wfn.org | ABCUSA: Haitian Alliance Celebrates 20 Years

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 6/20/03)--The Alliance of
the Haitian Baptist Churches is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this
year as "a voice inside American Baptist Churches USA."

According to Alliance Secretary the Rev. Duval Denis, "The participation of
the Alliance in the annual sessions, conferences, evangelism meetings and
the biennials of American Baptist Churches grows from year to year."	The
Alliances' representatives and musicians have taken part in Biennial
Meetings since 1997; this June 27-30 the Haitian Alliance Mass Choir will
perform at the 2003 Biennial Meeting in Richmond, Va.

Founded in 1983 with nine churches in New Jersey and New York, the Haitian
Alliance today includes more than 40 congregations throughout the U.S.	In
its church planting work, supported by National Ministries, the Alliance is
in the process of establishing new congregations in Mesa, Ariz., and
Nashville, Tenn.

The Alliance also has maintained a longstanding relationship with the
Convention Baptiste d'Haiti, and has undertaken humanitarian and social work
there.	Alliance representatives attend the annual congress of the
Convention, and a joint Alliance/CBH convention was held in April 2002 in
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dr. Julio Laporte, pastor of Bethel Haitian Baptist Church, East Orange,
N.J., is national coordinator of Haitian Ministries for American Baptist
National Ministries. The Rev. Jean-Francoise Verdier, associate pastor of
First Ft. Lauderdale Evangelical Haitian Mission Church, Ft. Lauderdale,
Fla., is Haitian Ministries consultant for National Ministries New Life
Florida initiative.  The Rev. Stephenson Doirin, pastor of Haitian Bethel
Baptist Church, Newark, N.J., is a member of the American Baptist General
Board. Dr. Edgard Nicolas, pastor of Haitian Baptist Church at the
Crossroads, East Orange, N.J., is president of the Haitian Caucus of
American Baptist Churches USA, as well as area minister for Haitian
Ministries within American Baptist Churches of New Jersey.  The Rev. Duvales
Cineus, pastor of Eglise Baptiste de la Communion Fraternelle, Brooklyn,
N.Y., is associate minister for Haitian Ministries of American Baptist
Churches of Metro New York.  The Rev. Morales Saintilus, pastor of Haitian
Baptist Church Ebenezer, Westbury, N.Y., is chair of ABC of Metro New York's
Nomination Committee.

American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley,
at that time executive minister of ABC of New Jersey, was part of a
delegation to Haiti in July 2000 that included American Baptist regional
staff and Alliance representatives.  "During my years as executive minister
in New Jersey, I had the great privilege of often experiencing first-hand
the Christ-centered energy and outreach of the Alliance and its
congregations in New Jersey.  The commitment and growth in those churches
was an inspiration and model for everyone in the region and indeed for the
entire American Baptist family." 

K/2003ABNS/03ABN84

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org