A progressive and welcoming Christian community!
Office Manager: Pat Haight
Communication Associate: Alena Dillon
HCP Director: Andrew DeFranza
HNS Director: Jessie Vogel
Business Manager: John Thomson
Join Us On Sunday at First Baptist Church in Beverly!
Sunday, April 15, 2018
9:30 a.m.: Adult Education (childcare provided)
-Adult Bible Study: We are studying Paul's letter to the church in Galatia. Led by Beth Loughhead. We meet in the Mary Kuell room.

-Faith Journey: Led by Kent Harrop and Gloria Stoneham. We will explore what Jesus teaches about
developing a meaningful, balanced life of prayer and reflect on our own experience with prayer...what works, what doesn't. New participants welcome! We meet in the staff conference room (main floor).

-Mae Patten: Led by Andrea Stackpole, this class studies the Scripture and other books, and discusses how it applies to our lives. We meet in the lounge.

11:00 a.m.: Worship
(& Multiage Children's Class)

Now More Than Ever
Rev. Julie Flowers




12:00 p.m.: Music Committee

4:00 p.m. - Middle School Fellowship

6:00 p.m. - Senior High Fellowship
This Week at FBC!
Friday, April 13
6:00-8:30 p.m. - Parents' Night Out

Saturday, April 14
12:30 - Lunch Program

Sunday, April 15
9:30 a.m. - Adult Education
11:00 a.m. – Worship & Multiage Children's Class ( Rev. Julie Flowers, preaching )
12:00 p.m. - Music Committee
4:00 p.m. - Middle School Fellowship
6:00 p.m. - Senior High Fellowship

Monday, April 16
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
6:00 p.m. - Monday Night Supper

Tuesday, April 17
9:30 a.m. - Staff Meeting
12:30 p.m. - Lunch Program

Wednesday, April 18
7:15 p.m. - Harborlight Ringers
7:30 p.m. - Trustees Meeting

Thursday, April 19
6:00 p.m. - Celebration Ringers
7:45 p.m. - Sanctuary Choir

Friday, April 20
1:00 p.m. - Book Group

Saturday, April 21
12:30 p.m. - Lunch Program
Ministerial Schedule Next Week: Beth Loughhead will attend the Women Minister’s Colloquium in San Diego, leaving the afternoon of April 15. At the end of the colloquium, she will go to the University of Redlands to help Matt pack up his dorm before his trip to Cambodia, where he will participate in a May term class. She will return late in the evening on April 24.  Julie Flowers will attend the Women Minister’s Colloquium from April 18-21.  Kent Harrop will be in Nicaragua for a meeting of the AMOS board from April 18-22. 

