1 Oak Ridge Road, Bldg. 3, #4A, West Lebanon, NH 03784
603-643-4201 888-262-3223
Rev. Dr. Louis George
Interim Executive Minister
March 2011 Newsletter
Table of Contents
Pages 2-3 America For Christ Offering: From Our President; All Things New Update;
Executive Minister Search Update
Pages 4-5 Regional Events Calendar
Pages 5-10 AB Women’s Ministries, AB Men, Gove Hill Retreat and Camp Sentinel News;
Pages 11-12 Regional Directory Updates; Prayer Requests; God Stuff Happening in Our Churches;
Clergy & Professional Ministerial Leadership Association Breakfast Schedule;
Regional Calendar – Meeting Dates for Boards, Departments, & Committees
Page 13 Workshops for Pastors
Pages 14-16 ABCUSA News; Miscellaneous Items; Common Trust Fund Update;
American Baptist Mission Support Update
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every sickness” (Matthew 9:35 - NIV).
This year’s goal is $1,500,000. For more information about promoting the America for Christ Offering consult the material your church should have received or to review downloadable resources, go to www.abhms.org/give/serve. Thank you for your partnership and financial support.
From Our President
Dear fellow travelers, ambassadors, and servants with (in, through, for) Christ,
If you could have eavesdropped on our Executive Committee conference call last Saturday (February 12th), I believe you’d have been encouraged by what you heard; here are some highlights:
Central to our mission: prayer and prayer requests; there continue to be (always will be, ’til we’re called home) tremendous needs; truly a way we can support one another.
At least 17 church communities are in transition at this point. Lou and/or a placement personnel team member is working alongside each unique situation.
Giving to the Region Offering was up last year (even though overall giving to United Missions and Friends & Direct Gifts were down).
The Minister’s Council will be releasing funds for such things as ministers’ seminars, conferences, continu-ing education, R&R, etc.
This ties in with All Things New, and their support for pastors and lay leaders, as well as seminars/worship times on the Kingdom of God, and spreading communications through the Web, etc.
This ties in with increased usage of Gove Hill, and renewed energy to encourage mid-week, as well as weekend events (plus be more energy efficient), and a strong support team.
This ties in with the Board of Trustees’ decision to encourage Sentinel’s continued relationship with the Region as well as growth and financial viability by voting for the sales agreement (which we had approved, with conditions, in December 2005) giving Sentinel to the Sentinel Board (with 60% + of the board members coming from ABC/VNH churches).
A Missional Church Learning Experience is beginning February 27 with six churches who have committed to months of in depth work.
Mission teams have/are heading out to Haiti and all over the globe.
Our executive minister, Lou George is working with executive ministers in the Northeast region to hopefully create a region-wide health care plan which could help local churches support their pastor’s health costs.
The Search committee for Executive leadership advises that the qualifications for the position have now been posted. Be in prayer for the right person!!
The Annual meeting will be June 17-18, and there are plans for 18 Bible study/workshop options to choose from over the two days.
We do need people to step forward in the roles of trustees, working on the Annual Gathering Committee, and a person who feels called to be 2nd vice-president, then 1st vice-president, then president of the Region - to meet the challenges and help guide us through this next period of our life together.
This ties in with the possible new By-laws and Rules of Procedure for the Region, which hopefully everyone has had a chance to look at. The board will be making some recommendations for the Annual Gathering at our next board meeting. We’re anticipating these new by-laws and rules will be clear, guided by Our Covenant, and reviewed periodically to make it a living instrument for us.
I hope you appreciate the time, talents/gifts, and energy of so many dedicated servants these short sentences represent. To those of you who have worked so hard, thank you. If this inspires others of you to pick up the reins, wonderful! For the many other efforts going on in this Region for God’s glory, praise Him.
Blessings, Kathy Jewett
What’s New At All Things New
The new All Things New website (www.allthingsnew-abcvnh.org) is up and running! If you haven't checked it out please do. Updates will be coming every couple of weeks with new biographies, announce-ments of events, and the sharing of resources from around the Region. We’re trying to find ways to make sure those who don’t have a computer or good e-mail connections can keep in touch with God’s movement around the Region. If we could establish a contact person in each association who would help get printed material to people who need that, that would be terrific. Please contact me at if you would like to help out or know of people who need that service. In Christ there’s neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, tech savvy nor technophobe (pardon the loose translation)!
