About Us
The mission of First Baptist Church is best represented by the following priorities: a strong, Biblically based, preaching ministry which communicates Christian theology in terms that are relevant to people's lives; a youth ministry which nurtures faith, commitment and discipleship; active programs of pastoral care, visitation, music, and involvement with members of the congregation; a ministry that leads people to make decisions for Christ and encourages their participation in the local church, community, and the world; a program of short-term Christian counseling; and a church environment which nurtures a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and caring. Our facilities are, broadly, handicapped accessible. Four newly acquired devices are now available to help people who are having problems hearing the service.
Our Pastor:
Rev. John Cheney
Pastor
Rev. John Cheney
Rev. John Hall having retired, the church ids now seeking actively for a new pastor. We have not found an interim pastor, but Rev. John Cheney has offered to serve as an on-going pulpit supply pastor beginning November 9. He will conduct the appropriate worship services and give us, beginning December 10th, a weekly Bible Study except during the summer months or when he is on vacation. Rev. John is a member of the FBC Board of Deacons, so it ought to be easy to coordinate things.
Significantly, Rev. Cheney is offering the same services to Essex Street Baptist Church, and he plans to join the two Bible studies into one. That church, too, is seeking a new pastor.
"After many years in business, I came to ministry later in life and graduated from AIM, ABCOM Institute for Ministry. I completed both the basic program as well as the graduate program.
I served the Cardville Baptist Church in Greenbush for more than 11 years before I retired to serve as pulpit supply for several churches. I was ordained with ABCUSA credentials in October of 2019. I grew up in FBC, was baptized here and served on many boards before leaving to become a pastor."
John
Meanwhile, Fred Bailey has retired from the FBC Office. The Board of Trustees has found Deborah Leavitt to carry on in his place. Deb is very well qualified and is settling in nicely. Her office hours are somewhat different from Fred's. She'll be in the office Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 in the morning to 12:30 pm.
August 25, 2025
Pam Frye, FBC President
And the Saints at the FBC of Bangor
56 Center Street
Bangor, Me 04401
Dear Pam and the Saints of the First Baptist Church:
Eight years ago, I came to serve as pastor at First Baptist Church Bangor, and in that time I have grown to love and care for every one of you. We have lost dear friends, and we have gained a few new ones. I will continue to love and to cherish each of you as a pastor ought to do.
I have found myself thinking about the prophet Elijah a lot lately. He had grown weary as a prophet, and he wanted to be done with it. He loved the people of Israel with all his heart, but he had grown tired. God gave him a nap, some food and water and Elijah pushed on to complete his work. I’ve already had my nap, snack and some water and I think my work has just about been completed. I plan to retire on November 2, 2025.
This continues to be a wonderful church filled with good and faithful people. My love and care for each of you remains, but after November 2nd I will no longer be your pastor, nor will I serve in any further pastoral capacity. My prayers will be with you as you move forward in ministry together.
Sincerely,
John Hall
Pastor
Soup Kitchen
People ate at the Soup Kitchen for a variety of reasons. Some were homeless and were seeking a meal in a friendly, judgement free environment. We've talked with some folks who had little money left in their budget after they pay their rent so they ate regularly at the Soup Kitchen to make the money stretch a little further. Some were lonely and like the company. I talked with a retired guy who said he had no idea how much was involved with cooking meals until he was suddenly left in the position of having to do all his own cooking. He said he was very grateful for the groups who cook for the Soup Kitchen, especially when the food made was so good.
So please, all of you who devoted so much of your time and effort to doing this project, feel good about what you were doing. You were making a positive difference in people's lives.
January 9, 2025 Soup Kitchen
January 9, 2025 was the date of a recent soup Kitchen and the date of my final soup kitchen as the leader for the group at First Baptist. Decades ago when my daughter was young, she and I made desserts for the group which was led by Gerry Pickard. He was such a good person and I tried to get him and Ray Homchuck to teach me how to make a meal for a large group and do it with kindness. They would have been proud of the group we have today.
