Serving Niagara Falls since 1842, we’re honored to continue ministry in this sacred space that previously served as St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic Church.
We center our life on Jesus Christ and Scripture. We believe the Holy Spirit guides us to read, wrestle with, and live the Bible together. We expect Christians (even our members) to differ at times in interpretation – we see that diversity as a strength that deepens faith, humility, and love.
What Makes Us Baptist? We’re part of American Baptist Churches USA. We believe in:
- Believer’s baptism by immersion
- The Lord’s Supper open to all believers
- Freedom of conscience in faith matters
- Each church governing itself locally
Church Service begins at 11 a.m. The First Sunday of each month, we have a Communion Service.
From whatever faith tradition or spiritual journey you come, you are welcome here. You don’t have to be Baptist to worship with us.
Wheelchair Accessible • On-Street Parking Available
Member of American Baptist Churches USA. Find out more about American Baptists at abc-usa.org
Services and Activities:
Good Friday Service Our ecumenical “Seven Last Words of Christ” service brings together pastors from area churches. A moving tradition of music and reflection during Holy Week.
Annual Nativity Festival Each December, we display beautiful nativity sets from around the community. Free crafts, music, and entertainment for all ages. A beloved tradition we’re excited to continue!
Christmas Eve Service On Christmas Eve we have a service of Scripture and Christmas Hymns, closing with Silent Night by Candlelight.
Stone Soup Sunday 3rd Sunday at 12:15 PM )Fall, Winter and Spring) Come one, come all! Enjoy a bowl of Stone Soup! Bring a cup of whatever you’d like to add to the pot!
Women’s Retreats and Teas Single-day retreats and a Saturday afternoon Tea are led by Pastor Kathleen Ordiway featuring fellowship, food, music, and spiritual growth. Topics include Identifying God in your life, journaling, finding joy, and discovering spiritual gifts.
We’re excited to bring these activities to our new neighborhood!
Our Pastor
Rev. Kathleen Ordiway
Called to ministry in the spring of 2001, Rev Kath has the desire to spread God’s promise of comfort, forgiveness and grace during the troubled times we all face, as well as during times of great joy. She is a graduate of the Christian leadership program at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and was ordained by First Baptist on January 6, 2018, after serving for several years as our lay minister.
Kathleen is married to Toby; has three children: Christeen (married to Jeremy), Eileen (married to Michael), and Tyler (married to Shuyang). She has been blessed with three grandsons – Nico, Thomas and Liam, and three granddaughters – Chloe, Addison and Claire. In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys camping (well, glamping), scrapbooking, quilting, reading, exercising, and – most importantly – spending as much time as possible with her family and friends.
In addition to serving our church, Kathleen is also a member of the ABC-NYS Board of Mission. She leads women’s retreats and teas, held at First Baptist and throughout the Western New York area. Rev Kath’s favorite scripture is Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Supported Nonprofits
Heart, Love & Soul Ongoing support through financial gifts and food drives. They provide daily meals, food pantry, and connect people with 30+ social services under one roof.
Community Missions Founded in 1925 by downtown churches including First Baptist. We support their soup kitchen, food pantry, clothes closet, homeless shelter, and mental health services through donations and volunteers.
The P3 Center at Memorial Medical Center for Teens, Moms and Kids offers free services to women to improve their health and the health of their newborns and children. Promoting better pregnancy outcomes, healthier mothers and babies, and better linkages between existing health, social services, and educational programs.
Mission Support Through American Baptist Churches USA and ABC-New York State, we support local, national, and world missions in education, disaster relief, and community development.
10 Facts About American Baptists
The 1.5-million members and over 5,200 congregations of American Baptist Churches USA share with more than 42 million Baptists around the world a common tradition begun in the early 17th century. That tradition has emphasized the Lordship and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, believers’ baptism, the competency of all believers to be in direct relationship with God and to interpret Scripture, the importance of the local church, the assurance of freedom in worship and opinion, and the need to be Christ’s witnesses within society.
