Sundays
11am - Service

Wednesdays
7pm - Bible Study

Fridays
8pm - Bible Study in Portuguese

The freedom-loving Baptists of this church (one which traces its parish roots to the Mayflower) took an early stand against slavery with the Reverend John Girdwood preaching against the ills of slavery. As early as 1814, Mr. Isaac Thomas, an African-American, was baptized into the church membership. Like their founding fathers, the members of First Baptist believed in freedom of expression for all and the church was a site of many abolitionist meetings and speeches.
A city landmark, the steeple of First Baptist is one of the original four steeples depicted in the 1853 City Seal of New Bedford.