Actually, each of the three actions groups has been hard at work and this should be of benefit to you or a church near you soon! Kingdom of God seminars are scheduled for the Southwest and the Green and White Mountain Associations. The Southwest Association event will be Saturday, March 5 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the 2nd Congregational Church of Londonderry, VT. Please contact Rev. George Keeler (, 802-886-8107) for registration and more information. The seminar includes worship, prayer, Bible study, workshops, discussion, and using a practical tool to make this practical for churches and individuals. The Green and White Mountains Association Event will be Saturday, April 2 from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Passumpsic Community Baptist Church in Passumpsic, VT. Please contact Rev. David Abbott (, 802-3888-4067) for registration and information.
Keep an eye out for new events and opportunities in this newsletter and at the website. The Spirit continues to move!
Blessings, Rev. Steven Jewett, Coordinator
Update on Search for New Regional Executive Minister
To: ABC VNH Executive Board & ABC VNH Church Family January 31, 2011
From: Region Executive Minister Search Team
Greetings in the Name of our Lord!
After several meetings that have progressed very well, the Regional Executive Search Team is pleased to bring this update.
Thanks to many in the Region who have done great work praying and reflecting on where we are and possible future leadership framework; the Trustees, Structure, Ways and Means and ‘All Things New’ and others have blessed us with foundational information for an Executive Search. Thanks to everyone who has contributed!
The Regional Profile and Job Description have been completed. Additional information and work has been done, which means we are working toward making the announcement for the position. Currently plans are to announce around February 15th in the Regional Newsletter and other sources which will be facilitated by our ABC National Representative Rev. Dr. Jeff Woods. The recommended time for advertisement is 10 -12 weeks. Nominations and Applications will be received through FBC Burlington. The next Search Team meeting will be May 6th. Please continue to pray for the Search Team, our Region and the person God is preparing to lead us.
Serving Christ Together,
Your Search Team: Edith Brigham, Rev. Carolyn Clarke, Kerry Griswold, Julia Leonard, Rev. Scott Mitchell, Rev. Dale Louise Nicholas, Rev. David O’Brian, Rev Cliff Vendt, and ABC National Representative Rev. Dr. Jeff Woods
Regional Events Calendar
March 4-6: Winter Youth Rally at Camp Sentinel REGISTER NOW!
Winter Youth Rally for youth in grades 5-10. This weekend will feature guest speakers, music, team building activities and camp fun! The cost is $89 per youth (2 overnights & 5 meals). Check in begins Friday at 6 p.m. with check out Sunday at 2 p.m. To sign up, contact the camp office at (603) 539-4839 or .
March 11: “Immigration, the Church, and the Bible” Workshop
Wesley United Methodist Church, Worcester, MA. 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For clergy and lay leaders. Presenter: Professor M. Daniel Carroll R., Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary, Author of Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Church, and the Bible.
Cost of registration: $20 includes lunch and a copy of Strangers in the Land, the 6-week devotional guide on immigration from the editors of Sojourners based upon Carroll's book Christians at the Border. Scholarships are available.
Why attend? You can help shift the conversation about immigration reform. We need to know what our Bible says about this contentious topic. We believe that local congregations can be centers of respectful, honest, biblically-grounded conversation about hard issues. Like most hard choices, there is no room for cheap grace; there is a path to costly discipleship. This workshop and the resources that follow can help.
A flyer with registration form is available here. Send a team from your church. We encourage Pastor and lay leaders to come together. All participating congregations will be acknowledged in the workshop materials. Sponsored by the New Hampshire of Churches.
March 26-27: ABC missionary in Italy, James Kelsey speaking at NH Churches
Jim Kelsey will be speaking at First Baptist Church of Manchester, NH on Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m.; at First Baptist Church in Exeter, NH Sunday, March 27 during the worship service at 10:30 a.m.; and at Community Baptist Church in Plainfield NH also on Sunday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m.
To attend the session at First Baptist Church of Manchester, please RSVP to (603) 623-6041 with the name of your church and the number attending.
