Rise Up O Men of God!

Concerning Men’s Day, Marty Austin Lamar wrote in the African American Lectionary, “Traditionally Men's Day has been a moment in the life of the Church when the men lead every aspect of worship. From the devotion to the presentation of the music ministry, the men lead. This encourages the fellowship of men of faith... Men's Day is being used to prepare and preserve the church of tomorrow.”

As I consider the church today, I think about the godly men of the Bethesda Baptist Church, who have all gone to glory, whose worship, work, and witness of decades past has shaped the church and the kingdom today. I give God thanks for Deacon Granville Seward, Deacon Alfred Potts, Reverend Louis J. Waddell, Brother Rudy Battle, Trustee Elwood Tuck, and, of course, Reverend Dr. Allen Paul Weaver, Jr.

If it is in fact true that Men's Day is being used to prepare and preserve the church of tomorrow, then I imagine that in twenty years, as I recount the contributions of godly men in my life and whose lives have made a profound impact on the church, the roll call will include the names and stories of the amazing men of the First Baptist Church of Englewood.

So on this day where we recognize your invaluable and unique contribution to the church and the kingdom, and the days to come, men of First Baptist, I charge you in the words of the hymn writer:

Rise up, O men of God!

Have done with lesser things;

Give heart and soul and mind and strength

To serve the King of kings.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

In Jesus Name - Beloved Church & Pastor

I am one of ten students in the Pastoral Identity and Partnerships cohort in the Doctor of Ministry program at the Theological School at Drew University. This semester we have been exploring the identity of the pastor. An identity developed in relationship with God and the people to whom God calls the pastor. FBC, you are my people. I consider you in every lecture and reading. 

You were on my mind as I read Eugene Peterson’s memoir, “The Pastor.” In the memoir he chronicles becoming a pastor, not simply the office of pastor in a local church, but his pastoral identity formed by God in and through every aspect of his life. The subtitle says it all: Every step an arrival. 

I was particularly moved by something Peterson shared early in the book, “Congregation is composed of people, who, upon entering a church, leave behind what people on the street name or call them. A church can never be reduced to a place where goods and services are exchanged. It must never be a place where a person is labeled. It can never be a place where gossip is perpetuated. Before anything else, it is a place where a person is named and greeted, whether implicitly or explicitly, in Jesus's name. A place where dignity is conferred.”

I believe that this is precisely why people come to and remain at a church. To have a place where their worth is affirmed and celebrated. In a world that erodes people’s dignity, church ought to be a place where people are known,  loved, and valued as beloved people of God. We cease to be church when we tear people down with our words and actions. We cease to be church when people feel as though they are anything less than beloved children of God. So church, as we go wider in fellowship, my prayer is that we will be and will remain a place and people who are a refuge of dignity in a wearisome world.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Hold On - Don’t Quit!

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

Harriet Beecher Stowe

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 (KJV)

Have you ever been in a situation where you were ready to call it quits? I often wonder, as the quotation from Harriet Beecher Stowe suggests, if the very moment we are ready to call it quits is the moment when we will begin to see positive changes in our situations. What if the very moment we are ready to throw in the towel is the moment when God shifts our situation?

I often get impatient when I am stuck in traffic on the highway, especially if I am pressed for time and have someplace I need to be. I despise getting stuck in a lane that is not moving. When I’m really impatient or in a rush, I have made the decision to switch lanes. I’m sure you can relate to giving up on the lane that you were in because you were not making any progress in reaching your destination. More often than not, the very moment I switched lanes is when traffic began to flow in the lane that I was previously in. The cars that were behind me in the lane I was in breeze past me as I sat stuck in a new lane. Truth is, if I had waited another moment, another second, I would have been on my way, moving in the direction of my destination.

And so it is with life. Not quitting requires patience. Not quitting requires strength. Not quitting asks us to be still, trusting that progress is being made even if we cannot see or feel it. Not giving up is hard work, but if we hold on, we just may be at the point where God turns our situations around.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unashamed Women of Christ

“I am not less, because I’m Black. And I am not less, because I’m a Woman.” Marian Wright

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. Psalm 139:14 (NRSV)

In a society that diminishes the worth of Black women and tells us that we are less than (and even questions whether we can hold the highest office of the land despite being highly qualified), I unashamedly declare that Black women are absolutely incredible. God made us the crown jewels of creation. I love being a woman, especially being a Black woman. I love celebrating women, especially Black women. Which is why I am anticipating a marvelous 75th Annual Women’s Day Celebration!

