American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware

ABCOPAD Life! Blog

La Paz Mexico 2019

 

 

First Baptist Church of Lansdale shared stories and pictures of their recent mission trip to La Paz, Mexico.

 

  

"Had a great day today visiting three different churches. We visited Crossroads Church, FBC La Paz and House of God Baptist Church. Pastor Eric preached twice today with the help of a young lady interpreter Amsi."

 

 

  

"We had a fantastic day today. The Lord blessed us with great company and a long days work. We were blessed to help Casa de Dios clean out an foundation behind their church to provide space for kids to play. An amazing day!"

 

Categories: Ministries, General ~ Date: 2/28/2019
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Winter Retreat

 

 

 

Recently FBC, Bethlehem, and Calvary Baptist Church, Allentown, held a winter retreat at Camp Ichthus. Our ABCOPAD Student Ministries Associate Ben Kraihanzel led the retreat and shared these pictures. Rise (A student ministry retreat) will take place in April. Click HERE to see more!

 

Categories: Ministries, General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/22/2019
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Visiting Immanuel Baptist

Mark Mahserjian Smith writes:

 

While at Immanuel in Edwardsville, it was fun watching Pastor Jim Quinn use a digital projector for both his children’s message and sermon. Pastor Jim focused on the sanctity of life. During his children’s message Pastor Jim looked at the many women in scripture who prayed to have a child and how God answered their prayers. Pastor Jim continued this theme during his morning message and used technology to share notes with the congregation.

 

The church has an active Sunday School for both youth and adults. The kids were having fun with their Sunday School lesson and many Valentine’s Day treats while many adults spent the hour digging into the Gospel Of Matthew.

 

It was great being with so many friends I have met at our Regional Summer Conference and Retreat events. Immanuel Baptist has consistently owned the attendance award at the AB Men’s Retreat, and their award banner hangs proudly in the church.

 

Many ladies in morning worship told me how much they are looking forward to the Thrive Conference this year. It was great being with these partners in ministry to encourage them.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/22/2019
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Multi-tasking!

 

 

Rev. David Jones lives near Milton, PA, and most recently he has been (1) doing pulpit supply for churches in the Northumberland Baptist Association. Pastor Dave is (2) an RN doing work in home health care, along with (3) being very active in JMeg Ministries, and (4) a radio announcer for WGRC Christian Radio. It was good to catch up with Pastor Dave and hear about (5) the prison ministry he is currently doing in partnership with a Christian musician. Together they provide a concert and an evangelical message for inmates that has been very well received. It was good getting to visit with this partner in ministry.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/22/2019
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Singin' at the Grand Ole Opry

 

 

Rev Paul Aiello (Interim, FBC of Beaver Falls) along with four other members of his Greater Cranberry Men’s Barbershop Chorus traveled to Nashville in January to compete with the 65 member Vocal Seniority (District Chorus) on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. They scored an “outstanding” rating.

Categories: General ~ Date: 2/6/2019
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Happy Retirement

Yep! This is what retirement looks like ---

 

It's Rev. Garry Zuber and his wife Carol. Pastor Garry recently retired from the FBC Troy and East Troy BC. Carol also retired from her job as a teacher in the Troy school district. The Zubers purchased a new home out in the country not far from downtown Troy. 

Pastor Garry continues to serve as one of our ABCOPAD Search Committee Adjuncts and is helping a congregation in the Bradford Baptist Association in a search for a pastor.

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Love Unlimited Anniversary

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes:
I had the great joy of joining Love Unlimited and Pastor Willie Anderson and Co Pastor Dorothy Anderson for the church's 18-year anniversary. I was asked to participate in the ordination of Deacon and Deaconess Daryl and Denise Gray, as well as the anointing of 6 members of the church for the Ministry of Helps. It was a wonderful day of celebration and rejoicing, recognizing all that Jesus has done in and through this church. It was also a blessing to see Deacon Daryl and Deaconess Denise’s family gather around them for this recognition of God call to a ministry of service. Both these friends have an tender servant’s heart.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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LLC 2019

Across the region, Leadership Learning Communities (LLC) are small groups of pastors gathering together locally to empower each other to have healthy vital relationships personally and professionally.

The Delaware LLC group recently met at the Central Baptist Church. Led by Pastor Jeff Collins (Christ Memorial, Dover), meetings are held at the Central Baptist Church Of Wilmington (Pastor Terrence Keeling). Also Pastor Jeff Evans (New Hope, Broomall) was able to join the group. The team is studying John Piippo’s book the Purpose Driven Church. Following the meeting, the group had lunch and continued the conversation started at the church. 

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Ordination Service: Rosnibri Abreu

 

Frank Frischkorn writes:   

I had the joy of sharing in the Ordination of Pastor Rosnibri Abreu at FBC, Bethlehem yesterday afternoon. Senior Pastor Dale Miller led the service with a number of Reading Association leaders participating and many more in attendance.

 

Pastor Mardy von Harten brought the report of the Association Credentialing team and Pastors Ismael Medina and David Hardin led in prayer during the service. 

 

An added blessing was having Dr. Luciano Marquez, the leader of Latino Ministries in ABC of New Jersey share the Ordination vows with Pastor Abreu.

 

Following the service we had a wonderful fellowship dinner to celebrate the blessing of day!

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Small Church Essentials

 

"Small Church Essentials "
Zoom Video Conference Meetings with Karl Vaters
February 19 / March 19
Mark your calendar!

