Watts Street Baptist Church

06/22/2026

Watts Street members needed for Durham CAN Event: On Sunday, June 28 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at Nehemiah Church (514 N. Mangum St.), join IAF delegates from across North Carolina state to ratify our shared vision, priorities, and turnout commitments for a statewide public meeting with candidates for the U.S. Senate. Watts Street would like to have at least six attendees. Contact Bob Kruhm, Jan Williams, or Hope Durack for more information.

06/20/2026

Link for LIVESTREAM Worship Service
Sunday, June 21, 2026
11 am in the WSBC Sanctuary
Livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/user113739534

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Scripture: Psalm 100
Sermon: “O Lord Hear My Prayer: Thanks” – Dorisanne Cooper
Offertory: “Wayfaring Stranger” – Nate Waggoner, guitar

If you’re worshipping with us online, we invite you to gather these items near your computer: the worship bulletin, a Bible, and a candle to light at the beginning of the service.

Wherever you are or whatever time you are watching the service, we gladly say, Thank God you are here!

06/19/2026

WSBC CONSTRUCTION ZONES!

Preschool Area: The Capital Campaign project for the preschool renovation is in progress: new lighting installed, walls repaired, new molding, new flooring, new countertops, initial coats of paint are done and new furniture has been ordered! During renovation, preschoolers are meeting in the library for Sunday School and Second Hour Ministry. We look forward to “grand re-opening” on August 2 with a more welcoming, updated space for our children, teachers, and visitors. Please contact Esther Soud Parker if you would like to look at the space or if you have questions.

More Building/Accessibility Updates:

• Last week, our ground floor hallway tiles were removed and replaced with new flooring. Quarter round molding and final touches will be completed this week!

• This week, repair work begins on our elevator. The elevator will be out of use for several weeks. During this period, we encourage those with mobility challenges to enter and exit the building through the Watts Street entrance (middle floor). Stay tuned for special arrangements for events that involve moving between two levels of the building.

• Parking note: due to the elevator repair work, a store container and a dumpster are located in the Urban Avenue lot, occupying a few parking spaces.

• Repairs have been made to the ramp at the double glass door entrance off of the Urban Avenue parking lot. Additional work continues but the landing has been replaced and the ramp is usable.

06/19/2026

Our June Mission Baskets collect school supplies for six communities in El Salvador where our sister church, Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel, has ministries. In July, a team of high school youth and adults from Watts Street will travel to El Salvador and deliver the supplies. Items requested are: pencils, colored pencils, washable markers, ballpoint pens, crayons, notebooks, construction paper, pencil sharpeners, sketchpads, and small card games. Donations can be dropped off in the Mission Baskets outside the church library by July 5. Thank you for your support!

06/19/2026

As we commemorate Juneteenth today, we are excited to share that Watts Street Baptist Church has been accepted into the "Churches that THRIVE for Racial Justice" grant! Beginning this fall, in partnership with the Alliance of Baptists and Davidson College, we will join a five year cohort for this Lilly Endowment grant that helps congregations actively confront structures of racism in order to remove a crucial obstacle to congregational thriving. We'll share more as we learn more! Our grant team members are Barb Rumer, Andrea Godwin, and Dorisanne Cooper. https://allianceofbaptists.org/thrive/

06/18/2026

The spray painted messages on Watts Street may be from the city in reference to work on sidewalks and curbs in the area…OR they may be words of encouragement for a congregation seeking to “Let Love Be Louder!” 😁

06/16/2026

Thank you, Watts Street, for a wonderful series of Pride Month events!

First, we had a great group last Thursday night for the screening of the PBS documentary, “The Librarians”. We highly recommend this film which explores how librarians across the country are responding to booking banning efforts by state lawmakers with restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. You can stream the documentary on the PBS Independent Lens website with a PBS Passport account.

Then, on Sunday, we shared a joyful Pride Month celebration in the Fellowship Hall after worship. Thank you to:
* the WSBC Voices for Love in Action mission group and Clay Chandler and the Deacons for providing the delicious food
* Robin Franklin for serving as our delightful emcee and program planner
* Cathy Brennan for coordinating our Banned Book Drive benefiting the LGBTQ Center of Durham
* Paula Januzzi-Godfrey for setting up the Pauli Murray display table (and stay tuned for more details on a tour of the Pauli Murray Center on August 1!)
* The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists for sending us lots of free swag to share
* Patti Lingafelt for accompanying us on a rousing rendition of "Crowded Table"
* Gordon Whitaker for writing up the very informative timeline of our congregation's journey towards becoming an LGBTQ+ Welcoming and Affirming congregation and for drafting the handout of advocacy suggestions in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation currently before the NC General Assembly
* Karin Oliver for creating the STUNNINGLY beautiful and detailed decorations all around the Fellowship Hall
* Sarah Hanchey for creating graphic designs for social media and signage to help us promote these events and our commitment to "Let Love Be Louder!"
* Everyone who participated in this time of storytelling and fellowship! Watts Street Baptist Church, thank God you are here!!!

06/14/2026

Pride Month Celebration & Banned Book Drive tomorrow! Find out more on our website.

We have our Pride Month Celebrations this week! Join us for Movie Night on Thursday and our Celebration and Banned Book Drive on Sunday. Be sure to share this and invite your friends.

MOVIE NIGHT! The WSBC AV Club and the Voices for Love in Action mission group are hosting a screening of the PBS documentary, “The Librarians” on Thursday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This film explores how librarians across the country are responding to booking banning efforts by state lawmakers with restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. The movie runs an hour and a half, followed by a brief discussion time. Popcorn and drinks provided!

WSBC PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION: After worship on Sunday, June 14, join us in the fellowship hall for a Pride Month Celebration with sweet and savory snacks, festive decorations, a visual timeline of LGBTQ+ support/activism in our church and community, information about current NC legislation impacting the LGBTQ+ community, a “banned book drive” to support children and youth programming at the LGBTQ Center of Durham, and a brief program with singing, storytelling, and prayer. All are welcome! (More details below)

BANNED BOOK DRIVE: Books have the power to open minds, build empathy, and affirm our humanity. Across NC and the nation, many books featuring LGBTQ+ voices and stories have been challenged or removed from schools and libraries. We invite you to bring a banned book to our Pride Month celebration on Sunday, June 14. Books will be donated to the LGBTQ Center of Durham. To get a list of frequently challenged books, follow this link: https://guides.library.unt.edu/c.php?g=959060&p=10494281

ADVOCACY: We encourage you to contact your elected officials about bills that impact God’s Beloved who are LGBTQ+. Legislation currently before the NC General Assembly includes HB1043 (Anti-LGBTQ Book Ban), HB519 (Restricting Minors’ Access to Healthcare), and HB606 (Anti-Trans Civil Procedure Amendment). A handout with more information about this legislation will be available at the Pride Month Celebration on June 14.

06/13/2026

Hot, busy, and fun day at Catawba Trail Farm today!

06/13/2026

Link for LIVESTREAM Worship Service
Sunday, June 14, 2026
11 am in the WSBC Sanctuary
Livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/user113739534

The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Scripture: Psalm 46:1-7
Sermon: “O Lord Hear My Prayer: Help” – Dorisanne Cooper
Offertory: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” (arr. Wilbur Held) – Patti Lingafelt, organ

If you’re worshipping with us online, we invite you to gather these items near your computer: the worship bulletin, items for communion, a Bible, and a candle to light at the beginning of the service.

Wherever you are or whatever time you are watching the service, we gladly say, Thank God you are here!