The Bullard Task force, convened at the recommendation of consultant George Bullard and affirmed by Presidential action, has finished the work with which it has been charged. There charge was to develop a process for healthy communication and conflict resolution within the ABC/VNH Region and to model this process in creating a collaborative statement or statements dealing with Baptist polity, church autonomy, and human sexuality. They were to prepare a full report with a recommendation or recommendations which would be placed on the agenda of the Business Meeting for the ABC/VNH Region's Annual Meeting in 2008. The report, "The Genius of Being Baptist," is the result.

To read the report, please click on this link: Bullard_Final_May_6-1.pdf

Meetings are being planned in various associations to discuss the report prior to the annual meeting. The delegates to the Business Meeting for the ABC/VNH Region's Annual Meeting in June will have opportunity for further discussion of the Bullard Task Force's report and recommendations, and to cast a binding vote or votes for or against the implementation of the report and recommendations.

Malcolm Hamblet

Director of Communication and Technology
American Baptist Churches of VT & NH

Ministers Council VT/NH

MinistersCouncilVTNHblogspot.com

Support for Pastors
across the region

Hello Fellow Ministers,
We are in the process of posting this web site on the main page of ABC VNH website. I trust this will be a useful format for encouragement and discussion. I wanted to also make available some conferences that have come to my attention that would be great support for pastors and a wonderful time of refreshing. There is one in April called Together for the Gospel and it should prove to be a wonderful time for anyone interested. Here is the link www.T4g.org. Please take a look and see what you think.

Sincerely, Charles Kuthe

Visit our new link MinistersCouncilVTNHblogspot.com

United Missions

Supporting United Misions through ABCVNH onLine donations. The PayPal link below will allow you to donate, with most major credit cards.

If you have any questions, please contact Rohn Peterson eMail, phone: 603-643-4201, or Toll Free 888-262-3223

Donate Here, Thank you

New Life 2010 National Progress Report

New Life 2010 is a vision
for American Baptists

• to reach 1,000,010 new disciples:
• 485,687 total estimated baptisms, 1998-2006
• plant 1,010 new churches:
• 362 new church plants as of April 2007
• 44 churches planted by women pastors
• vitalize a multitude of caring ministries:
• $3,530,466 donated through January 2006 for the Gulf Coast Recovery Program
• 47 groups/churches facilitated through Volunteers in Mission - October 2005 through February 2007
• 593 individual volunteers through the same period.
• and to transform our congregations by the year 2010.
• The Congregational Transformation Report issued in June 2007 shows wide-spread commitment to congregational transformation among American Baptists.
• 22 of the 34 American Baptist regions responded to a recent survey about transformation initiatives in their churches. Each region had developed an approach tailored to their specific context. Some held large events, some focued on selected churches' clergy and lay leadership, some held training sessions over a period of months or years. These regions reported that more than 660 churches participated in these events.

Article in pdf format for Church inserts.

ABC-VNH

Supporting The Local Churches

May 2008 Newsletter

For Reflection:

From this time forward, Christ has:
• No body on earth but yours; No hands but yours; No feet but yours.
• Yours are the eyes through which His compassion will look upon the world;
• Yours are the feet with which He will go about doing good;
• Yours are the hands with which He will bless others!
- Teresa of Avila

From Our Acting Executive Minister

Words are so inadequate at times. And as I try to find them to express my gratitude to the Lord and each of you, words fail me. As most of you are aware, I have been in one of my life?s biggest struggles. First, there was the cancer in my colon. Even though it had progressed and required the removal of 12 inches of my colon, the future looks very promising for my continued good health. The second challenge was the massive internal infection that occurred during the recovery period. This additional stress resulted in complete kidney failure and kidney dialysis for several weeks. In total, I was unable to get out of bed for over sixty days. As I write this, I am in a rehabilitation program, regaining strength and balance. My plan is to return to work, at least on a part-time basis in May.

How do I say thank you for the thousands of prayers, hundreds of cards and calls that were extended to me and to my family? I want you to know that even though I did have some very dark and scary times, I knew that I was never alone. I knew the family of God, each of you, brothers and sisters in Christ, were with me. I must tell you that when I awoke in the Intensive Care Unit and realized my two daughters (one from Tennessee and the other from Australia) were standing beside my bed in reality and I wasn?t dreaming, I was scared.

To the staff, Janet, Larry and Malcolm, who have continued to serve the churches of Vermont and New Hampshire, I will always be grateful. I can only express deep personal appreciation for the Board of Trustees and President Rev. Norma Drosky for their support and encouragement. And to the people of God who have prayed and loved me and my family through this experience, I want you to know that because of you I have felt the hands and heart of the Lord.

A special note to the Rev. Lou George, Executive Minister Emeritus, who has so graciously stepped in to serve the Region once again. He has been so supportive personally and so helpful working with the churches caught in the transition of my deteriorating health. Thank you, my brother in Christ.

For the renewed opportunity to serve, with you, the cause of Christ, I am so grateful. There is much to do to share the gospel of Christ. We are challenged by work of eternal significance in great mission fields. The fields are white unto harvest locally, nationally and worldwide. May we labor together in joy and hope.

In Christ, Rohn Peterson

General Board of the American Baptist Churches/ USA

Thank you for the opportunity to represent you on the General Board of the American Baptist Churches/ USA and the Board of International Missions. If I had to express in just a few words what I learned about the focus of our work as American Baptists it is to help people: "Come to Christ, Grow in Christ, Change the World with Christ". I came away from the June meetings in Washington, DC with a great excitement that we are committed to that focus and are seeing astounding results.

The recent crisis over the denominational policy concerning the practice of homosexuality seems to have been set aside in order to focus on the work of God's Kingdom. The official policy of ABC/USA remains "that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Biblical teaching". The General Executive Council (GEC), made up of the officers and regional executive ministers of ABC/USA, issued the following statement at their June, 2007 meeting:

We covenant as GEC members to give due consideration to all ABC policy statements and resolutions in recommending persons to serve at denominational levels.

Rev. Carolyn Clarke,  603 664-9375
Representative to the General Board
and Board of International Missions
E-mail: davis.clarke@metrocast.net
January 2008

Year-end Financial Reports for 2008

Rev. Rohn Peterson, ABCVNH Acting Executive Minister

For feedback on this website contact:
Rev.Malcolm Hamblett
Director of Communication and Technology
American Baptist Churches of VT & NH

Webmaster: EMAIL Edwin MacNeil