This past July, 230 students descended on Orange County, California, for six days to be the hands and feet of Jesus as they served with local nonprofits as part of The Gathering.
One of those who attended The Gathering was Allie, a 10th grader from Heartland Community Church in Medina, Ohio:
Throughout the week, I encountered God in various ways. First, I witnessed the immense motivation and love displayed by the people around us, all eager to contribute to Orange County’s community. Even when the heat made us feel like giving up, the memory of our purpose to help others lifted us up, and God provided the strength to persevere.
Another significant experience was working at a nature center that had not been getting the love it was in need of for many years. Its former science classes had overgrown. The founder, Jeanne, had retired and was deeply affected by the place’s condition. However, by the end of the week, I could see God’s presence in her happiness and gratitude for the work that had been done. Her radiant smile reflected the positive impact of God’s influence on her and those around her.
While all who attended The Gathering contributed to the cost of putting on such a massive undertaking, much of the expense was offset by the Ministry Resource Fund. This all-purpose fund is crucial for ongoing ministries across the North American Baptist Conference.
When you give to the 2025 Fall Offering, you are actively supporting ministry opportunities like The Gathering, as well as others like Blue Ocean, Year of Equipping, and much, much more. You can read more about what took place at The Gathering, as well as discover ways to give, by following the link below.
In addition to giving to the Fall Offering, we invite every NAB church to take a Thanksgiving offering in support of the Ministry Resource Fund. When you click on the link below, you will find slides, videos, bulletin inserts, and more, all designed to help you promote the 2025 Fall Offering during your service.
For nearly eighty years, Urbana has been one of the most influential student mission conferences in North America. The goal of the conference is to challenge and equip young adults to step into God’s mission. This rich history of mobilizing generations of students and young adults to serve Christ in every context will continue this December 2025.
The NAB has had the joy of partnering with our churches in participating in this shared experience for the past nine years. It is our desire to continue this tradition. If you or your church are planning on attending the Urbana 2025 missions conference, we want to join you in this journey.
Please let us know by filling out the form at the link below.
Let Us Know You'll be at urbana
If you have not yet made plans to send any of the 17- to 28-year-old leaders at your church to Urbana, we invite you to look into it. This is a life-changing missions conference that only happens every three years. You can learn more about Urbana at their website.
Blue Ocean is a transformative one-year learning experience. You’ll be part of a cohort that journeys together throughout the year, exploring what it means to join God on mission, be formed into the character of Christ, and dwell in your neighborhood – sharing and living out the Gospel. We meet three times a year in three different cities across the United States and Canada for multi-day retreats. Blue Ocean includes pastors, leaders, and regional ministers from across the NAB. Each cohort represents a cross-section of regions, church sizes, and ministry styles. The discussions are both encouraging and challenging.
Module 1 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Module 2 Location: TBD Module 3 Location: Medina, Ohio |
There is no cost for Blue Ocean, though participants are responsible for covering their travel and accommodation costs. All other costs are covered by the NAB. The deadline to apply is October 17.
Due to Canada Post once again going on strike, we invite all Canadian supporters of the NAB to take advantage of our electronic giving options:
Pre-authorized Giving
- This is a pre-authorized debit agreement between your bank account and the NAB. Funds will be withdrawn from your bank on the 20th of each month and can be directed to your chosen ministry. If you would like to set this up or adjust it, please contact Briana Eaton at beaton@nabconf.org.
Interac e-Transfer
- To give using Interac e-transfer please use this email address: givecanada@nabconf.org. Use the note field to give instructions on where your gift should be directed.
Online Giving
- Whether it is a one-time gift, or you would like to schedule a recurring donation, you can give online using our website – nabconference.org/give.
Text to Give
- Text any amount to (204) 400-2238. For more information on how to use this giving option, please visit nabconference.org/give/text-to-give.
Credit Card via Phone
- Contact Briana Eaton at (916) 797-6251.
Stocks & Securities
- Contact Betty Buchholz at (916) 886-2351.
For US residents, you can continue to use USPS as normal, though we also invite you to save time and a stamp by checking out all of the options above. Please note that and Interac e-transfer is only available in Canada and the US text-to-give number is (916) 249-0534.