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Theological Thought
Of The Month

"All the trouble in the world today is due to the fact that man is not right with God..."
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones 

Church Notices

* February is LOVE GIFT month.  Pick up a Love Gift box in the vestibule or office.

* Sally's Circle is collecting personal hygene items for Harley & Sunshinee's ministry in Upstate New York. Collection continues through March 11.  There are collection boxes in the vestibule and on the Sunday School desk by the office. 

Highlights in Our History

  • On October 22, 1850, the First Baptist Church of Matawan, NJ was constituted by Rynear and Elsie Suydam, John Van Brackle, and 29 other Charter Members.

  • On Sunday, February 14, 1858, the original Church building (at 260 Main Street) burned to the ground. The rebuilt church building, in which we still worship, was dedicated to God on August 1, 1860.

  • On October 1, 1866, Rev. Franklin A. Slater began his pastoral ministry of 22 years, 3 months, and 17 days - a tenure that was not eclipsed for over 100 years.

  • Dr. Ida Faye Levering, a member of the congregation, was appointed a missionary under the Women's Baptist Missionary Society and sailed for Nellore, India on August 20, 1891. The hospital founded there during her ministry continued for more than 100 years before ending its healing ministry.

  • Maude McChesney, later Mrs. Adam Banke,  took the position of Church Organist in 1911 and served in this important position until her retirement in 1965.

  • On Memorial Day Sunday 1922, the "Our God is Marching On" stained glass window in the church meetingplace was dedicated to God.  It was designed by the pastor, Rev. William Ludwig.

  • On Easter Sunday - April 25, 1943 - Rev. Garrett Detwiler received 50 new members into the fellowship of the church in a single service.

  • In October 1975, Chairman of the Board of Trustees John McGinty burned the mortgage papers on both the Sunday School Annex Building and the Church Parsonage, making all church property debt free.

  • In 1985, Pastor Lewis Kisenwether offered the Invocation on the floor of the New Jersey State Assembly.  Twenty years later, still the pastor, he gave the opening prayer in a session of the New Jersey State Senate.  At this writing, Dr. Kisenwether is in his  38th year as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Matawan.

  • The First Baptist Church of Matawan, New Jersey remains faithful to the Gospel message of God's Word, extending the invitation of Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved", to all who are in any way reached by our ministry.