First Baptist Church Raleigh

03/03/2026

Join us tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 4 at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall, as we begin a two week study on Wendell Berry and the Sabbath Poetry of Lent.

03/01/2026

Due to unexpected technical difficulties, we’re unable to livestream worship today. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. We hope you’ll join us in person if you’re able, and we look forward to being back online next week. Thank you for your grace and patience!

02/18/2026

Join us tonight for our Ash Wednesday service at 6:45pm in the Sanctuary. All are welcome to a time of reflection and repentance, as we begin our journey through Lent.

BLESSING THE DUST

All those days
you felt like dust,
like dirt,
as if all you had to do
was turn your face
toward the wind
and be scattered
to the four corners

or swept away
by the smallest breath
as insubstantial—

did you not know
what the Holy One
can do with dust?

This is the day
we freely say
we are scorched.

This is the hour
we are marked
by what has made it
through the burning.

This is the moment
we ask for the blessing
that lives within
the ancient ashes,
that makes its home
inside the soil of
this sacred earth.

So let us be marked
not for sorrow.
And let us be marked
not for shame.
Let us be marked
not for false humility
or for thinking
we are less
than we are

but for claiming
what God can do
within the dust,
within the dirt,
within the stuff
of which the world
is made
and the stars that blaze
in our bones
and the galaxies that spiral
inside the smudge
we bear.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons
janrichardson.com/books

Image: “Ash Wednesday Cross”
© Jan Richardson
janrichardsonimages.com

02/18/2026

Pancakes just taste better when our tables are full. What a joy to gather tonight for Shrove Tuesday! Grateful for full plates and full hearts as we head toward Lent together. 🥞✨📿🥞

02/10/2026

First Baptist’s Youth Choir was happy to FINALLY practice again after 3 consecutive weeks of cancelled rehearsals due to inclement weather.

They are preparing for their upcoming Feb 28-Mar 1 tour to Charlotte to share their music with St. John’s Baptist Church and the Aldersgate Senior Living Community. The theme of their spring program is CROWDED TABLE and the energy and enthusiasm in their music is infectious. We’re grateful for the gifts they share with us, and we look forward to hearing them.

02/01/2026

Due to continued winter weather conditions, the church office will be closed tomorrow, Monday, February 2. In addition, the Clothing Ministry will be closed to guests and donations for the day. Please continue to stay safe and warm!

01/31/2026

Due to the potential threat of incoming snow, our in-person worship service and all church activities for Sunday, February 1, are canceled. We pre-recorded our worship service this week in anticipation of the winter weather, so we hope you can join us virtually at 11am on our YouTube channel linked below! The video will go live at 11am. The safety of our congregation, staff, and community is our priority, and we encourage everyone to stay home and take appropriate precautions.

Because of the potential threat of snow and dangerously low temperatures, the women staying at our White Flag shelter will remain in the Fellowship Hall through Monday morning, as we continue to offer warmth, safety, and care. We will decide the status of the church office at some point tomorrow and will share that information as soon as it is available. Please stay safe and warm! ❄️

https://youtu.be/xb-uaNoaCXk

01/31/2026

01/25/2026

Due to continued winter weather conditions, the church office will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26. In addition, the Clothing Ministry will be closed to guests and donations for the day.

Our White Flag guests have been transported to Southeast Raleigh High School for shelter. Currently, there’s a plumbing issue at the church that has made the bathrooms unusable. We’re grateful Wake County was able to quickly find them another safe, warm shelter! We’re working with the city to fix the plumbing issue, and hope it will be resolved very soon.

Thank you for your understanding and care for one another. Please continue to stay safe and warm! ❄️

01/24/2026

Due to the incoming winter weather, our worship service and all church activities for Sunday, January 24 are canceled. This includes virtual worship and all scheduled meetings and events. The safety of our congregation, staff, and community is our priority, and we encourage everyone to stay home and take appropriate precautions.

Because of the winter weather, the women staying at our White Flag shelter will remain in the Fellowship Hall throughout the weekend, as we continue to offer warmth, safety, and care. We are grateful for the many volunteers who are staying overnight, cooking meals, and volunteering in different capacities to make this possible.

We will decide the status of the church office at some point tomorrow and will share that information as soon as it is available. Please stay safe and warm! ❄️

12/11/2025

The winter issue of our First Foundations magazine is hot off the press, and ready for you to read! Magazines are currently available in the Lewis Building lobby by the elevators. There are also copies of the magazine located at all entrances to the sanctuary for you to grab on your way out of worship. Feel free to get an extra copy for a neighbor who might like to know more about who we are, as we continue to reach beyond our walls!

Read it online here: https://indd.adobe.com/view/21cfe39b-791d-4efe-a641-cb45e5d5a930

We hope you enjoy reading about Waiting from a wide range of voices from our community of faith!

A magazine of First Baptist Church of Raleigh, NC

10/30/2025

URGENT NEEDS FOR THE CLOTHING MINISTRY

As the weather begins to change, we have a few urgent needs for our Clothing Ministry. If you are cleaning out your closet or shopping this weekend, here are the gaps we have in our inventory:

🧥Fall/Winter Boys’ Clothing - sizes youth 6-18 (youth S-XL)

🥼Fall/Winter Men’s Clothing - all sizes

❄️ Coats for Children, Men, and Women - all sizes

As always, donations can be brought to the church Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm, or any time the doors are open on Sundays. There is a donation bin located inside the back parking lot doors, and tax donation slips are on the wall. We so appreciate your continued support for this vital ministry in our community!