Unashamed - We are Called

On this Missionary Annual Day, where we highlight the work of Missionaries within our church, I am considering the words of Jesus, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” 

Jesus’ words, a charge for disciples of Christ in and of themselves, take on new meaning when considered alongside the quotation from Samuel Zwermer, “The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.”

Coupled, these words are a reminder that for every act of service, whether within or beyond the walls of the church, what we do is serving Jesus. These words also remind us that every disciple is called to mission work so that people in need can experience the power of a God who loves them, cares for them, and provides for them. 

How would our minds be changed and our hearts be bent towards missions if we recognized that God dispatches you and I to meet a need every time someone in our vicinity cries out to Him in prayer? How would our actions change if we understood our inaction toward human need and suffering--locally and globally--as the difference between someone experiencing the tangible love of God or not? On this Missionary Annual Day, what change will you make to be the answer to someone’s prayers?

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unashamed: Pastor and People

I cannot believe that an entire year has passed since we began our journey together as Pastor and People. When I look back over the year, all I can say is, “To GOD be the glory for the great things God has done!”

On March 5, 2023 I delivered my first sermon as your Pastor-Elect. The title of the sermon was, “Time for Some Action!” In that sermon I preached that: Sometimes God’s people will find themselves stuck; God calls God’s people to action, even in crisis situations; and; God’s presence is what makes it possible for God’s people to move.

I closed with the illustration of the pilot cars that accompany vehicles carrying oversized loads, reminding us that like those oversized load trucks, we can move because we have Jesus going before us and grace and mercy following us all the days of our lives.

For approximately 366 days Jesus has led the way as we have worshiped, studied, prayed, fellowshipped, and served. During this time, we have been recipients of God’s grace and mercy, welcoming babies, funeralizing members, baptizing and welcoming new disciples into our fellowship, starting new initiatives, renovating the facilities, upgrading the media system, and drawing nearer to Christ and each other through it all. And though amazing, what excites me most is not what God has done this year...but what God will do in the years to come. So, FBC Family, let’s celebrate because this is just the beginning!

Growing in Christ,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Reflecting on the Past for the Future

There is a word in Twi from the Akan people in Ghana, Sankofa, which comes from the Akan proverb, "Se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenkyiri," meaning, "It is not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind)." In English, we translate Sankofa to mean, “go back and get it.” One of the symbols for Sankofa is that of a bird whose feet are facing forward while its head is facing backwards picking up an egg in its beak.

The Sankofa bird and the meaning of the word is a fitting reflection for this Heritage Sunday. As people of God, disciples of Jesus Christ, we have a bright future ahead of us, a future worth walking towards. As Black people living in the United States, we have a rich heritage and legacy from whence we have come, a heritage and legacy of fortitude, creativity, ingenuity, knowledge, wisdom, joy, and overcoming. We would do well to reflect on the past, to gather the lessons, wisdom, and gems of our ancestors, and to use what we have gleaned as inspiration as we walk into our future. 

I see this principle on full display in Bro. Darrold Edgar’s arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” performed by the Garden State Choral Chapter. Darrold honored the legacy of James Weldon Johnson while at the same time moving the song forward for a future generation. I can imagine a day where my daughter’s children will sing the original, sing Bro. Darrold’s arrangement, and in the spirit of Sankofa, create their own for generations to come. 

Growing in Christ,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Inspirational Leaders

Nick Chellsen, in his book, A Leader Worth Imitating: 33 Leadership Principles From the Life of Jesus writes, “There are two reasons someone might follow a leader: Obligation or inspiration. Obligation is when you have to follow a leader. Inspiration is when you want to follow a leader.”

As Pastor of this great and historic congregation, my chief aim is to be the kind of leader that inspires our congregation to impactful ministry to the glory of God. On this day where we install our 2024 officers, it is my deepest hope and prayer that each of our leaders would possess and exude the kind of qualities that foster inspiration rather than obligation.

