TABCOM HIRES NEW ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE MINISTER FOR CHURCH RELATIONS
We are delighted to share with you the new addition to our staff, Rev. Dr. Ron Bouthilette, who will be serving as Associate Executive Minister for Church Relations!
This is a half-time position focused on working with our associations in “search and call,” and providing resources around church renewal. Ron also serves in a similar position with ABC Vermont/New Hampshire, which will provide a helpful sharing of resources and information across Regional lines. He will begin this position on June 27.
Find Ron’s bio below. Welcome Ron!
Dr. Ron Bouthillette (Ron) is a native New Englander. He is a graduate of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, where he serves as an Adjunct Professor in Practical Theology. Ron teaches courses in pastoral ministry, leadership and church revitalization. Ron specializes in Church Leadership and Revitalization. He has a passion for churches in New England, especially American Baptist Churches. Ron also has a passion for mentoring new pastors, many of whom are throughout New England and some as far as California. Ron has also been involved in training pastors in southern India.
Ron has pastored churches large and small for over 40 years. He brings this experience to all of his ministries – especially within the areas of church revitalization, churches in transition, leadership and in his mentoring ministry. He is also involved in church consulting with American Baptist Churches throughout the US. Ron is the Associate Executive Minister in Leadership in the American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire. He is married to Cathy Bouthillette. They have two grown children and six grandchildren.
Rev. Dr. Mary Day Miller
Executive Minister, TABCOM
NEW PASTOR’S DAY 2022
ETHICS & BOUNDARIES CLASS
New Pastor’s Day 2022 has been rescheduled until September. More to come.
Mark your calendar for Saturday August 6th.
Details TBA.
PRESCOTT MEMORIAL GARDEN AT GROTONWOOD EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
When Jack Alves, Richard Wolf and Ed Guerard first talked about developing a Memorial Garden at Grotonwood, they had no idea of how popular it would become.
Today, three years later, the garden now has more than 200 tributes and more are donated every week. A second tribute wall has been added and a paved walkway installed to enable persons using walkers and wheelchairs to enjoy this resource. The wooden cross from the sanctuary of the Whitman First Baptist Church (now closed) and the bronze bell from the steeple of the First Baptist Church of Littleton have been placed in the garden and twelve plaques with Bible references encourage visitors to bring their Bibles.
Mike Socia, former Director of Grotonwood and Fran Meyers, former secretary of Grotonwood, maintain the garden and install new tributes. Mike also mills lumber from Grotonwood trees and builds memorial benches which gives added meaning to this popular tribute.
Tributes are fairly evenly divided between memorials and those honoring persons able to visit the garden and appreciate their recognition. In the latter case, we send an acknowledgement to the person being honored.
There are four levels of tributes: bricks ($100) placed in the walkway; pavers ($250) mounted on the tribute wall; benches ($1000) handcrafted from Grotonwood trees; and bronze plaques ($1500) attached to the tribute wall. Any proceeds beyond the cost of the tribute are helping pay the mortgage on Prescott Lodge.
Tributes are donated for a variety of reasons, the most common of which are memorializing loved ones (e.g., there are six in memory of Ronny Lanier); honoring friends, colleagues, and church leaders; lifting up significant events and memories; highlighting verses of scripture; and simply showing appreciation for the camping ministry.
To donate a tribute, make your check payable to “Grotonwood Friends” and mail it to 189 Prescott Street, Groton, Ma, 01450. Be sure to include the wording for the tribute. Bricks can be two lines of 14 characters each; pavers up to 4 lines, 14 characters each; benches and plaques can be several lines. Contact Ed Guerard 617-721-5738 or at ed48@verizon.net for details.
MISSION MATTERS
Mission Matters ZOOM Call – July 16, 2022 at 9:30 am
Special Guest Speaker: Dr. Reid Trulson
Dr. Trulson will present on Charlotte Atlee White, about whom he has written the following book:
Charlotte Atlee White was the first woman officially appointed as a missionary by any denomination or mission agency. The scandal of her 1815 appointment required her to prevail over gender bias, survive attempts to revoke her appointment, and surmount the challenge of insufficient funding. After marrying Joshua Rowe, a widowed missionary in Calcutta in 1816, she remained in India to serve with the British Baptists. There she overcame local prejudice against educating girls while starting schools, teaching in Hindi, and writing a Hindi spelling and grammar book as teaching aids. She confronted new scandal arising when her confidential correspondence was repurposed in America for anti-missionary propaganda. Her developing missiology critiqued the role of money in mission and the system of language acquisition for new missionaries.
