begun to identify and surface the historical and present experiences and stories of peoples affected by racism. We are dawning a new age in which we realize that providing symposiums and multifaceted resources are essential, and yet the great benefit to these initiatives is the revelation that anti-racism work is work that must be on-going.
Read MoreThe events of yesterday will live with us for many years. Scenes of persons storming the Capitol cannot be unseen. The events serve as a piercing remembrance that there are deep-seated differences among us. There are issues that we must address and are addressing including racism, poverty, and a global pandemic…
Read MoreOur annual clergy retreat is a chance for regional clergy to refresh, rejuvenate, and prepare for the upcoming year’s ministry with ABCNJ colleagues. While we cannot meet in person for this year’s retreat, we will still be able to learn some new skills as a group, connect in smaller groups, and find moments for silent reflection…
Read MoreWe continue to be grateful for the good and diligent work our ABCNJ pastors and churches are doing to stay connected, build community and share the gospel in your respective communities. We are also grateful for the way in which you are taking seriously the responsibility to think of the safety of all within our communities…
Read MoreOn February 18th 2020 the Boy Scouts of America (the BSA) commenced Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. This was done to allow the organization to restructure and continue its operations while paying its debts over time. There are many instances where churches and ministries allowed BSA activities to take place on their premises, whether they charter a troop or simply permit gatherings or activities to take place. The deadline for filing any claims is November 16th 2020 at 5 PM EST.
Read MoreAs Domestic Violence Awareness month comes to a close, we want to remind you that one person, one church, can make a difference. We can break the silence against violence and the trauma that diminishes a person's self-worth. We can preach, teach and invite guest speakers to our churches to promote healthy families. We can post materials that mark our church as a safe place for those who feel trapped. We can educate ourselves to look for signs of need and to equip ourselves to know how to help without doing harm. We can invite survivors to share stories of victory over abuse.
Read MoreThis webinar for clergy and church finance administrators will explore the unique tax situation for clergy. It will also guide you through optimal ways to structure and report clergy compensation in order to be compliant with the IRS and maximize your benefits.
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