December 16, 2020: Before there was Santa Claus, Black Friday, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, and a partridge in a pear tree, there was the first Christmas. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity, willingly changed His address from Glory to the hot, dull dust of the earth. Philippians 2:7 explains, “[H]e gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position as a slave and was born as a human being.” But why? In John 3:16 Jesus explained, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Christ’s arrival on earth, His ministry, and sacrificial death for humanity’s salvation were the ultimate expressions of God’s love for humankind. It was God’s way of saying to us, “I love you so much that I want you to live with Me now and forever!” At Christmas many celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, but over-look what He came into our world to do. Both are parts of the same story. Oh, what wondrous love is this!
December 11, 2020: 
Advent is in full swing and even the current pandemic can’t stop it! Isn’t it wonderful how God always makes a way for His Word to go forth, for God’s people to worship, and be reminded that we are deeply loved? Through Jesus God revealed Godself to us, from His divine character to unconditional love. Through Jesus we can experience salvation and everlasting life, when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Through Jesus we see our human capacity to follow God, reflect His will and ways, and fulfill God’s plan for our own lives. Through Jesus we catch a glimpse of the resurrected life that awaits His followers in eternity. For John 3:16 tells us, “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Thank you, Jesus! You truly are the reason for this season.
December 2, 2020: Happy Advent! In this beautiful season that leads to Christmas day, Christians celebrate Jesus’ first coming as the Christ Child and anticipate His glorious return as King of kings and Lord of lords. The main theological theme of Christmas is the Incarnation, which means that God put on human flesh to physically be with humanity. God became like one of us to teach us and save us from the grip of evil in our world and the human heart. This Advent, FBC is exploring the various names that the Gospel writers gave Jesus, God Incarnate, in their accounts of the Christmas Story. Our sermons will help us better understand who Jesus was to 1st century Jews and who He is for us today. Last Sunday we focused on Jesus as our King. He is greater than any human President, more powerful than any political party, and His reign exceeds the borders of every nation. To receive Jesus as our King means to follow His commands, strive to follow His will, and offer our lives in service to Him. Christ is worthy of our highest devotion. He continues to be a source of Hope for our world and individual lives!
November 25, 2020: The Apostle Paul wrote “[L]et the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” (Col. 3:15). Even during this year of the Coronavirus pandemic, there are reasons to thank God. In addition to the ways that the Lord has helped us and our church in 2020, our greatest blessing is salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross, we don’t have to be enslaved to sin or fear of the future. Because of what Christ did, God’s love for us is not based on our performance; rather, our faith in His Son. Because of what Jesus did, when we physically die we will have eternal life. Here on earth we have access to God’s supernatural blessings. This Thanksgiving, let’s be sure to express our gratitude to God and others who’ve blessed our lives.
November 11, 2020: What tense weeks we had leading up to the recent elections in America. Political advertisements flooded mailboxes, voicemails, emails and social media. Threats, accusations and smear campaigns raised eyebrows and blood pressures. In the midst of it all, the number of Covid-19 cases rose to an all-time high. But Almighty God brought us through. I believe He will continue to do that as we seek His guidance and keep serving as His channels of light, love and grace in our world. As Christians, we are supposed to be different not only in our thoughts and perspectives but our actions. In His Sermon On the Mount Jesus told His followers: “You are the light of the world…[L]et your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Mt. 5:14, 16). How can you and I be a source of light, healing, and hope at this post-election time?
November 4, 2020: Gov. Gina Raimondo has asked faith leaders in Rhode Island to help stop the spread of Covid-19 by not holding onsite services for at least 2 weeks. She recommended online services because trends show that people who’ve met in some religious gatherings are accounting for 13-30 of new Coronavirus cases each week. The transmission of Covid-19 is NOT happening during services; rather in informal gatherings after services, at workplaces, sports events, house parties and other places. Too many people are letting down their guard by not wearing masks and practicing social distancing when they are around others who they feel comfortable with. So what can we do to help slow this trend? Here are several suggestions: 1. Make a list of 10 people you need to see (family members included) and only hang around them. 2. Wear a mask when you’re around anyone who does not live in your household. 3. Wear a mask for 1-on-1 meetings when in person. 4. Stand or sit at least 6 feet from others. 5. Go straight home, instead of standing together talking before or after services and events. Let’s take the right steps now, so we and others will be healthier and safer in the long run. “[L]et’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up,” states Galatians 6:9.
October 28, 2020: Tuesday November 3 is Election Day in America. Many have already cast their ballots by mail or in-person for presidential, congressional, state and local candidates running for government offices. Why should Christians take the time to vote? Because although we live in God’s Kingdom and according to His principals such as peace, love and righteousness; we also live in a natural world that’s governed by human authorities. Therefore, we have the opportunity to vote for leaders whose principles reflect God’s values. God’s Word helps us gauge right from wrong, and just from unjust when it comes to the character of leaders. That’s important because the peace and prosperity of our towns, cities, states and nation are impacted by who sits in seats of authority. So let’s vote as we’re able because of our faith, not in spite of it.
October 21, 2020: Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…you will find rest for your souls” (Mt. 11:28-29). Lately I have heard complaints from many people. They are tired and frustrated, and rightfully so. The last 8 months have stretched us and tested our faith. A number of us are mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. Let’s remember that there is a well we can go to for help that never runs dry. There, Jesus offers us supernatural rest and refreshing. Sit still in His presence. Ask the Lord to replace your burdens with peace, your weakness with strength and despair with hope. “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But…everything is possible with God” (Mk 10:27).
October 14, 2020: The scripture James 4:8 urges, “Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you.” As we continue to live in this time of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus and the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election, let’s find peace and assurance by seeking and spending intentional time with the Lord. Toward that end, the following are several free resources that can help us do that. For more information about them click the green links.
- Resources for Spiritual Wellness in Anxious Times. This link connects you with digital devotionals, videos, eCourses, podcasts, etc. that can be accessed free of charge.
- September/October issue of The Upper Room PDF File. This company has made this link available to its subscribing churches, including FBC.
- American Baptist Women’s Ministry Zoom Spiritual Retreat this Saturday, October 17, 1 – 3 pm. It will include a wonderful time of Bible Study, the sharing of faith testimonies, music and a time for reflection. The theme for this free event is “Are You Your Old Self?” In these uncertain times, many have been asking this question! Click the link above to learn how you can register.
September 30, 2020: In this season of political and social upheaval, it is essential to ground ourselves in God’s Word. Jesus, our Lord, provides us with instructions for wise and godly living in what is known as The Sermon on the Mount. This collection of some of His most important teachings is found in Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. This fall we will explore them in our live Sunday sermons and Zoom Bible Study. Let’s take in, chew on, savor and apply the teachings of Christ, using them as a guide for our lives and relationships with others. For Jesus called His followers to a higher standard when He told them, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14a). In the midst of these dark times, let’s shine the light and love of God!
September 16, 2020: This Sunday is RALLY DAY at our church! We will worship in the Sanctuary where everyone will be required to wear masks and socially distance themselves from people outside their family groups. In the last several weeks we have tested our safety protocol and continued to work out glitches to ensure a joyful RALLY DAY. It will be different from previous ones. Instead of Sunday School registration before the service, our teachers will meet with parents and children right after worship to talk about the safest way to hold Sunday School classes this fall. Hope you’ll join us! If you can’t, you can access an audio-recording of the sermon on our web site’s homepage.
September 9, 2020: By God’s grace, FBC’s soft reopening Sunday went fairly smoothly. The audience was smaller than usual, as expected, and we had a few minor glitches. But those present seemed happy to be in the service. We practiced Rhode Island safety protocols from beginning to end. Special thanks to everyone who helped with the setup and served on that day. My only regret is not being able to livestream the service as planned. The equipment purchase and setup have taken longer than expected.
Hopefully, livestreaming will be able to happen by Rally Day, September 20. In the meantime, if you would like to hear our Sunday sermons, visit our web site’s home page and click a link near the top. It will take you to an audio-recording of the sermon. We look forward to when our entire service will be available online again.
September 2, 2020: “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy…Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name” (Ps. 100: 1-2, 4). Let’s do that when our church reopens for worship this Sunday, September 6, 10:30am. Some things will be the same and others different as you can see in our reopening protocols in the right column. We will need to discover new ways to greet and express our love to one another. For now, no more hugs, kisses or hand holding; nor post-service hospitality hours in the Fellowship Hall. But we can still worship God together and embrace the joy and comfort of His presence and one another’s. With God’s help we will do what we need to until all protocols can be safely lifted. The Lord has carried us this far and will see us through!
August 26, 2020: On Sunday September 6, FBC resumes onsite Sunday worship services at 10:30 am. We will follow all state recommended protocols for gathering and are counting on all of us to work together to keep everyone safe. Thank you to all persons and boards that enabled FBC to continue to minister in the 5+ months we didn’t use our building. Since mid-March we continued to offer vibrant worship services online; prayer meetings by conference call; Bible Study by Zoom last spring; food pantries in April, May and June; and outreach through calls, cards, and flowers. We’re also grateful to our Reopening Committee, which developed our strategic plan to reopen our building to FBC members and other groups. May God richly bless you!
August 19, 2020: During our online services the past two Sundays, I preached a 2-part sermon on The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:7-13. Many of us know this prayer by heart since we say it in worship each Sunday. But some may not understand the meaning of its words. In this simple but powerful prayer Jesus gave us a model for asking God to be the Lord of our lives and our world. The prayer also asks God to guard us from anything that might interfere with His Lordship and will for our lives. That’s important because God is truly the source of all that we ultimately need for a healthy, fruitful and blessed life. Let’s remember this and be encouraged as we pray.
August 12, 2020: Thank you to all FBC members and regular visitors who participated in our church’s recent Reopening Survey. Praise God for our Administrative Assistant for doing the outreach needed to gather survey results. Forty-two persons were contacted and 30 responses were received. Your results provided vital insight regarding when you want to return to services at our church and what your concerns are about returning. FBC’s leaders took all of this into consideration when determining how to proceed. This information is included in our church’s August 12th E-Update’s happenings.
August 5, 2020: In his book Rest in the Storm, Rev. Dr. Kirk Byron Jones cited a famous pianist who was asked, “How do you handle the notes as well as you do?” He responded, “I handle the notes no better than any others; but the pauses……Ah! That is where the art resides.” Not only can there be great art in a pause, but also a lot of peace and strength. Jesus often took time to pause in the midst of His ministry. That was critical to the art and rhythm of His ministry. In reading the gospel accounts, we discover that Jesus would minister, then spend time alone with God in prayer (Mt. 14:23, 26:36, Mk. 6:46, Lk. 6:12-13). One Gospel writer wrote: “Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Lk 5:16). As hard as He worked, He also paused to be alone with God. He understood that without the pause, He couldn’t minister – at least not well. This pattern of working and resting in God is a model for us, not only in our church ministries but in our lives. Before we head into a new season – physically, mentally or virtually – let’s take time to pause and find refreshment in the Lord. Aaahhhh.
July 29, 2020: “[L]et us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Many of us are tired of wearing face masks, social distancing, and working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s been tough not knowing when or if we’ll be able to resume “normal” activities. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that to endure we must stay focused on Jesus. What are ways we can do that? Personal and group Prayer lets us honestly express our feelings to God and receive spiritual support. Bible reading and reflection gives us wisdom and encouragement for each day. Listening to Worship music refreshes our spirit and reminds us how much greater God is than our problems. Service to others in Jesus’ name shifts our focus to the needs of others and off of ourselves. If you’re not doing so already, try one or more of these strategies. Let’s endure!
July 22, 2020: Relationships are the heartbeat of Christian life, including our personal connection with God and other believers. For many, one of the greatest challenges of this season of Covid-19 has been having to socially distance from loved ones, including our FBC family. While we’ve been blessed with technologies that enable us to communicate by phone, email, Facetime, Zoom, and other virtual platforms, they’re not the same as greeting someone or sharing an experience in-person, even if standing 6 feet away! How can we continue to build “community” in this time apart? Are there ways that FBC can help you feel connected to our church members beyond the online services, Wednesday prayer calls, pastoral care calls and greeting cards we offer? Please share your thoughts and let’s stay connected.
July 15, 2020: The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word sabbāt, which means to “rest and cease.” In Jewish culture, the Sabbath is a slice of time – the seventh day of the week – which God set apart as holy because that was “when [God] rested from all his work in creation,” (Gen. 2:3). The Jewish Sabbath lasts 6:00 pm Friday to 6:00 pm Saturday. But early Christians chose Sunday for their Sabbath since that was the day of Jesus’ Resurrection. Sabbath is a sacred day of rest from ordinary work and cares of the world. It enables us to focus on God through worship, prayer, Bible reading and Creation, and to be spiritually refreshed as a result. During this time of Covid-19, how are you celebrating the Sabbath? Do you participate in our online worship services, mid-week Prayer Call, personal Bible reading, or in other ways? The Sabbath experience is a foretaste of Eternal Life – the “special rest still waiting for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9-11). Let’s take time to enjoy the Sabbath and find refreshing in the Lord.
July 1, 2020: Summer is finally here! May our pace slow down and our spirit find new ways to rest and be revived in the Lord. While we may not be able to do all of the activities we normally do this season, there are plenty of things that we can do. But let’s remember to take precautions at this time of Covid-19. Medical expert Dr. Emily Landon at the University of Chicago School of Medicine echoed other specialists when she advised: “Always choose outdoors over indoor, always choose masking over not masking, and always choose more space for fewer people over smaller space” (NPR, 5/23/20). May you and your loved ones have a blessed and safe Fourth of July holiday!
June 24, 2020: First Baptist Church of Pawtucket’s leaders are in the final stage of developing our church’s reopening plan. This has not been an easy process but much thought, discussion and prayer has been invested for the safety of our members and visitors, as well as other groups that use our church building. Like many other houses of worship, we are eager to return to former activities but recognize that “some things take time” and the current times call for a “new normal.” We thank you for your patience and support with this process. As Romans 12:12 advises, “Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.” Let’s continue to lift up one another in all of these ways.
June 10, 2020: We hope that FBC’s online Sunday worship service, midweek Prayer conference call and late spring Bible Study are helping you to stay spiritually grounded, encouraged and connected this season. Last Thursday, I was blessed to be able to participate in The RI State Council of Churches’ Prayer Vigil at the RI State House. The Spirit of the Lord was there and at work in a powerful way. I believe God is currently moving in ways that we cannot see or imagine to bring deep healing and transformation to our nation and world. Whenever you may feel discouraged or afraid, remember Romans 8:28 which says: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” May that promise give you hope!
June 3, 2020: We are living at an unprecedented time, one in which we are called as Christians to stay spiritually grounded and to follow the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, with great intention. Many people in our communities, state and nation are hurting in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and tipping point events that have further revealed the depth of racial injustice and division in our nation. In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). In these times, how can we as individuals and as a church reflect the peace of Christ and be peacemakers?