As I’ve been thinking about the difference between leaders that inspire ministry versus leaders that provoke obligatory service, the difference lies not in human action, but rather in the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate inspiration. In Hebrew, the Holy Spirit is Ruach (wind, breath) and in Greek, the Holy Spirit is Pneuma (spirit, breath, unseen force). If we are going to engage in inspired ministry, as we go higher in worship, deeper in discipleship, and wider in fellowship for far reaching impact for Christ, we can only do so by the power of the Holy Spirit. So I charge our leaders as Paul wrote in Ephesians, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

An Amazing Ministry!

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

I highlighted these verses from Hebrews in the Pastor’s Pen on October 15, 2023. In the final paragraph I wrote, “God has amazing ministry ahead of us! I have a God-sized vision for the thriving of this church and community dancing deep in my soul that I know will come to pass with the leading of the Holy Spirit and the productive provocation to love and good works when we gather together as a body of believers. Let’s continue to show up, gather together, and watch our God show out!”

Last Sunday, by the grace of God and your presence, we experienced the sweet fruit of this vision. We showed up, we gathered together, and God surely showed out in every song, every prayer, every offering of praise, and in the preaching of God’s word.

I don’t know about each of you, but I had a marvelous time in worship. Thank you for being present. Thank you for being on time. Thank you for inviting loved ones and friends. Thank you for embodying the spirit of Hebrews 10:24-25. Let us continue to embody this ethic of encouragement as Unashamed Witnesses for Jesus Christ and continue to watch God show up and show out!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

40 Days of Decrease

Last year I began my pastorate after the Lenten Season began, so I was unable to implement an intentional practice for our church during the Lenten Season. However, this year I want to invite all FBC disciples and friends to our 2024 Lenten Study & Prayer. Lent is “the period preceding Easter that in the Christian Church is devoted to fasting, abstinence, and penitence in commemoration of Christ's fasting in the wilderness.”

For our 2024 Lenten Study & Prayer, we will be using the book “40 Days of Decrease” by Alicia Britt Chole as our guide. In the book, Chole writes, ““The purpose of Lent is not to force on us a few formal obligations, but to ‘soften’ our heart so that it may open itself to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden ‘thirst and hunger’ for communion with God.”

As we seek to be Unashamed witnesses for Christ, hungering and thirsting for communion with God is paramount. To that end, on weekdays, starting on Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 14th through Friday, March 29th, we will gather on the conference line (605-475-4000 Pin 919803#) from 6:30am-6:45am to begin our days as a corporate body seeking God together. 

And since I cannot do this on my own, I will be asking for volunteers to help lead our sessions. During this time, I anticipate God decreasing us, that He might increase in us.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

The Strength of your Testimony

In last week’s sermon, we looked at the testimony of the man formerly known as the leper from the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel; This leper was a man who was an unashamed witness for Jesus Christ. The main takeaway from the sermon was that the leper, by telling his story, compelled others to want to know Jesus for themselves. At the end of that sermon, and in Bible Study, I raised the questions, “Who has come to Jesus off the strength of your testimony? Who has come to worship at First Baptist off the strength of your testimony and at your invitation?”

These are challenging, but necessary, questions. Many of us lament the emptiness in the pews. Many of us lament the absence of middle aged and young people. Many of us lament the church we once knew.

But lament, without subsequent action, is emotionalism for the sake of emotionalism. In other words, our lament ought to fuel righteous action. In this case, our lament ought to light a fire under each of us to do our part to draw souls to Christ and grow our church.

