TABCOM NOTES
SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
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A note from Mary – I will be on Sabbatical from Nov. 21 – Feb. 21. Stay tuned for details! | |
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September 3 – AM Preaching at FBC Dorchester
September 3 – PM Source of Light International Church
September 9 – New Pastor’s Day at Grotonwood
September 10 – (pending)
September 14 – Commission on the Ministry
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September 16 – Praise in the Park with FBC Dighton/Old Colony Association
September 19 – Regional Executive Minister’s monthly meeting
September 23 – TABCOM Board of Directors
September 24 – Praise Fest at Concord Baptist Church in Milton
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TABCOM NEW PASTOR'S ORIENTATION | |
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Join us for
New Pastor’s Day!
Saturday, September 9, 2023
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
TABCOM Regional Office at Grotonwood
Rev. Mary Miller invites you to join her for a gathering and lunch time of fellowship, information, networking and support that we hope will be informative, supportive of your ministry and enjoyable. Our goal is to get to know one another and for us to learn how we can bring resources to the needs you are experiencing.
In addition to meeting our staff and regional partners you will have the opportunity to meet other pastors who have recently begun new ministries in Massachusetts.
Please RSVP to Mary Miller at miller@tabcom.org
(When RSVPing, indicate your vegetarian or allergy needs.)
TABCOM REGIONAL OFFICE
“Center for Excellence”
189 PRESCOTT STREET, GROTON, MA 01460
(978) 448-1445
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This year MissionWorks will be held one day only, on Saturday, October 21.
Our theme is "Shine Your Light" Matthew 5:16.
The location is Rivers of Living Water International Ministry (MIRAV), 204 Main St, Marlborough, MA 01752.
We will have 3 workshops in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.
You can VIEW the schedule, workshops, keynote speaker and facilitators here. MissionWorks 2023 | Tabcom
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TABCOM LEADERSHIP DAY
January 20, 2024
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TABCOM Leadership Day will be held at the Federated Church in Hudson on January 20, 2024.
Our main speaker will be Dr. Greg Mamula (see photo to the left).
Dr. Mamula is the youngest among regional ministers for American Baptist Churches-USA. He is the transitional minister for ABC of Nebraska.
Dr. Mamula did his undergraduate degree at Baylor and earned his MDiv at Truett Theological Seminary. He completed is DMin degree at Northern Baptist Seminary.
Dr. Mamula regularly speaks at conferences, retreats, and workshops on various topics relating to church life and discipleship. He is the author of “Table Life: An Invitation to Everyday Discipleship.”
He co-edited the book "Conflict Management and the Apostle Paul" with Dr. Scot McKnight, published 2018.
He is the creator and host of the podcast "Mission in 5". He writes occasional articles for online journals like Ethics Daily, Christian Citizen, and Word and Way.
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GRANTS FOR TABCOM CHURCHES
THROUGH THE GEORGE WRIGHT FUND
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DID YOU KNOW…
As a beneficiary of the will of the late George R. Wright, The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts (TABCOM) receives a share of income from a fund held in trust by a commercial banking institution. This income, named by The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts, as the “George Wright Fund” provides grants to be used to support churches in the following ways:
- Grants for student loan repayment for pastors and church staff
- Grants explicitly to help churches who are new and meeting in other buildings
- Grants for churches to have stipend positions that can assist growing their ministries
- Grants to fund TABCOM churches to form partnerships for missional collaboration
- Grants of up to $3,000 for payment of church mortgages, or for building projects to improve handicapped access or energy efficiency.
Churches requesting assistance from The George Wright Fund must be in “good standing” with The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts and their Association.
Want to learn more? Go to: https://tabcom.org/george-wright-fund/
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November 18th
TABCOM Conference Room from 10:00 AM til 4:00 PM
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After listening to several long-time pastors state that they have libraries full of books they no longer need and working with new pastors just beginning their journey as settled pastors, we felt it would be beneficial to hold a Book Swap. This is a chance to help your no longer needed books find a new home.
The process is very simple. Bring your books to the TABCOM offices. We will be There all day on November 17th to accept books and on the 18th to swap books.
You can also bring books on Saturday morning the 18th, but it must be early so we can prepare and organize them for swapping. You are welcome to remain and see if there are some books that could be beneficial to your church or personal library. No money changes hands; all books are given freely.
This swap is being held the same day as the School of Ministry graduation so there will be many students present who would love to receive these books and this event is open to anyone who has an interest in building up their library.
Any books left at the end of the day become the property of the archives who will dispose of them as they see fit; some may remain in our library, some may be sold on Ebay or passed on to other sources.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact diane.badger@comcast.net.
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PASTOR'S MONTHLY LUNCH
& DISCUSSION REMINDER
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The meetings begin at 12 noon and last for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Locations and initial meeting dates are as follows:
Choose the location which is most convenient for you.
