American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware

ABCOPAD Life! Blog

FBC Reading Anniversary

 

The First Baptist Church in Reading is celebrating 190 years of faithful witness to the greater Reading community. Frank Frischkorn had the privilege of sharing this blessed day with this special church family and their interim Pastor, Rev David Turley.

 

 

Following worship we were blessed by a wonderful fellowship lunch and a program featuring the music of the Fiore family, along with a slide presentation looking back over the last 190 years.

 

The church family is anxious to see how God will lead into their future...

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/30/2018
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Wedding Bells

 

What a beautiful day for a wedding! Pastor Dave Barrett (United Baptist Church of Taylor) was married to Judy Burns at her home church in Glen Mills. A number of friends and family made the trip to share the joy of the day with them.

 


 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/29/2018
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Bethlehem Baptist Church 175th Anniversary

 

Bethlehem Baptist Church in southwestern PA gathered to celebrate its 175TH anniversary. Rev. David Earnest is the pastor. 

 

During the service, Jeff Johnson portrayed the church's first pastor, Brother Amos Pratt, in first person talking about the church's history and the history of the year 1843, the church was founded. 

 

At the conclusion of the service, everyone went outside to a hill where a tree was planted in honor of the occasion and a remembrance stone (Joshua 24) was placed at the base of the tree to remind generations to come (if Jesus tarries) of what was done that day. 

Hopefully our descendants find their ancestors having been both spiritually faithful and fruitful. A great old-fashioned dinner was held under tents out on the church lawn. It was a wonderful occasion, a wonderful day!

  

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/29/2018
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Pughtown Picnic

 

Rain? Who cares! Members of Pughtown Baptist gathered for a great afternoon of fellowship and food .... inside.

 

 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/24/2018
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Dearly Beloved...

 

Congratulations! Rev Gary Gilpin and Elisa Sullins were recently united in marriage. Rev. Dr. David Laubach performed a beautiful wedding ceremony at the Aldenville Baptist Church where Pastor Gary serves as lead pastor. The Aldenville Baptist congregation, along with family and friends, gathered for this joyous celebration of two people’s love for one other made public through the vows and commitments of marriage.
Following the service everyone went to the Hotel Anthracite in Carbondale for the reception. Laughter and joy filled the air as family and friends got to greet this newly married couple dedicated to God and to one another.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/24/2018
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Congratulations Anita Ambrose

 

Congratulations to Pastor Anita Ambrose who retired from serving at First Welsh Baptist, Plymouth, after 25 years of ministry!

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/24/2018
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Northumberland Association Meeting

 

   The Northumberland Baptist Association met at FBC, Milton, where Brian and Lynette Smith, endorsed BIM missionaries to northern Haiti, were the featured speakers. They spoke on the theme “Pass the Salt”, taken from the Matthew 5:13 passage, through some creative methods that even included a skit to get the congregation involved.
   The Smiths are currently at 82% of their needed support to be deployed to Haiti and are looking forward to Service of Commissioning at FBC, Cambridge Springs on November 3rd.

 


Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/24/2018
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First Welsh Baptist Plymouth Anniversary

 


 

The First Welsh Baptist Church of Plymouth is celebrating its 150th Anniversary this year. It was formally established on July 25th and 26th, 1868 by immigrant Welsh miners who came to work in the anthracite coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The first meeting place was an old schoolhouse near the Washington Breaker. The first session recorded that 18 persons were present. It was not long until the schoolhouse was too small to accommodate all who came seeking worship.

During the second year of the church, 1870, the first building was erected only ending in it being destroyed by fire in 1875. The present edifice was erected in 1876 and it exists today, with some additions and renovations added throughout the years.

 

All total, there have been fifteen ministers throughout 150 years, with Rev. Anita J. Ambrose retiring last November, 2017 after serving the congregation for 25 years. Presently, the worship services are being conducted by Rev. John Shypulefski.

 

Throughout the 150 years, music has been an important part of the worship with Welsh hymns being sung at the worship services.

On September 30th a celebratory service will be held at 10:00AM in the church sanctuary, followed by a fellowship hour. A luncheon is planned in the afternoon.

