On Saturday, June 3, 25 sisters and brothers from the Asian community of the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey gathered at Baptist Camp Lebanon in Lebanon, NJ. What a joyful and inspirational time of fellowship and relationship-building we had together. Earlier this year, ABCNJ’s Asian Ministries conducted a survey where many said they wanted a time for fellowship and relationship-building. Therefore, the purpose of this gathering was to hear each other’s stories, build community, and support each other’s ministries. During our time together, we were blessed and inspired by our ABCNJ Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor, Rev. Miriam Mendez, who shared a message of encouragement about the importance of blessing in our lives and the community. After worship, we broke off into groups, where we learned more about each other and prayed for each other—our day concluded with breaking bread and a delicious lunch prepared by the Baptist Camp and Conference Center staff.

We thank God for his abundance, love, and mercy in helping us to have a blessed gathering. We thank Rev. Miriam for her words of encouragement and support for our Asian Ministries; We thank Rev. Dr. Louis and the praise and worship team from Stelton Baptist Church for leading us in praise. We also thank Barbara, Hillary, and the staff at Baptist Camp Lebanon for their welcoming spirit and for preparing lunch for us. Lastly, we thank all the participants who attended to make this event possible. This was a beautiful gathering of lifting each other through praise, worship, prayer, and fellowship.