First Baptist Church Staff

  • Rev. Karen Mendes - Pastor
  • Pastor Thee Say - Karen Baptist Community Pastor
  • Annie Field - Director of Christian Education
  • Adam Chamberlain - Church Administrator
  • Evan Allen - Organist
  • Anna Roy - Chancel Choir Director
  • Steve Perkins - Instrumental Group Director
  • The Karen Baptist Community

Officers of First Baptist

  • Sarah Dopp - Moderator
  • Mark Paulsen - Assistant Moderator
  • Cindy Little - Clerk
  • Beth Gamache - Assistant Clerk
  • Chris Thompson - Treasurer
  • Bill McCormick - Assistant Treasurer
  • Marilyn Siple - Financial Secretary
  • Sarah Dopp - Historian
  • Andy Farrington - Parliamentarian

Green Steeple, Grateful People, Growing In Faith, Proclaiming God's Love

Education

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AT FIRST BAPTIST

First Baptist Church offers many educational opportunities for people of all ages to learn about God’s love, to grow in their Christian faith and learn how to live that faith in their everyday lives.  During the pandemic, our church program is happening through Google Meet.  Please email Jeneve Joslin at jenevefbc@gmail.com to sign up.

Nursery Child Care: Children of all ages are welcome in our worship service and worship space. Toddler books and toys are available in our Children’s Church box in the Narthex for use in the pews or back of the church.  Families are also welcome to use our nursery room on the ground floor where the worship service is “piped in” to include those who use the space. Our aim is to fulfill the promise made at the dedication of each baby, to teach each child about God, through word, deed and example.

Sunday School: Classes are offered for children aged preschool up to middle school. Children aged 3-9 use the “Deep Blue” curriculum; the older children (10 and above) use a lectionary-based curriculum called “Seasons of the Spirit.” We have a dedicated team of caring teachers. Music instruction is part of the curriculum and the children become the Children’s Choir for periodic participation in the main worship service.

Youth Education: We are currently seeking a qualified person to lead this ministry.

College Students: Our church financially supports and is involved with the Campus Christian Ministry (CCM) organization at UVM. We rejoice when students join us for their college years in Burlington. We have had students visit and get involved from St. Michael’s College and Champlain College as well. The Board of Christian Education provides scholarship support for college students who are part of the FBC family and have done so for many years. The Heim Scholarship, named for long-time Pastor David J. Heim, has provided financial support for theological studies by at least four students from the congregation since it was established in the late 1980’s.

Adult Christian Education: First Baptist Church offers a variety of opportunities for adult Christian Education. Guest speakers and leaders of the church provide topics of interest after worship at least once a month. Each fall and each spring the Pastor leads a Book Discussion on several evenings, which provides for the attendees to read the book first and then discuss it together. Examples have been “The Hobbit,” “Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road,” “The Great Divorce,” “The Book of Joy”, and “Learning to Walk in the Dark.” From September to May there is a weekly Bible Study at lunch time. Rev. Karen Mendes is a real scholar of the Bible and really illuminates the background and historical context of obscure and familiar passages. We have studied all of the Gospels, the Letters of Paul, the Book of Isaiah and even the challenging Book of Revelation.

Next Generation ChildCare: Though unrelated to our education program per se, we are happy to be able to extend some of our space to this 5-day a week community program supporting parents and children and to share the year-round presence of infants, toddlers, and their dedicated teachers.