Rev. Dr. Reid Trulson is the retired Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Society.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ministrelife.zoom.us/j/4307410515
Meeting ID: 430 741 0515
JUNE ZOOM GATHERING
Join us on Saturday, June 18th at 9:30am, as we hear from Rev. Charles Jones, International Ministries, Area Director for Europe, The Middle East and Liberia; Senior Area Director, who will update us on our Baptist Mission Partners and the work that is happening on the ground in UKRAINE
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ministrelife.zoom.us/j/4307410515
Meeting ID: 430 741 0515
CREATION CARE
The Ohio region of the ABC is hosting a virtual contemplative worship service focused on creation care in July.
ELDER MINISTRY
A NEW Grant Program has been created in TABCOM Elder Ministry!!!!
Pastors and Church Leaders:Do you have someone in your congregation taking care of an elderly parent or family member??
Is that person in need of some RESPITE and RELIEF???
Do they have nobody to relieve them?
Please reach out to me at keddy@tabcom.org
WE CAN HELP!!!
🙏👍👍🙏
Funds have been set aside to help caregivers who need a break.
I am very glad to share this good news!
-Rev Christine Keddy
TABCOM Dir of Missions and Elder Ministry Coordinator
OUR ASSOCIATIONS
Adoniram Judson Baptist Association
The Rev. Dr. David Kilpatrick, Coordinator
C- (617) 799-0705, E-Mail: dklpat@umich.edu | Rev. Dr. Kilpatrick is also the Pastor of West Medford Baptist Church – West Medford
Rev. Dr. Esther Pearson, Association Liasion
epearson@tp-group.net and C- (978) 257-5725
Berkshire Baptist Association – The Rev. David Anderson, Moderator/Coordinator
C- (413) 652-4179, E-mail: d_anderson@mail.com
Rev. Anderson is also the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church – North Adams
Boston Southwest Association – The Rev. Dr. Moreen Hughes, Coordinator
C- (978) 430-5355, E-mail: mphug@msn.com
Rev. Dr. Hughes is also the Associate Pastor and Minister to Women and Families of Concord Baptist Church in Milton
Central Baptist Association – The Rev. Yvonne Miloyevich, Coordinator
Rev. Yvonne Miloyevich | e-mail: 17desiree50@gmail.com | (978) 618-2526.
Central Association Clergy meets to share, support, and pray with each other on the third Tuesday of each month from 9:30 – 11. This is a Zoom meeting.
Merrimack Valley Baptist Association – The Rev. Jim Leavitt, Coordinator
C- (508) 954-8034, E-mail: pastorjimleavitt@gmail.com
The Merrimack Valley Baptist Association Clergy gather monthly. Please contact Rev. Jim Leavitt for more information.
The complete job description is on our website www.oldcolonybaptist.org.
OCBA is seeking an energetic ordained American Baptist clergy person in good standing, living in the Old Colony area, to join our association as Association Resource Coordinator. The position offers the opportunity to participate in a range of activities.
Personal Qualifications
- Must be an active member of an American Baptist Church within the Old Colony Association.
- Have a passion for the church and a desire to facilitate unity in the body of Christ.
- Have specific skills as an active listener and be able to make connections between people.
- Have a functional knowledge of church finance, group dynamics, and Baptist polity.
Rev. Diane L. Badger, Treasurer
OCBA Clergy meeting will be held, via Zoom from 12:00-2:00 pm on the third Thursday of every month.
If generally you use zoom without signing in, this does require that you first make an account with them. Here is a link for a step by step guide to setting up a zoom account https://www.theverge.com/21506307/zoom-guide-how-to-free-account-register-sign-up-log-in-invite.
If you wish to enter this meeting by phone, please call +1 (669)9006833, and use meeting ID 2750874694 Passcode is 6970
Pioneer Valley Baptist Association – The Rev. Theresa Temple, Coordinator
C-(860) 978-5595, E-Mail: revtheresa777@gmail.com
Rev. Temple is also the Pastor of First Baptist Church – Holyoke
Pioneer Valley Baptist Association clergy meet on the 4th Monday of the month at 6:30 pm.
This is a Zoom gathering. Please contact PVBA Coordinator, Rev. Theresa Temple for the link, discussion topic and presentation information
Samuel Stillman Baptist Association – The Rev. Dr. Loretta St. Louis, Coordinator
C- (617) 835-6767, stillmanarc@gmail.com
Rev. Dr. St. Louis is also the Associate Pastor for Congregational Care of Union Baptist Church – Cambridge
The First Baptist Church of Sharon is looking for a Minister of Music
The First Baptist Church of Sharon is a small congregation, diverse in culture, abilities, ethnicity, and age. We are looking for a music minister that can effectively incorporate music in new and meaningful ways to enhance our worship experience. The ideal candidate should be able to work effectively across generations and ability levels and be familiar with Baptist liturgy. This is a part-time position.
