First Baptist Church Rhode Island
The First Baptist Church is located in the small village of Wickford in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Wickford was established during the late 1630s by Rhode Island State’s founder Roger Williams. Williams purchased land from Canonicus who was the Native American chief of the Narragansett Indians from 1565 to 1647. The First Baptist Church is comprised of a religious community of Christians from all across the Narragansett Bay in Newport. It has over two hundred members who congregate regularly on Sundays during one hour-long service.
These services usually include Christian music, prayer and a short, but insightful, sermon from the church pastor who is an ordained American Baptist minister. The First Baptist Church community is made up of a diverse mix of members from different age groups and backgrounds. The Church also has a number of ministries which uphold their main purpose which is to “advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ”. They have a total of four ministries, which are Worship, Christian Education, Fellowship and Outreach.
The Ministry of worship’s primary objective is to introduce more people to God and to inspire them with His powerful influence. Since the early 1900s, the First Baptist Church has been a venue for worship and spiritual growth for the members of the community. Worship includes a brief sermon based on a bible reading, three hymns, prayers, and music by the church’s in-house choir. Every first Sunday, Communion is added to the ministry of Worship’s customary program.
The ministry of Christian education spreads the word of God to the community. The members of the ministry organize Sunday school classes where children are taught about the meaning and significance of the Bible. These classes, interactive as they are, are the perfect venues for Christian learning. The ministry of Fellowship was established in order to strengthen ties between members of the church. This reinforcing of relationships is done through a series of activities and events that are held all throughout the year. These events include the Annual Wickford Art Festival, regular church dinners, bible studies, and choir rehearsals.
The ministry of Outreach aims to serve and support missionaries and other people who do the Lord’s work. Over the years, the First Baptist Church’s ministry of Outreach has expanded to include devotees from all over the worlds. The Church holds fundraising events to support missionaries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America, and South America. The Church also gives a percentage of its funds to American Baptist National Ministries. These ministries lend leadership and administrative assistance to countless other churches in the United States. The First Baptist’s Church local ministry of Outreach is heavily involved in programs for feeding the hungry and in those for people who require special medical attention.