ABP opens New York bureau. Associated Baptist Press has launched a news bureau in New York City. ABP Assistant Editor Hannah Elliott opened the independent news service's New York bureau March 15, a little more than a year after she joined ABP's staff and began running its Dallas bureau, working from the office of the Baptist Standard, newsjournal of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Her husband, Spencer, recently accepted a promotion with a financial-services firm, transferring him from its Dallas office to New York. Elliott will continue to fill the assistant editor's role, which includes writing, editing and posting stories online. Associated Baptist Press was founded in 1990 as the nation's first and only independent news service for Baptists. In 2000, it opened its first satellite bureau in Washington to cover news emanating from the nation's capital. ABP Executive Editor Greg Warner said the organization plans to re-staff the vacant Dallas bureau when funds are available. In the meantime, he said, ABP will rely on the Baptist Standard to fill that need. This week, the Religious Herald launched a publishing partnership with ABP, along with the Baptist Standard and Word & Way, a Missouri-based Baptist newspaper (see story on page 2). (ABP)
CBF offers church-starter ‘boot camp' at Truett. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's New Church Starts Boot Camp will be held July 29-Aug. 3 at Baylor University's Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas. The annual event offers individuals who are interested in starting churches opportunities for networking, learning about practical resources and assessing their ministerial gifts and calling. American Baptist Churches USA and the Baptist General Convention of Texas also are sponsoring the event. Featured speakers include Tom Johnson, American Baptist new church planting coordinator; Andre Punch, BGCT congregational strategists director; and Charles Higgs, BGCT director of western heritage ministries. For more information, contact David King a [email protected]. To register, visit www.thefellowship.info/involved/events/BootCamp.icm. (CBF Communications)
CBF event provides ministers with resource opportunities. More than 100 Christian educators gathered last month in Nashville, Tenn., for the seventh annual True Survivor conference sponsored by the Congregational Life initiative of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The True Survivor conference, which is tailored to the needs of church staff members responsible for education, provided opportunities for fellowship and professional development. The conference also provided breakout sessions for age group specialists and lifestyle issues for self care. Singer and songwriter Kyle Matthews, Fellowship coordinator for congregational life Bo Prosser and staff from Upper Room Publishers, a CBF partner, led sessions about using creativity to expand ministries. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about and receive free samples of Fellowship resources, including “It's Time: An Urgent Call to Christian Mission” and missions education materials Form, Spark, Ignite and Affect. Mary Jayne Allen, minister of education at First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tenn., was awarded the Jack Naish Distinguished Christian Educator Award. The award is presented each year to an educator who has distinguished themselves in excellence and quality of Christian education. (CBF Communications)