Welcome to
News & Events
Men's Joint Sunday School
August 17th @ 9:00am
-All men will meet in the sanctuary during Sunday School-
Summer Missions
Celebration Sunday!
August 17th
Sunday School
9:00 am
One Worship Service
10:30 am
***Followed Sunday Evening by a Church-Wide
Fellowship and Food and Talent Show!***
THE MASQUERADE
"Will the Real You Please Step Forward?"
Women's Fall Retreat 2008
October 2-4
Huntersville, NC
Annette Baines, Speaker
A time of personal growth, with our inspirational speaker encouraging
and challenging us as Christian women today, along with awesome opportunities
for food, fellowship and fun!!!
Tree House Teacher Training
Friday, August 22nd
6:30pm - 8:30pm
in the FLC
September 27th
Senior Appreciation Banquet
60 Years and Older
• Wonderful meal provided by younger adults
•Gospel music and hymns
• Special Guest Speaker: Trymon Messer
September 28th
"Round-Up Sunday"
• Services AM and PM
• Special Speaker: Trymon Messer
Each year, we collect two very special offerings at First Church. These times of celebration include times of praise and worship of our God followed by a time of prayer and
reflection on the power of the cross and its eternal message for all people. Beginning Christmas of 2006, we renamed these celebrations, "The Matthew Dwyer Global Outreach Celebration," in honor of the legacy of one little boy who has truly changed the world. The G.O. money goes directly to FWB and Baptist missionaries all over the globe and to those right here in the USA. Along with our money, we send two teams of our youth out every year to diverse ministry sights around the world where they minister in the Lord's name to the homeless and afflicted, offering them not only food, but the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. In 2008, First Church will launch it's first College Ministries mission trip and Adult mission trips in order to further the cause of "declaring His glory among the nations."
Remembering Matthew
"Seeking His glory in our community, declaring His glory among the nations!" Has become our mission statement for this new year. First Church desires to "seek his glory in our community" by providing funds and ministry to organizations such as The Potter's House, Crisis Assistance Ministries, Crisis Pregnancy Center, and many more. These endeavors, along with our new outreach strategy, G.R.O.W., will enable First Church to put arms of love around our own "Jerusalem" right here in Gastonia. Reaching our own local community is key in reaching the world, that is why the G.O. principles and funds also apply to local, as well as foreign ministries.
Our desire at First Church is for you to feel truly welcome and a part of our church family. Sunday School is a great time to get acquainted with people your age, exploring God's word and fellowshipping through trips and activities. During the Sunday School hour, Pastor John Gibbs leads the Pastor's New Comers' Class, a class which seeks to acquaint prospective members with the staff, people, and doctrinal standpoint of First Free Will Baptist Church. Out time together each Sunday is marked by energetic and hert-felt praise and worship through music and the preached word. For more on how we worship together at First Church, click here.
With this site, feel free to explore the ways in which First Church is seeking to make our Vision a reality. Through every single ministry of First Church, we are seeking to build one another up to good works for God's Kingdom, discover our Spiritual gifts together, and use them to further the cause of Christ in Gastonia and around the world. Click on "Connect" in the menu above to explore the many ministry opportunities at First Church.
Dr. Randy Sawyer, Pastor
Order Pastor Randy's book,
Regaining Balance:
91 Days of Prayer and Praise.
Devotional journal designed to guide its readers
through a season of spiritual revival