So I challenge each of us this week and every week of 2024 to be UNASHAMED witnesses. I Invite each of us to tell at least one person about how Jesus transformed our lives and invite that same person to church. I believe If we do that, God will honor our witness and work miracles In our midst.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

UNASHAMED witnesses - equipped

By the providential grace of God, the generosity of a donor, the exemplary work of the Somerset Media Group, and the faithfulness of our Media Ministry, we were able to get our new media system up and running last Sunday. We still have some things to learn and some kinks to work out, but by and large it was a great launch! My excitement about the media system is palpable. By my own account, I have been like a kid in a candy store on Christmas morning. A small part of my excitement centers around my love for technology and social media, but I am most excited about the ministry potential inherent in these new tools when used to the glory of God. Matthew’s Gospel records, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (28:18-20).

In his book The Connected Church, Natchi Lazarus writes: "Social media can be an important tool to help us fulfill this mission. Thanks to the Internet and social media, this generation is better equipped to fulfill the Great Commission than any other generation that ever existed. The phrase 'reaching the nations' sounds less daunting today than It did 100 years ago."

First Baptist, as we begin 2024, we are better equipped to fulfill the Great Commission. Let us go into the streets and post across social media, being UNASHAMED witnesses for Jesus Christ!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

I am an UNASHAMED WITNESS

Our first Sermon Series of the year 2024 kicks off today. The basis for this series comes from the common refrain in the Black Church, “Can I Get a Witness?” In this series we’ll be exploring six encounters in the Gospel of Mark with individuals who went on to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.

What is the connection between being Unashamed and being witnesses for Christ? In the legal world, witnesses are called to testify of their personal and particular experience in a series of events. Likewise, witnesses for Christ speak of their personal and particular experience with God in Christ. That testimony for all believers starts with our conversion experience--the moment we received Jesus as Lord and Savior. From there, our testimonies may have similarities, however each of us has a unique story of how we encountered God. Some of us have been sick and know Good as a Healer. Some of us have been tormented and know God as our peace. Some of us have been down to our last dime and are living to tell the story of God as Provider. Whatever the experience and however we encountered God, this is the year to shake off timidity and to tell everyone with ears to hear about our AMAZING God. In the year 2024, will you be an UNASHAMED WITNESS for Christ?

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unashamed

Happy New Year! Blessed be God for granting us another year of life! What a gift is is to see the year 2024!

I use the word excited quite a bit to express how I am feeling about God and what God is doing through the ministry of the First Baptist Church. Truth is, I am beyond excited for what God has in store for us this year! I pray you are excited, too!

In 2023, we were Moving Forward Together as Pastor and People, getting to know each other as part of the foundation for a fruitful relationship. I am grateful for your welcoming embrace and the steps forward we have taken together.

In 2024, God is calling us to be Unashamed in our worship, discipleship, fellowship, and witness in the world. To this end, our worship, preaching, teaching, prayer, service, giving, and ministry will be centered around this theme. I believe that by the end of this year, God is going to develop within each of us a radical faith so that we will be bold witnesses for Jesus Christ that will have impact within and beyond the walls of our church. I believe God will reward our Unashamed witness with INCREDIBLE and UNIMAGINABLE blessings!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

44 Weeks and Beyond

Forty-four weeks ago, on Sunday, February 25, the week before I began my tenure as your Pastor-Elect, I wrote the following words:

“To God be the glory for the great things God has done! First Baptist Church Family, we are over the moon excited that God has joined us together as Pastor and Congregation! I am inspired by the depth and breadth of FBC's ministry through almost 130 years and I am invigorated by the Holy Spirit and expecting God to do great things in and through our church and community as we move forward together in ministry. Special thanks to Sis. Reeves and the Search Committee, Deacon Addison and the Diaconate, Rev. Ponton, Sis. Roland and the Transition Team, and Minister Barbara Backous for all of their efforts in getting us here and settled in the church and community at large. Joseph, Afia, Adjoa and I are looking forward to meeting and getting to know each of you in the coming weeks. Don't be surprised if I ask to take a picture. #Iloveagoodselfie #wearefbc #socialmediaministry”

Forty-four weeks later, I am still giving God glory! Forty-four weeks later, I am more excited that God has joined us together as Pastor and Congregation! Forty-four weeks later, I am encouraged by the amazing things we have been able to accomplish together in our church and community with the help and grace of God! Forty-four weeks later, Joseph, Afia, Adjoa and I have developed deep and wonderful relationships with many of you and we are anticipating deepening our fellowship. I feel incredibly honored and blessed to be your Pastor.

