First Baptist Church
of Hamilton, New York

Founded in 1796, First Baptist is an American Baptist church with an ecumenical congregation. First is the "Mother Church" of Colgate University.

On Mission....Announcer essays by Rev. Glaze

March 2005: Easter, Resurrection and Transformation. I hadn't really thought about it before, until an article in the current issue of The Witness - an Episcopal-related periodical addressing social issues from a faith perspective - pointed it out. Planted within the great drama of The Raising of Lazarus (John 11) is a wonderful subplot: "The Confession of Saint Martha." Here is yet another reminder that transformation is at the heart of the Gospel. [READ FULL ESSAY]

September 2005: The Thankful Life. How is it possible to give thanks for everything?  Can anyone give thanks for sickness, or drought, or suffering, or ticks? Perhaps Paul meant to say we should give thanks, not for everything, but for everything good. [READ FULL ESSAY]

May 2006: All Flesh. According to Luke (Acts 1), the last thing Jesus says to his followers is, "Stay here in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."  And that's what they do - they wait, together, in someone's house. Since they don't have a clue what this power might look like, we suspect the windows are up and the doors open so that whatever this "power from on high" is, it might come in. [READ FULL ESSAY]

September 2006: For sixty years, Mary Lambert has worshipped and served at Watertown's First Baptist Church. On August 9th, however, church leaders, following pastor Timothy LaBouf, voted to relieve Lambert of her service as a Sunday School teacher. Their rationale was based on their interpretation of scripture as forbidding women either to speak in church or to have authority over men. [READ FULL ESSAY ]

Jan, - Feb. 2007: The Politics, and Religion, of Generosity and Inclusion. The new U.S. Congress is the most diverse ever - more women, African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians than any previous body.  It's also the most religiously diverse. Among the usual assortment of Episcopalians, Lutherans and Baptists, there are Buddhists (2), Jews (43), Mormons (15), Roman Catholics (154), non-denominational Protestants (26), unaffiliated (6), and a single Muslim - the first. [READ FULL ESSAY]

June 2007: Taking Care of Business...while you are checking your stewardship records to make sure you’re up-to-date, here’s a true story: Al first came to church because he could not read. He approached a person by the bus stop. “Excuse me, but can I ask a question?” “You just did,” was the reply. “Do you know where a church is that I can go to?” [READ FULL ESSAY]

First Baptist Church
27 Broad Street
PO Box 73
Hamilton, New York 13346
315-824-2780