Annual Gathering Focuses on The Missional Church

The 2011 Annual Gathering of the American Baptist Churches of Oregon will be held in the Portland suburb of Gresham at First Baptist Church of Gresham on October 21-23. 

ABC-USA Associate General Secretary, Dr. Jeff Woods, American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ Transformation Strategist, Rev. Glynis LaBarre, International Ministries’ Missionaries to Brazil, Bruce and Ann Borquist and American Baptist Seminary of the West President, Dr. Paul Martin, will join our keynote speaker, Rev. Max Ramsey as we explore together the challenges and opportunities that our rapidly-changing culture is presenting to our congregations.

Rev. Ramsey introduces himself simply, “I have been in full-time ministry since 1999, and have been a victim of God's grace a lot longer than that.”  He has been at Immanuel-Brookfield (Wisconsin) since 2000 after having served in prison and hospice chaplaincy. Immanuel has planted two new missional communities in Milwaukee, and operates two street ministries under the name of “StreetLife Ministries” that serve the homeless in the city. Their community has planted another missional community in Saginaw, MI in partnership with Beacon of Hope Church (ABC-USA) called “Backstreet Ministries”.  Immanuel has partnered with others to initiate 17 different missions and ministries that function outside of our walls. Max explains, “We are a missional community, born out of a traditional ABC-USA church that serves the Kingdom of God and seeks to multiply its mission in the world around us.”

Download a copy of the 2011 Annual Gathering informational flyer and registration form here.