Updates

2026 CABF Annual General Meeting (via Zoom)
September 28, 2026

This was a Zoom only meeting, scheduled for 7:00 pm Atlantic time to accommodate those at both ends of the country. The Zoom Room opened at 6:30 pm Atlantic Time for Registration of Individual Members and Church Delegates. 

The Agenda and reports supporting items on the Agenda continue to be available here or go to https://www.c-abf.ca/events/past-events/annual-general-meetings.

All Reports, including the Nominating Committee and the 2026-27 Budget were approved as presented.  To view any of the reports, just go to the Agenda for that item and click on the "here" hot link.

Special Project to Update the CABF Governance Structure

There has been a rapid expansion of the CABF in recent years, both with respect to the number and geographic distribution of individual members and member churches and the increase in the number of activities, such as the Cross Canada Conferences and contacts with other like-minded organizations within Canada and internationally.  The time had come to review the Association's governance structure, including the amended By-Law #2 and the Policy and Procedures Manual, to identify places where these documents can be updated and meet evolving needs.

At its November 13, 2024 meeting, Council unanimously approved the following motion: "That the Constitution and Governance Committee be given a mandate to do a thorough review of the needs of the CABF organization with regard to structure and governance and any necessary changes to the By-Laws, to position us to move forward as a national organization."

This project is now complete, including the adoption of a Special Resolution at a Meeting of Members on June 7, 2025 to replace the former By-Law #2 with an updated By-Law #3 and significant updating of our Council and Commitee structure.  For more detail on this project, please go to Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms - Constitution and Policies and scroll down the page to "Background to the Special Project to Update the CABF Governance Structure, including Development of By-Law #3 and Updating the Council and Committee Structure."

As part of the Special Project to Review the CABF Structure, a number of updates to the Policy and Procedures Manual have been developed by the Special Project Team and approved by CABF Council.  The latest Office Consolidation of the Policy and Procedures Manual, which includes changes approved up the Council Meeting on September 16, 2026 is available here. 

The Spring/Summer 2026 Edition of The Bulletin  is Still Available

 

Although the Fall 2026 Edition of The Bulletin has now been published (see here), the Spring/Summer 2026 Edition is still available here. 

Archived editions of The Bulletin dating back to March 1973 are available here (scroll down).

The Rev. Janet M. Anstead Has Been Appointed as the Next General Secretary of The Canadian Council of Churches  

After prayerful consideration and thoughtful discussion, the Governing Board of The Canadian Council of Churches is excited to announce that The Reverend Janet M. Anstead will assume the role of General Secretary, beginning September 1, 2026.

Rev. Anstead currently serves as a minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at Mapleton Church in Aylmer, Ontario. She has held various leadership roles within her denomination in Canada, including lifelong learning programs, search and ministry committees, a Pension Fund trustee in addition to acting twice as Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples in Christ) in Canada. Janet was a member of Christian Unity and Interfaith Ministry along with the Office of Disciples Women in the Disciples of Christ Church in Canada and the United States. She is a lawyer by training and profession.

Her ecumenical background includes serving on the Commission on Faith and Witness and the World Council of Churches Relations Committee of The Canadian Council of Churches. She was also a delegate to the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe, Germany. Janet served as President of the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada from 2010-2012.

Janet has defined her vocational journey as “a commitment to bridging diverse perspectives through leadership, theology, and law … [that has] equipped me with a unique skill set to navigate the complex administrative and spiritual challenges.”

“I have known and worked with Rev. Anstead for nearly two decades”, said Peter Noteboom, who is currently serving as General Secretary. “She brings a tremendous track record, theological insight, and professional commitment to advancing Christian unity and justice in Canada. The Canadian Council of Churches will be well served both by her personal leadership and the ecumenical traditions and commitments of her church community, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).”

Peter Noteboom will now transition to a part-time position as General Secretary Emeritus beginning September 1, 2026, with new responsibilities for fundraising and special projects.

A public Leadership and Commissioning Service will be planned and organized for the Fall.

Stay tuned for details!

July 21, 2026

(Note: The Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms and the Canadian Council of Churches are Partners in Ministry.)

Ordination Service for Rev. Jonathan Scarpuzzi

Following the decision of the Ordination Examining Council on Saturday, June 20, 2026, an Ordination Service was conduccted for Lic. Jonathan Scarpuzzi on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 1:00 pm.  The church he serves, Hillcrest Baptist Church in Saint John, NB, requested CABF to partner with them in the ordination process.

To find out more about this church, please visit https://www.hillcrestsj.ca/.

Ordination Service for Pastor Andrew Taylor

Lawrencetown United Baptist Church celebrated a service of ordination for Pastor Andrew Taylor on Saturday, May 23 at 2:00 pm.

To find out more about this church, please visit https://lubc.ca/.

Telling the Story of the CABF

Two videos have been produced to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms and its predecessor, the Atlantic Baptist Fellowship. Both videos are now on our CABF YouTube channel - watch and share them today!

CABF Voices - 5Oth Anniversary "Long"

CABF Voices - 50th Anniversary  "Short"

Letters to Members and Friends of the CABF

We encourage you to share these letters with those who you feel might be interested and to post them on your Church bulletin board.

If you have not received a copy of these letters in your personal email account and would like to receive future communications as soon as they are posted, just notify us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

--CABF Executive and Council

 

The September 3, 2026 email letter from our President, Rev. Hugh Kirkegaard with information about registration and Zoom login for the CABF Annual General Meeting is available here.

The August 31, 2026 email letter from the 2026 Cross Canada Conference Planning Committee with information about the Conference is available here.

The July 16, 2026 Letter to Members and Friends,with information about pensions and benefits for pastors, chaplains and church staff is available here.

The September, 2025 Letter to Members and Friends, with details of the schedule for CABF's Assembly, with guest speaker, Robert Seymour Wright and the Annual General Meeting to be held at First Baptist Church Amherst NS on October 3 and 4, 2025, is available here.

The May, 2025 Letter to Members and Friends is available here.

The January, 2025 Letter to Members and Friends is available here.

50th Anniversary Lapel Pins

Lapel pins to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ABF/CABF are available from the Treasurer at a cost of $10 each and can be obtained by sending an e-Transfer to cabftreasurer at gmail dot com (you know how to write that as an email address) and adding a name and mailing address in the “add a message” section of the e-Transfer or sending your request and a cheque to the Treasurer. 

When Dues are Due! 

CABF Individual Membership is on a twelve (12) month basis, so annual dues of $20 are due one year following your last payment date. For more information on membership click here.

Donations

 

You can donate to CABF through CanadaHelps.org - click on the image to the left. You will receive an immediate charitable receipt and your gift will be transferred to CABF.