From the Executive Minister  

The other day there was a Facebook post designed to remind people of the importance of exercising our right to vote.  The gist of the post was that...  if voting were not important leaders in communities and states wouldn't go to all the effort to verify voter registration; if it didn't matter, billionaires wouldn't put so much money into Political Action Committees trying to influence our votes; if it wasn't important, we wouldn't have the Russians trying to hack into our voting system.  

Read more.
2018 Region Biennial Meeting

The Baptist Temple
1101 Clover Street, Rochester
Thu., Sept. 20 - Sat., Sept. 22

Thu., 7 pm - Rev. Dr. John Pentland -  "How Curiosity Transformed a Community of Faith"
Fri., 9:30 - 2 - Rev. Dr. John Pentland -  Leadership Workshop
Fri., 6 pm - Rev. Newton celebration and reception - FBC Rochester  175 Allens Creek Rd
Sat., 9 - 4 - Biennial Meeting       
                                                                     
Click here for information and registration.
Monthly Prayer List   
 
  Week  
Church
Aug. 5 FBC Painted Post
Aug. 12 Pittsford United Church
Aug. 19 FBC Penfield
Aug. 26 Ogden Baptist Church
Thank you Friends of the Region 

Pal Level - (up to $100) - Young at Hearts, Hilton Baptist
Friend Level -  ($100 - 149) - Rodney & Marilyn Vane  

Prayer requests

Peace Community Church (Oberlin, OH) requests prayer for long-time ABCRGR Delegate, Al Carroll, who is dealing with mylodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 2017-18 Delegate, Susan Gall, who was hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism and has a slow recovery ahead. 

In peace, Rev.  Mary Hammond

Genesee Area Campus Ministry needing an American Baptist Board Member
The campus ministry on the University of Rochester campus is in need of a board member representing ABCRGR. The Board meets approximately four times a year during the day. The role of the board member is to share information about GACM with region churches and encourage youth from our churches who attend the U of R to participate.
 
If you have an interest in exploring this role, please contact Executive Minister, Rev. Alan Newton at (585) 473-3200.

Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dorothy Cotton
Cornell University, Ithaca
Sat., Aug. 11 at 2 p.m.

Dorothy Cotton was one of the most important unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement and her accomplishments are a testament to the essential but often overlooked role of women in that and other liberation struggles. As Education Director of the  Southern Christian Leadership Conference,  her leadership contributed significantly to a movement that has altered the course of social and political life in the United States and transformed the place of African Americans and all people of color in civic engagement and leadership. Read more.

~ The event is free, but click here for tickets. ~ 
Becoming the Church We Dream Of

Mercy Spirituality Center 40th Anniversary Event 
Featuring Shane Claiborne
Clover Center for Arts & Spirituality
August 3 - 4

~ For more information and registration, click here. ~

Frederick Douglass, Rochester Quakers and Social Reforms of the 19th Century

Rochester Friends Meeting
84 Scio St., Rochester
Sun., Aug. 5 ~ 2 to 4 p.m.
We will remember Frederick Douglass and honor David Anderson for his lifetime work on behalf of Douglass and his legacy. Judy Wellman, historian and board member of the 1816 Meetinghouse, will give an overview of the Douglass/Quaker connection in Rochester. Justin Murphy, Rochester Friends Meeting, will talk about Douglass' efforts for equality in education in Rochester; and David Shakes, actor and director, will deliver excerpts from Douglass' speeches.  Read more .

Camp Vick is looking for more campers!
Scholarships are available!
Take a look and see which camps might sound appealing to the kids and teens in your life:
  • Wacky, Wet, and Wild  (Grades 4-9)
  • Frontier Boys  (Grades 4 -9) 
  • Beginners (Grades 1-4)
  • Mission [Im]Possible (Grades 8-12) - includes a trip to Kingdom Bound Christian 
    music festival at Darien Lake!
  • Camp Vick Investigates (Grades 3-7)
  • Frontier Girls (Grades 3-7)
  • SPLASH! Camp  (Grades 3-7)
  • World Exploration (Grades 3-6).
  • Survivor: Frontier Edition (Grades 7-12)
Call the main office at 315-314-7460 or check out our website at vpccministries.org.

Cameron's School Supply Drive
We are collecting donations of school supplies for the kids in Cameron's Youth Program.  Our goal is to have a backpack full of the supplies that each student needs  along with extra supplies for the teachers at School #54.   A donation of any size is greatly appreciated!

Read more. Make a monetary donation here.
Free Church Bulletin Covers!


First Baptist Church of Brockport has  a few boxes of unused bulletins with preprinted covers in different designs (T hanksgiving, funeral, Easter, communion and non-subject covers ) that are no longer needed. They are, for the most part, on heavy stock. 

Or call: (585) 637-9770
ABC-USA Press Releases  

News and events in this week's press releases may be found here.