FBC Supporting Chaplain Carita Brown with Prayer and Care

Air National Guard Chaplain Carita Brown

The Mission Team is happy to introduce to the FBC family Air National Guard Chaplain Carita Brown. In June of this year, Charlie Reynolds, Associate Endorser for Military Chaplains for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (and a friend and former member of First Baptist Church), reached out to FBC’s Mission Team with an invitation to sponsor Chaplain Brown through prayer and care. Mission Team members Rochelle Howard and Hollin Dwiggins are serving as FBC points of contact for Chaplain Brown.

Carita will be in worship this Sunday and FBC will pray for her as she prepares for deployment.

Rev. Dr. Carita Brown has been a chaplain in the Air National Guard since 2008 and currently serves at the 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW).

In this capacity, she exercises spiritual leadership at the 193rd SOW by providing pastoral care and opportunities for religious expression, advising leadership, conducting worship services, arranging coverage for all faith groups, fostering morale, and engaging in visitation ministry. She provides ministries and sacraments for 23 units at three separate locations. She leads and coordinates Strong Bonds Retreats, facilitates trainings at Yellow Ribbon Events, and participates in community outreach.

Rev. Brown currently serves on the Coordinating Council for Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. She holds a Doctor of Ministry, a Master of Divinity, a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Psychology, and is a Certified Project Management Professional.

Red Cross Blood Drive - Wed, Oct 25 10am-3pm

Volunteer to give blood or help others give; 10:00 am - 3:00 pm in Fellowship Hall.

College basketball player Ashley Owusu credits a blood transfusion with saving her life after a mononucleosis diagnosis while playing for the University of Maryland (she transferred to Virginia Tech this year). Tests revealed Owusu’s iron levels in her blood to be dangerously low. While most people feel better after one transfusion, Owusu’s iron levels were so low that she needed eight transfusions. “I never really knew how much of an impact blood donors can have and how important it is," says Owusu, who now serves as an ambassador for the American Red Cross. Owusu is using her platform as a college athlete by sharing her story in a video promoting the importance of giving blood.

Please sign up here.

Autumn & Advent Preview

"O taste and see how good God is..."
Psalm 34:8


The months ahead at First Baptist Church bring a host of opportunities to worship, grow, give, and connect as we open ourselves to God and one another.


OCTOBER

World Communion Sunday
Sunday, October 1

In conjunction with other Christian communions and believers worldwide, we participate in communion to recognize our unity in Jesus Christ. Benevolence offering and potluck lunch after worship.


Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 8


Join Pastor Julie on Zoom at 2:30pm for the Blessing of the Animals. Each beloved creature—cats, dogs, ferrets, parakeets, iguanas, etc.—will receive a blessing.


Young Adult Sunday Night Fellowship
Sunday, October 15


Meet for fellowship and food from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.


Red Cross Blood Drive
Wednesday, October 25


Volunteer to give blood or help others give; 10:00 am - 3:00 pm in Fellowship Hall.


Premier of "Sacred Earth"
Thursday, October 26


FBC’s Sanctuary Choir premiers new music by composer Ken Medema at the “Service of Celebration: Creation Justice Ministries” at 7:00 pm at Foundry United Methodist Church.


NOVEMBER

All Saints Sunday
Sunday, November 5


We remember our sisters and brothers who died in the past year and celebrate communion together. Benevolence offering and potluck lunch after worship, followed by the last quarterly congregational meeting of 2023.


Ministry Architects Visit
Saturday and Sunday, November 4-5


Mark and Aqueelah will work with First Baptist to launch the strategic process, identify systems priorities, examine current governance documents, and address immediate pressure points.


Dr. Lawrence P. Schreiber Organ Recital featuring Jan Kraybill
Sunday, November 12 | 4:00 pm


GRAMMY-nominated artist Jan Kraybill is a concert organist; a dynamic speaker, educator, and church musician; and an enthusiastic cheerleader for the power of music to change lives for the better. 

This recital is made possible through a generous gift by friends of Dr. Schreiber. 


Gratitude Sunday
Church Family Thanksgiving Lunch
Young Adult Sunday Night Fellowship

Sunday, November 19


Gratitude Sunday: all worshipers will be invited to bring forward their pledge cards; Thanksgiving lunch by Chef Laval Sanks following worship (modest fee)

Young Adult Sunday Night Fellowship: meet for Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Rob Marus and James Adams, 6:00 - 9:00 pm


DECEMBER - ADVENT

First Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 3


"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel..." On this day we begin the great season of Advent, a time of remembering God's coming to be with us in Christ, celebrating Christ's presence with us now in the Holy Spirit, and anticipating Christ's return to set all things aright.

