The goal of your ABCNJ Ministry Team is to support our region’s churches and pastors as they strive to grow in health and faithfulness. In pursuit of this objective, in the past decade we have added over fifteen part-time ministry specialists and are always seeking new ways to minister in an efficient and creative fashion. In May, Beverly Allegretti, one of the two Administrative Assistants in the region office, left in order to pursue new opportunities at the American Baptist Home Mission Societies in Valley Forge. She transitioned to our national offices with our blessings and prayers.

With the support of the region’s Personnel Committee and Executive Committee, we have reconfigured our ministry team to better face the opportunities and challenges we face going forward. Eleanor Moore has moved across the room and now serves as the sole office Administrative Assistant. We are transforming her former work area into the ABCNJ Bistro – an inviting space for fellowship, refreshment and ministry conversation.

This week, Rev. Erin Phillips, who has been serving part-time since January 2013, began serving the region as our third full-time Associate Regional Pastor. Erin shares:

A person could not be any more blessed in ministry than I have been this past year. The first eight months have been an amazing transition into the position as Associate Regional Pastor. The team has supported me as I learn and grow into my new role as pastor to churches and pastors. I am looking forward to serving the Capital and North Shore associations. Furthermore, I will be the special assistant to the Executive Minister, focusing especially on serving candidates on track for ordination, pastors seeking placement in an ABCNJ setting, and Council. I am grateful for this opportunity and I pray for God’s help, and your prayers, to fulfill this new ministry that I have been called to on my journey.

Also this week, Rev. Wesley Allen has been promoted to the role of ABCNJ Communications Director. Rev. Allen has served on the ABCNJ staff for the past five years as the Associate Regional Pastor for Ministry and Technology and will continue to be involved in technology integration. The new position will increase his presence in the region office to two days a week, and will see him in charge of creating printed and electronic materials for the ABCNJ. The challenges of this new role excite Rev. Allen.  "I always had a foot in the communications aspect of ABCNJ's ministry, and it is exciting now to make it my regional ministry focus." Rev. Allen is also the Pastor of Central Baptist Church in Palmyra.