Children

First Baptist Church in Newton has a growing ministry for children. Children are involved in worship through dramatic readings, greeting visitors, and serving as ushers. There is also a special time in the worship service for children when the ministers involve them in a special children's message. Afterwards, children in first grade and below have their own Children's Fellowship time, while the older children remain in the worship service. Children of First Baptist Church in Newton enjoy being a part of Christmas programs, music “orchestras” and the Annual Crèche building during the Advent season.

Each year there are opportunities for intergenerational events, including Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, church wide picnics, and Christmas Eve services. Through the Sunday school program, children become involved in scripture reading, junior choir, arts and crafts, and age appropriate bible studies.

Children are involved in many aspects of the Church outreach program. They decorate banks and collect money for the various programs supported by the Church. Each month, children collect food for the Newton Food Pantry. They support our outreach to the senior adults by making greeting cards to send them throughout the year. One of their most loved outreach programs has been Heifer Proejct International and collecting funds to purchase livestock for families. They have also visited Overlook Farm, one of Heifer Project International's farms located in central Massachusetts.

Youth

Our Youth Fellowship is for youth in middle and high school (grades 6 through 12). We meet together the first and third Sundays of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. We come together to share dinner, play games and maybe even sing a little bit. Most importantly, we come together to talk about issues in their lives today: from school violence, to peer pressure, to being a Christian in today's world, having self-esteem and self-respect for themselves, as well as for others. We tackle these subjects through bible study, group discussion and prayer.

The youth are involved in all aspects of the Church. Several of our youth have been lay leaders in the worship service and have been given the opportunity to lead, to read scripture, to coordinate Youth Sunday, and to incorporate music through their many gifts and talents. They help the children with their outreach programs, organize the yearly pancake suppers, Youth Sunday, and Parent's Night Out.

The youth develop community with one another and with the world around. They support one another by attending sporting events, plays, and musical concerts. They build community by having Superbowl parties, Christmas parties, retreats, going to the movies, challenging each other at the bowling alley and hanging out on the internet. We even have our own “Facebook” page so that we can communicate and share pictures with one another.

We also work together in service to the community. Members of the Youth Group have been on various mission trips: Appalachian South Folklife Center in West Virginia, Overlook Farm Education and Service program, and this year travel to Mississippi to help with Hurricane Katrina relief. The youth also participate in Common Cathedral, a worship service with the homeless, serving the lunches they made to those in need, providing gifts of much needed toiletries, and raising awareness of the issue of homelessness.