 

 

Categories: Ministries, General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Kudos to Sue Wilson-Radel

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes:

It was a joy being in morning worship at the Forest Baptsit Church on Sunday. I had the great privilege to present Pastor Sue Wilson-Radel her ACTS diploma, having completed her education. The congregation applauded and gave Pastor Sue a standing ovation, having fulfilled her commitment to the church to go through the ACTS program.   

Pastor Sue and the church family have grown dramatically since her ministry began at Forest almost 10 years ago. Pastor Sue now serves as the Chair of the ACTS Council and is our ABCOPAD Regional Ministry Associate for Women in Ministry. We are grateful for both Pastor Sue and the Forest Baptist Church for their partnership in ministry.

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Kudos to DOCTOR Bruce Moses

Pastor Bruce is the minister at the Riverview Baptist Church in New Eagle. Pastor Bruce recently completed a doctrinal program and will be graduating with a Doctor of Biblical Studies degree. Congrats to Rev. Dr. Bruce Moses!

 

Categories: General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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A Working Lunch

Frank Frischkorn had a chance to stop by the Pittsburgh office and spend some time with the best Administrator in the entire world, Denise Veselicky. Our Region is so blessed to have Denise as a member of our ABCOPAD Team. Denise does so much to make ministry possible in coordinating and doing logistics for our many mission teams.

 

Categories: Ministries, General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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North Hills Baptist Grant Awarded

Sue MacDonald and Mark Mahserjian-Smith recently presented Mark Mendicino an ABCOPAD Grant to the North Hills Baptist Church

North Hills applied for a grant to develop a crowd sourcing computer platform to help refugees in the greater Pittsburgh area. The concept is to use crowd sourcing to share needs of immigrants such as food, household items and other resources among those participating in the “crowd” so they can donate whatever is needed. It is an exciting concept linking people with things they want to donate with people new to our country with basic needs.

Mark Mendicino, his wife Amy. and the North Hills Church family are all great partners in ministry!

 

 

Categories: Ministries, General, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Northern Haiti Mission Team 5

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes:

Today our Haiti Mission team did some sight seeing and took a trip to the Citadel and to King Christophe’s Palace. The Citadel is an amazing structure and an important part of Haiti’s history. Constructed at the top of a very steep mountain, it’s purpose was to prevent Napoleon and the French from recapturing Haiti after they won their independence. It is a massive fortress with many canons that could stop ships coming into the harbor as well as repel an attacking army. So much rich history and an architectural wonder.

 

 

 

The initial plan was to hike to the Citadel but that would have taken an entire day. It is a 5mile hike and sections of the road are at nearly a 45 degree angle or steeper. Our partner Fritznel arrange for motorcycles to take us to the base of the mountain and then we took horses to carry us to the top. 

 

 

 

I thought I could skip the horse and hike to the top. A Haitian looked at me and said he would walk with me and bring his horse just in case I changed my mind and wanted horse assistance. About 1/3 of the way up I came to my senses and took him up on his offer. I think the Haitians were taking bets about how far I would go. Hahahahaha. I have never been on a motorcycle or horse on such steep terrain. Very grateful for the help.

 

 

 

Categories: Ministries ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Northern Haiti Mission Team 4

Mark Mahserjian=Smith writes:
Morning worship was wonderful as we joined a sanctuary filled with Christian brothers and sisters of Haiti, young and old. The entire front of the sanctuary (first 5 or 6 rows) was filled with kids in their school uniforms. One side of the sanctuary was the children’s choir directed by a little girls who looked about 8 years old. She did an outstanding job. 

The pastor was very personable and spoke from his heart encouraging everyone to be faithful as the follow Jesus. The music was both beautiful and inspiring
After worship the pastor invited us back to him home for refreshments and a chance to visit. Such an amazing morning celebrating our faith in Jesus with our Haitian brothers and sisters in Labadee.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Ministries ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Northern Haiti Mission Team 3

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes;
After our time with the kids, around 11:00 am, we went back to working on the wall that will surround the school. The team moved cement, cinder blocks and stone while the masons laid block. As you can see from the pics, despite the heat and powerful sun we got a lot accomplished. Many of the people of the community came out to help, making the job easier and progress fast. It has been wonderful serving in this community.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Ministries ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Northern Haiti Mission Team 2

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes:
While the VBS was taking place at the school, another team members started on the construction project to build a new school for older students on a property Pastor Zek purchased. Following lunch the entire team went to work on setting the reinforcement posts for a wall around the school compound. The crew got to work mixing center and using buckets to transport the cement to the posts. In many ways this project reminded me of the rubble homes we built in Grand Goave. We the formed a long bucket line to move the mixed cement to the posts along the wall. One again buckets were flying as bag after bag of concrete along with Sand and gravel were mixed and transported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Ministries ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Northern Haiti Mission Team 1

Mark Mahserjian-Smith writes:
It was a full day of work at a school just outside of Cap Haitien. A group of us did a modified Vacation Bible School with around 30-40 studen
ts. The children were wonderful to work with as we shared the Creation Story, sang songs and made beaded bracelets. It was a joy sharing Christ’s love with all the kids.

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Ministries ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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Haiti Mission Team 2019

Pastor John Dorean and Jonathan Johnson are leading the ABCOPAD Mission Team to Grand Goave Haiti. They are working on a building project in the neighborhood where they've built several houses. Along with many volunteers, Pastor Cheryl Filson, minister at the First Baptist Church of Mansfield, and her daughter joined the team and is looking into the possibility to bring medical mission teams to the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: General, Ministries, Region Life ~ Date: 2/4/2019
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