The evening we have been pointing toward is almost here. On June 18 — Juneteenth Eve — First Baptist will gather for a gala dinner to officially launch our Reckoning and Renewing journey: a night of music, reflection, and commitment as we take an important step together.
The evening will include a jazz vespers service led by vocalist Ruth Naomi Floyd and her quartet — including Mark Prince, who many of you know as a son of First Baptist. Their music will carry our lament, our gratitude, and our prayers.
We will also hear from historian Kristofer Roberts, a scholar of race and religion in the American South, who has researched First Baptist's own slaveholding history. His reflections will be woven into the vespers service itself.
And this is only the beginning. The Reckoning and Renewing team will be on hand to invite you into a summer and fall reading journey — more on that soon.
We ask $15 per person (families, $45 maximum), but please come regardless of your ability to pay. Register now — you can sort out payment later, or skip it entirely. We just need your name so we can set a place for you.