By Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell
It’s early this year, so don’t miss out on the Annual Gathering of ABC Wisconsin!
Do you still have questions about the Annual Gathering? Here’s some information to help you decide to join us this month in Madison:
WHO? The American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin, which is all of you! All of our 53 churches as well as our related ministries, including chaplains, campus ministries, missions and partners. This is YOUR Annual Gathering, a time to reconnect, worship, fellowship, and learn together.
WHAT? The 181st Annual Gathering of the American Baptist Churches is our annual celebration of ministry together. We have been doing this since 1844! We gather to worship, fellowship, break bread together and learn! We also do a little business (this year, we are voting in our officers as well as new members for the Board of Managers and a new member for the Nominating Committee).
On Friday, we have workshops for ministers on MMBB and MinistrElife, and on Saturday, workshops for everyone on evangelism, Christian nationalism, and young adult ministry. Our preachers for the weekend are Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen for Friday evening, and Rev. Dr. Lauren Lisa Ng for Saturday morning. We also have a youth program for ages 4-18 and childcare for 0-3. All ages are welcome on Saturday! Friday’s program is geared toward ministers/spouses/leaders, but all are welcome to join in worship Friday evening.
WHEN? Friday, September 26 (for ministers/spouses/leaders), Saturday, September 27 (for everyone, ages 0-100+!!!) and a bonus day on Sunday, September 28!WHERE? Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2019 Fisher Street in Madison, is our gracious host for Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s bonus day will be at First Baptist Church in Madison (Rev. Ng will be preaching).
HOW? Register here: https://www.abcofwi.org/annual-gatherings/ The registration is a Google form (please one registration per person, but children/youth may be added to an adult registration).
WHY? Our Annual Gathering is a time when we remember we are not in this alone. As Baptists, we live by our association principle—that we cannot be a church alone. We are autonomous, but we are also interdependent. We partner together to support our local and global ministries. We come together to listen and learn from those who are part of the same Baptist family, but are different from each other. We are reminded of our Vision verse of Romans 12:4-5 that we are “Diverse Members, United in Christ.”
Please visit our website https://www.abcofwi.org/annual-gatherings/ for all the information about our speakers, workshops, and the schedule.
Please also view and share this video about the Annual Gathering!