Beneficent Church

04/23/2026

Everyone is welcome to join us this Tuesday, April 28th for a fantastic storytelling collaboration between the Rhode Island Black StoryTellers and the UCC StillSpeaking National Writers’ Group! This event is free to attend. Appetizers will be served at 6:30 with program to follow, and dinner will be provided at 7:30 following the event. You won’t want to miss this life-changing opportunity for fun, fellowship, and creative empowerment! Sign up today! https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/tellin-tuesday-writers-workshop

01/24/2026

Due to the incoming storm and the need for the roads and parking lot to remain clear, we are cancelling all in-person church services and activities for tomorrow, Sunday January 25th. As an additional precaution, the church office will be closed on Monday and all staff are asked to stay home until we can assess the extent of the impact from the storm.

12/18/2025

02/18/2025

It's finally here! The Rhode Island PBS series "Ocean State Sessions" has posted their segment about our very own Minister of Music, Frances-Elayne Johnson, and her leadership of both RPM Voices and the Beneficent church choir.
Click here to learn more about how Frances, RPM, and Beneficent are working together to create community while continuing to preserve African American choral music. :

RPM Voices of Rhode Island creates community while continuing to preserve African American choral music. Frances Elayne Johnson leads RPM, as well as the cho...

02/08/2025

Due to the projected snowstorm and the city-wide parking ban that is in effect until further notice, Beneficent Church will be CLOSED tomorrow, February 9th, with all on-site activities cancelled.

Our regularly scheduled 10 a.m. worship service will be occurring via Zoom, and an email with the link information has been sent to those who are on the church's mailing list.

Stay safe, stay warm, and we hope to see you online tomorrow at 10 a.m.! ❄️🙂

12/24/2024

Each year, Beneficent receives a special offering at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service that enables us to bring the love of God into others’ lives. The Justice and Witness Ministries Committee has selected the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center (“BVAC”) as the recipient of this year’s offering.

BVAC assists families who are fleeing from domestic violence. They provide shelter, court support, advocacy, and placement into homes as they move through the process of leaving their abuser(s). Domestic violence is a major issue in the country and in Rhode Island. In Rhode Island, 1 in 3 women will have experienced domestic violence, as well as 1 in 4 men. Please take a couple moments to watch the video below and learn more about this powerful organization.

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be held tonight, December 24th, at 5:00 p.m. At that service, use the special offering envelope (located in your pew or pick one up from the Welcome Table) and add your donation to support Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center.

If you are unable to attend but still wish to donate, there is an online option to donate at: https://onrealm.org/Beneficent/give/BVAC

This Christmas Eve offering is just the beginning of our partnership with BVAC and we look forward to continuing our support and relationship with them in 2025. Thank you!

12/09/2024

A HUGE "thank you!!!" to everyone who has already donated to our Reverse Advent Calendar, whether by bringing these items to church yesterday or sending in a financial donation online. We are only on Day 9 of our Reverse Advent Calendar, and already our collection cart is overflowing!

Remember to check out our calendar each day (https://beneficentchurch.org/reverse-advent-24/) to see which new item we are asking for on behalf of Family Services of Rhode Island. All donations are from a list of highly-requested basic necessities and will be gifted to their clients during this holiday season.

If you'd like to learn more about how FSRI is helping improve the lives of young adults who are struggling to find housing, you can check out their website here: https://www.familyserviceri.org/programs/basic-center/

And remember, no peeking! Each door of the calendar only opens on the correct day 😁😉

12/01/2024

Beneficent is both delighted and honored to team up with Family Services of Rhode Island for our 2024 Reverse Advent Calendar. FSRI does a lot of incredible things, including working with young adults (ages 18-24) who have experienced housing instability and helping them start over in new living situations after a period of hardship.

We've asked FSRI to provide us with a list of items that are most often requested by those who have gotten a second chance at housing but don't yet have easy access to basic necessities. That list and our digital calendar is now live over on our website (https://beneficentchurch.org/reverse-advent-24/)!

Come back each day during the Advent season (December 1st through the 24th) and open a new door to reveal the item inside. But remember, this is a REVERSE Advent Calendar! Rather than each day being about focusing on what we can get for ourselves, each day will be about appreciating what we already have, and learning more about what we can do to help others.

(But no sneak peeks! The doors only open on the corresponding day. 😉)

11/27/2024

Our Minister of Music Frances-Elayne Johnson and Beneficent Church are proud to host RPM Voices of Rhode Island’s 2024 Winter Concert on Saturday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $25/adults, $20/seniors or students, and admission is free for children ages 5 and under.

Tickets will be selling fast, so be sure to grab yours today by going to https://www.rpmvoices.com/ and reserving your seats! This Advent season, let us come together to show our love and support for RPM as they Reach People through Music.

11/12/2024

We are less than two weeks away from a night to celebrate the arts, culture and community!

The Langston's Harlem Nights2 fundraiser on November 23, 2024 is a great opportunity to share space with like-minded lovers of diversity, jazz, equity and the life and work of the great Langston Hughes!

The Leland Baker Trio will provide the tunes. Providence's Art Culture and Tourism Director Joe Wilson Jr. and actress extraordinaire Jackie Davis will guide us through the festivities as our emcees. And there is so much more - yummy food, a poetry corner, Harlem rent party-themed drinks and maybe a surprise performance or two - planned as well as the best dressed competition that was such a hit last year.

You don't want to miss this night in Pawtucket that will bring joy and help the Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading organization continue its needed mission of uniting all while being the torch bearers in New England for the forever poet laureate of Harlem and his important contributions to American history, culture, and civic philosophy.

Our 30th anniversary is next year, and your contributions will also help us celebrate this milestone right! Tickets are $75 each and running out, and we are still in need of sponsors and those who might want to purchase an ad in our souvenir program. Buy them, get more info, and learn how to be a sponsor here: https://bit.ly/LangstonsHarlemNights2.