Thank you to the people there that Thursday: Jane Ogilvie, Everett Goodwin, Judy Pruszenski and her daughter, Donna Beatty, Tom Gilbert, Mabelle Miller, Kathy Gowell, Trish Sanders, Brenda Cheney, Stacey Taylor, Sylvia Chase. Thanks to the dessert makers, Erika Bailey, Tom Gilbert and Brenda Cheney. While the folks listed above were making sandwiches, John Cheney, Kate Roseberry and Erika were making and serving South Park soup over at the Salvation Army.
You all were so good at doing the sandwiches for the bag lunches, it was certainly a shame to end this mission. I am hoping you will soon get an e-mail saying that someone has volunteered to coordinate the efforts, but I can't say that yet and I really can't do it myself right now.
Thank you all for making this such a worthwhile project. It has, indeed, been my pleasure.
Karen
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Thursday, February 13
I would like to let you all know that I have been working with Karen in order to become the new coordinator for the Soup Kitchen/Sandwich Making which we do each month for the Salvation Army. Nobody can take Karen's place, but I will do my best at this, and with your continued support and your patience we will keep this mission going.
Thank you all for your continued support and service to the Soup Kitchen. It would not work at all without you!
Looking forward
Pam Frye
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Dear Salvation Army personnel,
We regret to have to inform you that the First Baptist Church of Bangor will, starting May 2025, no longer be providing the meals at the Salvation Army. It has been decades now that we have been at the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen on the second Thursday of each month and many other times as requested. Throughout this time, we have striven not only to provide good, nutritious meals that were made with love, but to serve them with kindness. We have grown very concerned for, and attached to, the population in Bangor who live in poverty and look to the Salvation Army's Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen as a place for a warm and tasty meal, and a place where the people who serve the meal were kind and friendly.
Over the years we have recruited people to work with us and have received donations so that we could prepare quality food in ample portions. Some of us have already received education on handling, preparing, and serving food safely from courses we took on our own from the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension Service because we share your concern for food safety. We feel, however, that with your kitchen protocol changes, it would be difficult for us to provide our meals any longer.
It is a service we always have greatly enjoyed providing. We have no shortage of lovely memories of working together as a team with you to create and serve the meals at the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen. We wish you the best of luck in your future, and we will pray for you and for the people served. In the meanwhile, we will try to find something more in line with what our volunteers can comfortably do.
Blessings,
Karen Bailey and Pam Frye
First Baptist Church of Bangor
Hello Everyone,
Starting May 1, 2025, we are no longer preparing food or bag lunches for the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. On April 21st I shared with you an email letter we received and responded to from the Salvation Army regarding updated protocols the Salvation Army is now having every group and every volunteer follow and adhere to. Due to these changes, it is no longer feasible for First Baptist Church to continue to provide our meal service for them. Opportunities to provide similar services within our community are being explored. I will keep you all informed.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for working with First Baptist to provide fresh, nutritional meals for the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. Each task was important for making it work..... cutting veggies, making egg, tuna, and chicken salad for sandwich fillers, cutting rolls, making various types of sandwiches, putting together bag lunches, making labels, delivering lunches to the Salvation Army, set-up and clean up at the church, making delicious soups, making fine homemade desserts, preparing special meals during hot summer months, serving the food to those who came for a meal, the shopping for things that make this all come together, and most of all your love and kindness which was put into each meal and bagged lunch we provided. A special thank you to Karen Bailey for selflessly sharing her home and her time, talents, and knowledge in running this mission project for so many years. Your devoted work and coordination have been an inspiration and a blessing to many. Thank you.
So. We are looking into other opportunities, and I hope you will step up afresh to be a part of our new mission project, once we can get it rolling. You are all so important and special, and we look forward to continuing to work together in friendship and fellowship.
Blessings,
Pam Frye
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Fred here, in the office. Pam has been volunteering with the Lafayette Center. She gets to deliver groceries to households where someone is undergoing cancer treatments. She'll travel to places in this county and in Hancock County with food, meeting all sorts of people.
Fred Bailey
Deborah Leavitt
