About Our Ministries

Christian Education

16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NRSV)
 

The goal of Christian Education at Devoe Street Baptist Church is to build strong disciples and enrich the faith work of all who participate so they are confident in the outreach and witness to others as we seek to share the radical, life-giving love of Jesus Christ.
 

WordFest!! Sunday School seeks to offer an exciting opportunity to study, explore and reflect on God’s Word together as a congregation.  We believe that a vibrant, interactive approach to the Bible can enriched our faith and expand our understanding of who God is and how God was active in human history and continues to act in the lives of God’s people through the grace made known to the 
world in Jesus Christ.  
 

WordFest!! Sunday School meets weekly for a powerful hour. All adults are welcome to join, members and non-members.  The dial-in number is: 667-770-1484, code, 581727.
 

The Children’s Sermon continues to be on hiatus while we are operating virtually. Although, we have not continued the Children’s Sermon virtually, we have found another way to highlight the activities of the children monthly through their involvement in the Dance Ministry.  We are in the process of looking into 
organizing a virtual Sunday School component for our children and more will be shared later in 2022
 

Rev. Yvette Vanterpool, President

 

 

Women's Ministry - The Women at the Well

Ephesians 4:12 – “Equipping God’s people for the work of ministry… Building up the body of Christ.”

 

Mission
In commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Women at the Well Ministry provides opportunities for each woman and girl to develop (explore) her interests, her strength and her spirituality to serve God’s community.

 

Who We Are
The women’s ministry is the oldest auxiliary at Devoe Street Baptist Church. Since its inception during the 1950s the women of Devoe have always been busy raising funds for missions, near and far.  A sample of our many mission initiatives:

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• Our women have rolled bandages for foreign hospitals and medical centers and collected clothing for children and baby layettes.  

• We collected funds so that desperately needed operating room supplies could be sent to Haiti after a devastating hurricane. 

• We sent an offering to help with rebuilding the Philippines. 

• We are now collecting brand new toothbrushes for a residence of adults with health issues.

• We collected underwear for homeless women in New York.

• Each year we collect items for the World Missions Offering (for U.S. and worldwide outreach) requested by the American Baptist Missionaries. 

 

We are busy on the homefront and invite all women to attend our monthly meetings which are held on the third Saturday of each month (except July and August).  Throughout the year we plan and host luncheons, a bus trip, participate in Sunday worship, present the Seven Last Words on Good Friday and enjoy a weekend of fellowship with one of our sister churches each April.  Our biggest event is our biennial Rainbow Tea, a celebration of sisterhood and faith.

 

We are associated with American Baptist Women’s Ministries /NYS/LIW.   

 

Deacon Rhea Altamura, President

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Mission and Outreach Committee

Mark 16:15: And he (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (NRSV)

 

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Outreach Committee/Ministry is to go out into the community as witnesses of the gospel, to serve as a vehicle for the congregation to actively serve and engage our neighbors in the surrounding area and beyond, and to invite others to experience God through the work of the Devoe community.

 

Who We Are
Since our initial meeting in the Fall of 2011, the Mission and Outreach Committee has worked to connect with our community through multiple channels.  Through the First Fruits ministry, the congregation collects fruit and vegetables on the first Sunday of each month as a demonstration of giving our first fruits to the Lord.  The produce is then donated to a needy family in the community or in our congregation. 

 

Our one-of-a-kind Jazz Vespers Service is an opportunity for the community to enjoy talented artists performing jazz, blues, spirituals, and gospel in celebration of Father’s Day each June.  Other ministry projects include our annual Lenten Food Collection given to local food pantries with an emphasis on healthy eating and addressing food insecurity. 

 

Through our annual Christmas Toy Drive, we have been blessed to donate toys worth hundreds of dollars to St. Vincent’s Services, the Pediatric Dept and ER of Brookdale Hospital Medical Center Most recently, toys valued at $700.00 were donated to Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, a not-for-profit agency serving 2,000 children, families, and 400 adults with developmental disabilities across New York City and Long Island.  As part of our Back-to-School Drive, we partnered with P.S. 132 to provide backpacks and school supplies for their students. 