The 2023 Advent sermon series is titled "Those Who Dream," based on the opening line of Psalm 126: “When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” Throughout Advent, Scripture will ask of us, "What does it look like to live as those who dream?"


65th Annual Candlelight Carols
Sunday, December 10


Capture the joy of the season with a beloved First Baptist tradition featuring FBC's Sanctuary Choir, organ, and other singers and instrumentalists beginning at 4:00 pm.


Blue Christmas: A Service of Consolation
Young Adult Christmas Party

Sunday, December 17


Service of hope, healing and comfort at 4:00 pm
Young Adult Christmas Party: 6:00 - 9:00 pm


Christmas Eve Worship Service
Sunday, December 24 @ 4:00 pm only


"O Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!" Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ through music, Scripture, communion and candle lighting. (No Sunday morning activities on December 24)


Faith Formation Classes

Stories That Shape
Sundays, 10:00 - 10:40 am in Sacristy (Mezzanine)


Join adults of all ages for “Stories that Shape.” This is a great chance to meet and get to know other FBC folk, hear one another’s stories, and reflect together on our lived experiences with God, church, family, vocation, relationships, etc.
 

Tapestry Class
Sundays, 9:30 - 10:30 am in Parlor

You are welcome to join this intergenerational group that is led by different group members. We meet in person for Bible Study, discussing texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, particularly those that are being used in that morning’s worship service.
 

Crossroads Class
Tuesdays, 11:00 - noon online via Zoom


Adults meet for fellowship & bible study, often reading and discussing a recently published book.

For questions or more information about any of these classes, contact the church office at office@firstbaptistdc.org


Sermon Series Continues

Sept. 10 Quarterly Congregational Meeting

Provided by Christi Harlan, Church Clerk

The congregation met after the potluck lunch Sunday, Sept. 10, to hear updates on First Baptist’s missional endeavors, finances, capital campaign, construction project and the timeline for meeting with consultants from Ministry Architects.

Mission Actions
On behalf of Mission Team Chair Linda Salmon, Pastor Julie reported that the summer was bookended by two successful church-wide efforts to feed the hungry:

  • the Rise Against Hunger event June 11 (10,000 meals packed in under two hours)

  • ·the Stuff the Truck event Aug. 11, in partnership with local CBS affiliate station WUSA9 to fill the food pantry at Charlie’s Place (more than 3,000 lbs. of food collected and $750 in cash donations). FBC’s Erin Spaht initiated this opportunity. Thanks, Erin!

The next community service event is a blood drive Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Fellowship Hall, in partnership with the American Red Cross. First Baptist has committed to providing 20 donors.

Finances
On behalf of Treasurer Mike Henson, Pastor Eric Mathis presented a summary of the church’s income and expenses for the church’s 2022-2023 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2023:

  • Income from the Ground Lease at the Drake was on target at $1,185,136, a 3% increase from FY 2021-2022.

  • Income from space use tripled the budgeted amount of $12,000 for a total of $39,318.

  • Contributions totaled $316,207. This was 6.2% below the budgeted $337,000, and 11% less than the FY 2021-22 total ($354,970). The decline in contributions was the result of members who moved or passed away in 2022.

  • Special purpose funds were not used for ministry-related costs.

  • At the close of FY 2022-23, church expenditures totaled $1,554,924, which was $14,263 above the $1,540,661in income for the year.

Capital Campaign
Give It Forward campaign Co-Chair Lucy Plovnick reported on the campaign to raise $1 million for the construction of new community space, offices and a welcome center on the former site of the Education Building. Pledges and gifts to date have put the campaign within $400,000 of the goal. About $300,000 of the $479,500 pledged has been contributed.

Facilities
On behalf of Building Project Administrator Sarah Hodges-Austin, Pastor Eric provided an update on the construction:

  • DC Water replaced the sewer pipe, that caused back-ups into the boiler room, at no cost to the church.

  • Construction is progressing but delayed, and anticipated completion of new building is early summer 2024.

Ministry Architects
Pastor Eric provided an overview of the dates for the consultants from Ministry Architects to be at First Baptist: meetings with members and staff Sept. 22-25; kick-start and systems audit Nov. 4 and 5; a vision summit Jan. 27-28, 2024, and an impact summit April 13-14, 2024.

Action Item--Sale of Property
In the sole action item, the congregation approved a recommendation from the trustees to sell a small plot of land in far northern Virginia, that had been donated to the church decades ago. The agreed-upon sales price is $2,000—equal to the appraised value of the undeveloped lot.

2023 Church Picnic Photos