As a service of music, prayer, and praise, the service will feature Smedinghoff performing J.S. Bach’s Bach's Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor (BWV 542) in addition to the customary prelude, offertory, and postlude.  Fans of great organ music are especially invited to attend this worship service to hear Smedinghoff play one of Bennington’s finest organs.

The First Baptist Church is located at 601 Main Street in downtown Bennington, Vermont.  Endeavoring to be “a place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding”, this American Baptist congregation invites all persons to get involved with the ministry and mission of First Baptist.  More information can be found via www.fbcbennington.org or 802/442-2105. 

Following worship, coffee hour is offered afterwards in the Colgate Hall.  As part of the morning’s theme of supporting religious diversity, the coffee served comes from the Thanksgiving Coffee Company, a fair trade cooperative from eastern Uganda uniting Jewish, Christian, and Muslim coffee growers in economic and interfaith collaboration. The coffee is available locally through Congregation Beth El in Bennington, VT.  To learn more about this fair trade coffee, visit www.mirembekawomera.com. 

The First Baptist Church is located at 601 Main Street in downtown Bennington, Vermont.  Endeavoring to be “a place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding”, the church welcomes all persons to its worship service.  To learn more, visit www.fbcbennington.org or call 802/442-2105.

Come join us for breakfast before enjoying MayFest, which starts at 10am on Main Street outside the pancake breakfast. 

Breakfast is $6 for adults, $4 for children, or $20 for the whole family.  Tickets are available at the door or in advance from the First Baptist office (802) 442-2105.

All funds raised at this event benefit facility upgrades at First Baptist, whose congregation prioritizes its mission to be “a place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding.”  Your patronage of the pancake breakfast helps First Baptist in the effort to provide accessible and convenient space in downtown Bennington for non-profit organizations to help our community meet basic human needs:  healthcare access, disability advocacy, support of families, and other community and interfaith collaborative efforts.

“A place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding”, the First Baptist Church is located at 601 Main Street in downtown Bennington, Vermont.  To learn more, visit www.fbcbennington.org or join the church’s Facebook page. The Rev. Jerrod H. Hugenot serves as coordinating minister.

First Baptist is located at 601 Main Street in downtown Bennington, Vermont.  Worshiping at 9:30 AM Sundays, the congregation serves the area as “a place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding.” To learn more, visit www.fbcbennington.org, join the congregation’s FACEBOOK page, or call 802/442-2105.  The Rev. Jerrod H. Hugenot serves as coordinating minister.

The First Baptist Church of Bennington, Vermont, will hold its Christmas Eve service on Thursday, December 24, 2009, at 7 PM.  The service will feature familiar Christmas carols and scripture readings, including Luke’s beloved Nativity story, accompanying the church’s gradual lighting of the Advent candles and preparation to light the Christ candle at the service’s culmination.  The church minister, the Rev. Jerrod H. Hugenot will deliver the evening’s message:  “With truth and grace”.   

 Accompanying the service music will be Mo Rancourt, guest trumpeter, and Scott Smedinghoff, the church’s organist and director of music.  A freewill offering will be taken during the service to support First Baptist’s efforts to help local children in need.

The First Baptist Church is “a place for healing, community involvement, and spiritual grounding”.  An American Baptist congregation, First Baptist gathers weekly for worship at 9:30 AM, Sunday mornings.  For more information, visit www.fbcbennington.org, or follow the congregation’s work via FACEBOOK or Twitter.  Questions?  Call 802/442-2105 or email  fboffice@sover.net.

On Sunday, December 6, 2009, the First Baptist Church gathers for worship at 9:30 AM.  This Sunday marks the second Sunday of Advent, the season of preparation culminating with Christmas on December 25. The worship service will feature hymns, prayers, and proclamation centered on the prophetic tradition, anticipating the coming of Christ.  As part of the service, the congregation will observe the monthly communion, inviting all baptized Christians to partake in the Lord's supper.  An attended playroom is provided. 

This week also marks the second rehearsal for the children's Christmas program "Fumbly Bumbly Angels", to be presented on Sunday, December 13, at 5 PM, followed by a potluck dinner.

The First Baptist Church of Bennington, Vermont, is "a place for healing, community invovlement, and spiritual grounding". Learn more online via www.fbcbennington.org, FACEBOOK, and Twitter.  The church office may be contacted weekdays at 802/442-2105.  The Rev. Jerrod H. Hugenot serves as coordinating minister.

The potluck will welcome students from Southern Vermont College enrolled in the Comparative Religion course being co-sponsored by Interfaith Council this semester.  Opportunities to visit the Bennington Free Clinic, also located at First Baptist, will be offered. 

For more information, contact First Baptist 802/442-2105 or follow event updates via www.twitter.com/fbcbennington.

The event will be offered from 4 to 8 p.m. in Colgate Hall of First Baptist, which is located at 601 Main St.

"It’s kind of a hospitality opportunity," said Jerrod Hugeont, minister at the church, during an interview Wednesday. "It’s not an alternative to Halloween, it’s just a way of being friendly to the families in town."

On Elm Street where he lives, Hugenot said, "We see 300 families, and it’s great, you see a cross-section of town, and at the same time there’s the concern that a lot of parents have about safety."

Among other things, the event at First Baptist will provide trick-or-treaters a place to warm up and will emphasize safety.

"We’re going to do a safety quiz about safe trick-or-treating and also give out reflectors," said Alycia Post, director of the board of Christian Education, who came up with the idea with safety in mind. "We’re always looking to find different things to do; we look for the community’s needs."

Her daughter, Ivy Post, 2, interjected that she was going to dress as a cat for Halloween. Last year she dressed as Elmo.

Alycia Post said there will be contests, snacks, prizes and crafts -- and some candy, too. Several adults will supervise the event. Restrooms will be available.

Hugenot said the event, open to those of any faith or none, is part of the church’s wider effort to help the community and build capacity. This includes providing space in its facility for non-profits such as the Bennington Free Clinic.

"This is just a one-night-only initiative, it’s a way of providing welcome and hospitality," he said. "But it fits in to the overall of what we do here."

For more information, call the church at 802-442-2105.