Here is the info I submitted, some of which was used:
Brief Recap of our
250-Year Celebration for the Eagle Tribune
This year we celebrate our 250-year anniversary. Yes, you read
that right. Back in 1765 a fiery Baptist pastor by the name of Hezekiah Smith
founded the first Baptist church in Haverhill, aptly named First
Baptist Church. Our charter is signed by John Hancock, at the time
governor of Massachusetts. The church has an unbroken line of members dating
back to before the Declaration of Independence, through the Civil War, onto
both World Wars, enduring the Great Depression and witnessing the events of
September 11, 2001. On October 17, we gathered for a time of celebration
with a vision, “Grateful for what God has done, excited about what God is
doing.”
It was a valuable time to reflect on First Baptist Church’s long
history and God’s grace.
Transport yourself back
into the mid-18th century. Pedestrians strolled and horses galloped
down the dirt roads of the town of Haverhill. The promise of opportunity and
freedom drew the earliest settlers to the New World, and already now a few
generations had enjoyed the hard-earned blessings of their forefathers’
sacrifice. The townspeople of Haverhill, part of the British colonies, had
little knowledge of the high class workings of Boston and Philadelphia. More
important was the coming harvest and the need to store up for the next cold New
England winter.
Most townspeople would
head off to the established congregational church. However, some of the
townspeople were growing restless with what they felt to be the impersonal
nature of the worship. They secretly longed for something that gave expression
to their deeply affectionate feelings for God and called for a conversion to
faith in Christ. Much of this unrest was provoked by the travelling preacher,
Rev. Hezekiah Smith. Discontent with the established religion, he sought to
start a new church in town, a Baptist church.
Baptists were not unheard of in Haverhill,
but they were not a common sight either. Most of them had found a home in Rhode
Island, under the direction of the admirable but controversial leader Roger
Williams a generation or so earlier. But Baptists in Massachusetts, and in
Haverhill no less? The thought was too
much for many in the town to bear. They refused the use of the Parish meeting
house for the public worship of this new denomination. This did not deter the
persistent Smith, as indeed very little could. The Baptist Religious Society of
Haverhill held its first meeting January 1st, 1765 at the house of James Duncan.
Baptisms were done down at the gentle Merrimac River.
Anticipation of
revolution grew, until the inevitable happened. In 1776, word spread that the
American statesmen had gathered in Philadelphia to declare independence from
Great Britain and King George III. The hearts of mothers grew uneasy, even as
the minds of young men raced to the prospect of war bravado. It was not long
before many citizens and their sons went off to join the American Army.
However, it fared too much for Smith to enjoy the safety and security of
Haverhill while watching the colonies’ boys go off to war. He sought permission
from the church to join the Revolutionary Army as a Chaplain, which they
allowed. As an acquaintance of General George Washington, he served for five
years and then returned to continue to pastor in 1780.
His successor, William
Batchelder, would pick up the baton with a heart for Haverhill and a concern
for the new work in global missions. FBC Haverhill would support the mission of
the young Adoniram Judson as he worked tirelessly across the globe in Burma.
The church was now firmly
established. It was here to stay in town, through winters and warfare, with ministry
and missions: a Baptist congregation that became mother church to many other
local churches in New England, with an influence in Haverhill and the
surrounding towns, throughout the colonies and around the world.
Architectural buffs will readily note that the current building
at 217 Main Street is not the original facility. Actually, it is the church’s
fourth building, built in a neo-gothic style. Raised in 1883, it was built
to seat over a thousand attendees, complete with balconies and a choir loft.
The stained glass windows can be seen lit up at night during an evening concert
or Christmas Eve service. In the last five years, the church has renovated its
19th century building, nearly doubled its parking, modernized it’s
a/v equipment and refocused its vision for serving Haverhill.
It
was also a valuable time to celebrate where what God is doing at the church
today.
First Baptist remains an
active Evangelical congregation serving not only Haverhill but the surrounding
towns and communities. It is a church
with more than a beautiful downtown location and facility, it is a church
passionate about Jesus and seeking to build its ministries around him.
Even as we celebrate our history, we have chosen
not to live in the past. We want to be a church that is ministering to
Haverhill here and now, seeking to connect people with God today. I’ve been the
Lead Pastor for five years now, still enjoying my mid-30s. My call here,
I believe, was a crucial turning point for the church—a clear decision by the
members to think of the next generation. Since then, we have added new staff,
created new ministries like Kid Town to minister to children
during the Worship Service, free meals are offered weekly on
Sunday afternoons through our partnership with Open Hearts Ministries and on Sunday nights Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered recovery program opens to
the community. The church’s renewed small group ministry meeting
in homes remains a vital part of the church’s health and growth, and along with
a blended service of worship each Sunday committed to expository preaching and
heartfelt worship, makes for a joyful and pleasant spiritual family. As in its early days, First Baptist is still
committed to global missions.
The future looks promising
for the very first Baptist church in the city of Haverhill that this year celebrates
its 250-year anniversary. Some of the original documents and furniture are
still in the care of the church, even as computers, sound equipment and flat
screen monitors fill the offices and conference rooms. From its active
membership to its committed staff to its renovated facility, the church is
eager to move into the future with excitement. The church remains committed to
biblical teaching coupled with a deep affectionate worship for Jesus, with a mission
to reach people. This same year, the town of Haverhill celebrates its 375-year anniversary
as a bustling city. We are grateful for what God has done, and excited about
what God is doing!
So don’t be a stranger; stop in for a visit. Better yet, join us
on a Sunday. Swing by our church café for a cup of coffee and check out a copy
of John Hancock’s signature on the wall, and then come right into our 19th century
sanctuary, equipped with state-of-the-art audio and video upgrades. We
want to reconnect you to Jesus, who doesn’t change though times and seasons
turn.
