Together in God's Work: Rooted in Christ, Rising in Hope
November 12, 2026
The launch of a new Endowment and a historic $1 million pledge highlights ABCNJ’s 56th Annual Session, celebrating generations of faithful ministry and investing in God's work for the future.
What happens when God’s people come together—rooted in Christ, grateful for the past, and attentive to God’s unfolding work?
For the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ), the journey toward the 2026 Annual Session began well before the gathering, with an invitation to prayer, reflection, spiritual renewal, and meaningful conversation.
In the 30 days leading up to Annual Session, ABCNJ staff and Council members invited churches and ministry leaders to prepare their hearts through 30 Days of Prayer and Devotion. These daily reflections encouraged participants to remember God’s faithfulness across generations, deepen their roots in Christ, embrace their shared calling, and look to the future with renewed hope.
The preparation continued September 28–30 with three Rooted Conversation webinars: Rooted to Lead: A Conversation About the Spiritual Life Beneath Leadership, exploring the spiritual foundations of faithful leadership; Rooted Relationships: Cultivating Healthy Churches for God's Mission, emphasizing relationships shaped by love, grace, and reconciliation; and Rooted to Witness: Rising in Hope — Living the Liberating Gospel in Our Communities, encouraging congregations to embody Christ’s justice, healing, and hope in their communities.
Together, these devotionals and conversations set the spiritual foundation for Annual Session, affirming that God’s work takes root in Christ, flourishes through loving relationships, and bears fruit through faithful witness.
The Gathering
On Saturday, October 3, 2026, this shared journey culminated as pastors, congregations, ministry leaders, and partners gathered at Alpha Baptist Church in Willingboro, New Jersey, for ABCNJ’s 56th Annual Session. The congregation welcomed attendees with gracious hospitality and vibrant, Spirit-filled worship led by its Praise and Dance teams. Rev. Dr. Miriam Mendez expressed heartfelt appreciation to Rev. Dr. Danny Scotton, Sr., and the entire Alpha Baptist Church family for their warm welcome and generous spirit of Christian fellowship.
United under the theme “Together in God’s Work: Rooted in Christ, Rising in Hope,” the ABCNJ family celebrated worship, mission, faithful stewardship, and shared purpose. Throughout the gathering, one message resonated: God is still at work, calling us to respond with faith, courage, and hope.
Honoring Faithfulness, Celebrating the Fruit of Ministry
Throughout the gathering, ABCNJ honored the people and ministries through whom God continues to shape its story.
Newly ordained ministers were celebrated; pastors beginning new chapters of service were recognized; faithful retirees were honored; and congregations whose witness spans generations were lifted up in gratitude. The lives and legacies of beloved servants who had entered eternal rest were remembered with reverence and thanksgiving.
Inspiring testimonies from Union Baptist Church of Montclair, Peddie Memorial Baptist Church, and the 50-year ministry of the Concentración of ABCNJ Latino Ministries offered compelling reminders of lives transformed by faithful witness across cultures and communities.
The gathering also underscored the remarkable impact of ABCNJ’s ministries.
Through the Emerging Scholars Program, ABCNJ has invested more than $500,000 over 20 years in more than 400 scholars, expanding educational opportunities and nurturing Christian leadership.
Camp Lebanon welcomed nearly 4,000 participants through September 2026, continuing its vital year-round ministry focused on spiritual formation, renewal, and Christian community.
Through Communities in Action, congregations are extending the love of Christ beyond church walls and responding to their neighbors’ needs through compassionate, community-centered service.
These are more than statistics or programs. They are living testimonies to God’s faithfulness—evidence that ministry bears fruit and that lives are being transformed.
A Historic $1 Million Pledge: Investing in Generations to Come
A defining moment of the Annual Session was the official launch of the ABCNJ Endowment, a visionary initiative established to sustain and expand the region’s mission and ministry across generations.
Then came an extraordinary announcement: a historic $1 million pledge from the Federated Church of Livingston to the newly formed Endowment. (Pictures: Kimberly/Miriam and the moment the check was presented.) More than a financial milestone, this remarkable commitment boldly expresses confidence in God’s ongoing work through ABCNJ.
The Rev. Dr. Miriam Méndez called the historic pledge from the Federated Church of Livingston, a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness and an investment in sustaining ministry, developing Christian leaders, strengthening congregations, and supporting community outreach. She also celebrated the 100% participation of ABCNJ staff and Council members through their pledges and gifts, noting that their collective generosity strengthened the Endowment’s foundation and inspired others to join this important work.
Together, these commitments demonstrate a shared conviction that faithful stewardship is not merely about preserving resources but about creating opportunities for ministry to flourish. The historic pledge is both a milestone and an invitation—encouraging congregations, individuals, and ministry partners to help establish a lasting source of support for ABCNJ’s mission.
At its heart, the Endowment embodies a powerful truth: The faithfulness we have inherited calls us to be faithful stewards of all God has placed in our hands.
Rooted in Christ, Ready for What God Is Doing
Drawing on Isaiah 43:18–21, keynote preacher Rev. Dr. Miriam Méndez, Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor, challenged the gathering to recognize and embrace God's unfolding work. With prophetic clarity, she declared: “Do not become so preoccupied with yesterday’s miracle that you miss today’s movement of God.”
She then posed a compelling question: “The question before ABCNJ this season is not simply, ‘God, what are You going to do next?’ The deeper question is, ‘God, what are You already doing—and do we have eyes to perceive it?’”
The message affirmed a powerful truth: Our roots in Christ do not bind us to yesterday but empower courageous growth into tomorrow. God is already moving among us, calling us to respond with faith, courage, and expectation.
As the Annual Session concluded with the declaration “Still Rising,” participants left with renewed purpose and a shared commitment to the mission entrusted to them.
The Call Before Us: Rise Together!
The 56th Annual Session was more than a celebration of God’s faithfulness. It called us to transform gratitude into generosity, inspiration into action, and faith into lasting impact. Now is the time for every congregation, pastor, leader, and ministry partner to play an active role in God’s ongoing work through ABCNJ.
Pray boldly. Serve faithfully. Give generously. Strengthen our churches, nurture emerging leaders, extend Christ’s compassion to our communities, and support the ABCNJ Endowment as an enduring investment in ministry.
Our calling is not merely to celebrate what God has done but to participate faithfully in what God is doing. Together, the seeds we plant today will bear fruit for generations to come.
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