In addition to our Sunday morning worship service, we hope to see you and your mothers, daughters, grand-daughters, sisters, and sister-friends for the Women’s Revival on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 7:30pm. Our guest preacher will be the Rev. Thurselle Chisolm-Williams, Pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange. Our special musical guest will be Minister Lakesha Corbitt. It is sure to be a high time in the Lord celebrating Unashamed Women of Christ Who Love The Lord! Please join us in the Social Hall at 6:30pm for pre-revival dinner.

We also look forward to a meeting of the Women’s Fellowship on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 10:30am. The meeting will be hybrid, in the Social Hall and on Zoom. During that meeting we will discuss the purpose of Women’s ministry and share ideas to make 2025 an amazing and impactful year of ministry!

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Trusted with your care

“For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” And they worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel 1:27-28)

As Baptists, we do not baptize infants, however in the tradition of Hannah with Baby Samuel and Mary and Joseph with Baby Jesus, we bring our children to the house of God to dedicate them back to God as an act of thanksgiving and worship. When Afia was dedicated, Joseph and I selected godparents, people we knew, loved, and trusted with her spiritual, emotional, and physical care to walk alongside us in our journey. We knew that Afia’s godparents would show up and care for Adjoa in the same ways that they would for Afia--prayer, wisdom, birthdays, holidays, etc. So, when Adjoa was born, we elected to do something slightly different and unconventional.

At Adjoa’s dedication, we did not have individual godparents, but we asked the entire congregation at the New Hope Baptist Church of Metuchen to stand and covenant with us to rear her in the love, knowledge, and ways of God. The joke in our family is that Congressman Frank Pallone was present, so he, too, is one of her godparents. 

We asked the congregation to stand as her godparents, not to increase the number of gifts she’d get on her birthday, but as a witness to the responsibility of the congregation in helping Joseph and me to raise her.

All that said, we are delighted to dedicate Baby Sophia and Baby Syoriah back to God this day. Although Sophia and Syoriah have godparents, I invite you, the congregation, to partner with these parents to train up these girls in the way that they should go, so when they are older they would not depart from it.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

At The Cross

It is no secret that I love hymns. What you may not know, however, is that I find the ordinance of Holy Communion to be one of the most sacred times in the liturgy of the church. I am grateful that Jesus encouraged us that whenever we partake of the symbolic elements representing His broken body and shed blood, that we do so in remembrance of Him.

One of the best ways that we remember what Jesus Christ did at Calvary is through singing the songs that place us at the foot of the cross, reminding us who we are, why we were in need of a Savior, and the awesome cost that Jesus paid for us. While I am moved by most of the hymns that usher us to the cross--that ancient landmark of our faith, my absolute favorite hymn to sing as we go to the Table is “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed” (which we know as “At the Cross”) written by Isaac Watts in 1707. Those lyrics, particularly the fourth verse, prompt me to respond to Jesus’ loving sacrifice with the sacrifice and surrender of myself and my life to the will of God and the cause of Christ:

But drops of tears can ne'er repay

the debt of love I owe.

Here, Lord, I give myself away;

'tis all that I can do.

What is your favorite Communion hymn? What about that particular song moves your heart and stirs your soul?

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Black Lives Matter

As I sit in this space of grief, I am reflecting on the experience of my father’s death on July 30, 2024. My father did not have an advanced directive or have any of his healthcare wishes written down. While his end-of-life experience went fairly well (all things considered), I was reminded of my work as a clinical chaplain In the hospital and hospice, where I saw end-of-life experiences, especially with Black people, rife with trauma and drama.

With this in mind, I want to share an article that I wrote for Urban Faith Magazine In 2018. My prayer is that this article will kindle something within you to plan for your end-of-life, while you--as we say in church--have a reasonable portion of health and are clothed in your right mind. Doing so, will lead to better outcomes for you and your family.

Not long ago, I was sitting at the bedside of my mother as she lay in a hospital bed in the critical care unit on a ventilator. With a tube in her throat, her voice was silenced. We had no idea who she wanted to make decisions for her. We didn’t know her wishes should she experience a decline — we didn’t even know if she wanted to be intubated in the first place. In this case, her right to make decisions about her healthcare was not stripped of her but rather was not exercised.

As a justice-seeker and end-of-life spiritual care practitioner, I often bring up advanced care planning to my family’s dismay. My mother had been reluctant to have any conversation about it, shrugging me off, quipping, “Just make sure they don’t put any makeup on me in the casket.” Thank God, she has recovered and is doing well, but the reality is that she, like many African-Americans, do not participate in advanced care planning and making end-of-life decisions.