- Bring your own lunch and join with other pastors for a time of lunch, discussion of a book and prayer.
- After the initial meeting each group will work out their own monthly meeting schedule.
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The book for discussion is Church on the Move: A Pracitcal guide for Ministry in the Community by G. Travis Norvell. The books will be available for you at the initial meeting. Norvell was one of the keynote speakers at the Biennial in Puerto Rico and was well received.
This is a great opportunity to get to know other pastors in your area and share your concerns, struggles, joys and ministry.
As time goes on, I expect each group will make its own decisions as to what books to discuss.
I would really like every pastor to make the effort to get to a monthly meeting. Having a colleague or two to lean on and confer with is always a great help to a pastor.
We hope to get a fourth monthly meeting on the Cape for our pastors and retirees who are on the other side of the bridge.
Rev. Diane Badger
for the Old Colony Baptist Association
45 Parker Terrace, N. Easton, MA 02356
diane.badger@comcast.net
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SAVE THE DATE!
Boundaries & Ethics class
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November 3-4, 2023
(Friday PM, Sat AM)
Held via Zoom
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September is the Season of Creation!
Rev. Rebecca Driscoll, Minister for Creation Care
What is the season of creation?
Season of Creation explains the origins of The Season of Creation and its importance both to the ecumenical community and to the liturgical calendar.
The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home.
Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed September 1 as a day of prayer for creation for the Orthodox in 1989. In fact, the Orthodox church year starts on that day with a commemoration of how God created the world.
The World Council of Churches was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from September 1 until October 4.
Following the leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I and the WCC, Christians worldwide have embraced the season as part of their annual calendar. Pope Francis made the Roman Catholic Church’s warm welcoming of the season official in 2015.
In recent years, statements from religious leaders around the world have also encouraged the faithful to take time to care for creation during the month-long celebration.
The season starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.
Throughout the month-long celebration, the world’s 2.2 billion Christians come together to care for our common home.
Click here to find out the 10 ways to mark the Season of Creation:
For questions or more information on the Season of Creation, email Rev. Rebecca at pastor@fbcattleboro.org
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Do you have an older member of your church who is still active and amazing? Full of interesting stories about the past years in your congregation? Asking thought-provoking questions about where we are going in the future? Someone who has done amazing things in the past that very few people know about anymore?
I would like to interview them and record it! We are losing the stories of our elders and many of them are sitting right next to us in the pews on Sunday. We see them as these quaint older members of the church who are kind and dependable. Yet they hold amazing stories that many of us don’t even know. Before they were that quaint older members in the pew they often lead extremely interesting and exciting lives and many of them are still doing that! Often, however, they are overlooked because we are so focused on getting young people into the church. I would like to change our focus a little bit and record the stories of these dear saints before it is too late.
Each month I will focus on a new member of a TABCOM church who fits the qualifications above. The interview will be done on zoom and recorded and then the video will be shared in our monthly TABCOM notes. It might even make it onto our radio broadcast! Please contact me at keddy@tabcom.org to set up a time when I can do a zoom interview with your church elder. I would like to get started with this as soon as possible!
Many blessings,
Rev. Christine Schrade-Keddy
TABCOM Elder Ministry Coordinator
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LATEST NEWS FROM AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES USA | |
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Supporting the People of Maui
ABHMS Mobilizes in Response to Devastating Wildfires Ravaging Maui
American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) grieves the loss of at least 80 lives and the displacement of thousands caused by devastating wildfires that engulfed the historic town of Lahaina and scorched thousands of surrounding acres on the island of Maui, Hawaii.
If your church is looking for ways to give to Maui, please read go here.
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on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 3:00pm ET
with presenters Josh King and Rev. Meriah Tigner
To live is to experience change. Each day technology evolves and we are invited to respond with curiosity or fear. Join us for a conversation at the intersection of faith and artificial intelligence.
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"Singing in a Strange Land: Learning from Myanmar Immigrants” (Psalm 137:1-4), a free webinar on Wednesday, August 30 at 10:00 am ET.
Join a Hospitality Initiative to build capacity among immigrants and third country partners. Pinnacle Leadership Associates will offer a free webinar to encourage churches to engage with immigrants, especially those from Myanmar.
Panelists will include Dr. Rev. Lai Uk Thang, pastor of Chin Bethel Church of Houston; Dr. Yaw Han, Kachin leader; Rev. Dr. May May Latt, Auxiliary professor, Hebrew Bible, Central Baptist Theological Seminary; Rev. Leslie Turley, former Director of Southeast Asia and Japan, International Ministry (ABC/USA); Dr. Rev. Mary Wood, Pinnacle Associate, missionary, pastor and convener.
