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Holiday Hours for Your Pre- and Post-Thanksgiving Festivities
Monday 11/248am-8pmTuesday 11/258am-8pmWednesday 11/26CLOSEDThursday 11/27CLOSEDSaturday 11/298am-12pmSaturday 11/298am-12pmSunday 11/3011:30am-2pm
Engaging the Holidays!
Looking for some festive plans to help kick off the holiday season? On Friday, December 5, our Engaged Aging Lunch & More gathering will feature a Christmas sing-along with classic favorites and a few fun twists. We begin at 10:30am with Games & More and Book...
Celebrate Advent at MidWeek@First this December
Mark your calendars for two special Wednesday night gatherings in December! On Wednesday, December 3, all adults are invited to our MidWeek Gathering for Hope and Healing in the Fellowship Hall at 6pm. We will dedicate time to reflection and prayer, acknowledging the...
From the Senior Minister (November 17, 2025)
Our theme for the year is Invited, based on Romans 15:7: “So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!” Each of us has an important role to play in creating a spirit of hospitality here at First Baptist: inviting people to church,...
Stephen Ministry Training Program
The Stephen Ministry is an international Christian caregiving program where trained laypeople (Stephen Ministers) provide one-on-one, confidential care to individuals experiencing difficult times. It’s a way for members of our congregation to offer support to those...
Ministry Through the MinisTREE
MinisTREE, which is our Christmas giving program that supports United Ministries families in their supportive housing program, has officially begun! This is a great way to help our neighbors experience Christmas as a family during a period of housing uncertainty....
Advent Poinsettias
The First Sunday of Advent is November 30. As a faith family, we will celebrate the symbolism of the decorations in our Sanctuary during the Hanging of the Green Service that morning. Don’t miss this meaningful service! To prepare, the Flower Guild is scheduling...
The Healing Power of Our Tears
“Time heals all wounds” ain’t in the Bible; it’s just an old saying that needs revision. Like the love we feel, we don’t ever “get over” our grief like a head cold! However, the sharpness of the pain eases when we express and share it, learn new ways to carry and...
Embracing a “Winter Arc” of Personal Growth
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, many people begin to slow down and settle into the cozy rhythms of winter. But a new movement spreading across the country offers a refreshing invitation: to use this season not just for rest, but to kickstart the new...
Realm Reminders—Registration Events
Realm is FBG’s updated church member database, replacing Engage First and the ChurchLife app. Realm has so many great tools, and one that we are especially excited to highlight this month is the Registration Events feature! Registration Events allow you to more easily...
From the Senior Minister (November 10, 2025)
A few weeks ago, I preached about Christian character development and how growth happens as we come to know ourselves—our personalities, gifts, particular temptations, and flaws. I mentioned that when I get stressed, my natural response is to move fast and get things...
The Branch—November 10, 2025
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Grand (re)Opening of Our Children’s Ministry Hallway!
After months of dreaming, designing, and transforming, our Children’s Ministry Hallway is ready to welcome our FBG Kids, and all of you, into a beautiful, reimagined space! You’re invited to join us for the Grand (re)Opening on Sunday, November 9. The fun begins...
Church Conferences—Why Bother?
Although the church body gathers in worship each Sunday morning, Church Conferences are times for the church body to gather to help conduct the work of the church. Church Conference minutes are stored in our safe room and serve as the historical reference points for...
From the Senior
My birthday is coming up on November 6, and this year I would love to celebrate in a meaningful way. I invite you to bring canned fruit for the United Ministries food pantry! FBG collects canned fruit year-round, but the need is about to grow dramatically. As you may...
The Branch—November 3, 2025
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The MinisTREE Returns!
It is, once again, time for one of FBG’s favorite holiday traditions: the MinisTREE! During the month of November, you will see a Christmas tree in the Reception Area filled with numbered paper ornaments. Each ornament will have a gift request for one member of...
Care for Our College Students This Fall
The time has come for our annual College Care Packages! Each year, we pack up goodies that the congregation has donated and ship them to students so that they arrive right in the middle of finals. This is a great way for us to continue supporting the undergraduate and...
New MidWeek Classes Begin October 29
Our next round of Wednesday courses begins this week (October 29) and runs through November 19. MidWeek Supper is served from 5 to 6pm in the Fellowship Hall, followed by these learning options from 6 to 7pm. MidWeek Classic: Martyrs of Solidarity: Challenge and Grace...
You Don’t Need to Be Fixed
When you are in pain, you don’t need to be fixed. You don’t need to be labeled as broken, your feelings shoved into codified lists or prescribed stages. You don’t need to be pushed to get better fast. What you need are those things, those people, those places, those...
The Branch—October 27, 2025
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It’s Time to Decorate for Advent and Christmas!
Can you believe it? Advent begins next month! Our Flower Guild is scheduling workdays to get our worship space and exterior of our building festive for the season. Orders for wreaths and poinsettias have deadlines that are quickly approaching. As a faith family, we...
Celebrating a Year of FBG Hikes
A little over a year ago, our Engaged Aging ministry, with the help of Ralph Bouton, began taking hikes on the second Thursday of the month and inviting our church family and friends to join us. Over the year, our hikes have included places like Bearwallow Mountain,...
FBG Food Service Update
The Uptown Company, formerly Uptown Catering, led by Michael and Carol Rosensteel, has provided food service to our church family and adjacent events for more than 12 years. Michael and Carol Rosensteel have decided to close the business, and we are thrilled that they...
Lula Whilden World Missions Offering
First Baptist not only directly ministers to those in need but also supports the ministry of others in many ways, from the local level to the global. One specific resource for this ministry is our Lula Whilden World Missions Offering, which supports the field...
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