KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (ABNS 9/10/26)—American Baptist Churches USA announces Engage 2027: a welcoming opportunity for pastors, church leaders, seminarians, chaplains, and specialized ministers new to American Baptist Churches USA to connect at the 2027 Biennial Mission Summit, June 10–13, 2027, at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, New York. Engage seeks to engage and introduce persons new to ABCUSA, our partners, ministries, resources and opportunities available within our American Baptist Family.
Engage participants will take part in programming designed specifically for them while also joining the broader Biennial throughout the gathering.
Engage is designed to help participants:
- Build meaningful relationships within the American Baptist family
- Explore ministry, mission, evangelism, and social justice opportunities
- Learn about resources available through ABCUSA and related organizations
- Meet denominational, region and caucus leaders
- Discover the diversity of gifts and skills within our family
- Understand and celebrate our interdependence, autonomy and collaborative strength
- Find places for connection, ministry involvement, and support
The Engage event will begin on Thursday, June 10, 2027, at noon, and will conclude on Sunday, June 13, 2027, with the close of worship at 8:30 p.m.
For all Engage participants, American Baptist Churches USA and its partners will graciously cover:
- Biennial Mission Summit registration fee
- Up to four (4) nights of housing, based on shared occupancy of two (2) Engage participants per room
- Special group meals
- In addition, seminarians may receive a travel reimbursement of $200 following the event
Your investment: A $100.00 registration fee is required now.
ABCUSA is delighted to welcome the Rev. Janell Bloem and Alexzandria Sanchez as co-facilitators for Engage 2027.
The Rev. Janell Bloem is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Boone, Iowa. She recently celebrated her 29th year in full-time vocational ministry and is grateful for the Lord’s strength and guidance every day. A lifelong American Baptist, Bloem fell in love with the Lord at Dayton Oaks Camp in Iowa, which was also where she began to develop her ministry and leadership skills. A graduate of the University of Sioux Falls and Sioux Falls Seminary, Bloem served as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Des Moines, Iowa, and then as Pastor at First Baptist Church of South Bend, Ind. Through God’s providence, Bloem and her family moved to Boone, Iowa, in 2014, where she has served as pastor ever since.
Alexzandria Sanchez serves as the Director of Scholarships, Ministerial Grants, and Emerging Leaders Initiatives with American Baptist Home Mission Societies. Sanchez is dedicated to changing lives through the remarkable gift of education. While bringing awareness to ABHMS’s many resources, she has been glad to build relationships with award recipients. She is actively involved in her community, advocating for social change and supporting justice-centered initiatives that provide resources and opportunities for underserved populations.
“I am excited that our co-chairs are sharing their gifts and experience with our American Baptist Family,” said Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain, general secretary of American Baptist Churches USA. “I am looking forward to the connections Engage participants will make during the 2027 Biennial Mission Summit and the pre-Biennial events. We want Engage participants to feel warmly welcomed, appreciated and encouraged to enrich our denomination with their gifts and testimonies of God’s grace.”
Invitations for ENGAGE will be shared once Biennial registration opens. To learn more information as it becomes available, visit www.abc-usa.org/engage.
Engage 2027 is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and build relationships within the American Baptist Churches community. For further details, reach out by email at Engage@abc-usa.org.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.