Poet and social activist Langston Hughes wrote, “There is no color line in death.” Yet, when it comes to advanced care planning and end-of-life care, the color line is obvious. African-Americans disproportionately engage in advance care planning and utilize hospice and palliative care at lower rates than whites, thus affecting the quality of life as death approaches. The reasons are myriad: cultural factors, economic concerns, negative perceptions of hospice and palliative care, and mistrust of physicians and the healthcare system. African-Americans have a strained relationship with the healthcare industry rooted in historical facts such as the exploitation of Black bodies for medical research throughout American history, such as the Tuskegee experiment, a decades-long “study” on African-American men with syphilis performed without informed consent and leaving the disease untreated, even after an effective cure had been found. Also, embedded in this lack of advance care planning and underutilization of hospice and palliative care is the theological understanding that pain and suffering are part of God’s plan for our lives. There are many people I have encountered in my work in hospice and in church ministry that bear unnecessary suffering, whether physical pain or emotional burdens because they believe that is their cross to bear. This is not solely my experience, but a widely held belief that hinders patients from managing their pain and families from receiving the additional services that would ease their burden of care.

Besides, we’re living our best lives and who has time to plan for healthcare crisis or think about death?

But what if living our best lives means considering healthcare decisions and end-of-life planning? What if making healthcare decisions is not merely a matter of physical health, but a matter of justice? In addition to racial, gender, economic, and educational equity, quality healthcare is a justice concern. And I would argue, given my particular role as a hospice chaplain providing spiritual care and emotional support to patients and families during end-of-life, that advanced care planning and comprehensive end-of-life care are part of quality healthcare. In the National Hospice and Palliative Care “Outreach to African Americans Guide,” Dr. Richard Payne, Professor of Medicine and Divinity at the Duke Institute of End of Life Care wrote, “Hospice offers the best hope not to be alone, to be with family, to have pain controlled, and to be connected to your faith and beliefs. We are as entitled as anyone else to have these hopes fulfilled.”

If Black lives matter, and they do, then one way we proclaim that we matter is by exercising agency in our healthcare, including making decisions about who can speak for us when we are unable, whether or not we want aggressive treatment such as resuscitation and intubation, and how we want to be treated at the end of life. Given the historical exploitation of Black bodies in medical research—often carried out without our consent or after death—raising our voices and making our own decisions related to healthcare is an act of resistance, declaring our dignity and worth in a country where our personhood is devalued on a daily basis.

I hear you. People of a certain age should engage in those conversations and make their healthcare decisions known. But I’m young, I’m healthy, and I’m living my best life. I have plenty of time before I have to think about advanced care planning.

Just as there is no color line in death, there is also no age line. Crisis, disease, terminal illness, and death can come at any age—including in your twenties and thirties. And while healthcare decisions can be made at any time, the best time to make healthcare decisions is during times of calm, clarity of mind, and relatively good health.

Not sure where to start? Here are some practical suggestions:

Consider: Reflect upon what quality of life and a good death means for you. Think about the person who would best speak for you in the event you cannot make decisions for yourself.

Voice: Use one or more of the many tools available (living will, power of attorney, advance directive, or the Five Wishes document) to put your healthcare decisions on paper. If you have a chronic health issue, consider completing a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) with your physician. When choosing a healthcare proxy, but sure to dialogue with them about your wishes and their ability to carry them out.

Engage: Share your decisions with your loved ones and friends and encourage them to have the conversation and make their choices known. Move the discussion beyond your immediate circle to your congregation and community. As a matter of justice, the conversation on advanced care planning should be had far and wide.

Revisit: Healthcare decisions will evolve as we do. It is important to note that these are not static documents, but that they should be revisited and revised as our lives and perspectives change. A general rule of thumb would be to revisit the document every ten years and with major life changes (marriage, children, the onset of disease, etc.).

Making healthcare decisions is not only wise for personal quality of life, but it also bears witness to the power of agency, advocacy, and the humanity of African-Americans. For some, it may seem like just a document, but for African-Americans, it is an act of resistance, and an act of freedom, and an act of justice.