The First Welsh Baptist Church of Plymouth has been and still continues to be a testament to the strong faith in the fundamental truths as taught by Jesus Christ.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/21/2018
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Welcome Pastor Scott Sauers

 

A warm welcome to Rev Scott Sauers, newly-called pastor of the East Mahoning Baptist Church. Pastor Scott started at the church last month.

Mark Mahserjian-Smith had an opportunity to visit the church when Pastor Scott’s message came out of the first chapter of the book of Colossians regarding the passion each of us should have for the Gospel, for teaching people about Jesus and for ministry. It was great hearing this new pastoral leader in our Region and spending time at East Mahoning with these dear partners in ministry.

 

Introducing Pastor Scott, his wife Susan, and their two children. Pastor Scott is originally from Pittston and his wife Susan is from Tawanda. Both went to Bible College outside of Clark Summit where they met. Pastor Scott is a graduate of Liberty Baptist Seminary and then served as a Student Ministry Pastor near Pittsburgh.  

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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FBC Johnsonburg 125th Anniversary

 

 

It was a beautiful morning to be with the church family in Johnsonburg as they marked their 125th Anniversary. Pastor Dan Reigel brought a message out of Philippians 4 where the Apostle Paul calls us to “Rejoice in the LORD always”.....one of the ways we can do that on a day of anniversary is to CELEBRATE all of the families that are a part of the ministry -Which he did by calling a number of them forward during the message.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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BIM Open House at New Offices

 

Recently, the Board of International Ministries had an Open House to share the joy of being in their new office space. It was a great time of fellowship as well as an inspiring service of dedication led by Sharon Koh, the Executive Director of BIM and Reg Mills, the President of the BIM Board.  Their new address:  

International Ministries
1003 W. 9th Ave., Ste. A
King of Prussia, PA 19406-1210 

Receptionist: 610-768-2168
Fax: 610-768-2115

 

 

 

Categories: General ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Jennifer Carpenter Ordination

 

Congratulations to Jennifer Carpenter who was ordained on Sunday, September 16 by the First Baptist Church of Norristown. Ministry calls! She has already left to travel to Melbourne,Florida, to start a new position as a chaplain. We wish her well as she launches out on this new adventure in her life and ministry. 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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World Mission Offering 2018 Resources

 

WORLD MISSION OFFERING 2018
Promotional resources are now available.
Click HERE:
/News/World-Mission-Offering-2018.aspx

 

Categories: Ministries, General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Biennial Leadership Conference VIPs

 


 

 

 

Hope you're planning to attend!
ABCOPAD Biennial Leadership Conference
October 18-20, 2018

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Pastor Appreciation Month

Looking ahead....

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Welcome Pastor Jim Shay

 

A warm welcome to Pastor Jim Shay, currently serving as the interim minister at FBC Troy and East Troy Baptist Church. Pastor Jim is providing leadership as both congregations begin a challenging search process after having Rev Garry Zuber serve them as their pastor for over 40 years. Pastor Jim is an outstanding interim minister who has served Middlebury Baptist Church, Coryland Baptist Church, and FBC Blossburg as their interim during pastoral transitions.    

Pastor Jim is a gifted interim minister bringing stability and caring as church families begin to search for their next pastor. Often congregations will try to convince Jim to become their called pastor. He is always clear with the church families he serves, letting them know he is at the church for a season to help them in their transition but not to become their permanent minister.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Northumberland Baptist Association Pastors

 

Northumberland Baptist Association Pastors gathered for their September meeting at the Hepburn Baptist Church with Pastor Dave Parker hosting the group. 14 pastoral leaders came together for a time of prayer and mutual support. It was great seeing so many Association Pastors in attendance including Pastor Herman and Pastor Vivian Fountain, newly called to be the pastoral team at FBC Berwick. They also had a chance to meet Andy Wright who just started full time in July as the youth and young adult pastor at FBC Milton. It was good having a chance to spent Thursday morning hearing about the good things happening in the lives of the churches represented at the meeting as well as an opportunity to support these pastoral leaders who are all dear friends and partners in ministry.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Partners in Ministry at FBC Bethlehem

 

