The Effort Reunion is a grouping comprising all members of Effort Baptist Church who now live in the Diaspora, mainly in the United States of America. The primary objective of the Reunion is to keep the unity of the Church among those members & friends now in the Diaspora and to explore means of assisting with the work of the Church in Liberia. The civil war that started in Liberia on December 24, 1989 occasioned the relocation of many members of the Church to other parts of the world (even though a few of them, because of work and education, were already living outside of the Country). They organized themselves in a Union in 1997. The current Chairman of the Reunion is Bro. Joshua F. Cassel, Jr.
The Reunion’s first meeting took place at Shiloh Baptist Church, Washington D.C. from August 8-10, 1997. Rev. Eric L. David, 11th Pastor of Effort Baptist Church, presided in his capacity as first chairman of the Reunion. The Effort Reunion has made worthwhile contributions to her mother church in Liberia in the areas of Education, Evangelism, Relief, and Office Supplies (the Church School and her Foya Extension Ministry equally benefit).
As a part of the 2019 Annual Session of the Reunion, seven persons will receive awards in various areas of service to the church and humanity. Seven Awards were established in honor of seven members of Effort Baptist Church, namely (August 2019):
- Alexander Konkai Freeman Musical Excellence
* Caroline Nelson Barnard
- J.C.N. Howard Sr. Lifetime Achievement Award
* Lulu V. Marshall
- William Minor Humanitarian Award
*Saymendy Edwina Lloyd
- Eric L. David Sr. Leadership Award
*Dea. Jonathan E.M. Gibson
- Helen V. Summerville Education Award
*Dr. Ruth Wisseh Johnson
- John Alphanso D. Perkins Christian Service Award
*Edith V. McIntosh
- Theophilus D. Allen Sr. Empowerment Award
*Kanda E. George
In his message to this Annual Session, the President of the Reunion, Bro. Joshua F. Cassell, Jr., challenged both the Reunion and Effort Baptist Church Liberia to firstly revitalize their structural disposition and begin the conversation of reaching out to the membership and each other so as to reconnect to their core values and principles; have respect one for another which he said is pivotal for our forward march in a Christian cordial environment.
He considers as priority on his agenda, the following action points:
- Restoring the reunion’s initial nonprofit corporate status
- Identifying projects to be undertaken by the Reunion
- Solidifying relations further with the Effort Baptist Church Liberia
- Strengthening Regional engagements and leadership
- Constructing funding devices for yearly activity such as Capital Drive
- Moving the Reunion to having a through year organizational calibration
- Strengthening Home Pastors’ engagement in Reunion leadership schematic
- Having all administrative, fiscal & budgetary mechanisms activated
- Encouraging support for each other in the Reunion
- Fully updating the Reunion’s website
He closed by calling on members of the reunion actively engage in excellent teamwork which he described as the visible illustration of a people who are united with the same purpose