And, yes, I still love a good selfie and more than that, I love a good “ussie” with my First Baptist Church Family, so for the next forty-four weeks and beyond, let’s take out our camera phones and capture these joyful moments together!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

The privilege of Pastoral Visitation

Family, I have been amazed by your surprise when I have visited you at your bedsides during hospitalization. I want to use this space to share why pastoral visitations are and will remain a hallmark of my ministry.

It was mid December 2013. I was in the first trimester of my second pregnancy. I was extremely ill with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that includes intractable vomiting. I was still nursing Afia, who was 18 months old at the time. I had lost twenty pounds and was barely sustaining. Dr. Judy Banks, my OB-GYN, was so concerned that she admitted me to the hospital. At the time, we were living in Edison, but Morristown Medical Center is where Dr. Banks had privileges and where our girls were born. The day after I was admitted to the hospital we had our first snow. It was heavy. I was sitting in that hospital weary and weak when I heard a knock at the door. It was my pastor, the Rev. Ronald L. Owens. He traveled over 30 miles in a snowstorm to visit my bedside. He stayed for about 15 minutes and prayed before departing. At the time Joseph and I had only been members of New Hope for a few months. His visit made a lasting impression.

Fast forward. Afia was scheduled to have her tonsils and adenoids removed just days after her third birthday. We were to arrive at the surgical center at 6:30am. As parents, Joseph and I were anxious. Our anxiety was quelled when Dr. Owens, who is not a morning person, walked in shortly after we arrived to pray with us before the surgery. Afia was happy to see her Passuh.

In these moments, our Pastor’s visit were a reminder that God was with us. I watched him show up for countless others the same way he showed up for us and as long as God allows me the privilege of being your pastor, I will do likewise.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Do you see what I see?

I am writing this from my desk in the quiet hours of the morning with instrumental hymns playing in the background. There is a stillness present. A moment of pause. Our usually active church is overcome with inactivity.

Nothing to see here...

Or is there? Though it is quiet and still, under the surface, there is great anticipation brewing. Though it feels like the pause button has been pressed, I get the feeling that something exciting is going to happen at any moment.

I sense that God is going to pierce the silence and penetrate the stillness with God’s prominent presence and God’s great wonder working power.

This is what Advent is all about...Advent is about the mundane being interrupted by the miraculous. Advent is about the birth of something new as we toil in the old ways of being. Advent is about God infusing our weary world with hope and joy through Jesus.

But this interruption, this birth, this infusion of God through Jesus is about substantially more than this moment in my office and the calendar season of Advent. First Baptist Family, as people of God living between Ascension and Advent, standing on the brink of 2024, I invite us to open our eyes to the new thing God is about to do in our lives, individually and as a congregation.

There may be nothing to see now, but if you squint...

Do you see what I see?

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Mary Knew

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you...

Mary Did You Know, Mark Lowry

The writer of the song, “Mary Did You Know?” says of the lyrics, “I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary." The song, released in 1991, was made popular again in 2012 by CeeLo Greene. I have to be honest: I don’t like the song. I like the arrangement, but the words fall short for me because I believe that Mary knew... When we read the Luke’s Gospel, it is clear from the angel’s announcement to Mary’s song, that Mary did know the magnitude of the life within. A survey of the Gospels, especially the Wedding at Cana and Mary’s presence at the Cross demonstrates that Mary knew way more than we give her credit for. I prefer an alternate version of the song written by Jennifer Henry questioning Mary about whether she recognized the magnitude of her impact through the centuries.

Mary did you know,

that your ancient words

would still leap off our pages?

Mary did you know,

that your spirit song

would echo through the ages?

