BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Quest 26 Recap: Learning to Serve Like Jesus
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
-Mark 10:45
This has long been the theme verse for Quest, the BCNE’s leadership development experience for 11th-grade students. At the completion of its 26th year, Quest has now seen 571 students participate. The 25 students from 15 congregations around New England who participated in Quest 26 spent time over the last 9 months learning what it looks like to serve humbly as Jesus did, how to work on a unified team, and how to use their gifts to meet the needs of their communities.
Teens Attending YEC 2023 Challenged to Live Faithfully
Two high school seniors will long remember the January weekend they spent in a hotel ballroom with four hundred of their peers from across New England. They took part in the BCNE’s Youth Encountering Christ (YEC 2023) winter retreat January 27-29 at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center in Massachusetts.
Renée Ghobrial Challenges Today’s Teens To Experience Genuine Christian Life
A New England native with family roots in Egypt and an abiding love for mentoring teenagers and young adults, Renee Ghobrial has been serving BCNE churches since January 1 as the leader of Next Generation Youth Ministries.
New England Baptists celebrate ethnic ministries leading in evangelism
“The mission field has become the mission force” – the theme and phrase heard most at the Baptist Churches of New England’s 40th Annual Meeting on October 28-29, 2022. The phrase, coined at last year’s annual meeting, describes what God has been doing within and through ethnic ministries in New England. It was a historic meeting for multiple reasons.
Waterbury women gather for retreat to encourage one another in loss and the faithfulness of God
"Our retreat was full of laughter, crying, praising, and praying," said Margaret, an attendee at the 2nd annual women's retreat for the ladies of Waterbury Baptist Ministries in Waterbury, CT. Spearheaded by Tamika Goldson, the September retreat occurred at the Rice Lodge, next to the BCNE building.
The trap of hidden sin
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” -Proverbs 28:13
In the 4th grade, I failed a geology test in Science which meant I had to get it signed by a parent. I knew getting a score of 40 on my test wouldn't go over well with my parents, so I resolved on the way home that day that I would never tell my mom or dad about it.
Lives changed as generations of Middle Eastern Christians gathered for annual conference
You may be surprised to know that since 1984, hundreds of Middle Eastern Christians have gathered every summer to worship on one weekend in July. For the past 38 years, the Arabic Baptist Church of Boston has hosted its annual conference around the July 4th weekend, an event that draws attendees from around the world.
Filled with hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13) Hope. It is a weighty word that carries deep meaning, but it is also a word that is thrown around in everyday language without the true meaning attached to it. “Hope you have a nice day!” “Hope you feel better.” “Hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow!” We find ourselves saying these phrases without much thought and primarily as pleasantries.
BCNE Board of Directors issues statement on recently released SBC Sexual Abuse Report
On Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the meeting of the Baptist Churches of New England Board of Directors, the most prominent topic of conversation was the recently released Southern Baptist Convention report which included a list of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse.
Pastors' wives and women’s ministry leaders meet for fellowship
It is beautiful when women gather to encourage one another and worship Jesus together. The leaders of Iglesia Bautista Casa de Restauración in Lawrence, MA and Iglesia Bautista Dios con Nosotros in Glastonbury, CT, had two wonderful opportunities in April for women in their congregations to meet and fellowship.
The BCNE changes its name for the first time since it was founded
Names carry weight and significance in scripture. In Genesis 17, God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, declaring his destiny in his new name. He went from being known as ‘exalted father’ to a ‘father of many nations’. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter which means ‘rock’, as a proclamation of what the Holy Spirit would do through Peter one day in building and growing the church.