In their absence, John Thomson will have the emergency phone: 978-810-4355. If there is a pastoral emergency, our neighbor, Rev. Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson of First Parish, has graciously agreed to be on call. 
April 22-29 is the next week for Family Promise. We want to thank everyone who has volunteered for this vital mission. We really appreciate your time and help! Special Requests: We would appreciate any volunteers who can help with setup at 12:15pm on Sunday the 22nd and breakdown on Sunday the 29th at 7:30 a.m.  We also ask anyone to consider doing an overnight shift, which is our greatest need. We have 11 slots open, as well as a few host slots open. Here is the handy signup link:   http://signup.com/go/JadYmKt .
Friday, April 13 from 6 :00-8:30 p.m.
Drop the kids with us! Julie Flowers and an amazing team of volunteers lead a fun and interactive evening of songs, art projects, and faith stories, all from a progressive Christian perspective—plus we provide dinner! Everybody has a blast. You deserve time to yourself!
Book Group April Meeting
Friday, April 20 at 1:00 p.m.
The Book Group has selected the novel A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline for discussion. The author, who also wrote bestselling The Orphan Train , uses her imagination and research to re-create the world of Christina Olson, the model and inspiration for Andrew Wyeth’s most popular painting, “Christina’s World.” Although Christina’s world appears small, in that she she has physical handicaps and lives on a small farm in a tiny seacoast town in Maine, she became the subject of one of the best-known American paintings of the twentieth century. Book Group is open to new members!
Art Reception at FBC
Wed. April 25 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Come to the opening art reception of Mayonashia Kim Jones at FBC. Her installation of over two hundred prints will be available to view. There will be refreshments as well as art for sale. Jones is a student at Montserrat College of Art. Her work reflects the imprisonment of African Americans as well as identity issues within the jail system, including being called by an inmate number rather than a name. The installation will be on display downstairs from April 25 to May 2.
Men’s Fellowship Gourmet Dinner
Saturday, April 28 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Chef extraordinaire Ron Brennan will be hosting a dinner for the men of FBC at his home, 6 Baker Ave, Beverly. Menu: Lobster Ravioli with Bisque Sauce; Black Bean Sauté, Airline Chicken Breast, Brazilian Rice, and Sweet Treats Chocolate Cake. Beverages provided by Riverwalk with soft drinks too. Ronnie is a great cook and host. We are limited to the first 20 men to sign up (feel free to invite a friend). RSVP to Ron Brennan at [email protected] , or Kent Harrop at  [email protected].
Tidal Shift Workshop
Sunday, April 29 at 12:00 p.m.
Join us after service for a free art-making workshop to help create a public art installation! Tidal Shift is a community project that communicates the negative impact of plastic bag pollution in our oceans through large scale participatory public art installations. We create jellyfish from USED plastic bags to understand how marine life mistake plastic bags for food. This leads to the widespread ingestion of harmful plastic by sea creatures. Tidal Shift will be showcased at Beverly Arts Fest on June 16th.
Women's Fellowship Retreat
April 27-29
Now More Than Ever: Joy! will be the theme for the Spring women's retreat that is open to all women and friends of the church. The retreat will be held at Grotonwood Camp and Conference Center and the cost is $0 thanks to a generous donor. Sign up in the church office or by emailing Beth Loughhead. We'll be staying in the camp's brand new Prescott Lodge. Register by Friday the 13th!
Hallelujah Farm Retreat
June 8-10
Hallelujah Farm is a restored 17th century farm and retreat center set in the hills and meadows of Chesterfield, NH. It is a quiet place to find peace in contemplation, strengthen friendships, feed your soul with the beauty of natural surroundings and enjoy the slower pace of country life. Special music by John DeNardo on acoustic guitar. Your FBC Spiritual Life Team is hosting this event. Limited to 20 people. Contact Kent Harrop or Bryan Vosseler to reserve your place. Cost is $225 per person for two nights with comfortable lodging, six delicious meals, and a great program. Sliding scale is available to ensure affordability. To learn more about Hallelujah Farm, visit their website .
Project Bread's Walk For Hunger
Saturday, May 6
Project Bread, which has provided grants for our Monday Night Supper and lunch programs for years, is holding its 50th annual walk for hunger. Beth Loughhead and Karen Ansara will be volunteering at checkpoint #6, the Cambridge Boat House, from 2:30–5:00pm, and welcomes anyone who would like to go with them. Brian Gregory will be doing his 20th walk. You can donate to his efforts here.
Strides for Service
Saturday, May 12
Registration is open for Strides for Service, a family-friendly raffle run/walk in downtown Beverly. Collect a ticket for each completed loop, then use your tickets to enter a raffle for a chance to win over 30 awesome prizes. Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome. Register today at stridesforserviceeventbrite.com and you can also find us on Facebook .. This event will support the local, national and worldwide service outreach of FBC. All proceeds from this event will go toward bringing volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of people in need.
We are beginning to prepare for this special Sunday, where children and youth will lead worship, and we want to make sure that AS MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE get a chance to participate and share their talents, voices, skills and gifts. We will be rehearsing ALL UPCOMING SUNDAYS, during our Multiage Class time (during the 11:00 a.m. service). We will also be adding a few additional meetings/rehearsals as we get closer to the date. Please email Julie at [email protected] and let her know if your child(ren) would like to participate or help with this special event.

There will also be a baby dedication that Sunday. If you have a baby/child you would like dedicated, please contact Julie Flowers .
Welcome Class Forming
This class is for those new to FBC who want to learn more about this congregation, our values, and dreams, or are interested in membership. Bring your questions and meet some nice people. Class meets for four 90-minute sessions beginning late April at a time convenient to participants. Email or speak with Kent if you’re interested in attending.
Church Planning Retreat
A cross section of the congregation gathered on April 7 for an energetic morning of planning. The question we explored:’What do we sense God would have FBC do and become over the next 2-3 years?’ The Church Council and ministers will use the many creative ideas as a guide for setting priorities. Stay tuned for more details!


Neiland Douglas
Honored By HCP
FBC member Neiland Douglas received a singular honor at the annual Board meeting of Harborlight Community Partners last week. After more than 50 years as one of the primary movers in making affordable housing happen at FBC, Neiland has stepped down from the Board of HCP. Mayor Cahill attended Neiland’s final meeting and took the floor to express his great respect and gratitude for Neiland’s work on behalf of our neighbors who need homes and for all he has done for the city of Beverly, too. He then presented Neiland a key to the City of Beverly, noting both the rarity of that gift and the certainty that Neiland would continue to contribute significantly to the life of our city. Board members also expressed their gratitude for Neiland’s accomplishments. Priscilla attended the meeting after finishing her Deacon duties at the Maundy Thursday service and was also lifted up by the Mayor for her partnership with her husband. It was a lovely celebration of what a difference one person can make in the lives of so many.
First Baptist Church in Beverly | 978-922-3295 | Email| Website