2 minute read
Annual Gathering Recap
NABF General Secretary, Rev. Jeremy Bell, far left, is pictured (from left to right) with Chin Baptist Association of America Rev. Dr. San No Thuan, Chair of the Chin Baptist Association of America Rev. Sa Tin Lal and Julie Justus Williams with the Baptist World Alliance.
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This year’s North American Baptist Fellowship (NABF) Annual Gathering took place October 24–25 at the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) offices in Falls Church, Virginia. DCBC was well represented by James Barbour, DCBC Emergency Response/Disaster Coordinator, who leads NABF’s Disaster Response Efforts; Robert Cochran, who serves as the NABF Treasurer; and Patricia Hernandez and Rev. Dr. Trisha Miller Manarin, who serve on NABF’s General Council. In January 2023, Rev. Emmett Dun, with the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, will be the new NABF President, Rev. Dr. Manarin will be a Vice-President and Rev. Hernandez will be an At-Large Member of the General Council.
BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown brought greetings to those gathered to explore this year’s theme — Seeking Hope. One of the highlights of the meeting saw the Chin Baptist Association of North America formally welcomed as an NABF member. Their Assistant General
DCBC Emergency Response/Disaster Coordinator, James Barbour.
Secretary is DCBC Pastor San No Thuan of Falam Baptist Church in Frederick, Maryland. It was a great time of celebration!
Mental health, church revitalization and creation care were the centerpieces of the first day of learning, followed by the business meeting. Each of these sessions was presented by distinguished experts in the field: Rev. Daniel Whitehead of Canada, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, shared about this organization, an “international charity…whose mission is to resource communities of faith to raise awareness, reduce stigma, support mental health, and promote mental wellbeing.” Rev. Whitehead was delighted that the next day, DCBC’s Jevon Billups would lead Mental Health First Aid training. On the subject of church revitalization, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Smith, Director of Church Health Strategy for the Texas Baptists; and Rev. Dr. Daynette SneadPerez, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Domestic Disaster Response Manager and CEO and President of DIASPRA, “an intercultural ministry focused on equipping churches in building new relationships with their own communities,” presented two very different perspectives and ideas for engaging the community and reaching out with the Good News. And, world-renown climate scientist, Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor at Texas Tech University, shared a compelling message about loving your neighbor by caring for the earth.
On the second day of the meeting, in addition to the continuation of Mental Health First Aid training, each of the NABF networks — Scholars Collaboration Network, Disaster Relief Network, and Creation Care Network — was given time to share updates, encourage collaboration and make new connections with the larger group. The day ended with an information-packed and inspiring presentation by DCBC’s Grant Writing Instructor and Consultant, Stephen Broyles.` Those present were moved to explore grant writing.
A wonderful way to learn from others across Canada and the United States is by connecting with one or more of the NABF networks at https://nabfellowship.org/. You can also learn more about the networks by reaching out to one of our DCBC members who is connected with this wonderful group.
