This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Lay Pastor Training Program and Atlantic Baptists are invited to a celebration event. Friday evening, September 24 will see Baptists from all over Atlantic Canada heading to Truro, Nova Scotia for a dinner and evening of music, testimonies, special recognitions, and a message from God’s Word.

In September 2000 the Lay Pastors Training Program was launched with twenty one students enrolled. Since that time, approximately 240 students have participated in the program at one level or another, with classes being held in Kentville, Moncton, Charlottetown, Truro, Bedford, Sussex, Lower Sackville, Centreville, Bridgewater, Salisbury, Yarmouth, and Saint John. Many graduates from the program are now serving churches of our Convention, thus fulfilling the mission of the program – the “encouragement, care and growth of churches in need of lay pastoral leadership”. We have good reason to celebrate what God has been doing.

The Celebration evening will take place at the Glengarry Best Western Hotel in Truro, NS on Friday, September 24. Events begin at 6:00 p.m. with a delicious turkey dinner being served at 6:30. The program for the evening will include special music by Marko Simmonds of Dartmouth, NS and an address by Rev. Dr. Peter Reid, Executive Minister of our Convention. There will be recognitions of people who are key players in the success of the program, as well as testimonies from Lay Pastors and from the churches that they serve. We hope that you will be able to come and celebrate with us. The invitation is open to all Atlantic Baptists.

Pre-registration for the event is required. You can register online or you can download a registration form to mail in to the Convention office. If you need more information please contact Jacqueline Derrah at jacqueline.derrah@baptist atlantic.ca or by phone at (506) 635 1922 ext. 115. For more information, visit our event page: www.baptist-atlantic.ca/departments/abmission/lptp2010.