American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware

Happy Birthday To Us

 

Happy Birthday to Us,
Happy Birthday to Us,
Happy Birthday, Dear ABCOPAD...
Happy Birthday to Us!

 

It was 47 years ago these past few days, the third weekend in October 1972, that ABCOPAD was born by the merger of the Pennsylvania Baptist Convention and the Delaware Baptist Convention.
 
In honor of the special occasion, we are making available to everyone who would like, an electronic copy of "By God's Own Hand ... The Story of Baptists in PA and DE" (c)1986.
 
 Before you is the fascinating and inspiring story of Baptists in Pennsylvania and Delaware over the past three centuries as they have been led by the hand of God. We begin their story in those early days when colonists came over from the mother country. We continue as they struggled to build a nation and conquer a wilderness. We see them reach a Golden Age in which they became a major force in their cities, towns, and country sides. We follow them also through much of the twentieth century as they faced challenge after challenge, still seeking to keep the faith. Sometimes they have had trouble understanding what God wanted them to do, and so they have followed the divine leading more wisely in some matters than in others. To recognize this, we have only to see some of the bitter controversies that developed with utter sincerity on both sides. At their worst these feisty Baptists have shredded the fellowship, but more often they have agreed to differ in love. The ties that bind can be stronger than the wedges that separate.
 
 We have set up a dropbox where you can download a copy in one of four formats: Word, PDF, Online (Html), or E-Reader (Kindle).
We also have a text to talk (audio) version for those you may know who have sight issues.