The following facts are representative of the tradition and practice of American Baptists.
1 American Baptists believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and that the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God that serves as the final written authority for living out the Christian faith. American Baptists celebrate the fact that belief in Jesus Christ assures salvation and eternal fellowship with a loving God. The events of the first Easter week are the cornerstones of our faith: the death of Christ, in which He took upon Himself the sin of the world, and the Resurrection, which gave proof of His triumph over sin and death. Holy Scripture always has been for American Baptists the authoritative and trustworthy guide for knowing and serving the God who is revealed as Creator, Savior and Advocate.
2 For American Baptists the local church is the fundamental unit of mission in denominational life. Baptist roots date back four centuries to a people seeking the opportunity to worship God as individual members of freely organized and freely functioning local churches. Baptists always have maintained the need for autonomous congregations, responsible for articulating their own doctrine, style of worship and mission.
3 American Baptists partake of two ordinances: believers’ baptism and The Lord’s Supper. Baptism, an act of full immersion following Christ’s example, is undertaken by those spiritually mature enough to understand its profound, symbolic significance: resurrection to new life in Christ. Through he Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion, the bread and cup symbolize the broken body and shed blood offered by Christ recall God’s great love for us-just as they did for the disciples on the eve of Christ’s crucifixion.
4 American Baptists believe that the committed individual Christian can and should approach God directly, and that individual gifts of ministry should be shared. American Baptists hold that all who truly seek God are both competent and called to develop in that relationship. They have rejected creeds or other statements that might compromise each believer’s obligation to interpret Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and within the community of faith. American Baptists also celebrate the special gifts of all believers, testifying that God can use each of us in ministry.
5 American Baptists take seriously the call to evangelism and missionary work. American Baptist worldwide mission work is a response to Christ’s call to “make disciples of all nations.” Through the efforts of our missionaries in partnership with others, ministries of evangelism, healing, education and development have made Christ’s love known in the U.S. and around the world.
6 American Baptists support religious freedom and respect the expressions of faith of others. As a people whose forbears came together in response to intolerance, American Baptists have cherished freedom and pursued it for millions around the world. Manifestations of that ideal include supporting separation of church and state, advocating for people everywhere to be guaranteed the right to worship free from discrimination, and lifting up respectful dialog as a healthy means to understanding.
7 American Baptists acknowledge that God’s family extends beyond our local churches, and that God calls us to cooperative ministries. Early Baptists saw that the effectiveness of their ministries would be greater through cooperation with other believers. Today within our American Baptist regions, churches work with each other and with denominational staff and in local and regional ecumenical arenas to increase the vitality and scope of their ministries. That outreach extends worldwide through our relationships with the Baptist World Alliance, the National Council of the Churches of Christ, the World Council of Churches and other groups.
8 American Baptists have been called to be Christ’s witnesses for justice and wholeness within a broken society. American Baptists have been led by the Gospel mandates to promote holistic change within society, as witnessed by their advocacy of freed African Americans following the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, women in church and societal leadership, ecological responsibility, and many other issues. While not all of one mind as to how to deal with challenges, American Baptists do affirm the need to follow Christ’s example by being actively involved in changing society.
9 American Baptist Churches USA celebrates the racial, cultural and theological diversity witnessed within its membership. American Baptist Churches USA today is the most racially inclusive Protestant body. Represented in our churches are equally diverse worship styles, cultural mores and approaches to Scriptural interpretation. The resulting challenges and opportunities have made us stronger – through fellowship, respect, mutual support and dialog, all based on a belief that unity in Christ involves growth and understanding.
10 American Baptists heed the biblical call to renewal and the need for a vital witness in a new millennium. As people of faith, American Baptists seek renewal and revitalization. Informed by their history and tradition, motivated by contemporary needs and challenges, and strengthened by God’s leading and the example and sacrifice of their Savior, American Baptists seek to bring a transforming witness to an uncharted future.