Adult Forum on Community Engagement

FIRST BAPTIST HOLDS SPECIAL FORUM The First Baptist Church of Bennington, VT, invites you to a special forum on Sunday, October 14, 2007, at 11 AM featuring Sue Andrews, interim manager of the Greater Bennington Interfaith Food & Fuel Fund. Andrews will speak about her experiences as the interim manager of this critical community support ministry of the Interfaith Council and offer opportunities for dialogue about the opportunities that faith communities offer to advocate and leverage change for those in need here in our area. Ms. Andrews appears as part of First Baptist's renewed commitment to religious education for all ages. Worship precedes at 9:30 AM with a special service in celebration of the ministry of the lay membership of the congregation. Childcare for ages six and younger is available during the worship service. The following week, October 21, features Albany, NY-based pediatrician Dr. Anthony Malone, speaking on his work with coordinating ecumenical and interfaith efforts to help children and families in need. Questions? Call 802/442-2105 or email fbpastor@sover.net

Folk Music Service on 9/30/2007

The First Baptist Church of Bennington, Vermont, invites you to a special worship service on Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 9:30 AM. Worship will feature folk musicians Dan and Jan Foss as they guide the worshippers through a rich tradition of worship less common on a Sunday morning. This service is celebrated on a big day for the Bennington community as folk legend Arlo Guthrie performs later that night in town.

Dan and Jan Foss are folk musicians who reside in the Baltimore, MD, area. As lay leaders in their ELCA Lutheran congregation, the Fosses bring a creative spirit to worship. Together, with the Rev. Stephen JC Williams, director of music at First Baptist, they developed New Sunday Dawn, a religious folk singing group in the late 1960s as part of the worship life of a military base. The group even produced a production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in the 1970s. After moving into the private sector, Dan Foss “never stopped playing his guitar, writing his own songs, and using his talents in the life of his church”, according to the Rev. Williams.

The First Baptist Church is located at 601 Main Street in downtown Bennington, Vermont. An American Baptist congregation, First Baptist can be visited online at www.fbcbennington.squarespace.com. The church may be reached at 802/442-2105 or fboffice@sover.net. The Rev. Jerrod Hugenot serves as minister.

Children in Poverty Worship Service

FIRST BAPTIST, BENNINGTON, TO HOST “CHILDREN IN POVERTY” WORSHIP SERVICE

The First Baptist Church of Bennington, Vermont, invites you to worship this Sunday, August 26, to participate in its “Children in Poverty” worship service. The morning message will be offered by congregants Lisa Flynn and Darcy Oakes, who attended the national Children in Poverty conference in Washington, DC, this past June. Worship is at 9:30 AM, followed by a time for coffee and fellowship afterwards.

During September and October, First Baptist will host a multi-week adult forum on the Children in Poverty Initiative, also led by Flynn and Oakes, during the congregation’s religious education hour, Sundays at 11 AM. A national emphasis of the American Baptist Churches/USA, the Children in Poverty Initiative challenges congregations to learn and engage issues of poverty affecting their community’s children. As part of its efforts to transition into a new chapter in its ministry, First Baptist is deepening its efforts to be involved more with the community, especially through this denominational emphasis.

A book on the Children in Poverty Initiative entitled Hope for Children in Poverty (Judson Press, $16) is available through the church office. You can contact the church office at 802/442-2105 or email fboffice@sover.net. To learn more about First Baptist, please visit www.fbcbennington.squarespace.com. The Rev. Jerrod Hugenot serves as the minister. -30-

Newsletter Now on Line

We are pleased to offer the monthly newsletter online. This newsletter features notes about church life, articles, recipes, and other wonderful things. Go to the link "download depot" to your left and then download the file entitled, "February Newsletter". If you have trouble downloading this file, please contact the office at (802) 442-2105.

New Adult Study

The First Baptist Church of Bennington, VT, is pleased to announce a winter bible study for adults. Participants will learn to read the Gospel of Luke through the book "Eating Your Way Through Luke's Gospel" by Robert Karris, a Franciscan monk and noted New Testament scholar. Karris' book traces the unique role of food, table fellowship, and Jesus' teachings in Luke's Gospel. The group will read the book alongside the Gospel of Luke and meet weekly to discuss the questions raised by reading this book. Starting January 22, the book study meets at 2 PM on Tuesdays at the church (601 Main Street in Bennington). Starting February 6, another group will begin on Tuesday evenings at 7 PM. Copies of the Karris text may be purchased through the church for $9.

The study is facilitated by the Rev. Jerrod H. Hugenot, minister of First Baptist. An ordained American Baptist minister, Rev. Hugenot has experience teaching adult religious education and served as an adjunct instructor for seminary courses in Christian theology. If you have questions, please contact the church office at 802/442-2105 or email fboffice@sover.net.