 

We look forward to expanding Devoe’s outreach activities for children and youth and serving the neediest in Williamsburg, Bushwick, and beyond and we welcome others who want to join us in this important work.

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Deacon Vanessa Sanchez, President

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The Liturgical Dance Ministry – The Daughters of Divinity

Psalm 149:3a – “Let them praise his name with the dance; Let them sing praises to him with the timbral and harp.”

 

Mission Statement

The charge of the Praise Dance Ministry is to worship and praise God through liturgical dance.  In this respect, our objective is to assist members in experiencing God and developing a personal relationship with God.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:4 – “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

 

Who We Are

Worship in dance is a very important part of the Devoe Street Baptist Church and is closely aligned with Praise and Worship of the Lord.  It enhances our praise and worship and helps lead the congregation into His presence. We believe the Holy Spirit today is restoring the arts to the church worldwide.

 

The primary purpose of our Dance Ministry is to exalt the Lord. We encourage every member of the congregation to fully experience the dance while praising the Lord, opening their hearts, and letting the Holy Spirit teach them the love of God. We are a multi-generational ministry with school-aged and adult dancers.  The Dance Ministry uses the Word of God to guide us and depends on the Holy Spirit to provide direction. The ministry extends beyond worship services as we give our talents, our resources, and we develop our members to deepen their personal relationships with Christ.

 

Sis. Paulette O’Neal, President  

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Usher Board Ministry

"Let all things be done decently and in order." – 1 Corinthians 14:40

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"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." – Psalm 84:10

The Devoe Street Baptist Church Ushers are our doorkeepers. The Usher Board Ministry is responsible for maintaining a warm and safe environment during public services at the Devoe Street Baptist Church.  Our ushers are tasked with the extraordinary opportunity of being an extension of the designated worship leaders.  In that capacity, the Usher Board Ministry is instrumental in providing direction and guidance in the pews and plays a pivotal role in keeping order and creating a spirit of worship, reverence, and friendliness in and about the church.  

 

Our multi-generational Usher Board Ministry wants to ensure that everyone who steps into the Devoe Street Baptist Church has a blessed and edifying experience from the moment they are escorted to their seat to the time they rise for the benediction and are dismissed.
 
Every member in good standing of the Devoe Baptist Church is invited to become a part of the Usher Board Ministry.  The expectations for members can be summarized in the 10 “Be’s” of Ushering:
 

• Be friendly to people and reverent to God.

• Be dressed in uniform or proper attire and neatly groomed.

• Be attentive and focused on the needs of the congregation.

• Be prepared to follow the lead of the head usher.

• Be willing to be trained in proper protocol and technique.

• Be humble.

• Be on time when it is your turn to usher.

• Be an escort and walk people to their seats.

• Be respectful.

• Be a helper.

 

We are dedicated to glorifying God through our service of the members and visitors of the Devoe Street Baptist Church.

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Sis. Tahirah Knox, President

 

 

Hospitality Ministry

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.” – Romans 16:16

 

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”  – Hebrews 13:2

 

The mission of the hospitality ministry is to provide a welcoming environment of love, acceptance, comfort, support, care, and unity for visitors, members, guests, and friends in order to enhance their worship experience, encourage fellowship, and help build a community of believers.

 

The Hospitality Ministry is founded and operates on five principles:

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1. Welcome: To greet our visitors, guests, and members in a way to make them feel comfortable as they participate in our worship services and events.

2. Hospitality: To express warmth, generosity, and kindness to our visitors, guests, and members by creating and maintaining a hospitable environment that is open, friendly, and sociable.

3. Fellowship: To help create unity among believers through the sharing of mutual or common activities, experiences, goals, ideas, and feelings.  To decorate the fellowship hall as needed.

4. Organization: To manage the kitchen, meals, and our events in order to help create an environment that brings order, prevents chaos, is agreeable, enjoyable, and pleasant.

5. Discipline: To ensure that the church members, guests, and visitors are following the rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures of the hospitality ministry in order to avoid chaos, confusion, and disorder.

 

We serve in the spirit of Dorcas, who was full of good works and acts of charity.