CLICK HERE for more information
TABCOM SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
The TABCOM School of Ministry has completed its spring term for this, the Year of Communications. Students will now be engaged in preaching and teaching throughout the next several months at various TABCOM churches throughout the state. Learning sessions will reconvene in September with a November graduation ceremony planned for our third year students.
If there are lay leaders in your church whom you believe would benefit from the SoM program, details regarding the three year program can be found on the TABCOM.org website. Click on “School of Ministry” tab at the top of the page, or email thetabcomschoolofministry@gmail.com for more information and a 2023 application. Thank you.
CYC SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park is looking for volunteers to spend two weeks with us. Hone your leadership skills, help teens draw closer to God, and develop long-lasting connections while working in a loving, supportive, Christian environment a quarter mile from a gorgeous beach. Build your resume. Have fun as we experience the love of God together.
CYC 2022 runs from August 6-20 and meets on the grounds of Oceanwood in Ocean Park, ME.
Young adults (17+) are eligible to enroll in our staff training program. This looks good on college applications as well as resumes. A class, mentoring, and on-the-job training are all a part of the program. The cost for the training program is $300, scholarships are available.
Young adults 20+ may be interested in applying for a Senior Counselor position. Senior Counselors lead a cabin of 8-12 teenagers for the two weeks and mentor someone in the training program. This looks really good on a resume. There are associated fees ($130 per volunteer) for food and lodging. Scholarships are available.
Youth leaders, pastors, teachers, and others with a background in youth ministry can apply for our faculty. Faculty may teach for either one or two weeks, offering courses on Knowing the Bible, Spiritual Growth, or Living Out the Faith. There are associated fees ($65 per week per volunteer plus $100 per week for accompanying family members over 5) for food and lodging. Scholarships are available.
For all, fees will be waived for those who participate in Agape Discipleship Training, offered via Zoom, ahead of time. This is a program that teaches skills for engaging with students in ways that support spiritual development.
If you are interested in growing your own faith and helping others grow theirs, this opportunity could be for you.
To express interest please email chair@cycop.org by July 10.
UPCOMING EVENTS
AMERICAN BAPTIST WOMEN AND GIRLS
Dear Friends,
Save the Date: July 21-24th for the National Women’s Conference to be held in King of Prussia, PA and virtually. More info to come.
CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE INVITES HIGH SCHOOL TEENS
On August 7th, teens from all over the Northeast will arrive to spend two weeks at the Christian Youth Conference in Ocean Park. Teens like “C” who arrived shy and reserved last year but soon became one who boldly shared her faith journey, explored her questions, and had fun with new friends. Teens like “A” who felt safe to express his doubts and be pointed toward resources to help. Teens with unique interests and diverse backgrounds who together with their counselors and teachers will quickly become a family.
CYC is a unique experience that focuses on faith and discipleship and fosters independence and leadership for teens. Throughout New England churches and across generations there are many Youth Conference alumni who will agree that it is an amazing, life-changing experience. We want to continue offering this experience to as many youth as possible each year and so we are reaching out to your teens with this special invitation.
CYC is familiar to many of you. Previously known as the School of Methods and then the New England Baptist Youth Conference, it is also connected to the legacies of the Royal Ambassadors’ and Camp Ataloa. It has been meeting in Ocean Park, Maine for over 100 years. We are proud of this heritage. We also continuously lean into the future seeking new ways to help teenagers grow as disciples of Christ.
We encourage you, or your high school age children and grandchildren, or the teens at your church to take advantage of this opportunity. Teens need connection with God and with each other – especially at this moment in history – and CYC has a long history of providing a positive venue for both.
Learn more and register at www.cycop.org.
Please feel free to contact Melinda Parry at outreach@cycop.org with any questions. For older teens (17+) who have never participated, we do have openings in our staff training program. Adults may be interested in teaching for one or both weeks. Please reach out to chair@cycop.org for more information.
We hope you will join us!
CYC 2022, August 7-20, Oceanwood, Ocean Park, ME
Website | CYC on YouTube
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TABCOM VOICES BROADCASTS
ABC 2023 BIENNIAL MISSION SUMMIT
We are excited to share our logo for the 2023 Biennial Mission Summit, around the theme “For Such a Time as This” #abcusa2023 #abcmissionsummit
JUNE HAPPINESS CALENDAR