International Ministries of ABC received an invitation in 2007 from the Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of Italy to partner with them in their new International Church Committee both to provide training and encour-agement to immigrant churches and to raise the issue of human trafficking and prostitution among the congregations in Italy. James & Debbie Kelsey felt God’s leading and they followed. Living in Padua, they now work throughout northern Italy. In addition, they minister to other women, many of whom are African.
April 1-2: “Dream On” Revolve Tour at XL Center, Hartford, CT
This is a one-of-a-kind inspirational weekend for 6th-12th grade girls that combines award-winning bands and speakers with real, relevant messages in a high-energy event. For more information, go to http://revolvetour.com/.
April 3: IM Missionary Mercy Gonzales-Barnes at FBC, Hudson
Mercy Gonzales-Barnes will be a guest at the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. services and the coffee hour following. Mercy and her husband Rick are American Baptist missionaries serving in Baja California, Mexico. Their ministry includes leadership development, especially with new church planting. For more information contact the church at 603-882-6116.
April 17: Concert Baritone Phillip Mentor in Concert
First Baptist Church, Manchester Center, VT. Mr. Mentor will present a concert entitled “An American Songbook” at 3:00 p.m. The concert is a celebration of American musical heroes - a presentation of old time favorites, spirituals and Broadway tunes. Mr. Mentor is a trained opera singer and former minister and has performed throughout most of the United States and Caribbean. He specializes in gospel music and spirituals. A freewill donation will be accepted at the door.
April 29-May 1: Spring Arts Conference at Gove Hill Retreat
Tentatively scheduled are painters Reed Prescott, landscape painting, and Elizabeth Ehmann, portrait painting. Participants will be led through seminars, discussion and especially small workshop groups by experienced artists, to grow as artists, both in their craft and in an understanding of art in the context of Christian Faith. Participants will choose from various Saturday afternoon talks and seminars on a variety of topics pertaining to art and the Christian faith. Participants for the entire weekend will choose one small group workshop (TBA) meeting several times over the weekend. Participants should bring appropriate art supplies. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own works in progress to share with their workshop groups. For more information, go to www.govehillretreat.org or call 802-785-4000.
April 30: Spring Workday at Camp Sentinel
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Lunch provided. Individuals, churches, youth groups, families welcome. Jobs for all ages and abilities! Please RSVP to or Bob Schur, maintenance coordinator .
May 20-21: Fishing Derby at Gove Hill Retreat
ABMen is sponsoring a fishing derby for kids and their parents. Overnight accommodations are available.
June 17-18: ABC/VNH Annual Gathering at Kimball Union Academy
Mark your calendars and make plans to attend two full days of activities as we celebrate the ongoing moving of the Holy Spirit in our Region through the theme “Keep the Fire Burning” and Acts 2:42. Keynote speakers will be Rev. Glynis LaBarre, Transformation Strategist with American Baptist Home Mission Societies, and Rev. Alan Shumway, Interim Minister at First Baptist Church, New London. 18 Bible studies/ workshops on the Kingdom of God. A children’s program with Camp Sentinel staff will be available on Saturday.
July 15-17: Writers’ Conference at Gove Hill Retreat
Workshop leaders: Matthew Dickerson (Professor at Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, Director of the New England Young Writers Conference and Founder and Director of the Vermont Conference on Christianity and the Arts) and David Wright (Poet and Visiting Asst. Prof of English at Wheaton College. His most recent poetry publication is “Liturgy for Stones.”). For more information, go to www.govehillretreat.org or call 802-785-4000. Brochures are available online or by mail from Gove Hill. Discounts available for members of ABC/VNH churches. You won’t want to miss a minute of it!
July 22-24: Summer Songwriting Conference at Gove Hill Retreat
Bill Pere, president of the Connecticut Songwriters Guild, and his wife, Kay Pere, will be presenting this event. Bill has numerous awards for songwriting and he and Kay teach vocal techniques and creativity. As a team they teach classes on songwriting all over New England. For more information, go to www.govehillretreat.org or call 802-785-4000. Brochures are available online or by mail from Gove Hill. This is an event you won’t want to miss! Sign up by June 1st for a copy of Bill Pere’s book “The Songcrafters’ Coloringbook.”
Mar.19, 2011: Hartford, CT- The First Cathedral
Apr. 2, 2011: Albany, NY- Loudonville Community Church