Although this event is free, registration is required. To register please go to the link below. Prior to the event, a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
https://www.pinnlead.com/retreats-courses-webinars
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AMERICAN BAPTIST WOMEN'S MINISTRIES | | |
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Oasis of Faith Campus Min Job Description 2023
Oasis of Faith Campus Ministries is seeking a paid volunteer as a Chaplain at UMass Boston, working through the Division of Student Affairs. Note: The chaplain has never been an employee of UMass Boston. The chaplain serves a grant and donation funded nonprofit campus ministry. The candidate must be an ordained minister to be considered. Please Message Adrienne Berry-Burton if interested.
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MUSIC THAT MAKES COMMUNITY | |
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Extending an Invitation to TABCOM pastors, church musicians, singers, and lay leaders to join our friends in other denominations for a day of singing and learning how to lead enlivening congregational or group singing in the paperless tradition.
Music that Makes Community is excited to offer a One-Day Community Singing Workshop at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in New Bedford, MA on Saturday, September 30 from 9:30 am to 4 pm.
The Rev. Nancy Willbanks and Paul Vasile will facilitate a renewing day of singing, learning, and fellowship, with a focus on singing as a practice that can enliven congregational worship and strengthen our commitments to welcome all people. Singers of all backgrounds, ages, and experience levels are warmly welcomed to participate!
Learn more here.
REGISTER HERE!: https://old-colony-ucc.square.site
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OUR ASSOCIATIONS AND CHURCHES | |
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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
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JUDSON WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION
Our Annual Judson Women's Toy Harvest will be held this year on Saturday, Oct. 28th, and Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries and the ACE Center for New Americans, will be our speaker. I'm sure that many of you know Rev. Imsong, and I know we will learn a lot about the programs he directs. We will collect toys and gift cards as usual and they will be distributed to the families that Rev. Imsong's groups work with throughout the year. Some of the toys will go to the Middlesex House of Correction as we have done in the past. As I receive more information about the types of toys and gift cards that are needed, I will let you know.
We are in need of a host church for our meeting on Saturday, Oct. 28th. We generally begin at 9:00 am with a breakfast. A continental type breakfast is fine. We should end the morning by 11:30 am. Our attendance is typically around 25 people and we hope to increase this number. If your church would like to host this event, please let me know. The host church receives a portion of the registration money received to help defray the cost of the meal.
Little Dresses for Africa project, if your church group is making dresses or plans to make them, I will make sure that they are sent to the distribution center in Michigan. I know that some churches are participating in this project and will have dresses to send in the coming months.
Click here for a copy of the list of projects, craft ideas and organizations that may provide speakers or that your church may want to support. I hope this list will be helpful, and please let me know if you have other ideas to add.
Take care and we will continue to update everyone on the details of the Toy Harvest and the toys and gift cards that are needed.
Enjoy your summer!
Blessings,
Pat Fish First Baptist Church Melrose,
Marilyn Glover, First Baptist Church Malden,
Beverly Mattatall, First Baptist Church Medford
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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
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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
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH DORCHESTER SEEKING MUSIC DIRECTOR
Seeking Music Director for First Baptist Church Dorchester, Sunday service 9:30 - 12:30.
Duties:
- Select music for every Sunday service.
- Rehearse the choir each week.
- Play the piano or organ for church service.
- Must be able to sight-read hymns, read a lead sheet, provide music during the service, provide prelude/postlude for service, and play classical, popular, and gospel styles.
- Help rebuild the choir.
There may be occasional opportunities for additional work at special church events.
Compensation: $50/hour for up to 4 hours per week.
For more information, contact: lynettefbcd@gmail.com
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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
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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.
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Fall Events
The Executive Board was feeling a need to regroup this year and meet again in January at our annual breakfast.
In the meantime we ask two things:
- We need to know what you would like to have the association do for you? What would be most beneficial to you and your church?
- Instead of an association wide meeting this fall, we are promoting these two events at member churches.
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First Baptist Church of Dighton Saturday September 16 | | |
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First Baptist Church of Attleboro
Saturday October 7 | 10AM-12PM
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Pioneer Valley Baptist Association
OPEN POSITION
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
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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
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OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILIES OF | |
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Thank you for the updates that have been sent so far.
There are still many updates needed and we are looking to all of you to help us with any incorrect information you notice.
Please email Robyn Mars (robyn.mars@tabcom.org) with your updates.
Thank you for your patience.
This will now be located in the "MEMBERS ONLY" page on the TABCOM website. For the password, email robyn.mars@tabcom.org.
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TABCOM Voices broadcasts air on the second Sunday each month 5-6 PM. | |
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TABCOM Voices is looking for musical selections for the radio broadcast. Please send your selections to tabcom@tabcom.org | |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE SAINTS BORN IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER | |
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The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6: 24-26
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SEPTEMBER HAPPINESS CALENDAR | | | | |
