American Baptist Churches of the Rochester/Genesee Region

06/17/2026

We regret to inform you that our Juneteenth parade gathering, originally scheduled for this Saturday, June 20th at 11am-ish, has been cancelled. Unfortunately, our core staff has experienced a sudden bereavement and must tend to details related to that. Because our team cannot be present, we are unable to move forward as planned. We're sorry for any inconvenience this change may cause. We encourage you to still attend the City of Rochester's Juneteenth celebration & parade. Warm regards, ABCRGR region staff.
-
-
-
-
-
In the Rochester, NY area this weekend?
Join us at the Rochester Liberty Pole this Saturday, June 20th at around 11am to watch the Juneteenth parade together!

- Look for your region family members & the RGR feather flag!
- Parade begins at 11 am
- Please RSVP to join the region group and watch the parade TOGETHER!
- RSVP: https://www.abcrgr.org/event-details/juneteenth-parade-festival-in-rochester-ny

Find out more info about the parade and festival here: https://www.cityofrochester.gov/events/2026-juneteenth-festival-parade
- The Juneteenth festival is held at the end of the parade route at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, 353 Court St., Rochester, NY 14607

06/15/2026

Join us in our upcoming free webinar, "Celebrating and Preserving Your Church's Story," with Rev. Dr. Priscilla Eppinger, Executive Director of the American Baptist Historical Society, and Rev. Garth Brokaw, ABHS board member and historian for Lake Avenue Baptist Church. Thursday, June 18, 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

Find out why your congregation's story is important, and learn ways to document and preserve it for future generations.

Rev. Dr. Priscilla Eppinger, Executive Director of the American Baptist Historical Society, and Rev. Garth Brokaw, church historian for Lake Avenue Baptist Church and board member of ABHS, will share about why it's important to preserve your church's story and offer ideas and resources for doing so.

06/08/2026

Be inspired.
Engage with global servants.
Discover how lives are being transformed.
2026 World Mission Conference in Orlando, Florida! ✨🏰🐭

Join us for the World Mission Conference 2026 in Orlando, Florida - designed as a "vacation with a purpose," combining impactful mission moments, relaxation and connection.

05/29/2026

Evann Hasenauer, assistant minister at Lake Avenue Baptist Church, is one of the panelists in this series. This would make for great group discussion for a congregation.

05/28/2026

Dear Friends,

We're thrilled to share an update on the upcoming American Baptist Churches USA Biennial Mission Summit, set to take place right here in Rochester, NY, in June 2027! This is a fantastic opportunity for our region to host the larger ABC family, and we're incredibly excited about the connections and fellowship that await us all.

As your co-chairs, Ciara Lilly and Tasha Wilson, we've been busy meeting individually with various team leads, laying the groundwork for a successful event. We're looking forward to bringing the full committee together for a comprehensive meeting very soon to continue our planning efforts.

This summit will be a monumental undertaking, and we truly believe it's a chance for each of us to contribute our unique spiritual gifts. Whether your gifts lie in hospitality, logistics, worship, communications, or something else entirely, there is a place for you on this team! Volunteering at the Biennial Mission Summit is a meaningful way to serve the broader ABC family while showcasing the warmth and spirit of our Rochester Genesee Region. If you feel called to serve, we invite you to complete our volunteer interest form and take that first step toward being part of something truly special. Click the link below.
-- Volunteer Interest Form --

Our dedicated prayer team, led by Marcia McCarthy, will continue to uplift this entire endeavor. We ask that you invite individual members of your congregation to join this group so that we might pray specifically for the committee's planning work at the region level and national level. To add names of people willing to commit to this task for the coming year, please email Marcia at [email protected] The team will also be gathering specific prayer requests for the Biennial Mission Summit.

We can't wait to welcome the ABCUSA family to Rochester and witness the incredible impact of our collective efforts.
Stay tuned for more updates on how you can get involved!

Co-chairs, Ciara Lilly and Tasha Wilson

05/08/2026

Rev. Dr. Sandra L. DeMott Hasenauer introduces a year-long series: “Faithful Generosity: From Saving to Serving.” As she prepares for retirement in August 2027, she shares reflections on church financial stewardship and why faithful generosity matters for congregations and leaders. Read the first post and join the conversation. https://wix.to/lkyTO5d

Welcome to my year-long blog series, “Faithful Generosity: From Saving to Serving.”By now you’ve probably gotten word that I will be retiring at the end of August 2027. When discussing with God what my primary focuses should be for my final year as your Executive Minister and, indeed, my final...

05/04/2026

American Baptist Rochester Genesee Region Monthly Newsletter May 2026 -https://mailchi.mp/abcrgr.org/american-baptist-rochester-genesee-region-monthly-newsletter-june-17463632

05/04/2026

Please hold Ebenezer Baptist Church and First Lady Josephine Bonds in your prayers as Pastor Anthony Bonds passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon (May 3rd). “The Lord is our refuge and our strength,” words we hold close to our hearts in these days. We will provide information for services when they are available.
Cards for the Bonds family can be sent to Ebenezer Baptist Church, 174 Thurston Rd, Rochester, NY 14619.

04/28/2026

2026 Spring Annual Gathering, Clergy Retreat and Delegates Meeting-REGISTRATION for each event - https://mailchi.mp/abcrgr.org/2026-spring-annual-gathering-clergy-retreat-and-delegates-meeting-17463408