Did you know that your holy cry

would be subversive word,

that the tyrants would be trembling

when they know your truth is heard?

Mary Knew, Jennifer Henry

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Advent: A time of expectation, hope, and anticipation

“With the arrival of Advent, Christians everywhere turn again towards the Savior. Advent marks the beginning of the celebration of His birth and His long-foretold ministry, atonement, death, resurrection and second coming. If Advent is an occasion when I re-turn my eyes to the Savior, then it is also an invitation to consider where my eyes—and my heart—have been in the meantime. Advent is the gentle nudge that invites me to remember that the truth most worth knowing is that Jesus Christ is the only way Home. It is also a gentle reminder that I ought to keep my eyes upon Him all year long.”

― Jean-Michel Hansen

Today marks the first Sunday in Advent. Advent is the Season in our Christian liturgical calendar that marks the period of preparation for the birth and the second coming of Christ. Often, especially with the secularization and commercialization of Christmas, we focus on the angel visiting Mary, Joseph’s quiet acceptance of God’s will, and the birth of Christ in a manger in Bethlehem.

However, Advent is a time of expectation, hope, and anticipation, not just for the birth of Christ, but for the return of Christ. I that find so many Christians today are living as if this earthly realm is all that we will experience. But the fact is Jesus is coming back and we are living our lives to live again in His eternal presence. Jean-Michel Hansen reminds us during and beyond Advent to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus, and to recognize that we have so much to look forward to in Christ. As the hymn goes, we are building our hopes on things eternal, and that is what Advent is all about.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

God’s Love - Inside and Outside

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:35

Today marks the close of our Love Connection Sermon and Bible Study Series and what a series it has been! I am a series preacher and I plan several series in advance, so when the Holy Spirit gave me this theme a few months ago, I must admit, I had no idea how it would take shape. This series was a far cry from the roses and chocolate associated with romantic notions of love. From the start, this examination and exploration of love challenged us, individually and collectively, to be more Christ-like, particularly as it relates to how we connect and relate to one another within the body of Christ.

Love is the foremost distinguishing characteristic and quality of Christ’s disciples. Jesus said we would be known for the way in which love is exhibited and evidenced in our lives. Who we are as disciples is not about outward signifiers of Christianity, but the love of God on the inside, working on the outside as we love one another.

In that way, love is also the primary method for witnessing to others. When we demonstrate love for one another, we model God’s love. When we demonstrate love for one another, we lift up Jesus. When we demonstrate love for one another, we witness to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. When we demonstrate love for one another, God uses our love to draw others into loving relationship with Him.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Giving Thanks

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 86:12

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already upon us. It seems like just yesterday we were basking in the July sun. Nevertheless, the days are shorter, the leaves are falling, and the season has changed.

This season, with all of its changes, is also the time when we celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love the peace and pace of Thanksgiving, slower than the commercially charged energy of Christmas. I love the tastes of Thanksgiving, especially greens, candied yams, stuffing, corn pudding, and cranberry sauce. I love the way in which we gather as a family to feast in each other's company, playing games while the NFL games serve as background music until the Dallas Cowboys game comes on when we are all front and center.

I also love how Thanksgiving invites us to pause and reflect on the many ways in which we are blessed. Thanksgiving invites us to cease complaining, which comes to us as naturally as breathing, and to focus our attention on the God who has loved us, kept us, provided for us, and been mighty good to us. This Thanksgiving, in addition to the many other things that I am grateful for, I give thanks to God for each and every one of you and for calling me to such an amazing church. My prayer is that you and your loved ones have a Blessed and Joyous Thanksgiving!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Handle with Care

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well

Psalm 139:14

Recently, I have become reacquainted with death and these deaths have caused me to think about the nature of life. How are we to approach life? When I think about the nature of our lives, the word delicate comes to mind. Delicate has three different definitions. First, something that is delicate is very fine in texture, of intricate workmanship. Second, something that is delicate can become damaged and/or easily broken. Third, something that is delicate requires careful and sensitive handling. These definitions of delicate are fitting for understanding the nature of life.

