Congregational Care
Care for one another is at the heart of Christian community.
Whether we face joy or sorrow, our church family commits to love cand care for one another. With both pastoral and lay leadership, we provide spiritual and physical care for one another through all of life’s ebbs and flows. Our pastors provide loving care to our church family through pastoral care, and our deacons provide spiritual care and leadership as ordained lay leaders of the church.
Pastoral Care
Our pastors at First Baptist care for the congregation through regular check-ins with members and regular attenders for their spiritual and physical wellbeing. Our pastoral staff, both Senior and Associate Pastors, visit homebound members, bringing connection with the church family and offering prayer and communion for them; they help people find relationship with Jesus and offer baptism; and they provide support through premarital counseling and grief care.
Our pastors also provide acute care for emergencies and crises in the life of our church family and community. If you are in need of care, please contact the church office to meet with one of our pastors.
Deacon Ministry
At First Baptist, deacons provide spiritual care and leadership to the congregation. “Deacon,” coming from the Greek diakonos, means “servant.” These faithful servants of Jesus provide leadership in worship and in pastoral care for our church family.
Deacons are ordained (set apart) for this work through a prayerful act of worship by the congregation. They serve three-year terms with one year respite between terms. Women and men who serve as deacons offer the following leadership to our church:
Worship Leadership
In worship, Deacons take part in sharing the elements of communion – sharing the bread and cup each Sunday or special service we partake of the Lord’s Supper together. Deacons welcome members and guests, and encourage us to connect as we meet together in the church building.
Family Care Groups
Deacons care for our church family by being entrusted with a list of families who take part in the worship and service of our church. Every active member and regular attender is assigned to a deacon care group. Our deacons reach out to these families through cards, phone calls, emails, and in-person visits regularly, offering prayer and support.
Through these connections, our church family is strengthened and feels the love and care of Christ. Deacons also offer pastoral care in the absence of a pastor, and each month, our deacons rotate to be “on-call” for all families of the church to assist the pastors in caring for the church family as they have need.