Pastors Dale Miller and Rosnibri Lantigua  have formed a great partnership at  FBC, Bethlehem. Pastor Lantigua leads a Hispanic congregation that has now made FBC Bethlehem their church home. It was exciting to hear how, when Pastor Rosnibri’s congregation was “locked out” of their previous place of worship, the congregation found a home and a partnership at FBC Bethlehem. Pictured: Dale Miller, Rosnibri Lantigua, and Associate Pastor David Hardin

Categories: General, Ministries, Region Life ~ Date: 9/19/2018
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Regional Ministry Associates

As a regional family we have been focusing on Tod Bolsinger’s book, Canoeing the Mountains and the challenge of what it means for us as ministries to go ‘off map’ and engage our current culture in new and creative ways for the furtherance of the Gospel. We are all called to live ‘At the Edge’ (the theme for our upcoming Biennial Leadership Conference) and entrust our life and ministry into the hands of the Faithful One as we seek be the hands and feet of Jesus. Just as that challenge is true for local congregations, so it is also true for us as a regional family of churches here in ABCOPAD.

Following significant work by our regional Long Range Task Force, our ABCOPAD Board approved the deployment of a number of Regional Ministry Associates to help us in our efforts to come alongside of local congregations to assist you in being all that God is calling you to be for the Kingdom. These newly called leaders have broadened our own regional Corps of Discovery and we’re excited about the addition of these ministry partners.

Read the details HERE

Categories: General, Ministries, Region Life ~ Date: 9/17/2018
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Notes & News - Sept 2018

 

You've been waiting.... And now it's here! The latest issue of Notes & News, Thoughts & Views. Check it out HERE.

Categories: General ~ Date: 9/11/2018
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Associate Regional Ministers

 

ABCOPAD’s Regional staff, including many of our new Associate Regional Ministers, gathered together at the Colonial Park Baptist Church in Harrisburg for a time of orientation and team building. It was great being with these awesome partners in ministry as well do ministry together in ABCOPAD. You will be hearing more about Associate Regional Ministers in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General ~ Date: 9/10/2018
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Soles 4 Souls

 

 

ABCOPAD continues to find ways to help the people of Puerto Rico. The summer our AB Women collected shoes for missionary Katherine Niles to go to Africa however the ladies collected so many shoes, it was impossible to send all that were collected. Many boxes of shoes were taken to our ABCOPAD Pittsburgh office as we prayed about what to do with all these shoes. 

 

With our AB Women now turning their mission focus to Puerto Rico, we contacted our partners in PR to see if they were in need of shoes. The answer was "YES, please send as many as you can." Our amazing office administrator, Denise Veselicky went to work boxing up shoes to ship to Puerto Rico. Disaster Relief funds were used to cover the shipping cost. 

 

Recently the shoes arrived in Puerto Rico: ABCOPAD ABWM Mission Coordinator Paula Sommerfeldt wrote:

We have exciting news about some of the shoes that were donated at our 2018 Thrive Conference. These boxes are full of shoes for our brothers, sisters and children in Puerto Rico. Ladies, your gifts are literally traveling around the world.

“Thank You” for being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

Categories: General, Ministries, Region Life ~ Date: 9/10/2018
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FBC Berwick Welcomes Pastoral Team

 

Rev. Dr. Herman J. Fountain and Rev. Vivian Smith- Fountain, have been voted in as the new Pastoral team at FBC in Berwick. The Fountains, of Danville, PA, have been the Interim pastors for the last six months.   

Sallie Johnson, FBC Council President, says "We are so very fortunate to have the Fountains pastor our church. We are a very small congregation, but we are involved and God is with us here and working miracles." The Fountains are both ordained ministers and take turns at the pulpit. Rev. Dr. Herman Fountain plays the organ and the piano and is also a licensed Pastoral Therapist. Rev. Vivian helps with the Praise Team, teaches Sunday School for the teens and teaches Ladies Bible Study.  

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/4/2018
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Summer Baptisms
at Forest Baptist Church

 

Pastor Sue Wilson Radel shared pictures as the Forest Baptist Church celebrated many people making public professions of faith in Jesus in an outdoor baptism service.


 

 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 9/4/2018
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