Life is an intricate workmanship. In other words, life is beautiful. When I think about life—human beings and nature, I am drawn to the beauty of it all. The vibrant colors of spring flowers. The vastness of the ocean. The missing-toothed smile of a five year old. The gorgeous texture and detail of skin wrinkled with age. All around us, is beauty. Yet in the midst of this beauty, life can become damaged or easily broken. Our bodies, not made to last forever, are vulnerable to sickness and disease. We experience pain and discomfort. We are fragile, even on our strongest days, and from time to time, our spirits become weak and bend under the weight of life’s burdens. And here is where the third definition of delicate becomes important. Life requires careful and sensitive handling. It is important to take good care of ourselves and each other.

I like to buy fresh-cut flowers at the grocery store. Whenever I buy fresh cut flowers from the grocery store, I am so careful about where I place the flowers in my cart. With every item placed in my cart, I maneuver the flowers around. I want my flowers to be as beautiful when I get them home as they are in the store. Yet, as beautiful as the flowers are, they are also easily damaged, so I move them not only to preserve their beauty, but also to keep them strong and healthy. Life is like those flowers. Beautiful, vulnerable, and in need of lots of love and care.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Loving - God is calling you!

As I reflect upon the Love Connection sermon series, I have been amazed by how many of you have shared feedback about how the messages have resonated deeply for you. Love has struck a chord and I have no doubt that the Spirit is speaking to us individually and as a church family.

In my reflection, I have noted my own feelings around preaching this series; I have to admit, it has been challenging. God gave me the idea for this series months ago, including the Scriptures that would be foundational for each message. At the outset, I was thinking about how exciting this series would be, because who doesn’t love talking about love? But as the series progressed, I realized that love is not a superficial, sentimental, sugary sweet way of life. Not real love, at least. Rather love--as God calls us to love--is a profound, sacramental, gritty call on our lives that requires us to live communally and counter-culturally in a world that touts love as romantic, inconsequential, and easy. But as I shared in the sermon I Got You Covered, “Love is no trifling matter” and these sermons don’t always feel good to hear.

For me, this series has been like holding up a mirror. Mirrors are reflective surfaces that allow us to see ourselves. They show us what we look like, including our flaws. And my, how my unloving traits have been on full display when the truth of love is held up before me. And while uncomfortable, this is not a bad thing. For this mirror image allows me to seek God’s transformation in the areas where my love falls short. In the same way, it is my hope that this sermon series has also served as a mirror for you, showing you the places and spaces In your life where God Is calling you to be more loving, particularly within the body of Christ.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Living Together in Unity

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

Psalm 133:1 NRSV

First Baptist Family, it has been a busy several weeks in the life of our church. From the Pastoral Installation and 130th Church Anniversary celebrations to resuming Prayer and Bible Study and gathering with the Fellowship of Black Churches of Hackensack and Vicinity for Revival to the Love Connection Tea and 74th Annual Women’s Day, there has been no shortage of activities. Add to this resuming regularly scheduled ministry meetings in person and on Zoom, First Baptist is brimming with passion, purpose, and possibilities.

For some, this activity may seem fruitless. But I want to suggest that we have not been active for the sake of being busy, rather we have been moving forward together intentionally in worship, discipleship, and fellowship and service to the glory of our God.

Allow me to also highlight that for others, this activity has invoked another layer of meaning. I have overheard and been in conversation with many of you about the joy that has been activated within when we actively gather together for the sake of ministry. I have seen with my eyes the goodness of God among us when we share in praise, study, laughter, connection, and the like. This anointed activity was lost during COVID, but God has restored our fellowship. So here’s to more gathering, more worship, more study, more service, and more opportunities to live together in unity, for it is there that we experience the goodness and pleasantness of each other and of our God.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah