1 Oak Ridge Road, Bldg. 3, #4A, West Lebanon, NH 03784
*603-643-4201 888-262-3223
Rev. Dale Edwards
Region Minister
THE AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES OF VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE
“Mission at our Doorstep:
Renewal, Restoration, and New Beginnings”
April 2014 Newsletter
Table of Contents
Page 2 Annual Gathering information
Page 3 ABWM Scholarships; Kids4Peace Summer Camp; From our Region Minister;
Page 4 Appeal for an ABC/VNH Church; Region Directory Update; Prayer Concern
Pages 4-9 Institute for Learning Courses; News from ABMen, AB Women’s Ministries,
Ministers Council, 25 to Life, and Camp Sentinel
Pages 9-10 Upcoming Conferences; Stewardship Resource Availble; ABCUSA News
Page 11 American Baptist Mission Support Update for February 2014
Page 12 International Ministries 2014 Theme & Events to Celebrate 200 Years
2014 ABC/VNH 25th ANNUAL GATHERING
MAY 2-3, Noon Friday to 4:00 p.m. Saturday at Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT
Theme: The Mission at our Doorstep
Speakers: Pastor Jim Murphy, Elder for Worship and Evangelism at Missio Church, Syracuse, NY - speaking to us on doing ministry outside of the box and challenging us to go beyond our comfort zone
Dr. Rady Roldan-Figueroa, Assistant Professor of the History of Christianity at Boston University School of Theology and Interim Pastor at Lakeport United Baptist Church - speaking to us on spiritual awakening in both the individual and the church
Rev. Dale Edwards, Region Minister, ABC/VNH - speaking to us on the Mission at our Doorstep: Doing Ministry in New England
Friday Events: Ministers Council Annual Meeting; Business Meeting; ABC/VNH Author/Artist Book/CD Signings; Auxiliary Organizations Meetings; Pastor Jim Murphy; Mega Worship
Saturday Events: Rev. Dr. Rady Roldan-Figueroa; Table Conversations on the theme, “Mission at our Doorstep”; Rev. Dale Edwards; Communion; Youth and Children’s Program and childcare provided by Camp Sentinel
A prayer room will be available during much of the Annual Gathering.
Registration material has been mailed to churches and is available on the ABC/VNH website under Events/Event Registration in the top menu bar.
Registration Deadlines: Early-bird registration by April 7th; Regular registration by April 21st;
Late registration by April 25th at noon; Children’s and youth program and childcare by April 11th;
Guaranteed room rates and availability by April 14th.
Author & Musician Book/CD Signing
Friday afternoon during the break we will be featuring authors and musicians from our churches who have written Christian books or produced Christian CDs. If you are interested in participating or know of someone who you think would like to participate, contact Malcolm Hamblett at .
MEGA WORSHIP
Join us for an exciting time of worship and praise on Friday evening through music and prayer.
A choir and worship team will lead us. If you are interested in being part of the choir contact Olga Tines at . Practice will be Friday morning, May 2 from 10 to noon.
Annual Gathering Photo by Amanda Gross.
ABWM Scholarships Available for High School Seniors, College Students, and Seminarians
Deadline is April 1st. Graduating high school, undergraduate and graduate students can now apply for a scholarship from the American Baptist Women’s Ministries of Vermont New Hampshire for the 2014-15 school year.
In addition to the regular AB Women’s scholarship there is an additional scholarship available for those attending an American Baptist-related college or seminary. Applications are available on the Region website at www.abcvnh.org >“What We Do” > “AB Women’s Ministries” and scroll down to the link for the application. Applications can also be obtained by writing to Mrs. Jean Garrecht at 106 Buck Hill Drive, Guilford, VT 05301.
Support Kids4Peace NH Summer Camp
Deadline is March 31st. The Peace & Justice Ministry invites your congregations to support Kids4Peace NH, which will bring together 18 kids from Israel/Palestine and 18 kids from NH/VT for a summer camp. Each group of 18 will be made up of 6 Christian, 6 Muslim, and 6 Jewish kids, age 12 (6th-grade). Go to k4p.org/NH for more information. The Peace & Justice Ministry invites your support as follows:
1. Invite your congregation’s 12-year-olds to apply.Camp is August 7-17 at Windsor Hills Camp, Windsor, NH.Cost is $1,200 (scholarships available).Applications on website. Deadline – March 31.
2. Give financial support.K4P NH has raised $20,000, but needs to raise $25,000 more.Send a check made out to K4P/NH to 67 Broadway, Concord, NH 03301.
3. Get involved. Contact Rabbi Robin Nafshi at or Dick Dutton,
From Our Region Minister: “Easter Understanding”
It was the a couple of weeks before Easter Sunday, and I was sitting in the lobby of Dart-mouth-Hitchcock Medical Center when a much older, veteran pastor came and slumped into a soft chair beside me. In my head and soul I was trying to balance the excitement of Resurrec-tion Sunday, take Christ’s suffering seriously, and focus on all the tasks leading up to Easter. The pastor beside me announced he would be glad when Lent, Holy Week, and Easter were finished and he could disappear for a week. I thought I had heard what he said; I, for only my third or fourth Easter season, was trying to be close to Christ and get everything done that needed to be done. I was struggling for time: Time to be with God, time to re-read the Gospels, time to prepare sermons, and homilies, and visit the sick, and find out what music was being planned, time to carve out time with the resurrected Christ, to hear Him call my name fresh, like Mary Magdalene heard His voice in the garden, like the disciples locked in a room, hearing Him proclaim His peace. I thought the other pastor and I were having one of those professional points of empathy, but I was tragically wrong.
His stress, I might say burden, over Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday was about the burden of tremen-dous internal disconnect and incongruity. I don’t know if he offered me a confession, or a defiant statement, or maybe a mix of the two. “I hate this time of the year because people expect me to talk about all the stuff I don’t believe in. I find the charade exhausting and can’t wait to get it over with. I threw out all the stuff about Incarnation and Resurrection years ago, but I have played the game for years.”
I was lost for words. What I had been feeling as empathy turned to anger. I wanted to confront, accuse, and browbeat. What do I say? Do I just let the shock take over and go numb? What now? Maybe I could let the anger become grief, grace, prayer. Is this how my Lord would have seen this man, while He sat on a don-key, stumbled on the Via Dolorosa, hung from the Cross?
I am still not sure if my response was good or sufficient, for a few years later this pastor retired and left for a warmer climate and we never recounted the conversation. I am not sure I spoke correctly or right. I didn’t have a great apologetic to offer, BUT, in the grief his words provoked, I knew how real, how ultimate, how selfless is Jesus Christ. And I realized the only reason for life itself was the Word become flesh, and Jesus died for me and rose again. The only reason I even had breath to breathe was the sacrificial love and the power of God. Jesus rose from dead and broke the power of evil, and sin and death, and was still at work changing others and me. Jesus Christ is risen! The Kingdom of God is with us! In that moment, someone else’s jaded words, focused and kindled my love for Christ.
Dale
An Appeal on Behalf of one of our Sister Churches
Rev. Dale Edwards has asked that the following appeal on behalf of our sister church, First Baptist Church of Brattleboro, be included in this month’s newsletter. Please read it prayerfully and then consider what you or your church can do to help them out. We realize that many of our churches are on limited budgets and also face many needs. Our intent in putting forth this appeal is not to elevate the needs of this church above the needs of other churches, but to bring to your attention the needs of an active church that has reached the end of their resources.
First Baptist Church of Brattleboro is a small church in a large building. They have 35 very active members of all ages, including some homeless. Their pastor is serving about ¼ time. Their budget for 2014 is $115,000, with an expected income of $40,000. They expect to deplete their remaining endowment funds this summer. The big question facing them is, “Can they stay open beyond 2014?” The congregation is active. On Sundays they offer a free breakfast before the service and on Wednesdays they offer a free supper, year round. From November through April they house the Brattleboro Homeless Overflow Shelter, which in 2013 housed 172 people. They do not receive any federal or local assistance. Alcoholics Anonymous groups use the building daily, and the Brattleboro Pastoral Counseling Center is housed in the building. They also hold national and local musical performances that often features their magnificent Estey pipe organ.
The greatest challenge has to do with the building itself. It is a very large building. Its slate roof requires on-going repairs, the steeple and rear wing need reroofing, other exterior and interior issues need addressing, and one of the 3 furnaces will need to be replaced this year. Additionally it is extremely expensive to heat the building.
This church believes that they are an important presence in downtown Brattleboro and have sacrificed to stay open. Four years ago they made the difficult decision to sell their beautiful “St. John the Divine” Tiffany window. The choice before them was, “Do we keep this beautiful ‘material’ window or do we follow the teachings of Jesus?” They chose the latter.
Donations can be sent to First Baptist Church, 190 Main Street, Brattleboro 05301. You can email the church at .
ABC/VNH Region Directory Updates
The “Churches Alphabetical Listing” and Ministerial Leaders Directory” portions of the 2013-14 ABC/VNH Region Directory have been updated and are on the Region website. You can download the updated files or request a printed version from the Region office by calling 603-643-4201 or emailing .
· New address and email address for Rev. Bertha Perkins: 50 Ash Street, Nashua, NH 03060; (two “a”s is correct).
Prayer Concern
Condolences to Rev. Jim and Karen Malkemes on the passing of Jim’s father, Calvin Malkemes, the week of March 10. Jim’s mother, Mary, passed away last September. Cards can be sent to the Malkemes at PO Box 206, Newton Junction, NH 03859.
Institute for Learning Courses
The Institute for Learning is accepting applications from those wishing to enroll in the program. Applications are online and should be sent to Rev. Everett Palmer. Pastors, thank you for encouraging your congregants to consider this educational opportunity.
For details and to register online for any of these courses, go to www.instituteforlearningvtnh.org.
For a printed brochure, email with your name and mailing address.
ABC/VNH Institute for Learning SPRING SEMESTER 2014
"To see IFL other workshops go to www.instituteforlearningvtnh.org.
The Bible
Get (to Know) Shorty (A session on the Apostle Paul)
Thursday, April 10, 7:00-9:00 in VT; OR Saturday, April 12, 9:30-11:30 in NH (Cost: $20)
To Whom It May Concern (This Means YOU!) (A session on the General Epistles and Revelation)
Thursday, May 8, 7:00-9:00 in VT; OR Saturday, May 10, 9:30-11:30 in NH (Cost: $20)
American Baptist Men of Vermont & New Hampshire
Calling all AB Men
The officers of the American Baptist Men of VT & NH will be meeting on Saturday, April 12, at 9 a.m. at the Lebanon Diner (in the Lebanon Mall just before the Lebanon Green).ANYONE interested in moving the ABMen's mission forward is welcome to join in.All suggestions to plan our next event are welcome. RSVP or send suggestions to Dan McFaul at .
Daniel McFaul, President; Rubin Jennings, Vice President; Kurt Wuelper, Treasurer; Paul Webber, Secretary; Dan Nash, VT/NH Disaster Relief Coordinator; Clive Roberts, NE Disaster Relief Coordinator
American Baptist Women’s Ministries VNH
American Baptist Women’s Ministries is Christ-centered, committed to encourage
and empower Women and Girls to serve God. Our Mission Statement.
SPRING TOGETHER FOR THE LORD
Praise the Lord, Spring is about here. We have survived the winter. Again, praise the Lord. From Hebrews 2:13: “I will put my trust in Him.” A day at a time.
We ABW prayed that our Mid-Winter Gathering would bring together more Christian women to encourage and support each other. Eighty-one, yes 81, women gathered for a great fellowship together. The speakers were Bethany Edwards, Rev. Dale Edwards’ daughter, sharing her mission to Swaziland and Rev. Linda Bolton with a study on Women of the Bible and a portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We can only praise the Lord. We had 31 churches represented, another bonus.
Spring Fling Association Meetings: Coming April 6 – 9 will be Bonnie Sestito, coordinator for Women and Girls, ABW Ministries/USA. She will be sharing her life experience, her coordinating women and girls, and her very recent mission trip to Burma and Thailand. Burma is particularly interesting because Christianity has been there for about 200 years with so many years underground due to political unrest and banning. We can learn from this, as our Christianity in this country is having such a difficult time with younger people. We need to sell Hebrews 2:13 “I will put my trust in Him.” We need to propel that verse. We will be going to each Association to share missions locally and abroad and share encouragement and support.