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Lighting of a Fire

As a child, I was called a nerd. In the late nineteen-eighties and early nineteen-nineties, “nerd” was a nomenclature that was meant to ridicule someone, but I gladly embraced the term. As I moved on to college, graduate school, and seminary, I transitioned from being a nerd, to being a scholar. By definition, a scholar is “a person who is highly educated or has an aptitude for study.” Whatever you call me, it is no secret that I love learning. As a lover of learning, I agree wholeheartedly with William Butler Yeats who wrote “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

There was a kindling--a spark--in my formative years that transcended the scholarship of the academy (though I am technically in the 22nd grade as I am back in school working on my Doctor of Ministry degree at the Theological School at Drew University). God has used this spark in ministry and shaped me into the pastor-teacher I am today. As a covenant-disciple at the Bethesda Baptist Church, I was the first one at Bible Study on the front pew, soaking up every word taught by Dr. Weaver (the most gifted pastor-teacher I’ve known). I could not get enough of learning about the unsearchable riches of God and how to apply God’s word in my life. When I answered my call to ministry and went to seminary, I found immense joy in the rigors of the classroom, even in moments when my faith was challenged. With every course, in church and in seminary, God added kindling to keep the fire ablaze.

God continues to keep the fire burning, even now. I bring this fire to the pulpit and Bible study each week. And it is this fire that inspires this sermon series, “Class is in Session” as God impressed upon me that UnAshamed witnesses must be lifelong students of Jesus whose lives are set ablaze and guided by his teachings. May this series be kindling in your fire, a fire that continues to grow as we, together, remain lifelong students of God’s truths.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unashamed Endurance

In my quiet time, I have been reflecting on the rich history of First Baptist Church alongside the theme selected for our 131st Anniversary.

We are celebrating 131 years of Unashamed LIFE:

In 131 years, countless people have come through the doors of FBC; Men, women, boys, and girls have been saved, healed, delivered, transformed, and ushered Into life abundant and life eternal through Jesus Christ.

We are celebrating 131 years of Unashamed OBEDIENCE:

It took unashamed obedience for a group of African-Americans to heed the voice of God to organize and found a church in Englewood in 1893, especially with the lingering residue of slavery permeating Bergen County, which in the 1800's was the largest slaveholding county in the state.

We are celebrating 131 years of Unashamed VICTORY:

The vision to build and the move from William Street to Englewood Avenue, and the various building projects and purchases have been incredible victories for the church; We are still reaping the benefits of those victories.

We are celebrating 131 years of Unashamed ENDURANCE:

What an incredible witness of endurance for a congregation to have only had seven pastors in 131 years; It speaks to a congregation with the capacity to weather storms and to grow together with leadership.

My prayer is that we continue to carry the mantle of Unashamed L.O.V.E into the bright future that God has for us. May we continue to be a people of life, obedience, victory, and endurance, continuing to, “run with perseverance the race marked out for us...” (Hebrews 12:1)

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

“It was a Good Day”

It was all good, just a year ago.

This riff on the lyric from Ice Cube’s hit song, “It was a Good Day” anchors my reflection for this week. One year ago, today, we were on the eve of our Pastoral Installation. What a momentous occasion in the life of the church. The banquet was incredible, the service of Installation was extraordinary, and Sunday’s worship was inspiring.

I know Dr. Simpson preached in the sermon at the service of Installation that the relationship between Pastor and people is not a marriage, as often cited, but I cannot help but compare the feelings of anticipation and experience of Installation weekend to Joseph and my wedding ceremony.

In the days leading to our wedding, though I was cool on the outside, I was so nervous on the inside. The same was true for Installation weekend. I don’t know why I was nervous; we had already been doing ministry together for six months. Still, the butterflies in my stomach abounded...

And just like our wedding day was a blur, there are details that I only remember because of photos, video, and the stories of others. But what I do remember is the immense love, joy, and excitement I felt being surrounded by a living cloud of witnesses--our church family, my family, friends, mentors, colleagues, and the larger community. I also remember an anxiety that lingered because what we were formally embarking on as pastor and people would have great significance In the community and the Kingdom.

Even as I reflect, I continue to be grateful to Sis. Jackie Johnson, the entire Pastoral Installation Committee, and everyone who assisted in the planning and execution of such a spectacular weekend to the glory of God!

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Most Challenging Sermon

Rev. Frank Thomas, Phd, homiletician, pastor, author, and Director of the Compelling Preaching Initiative and Professor of Homiletics at Christian Theological Seminary has a broadcast on YouTube that highlights the African-American preaching tradition. Each episode consists of Thomas interviewing a pastor or preacher about their upbringing, their call, their methodology, preaching mentors, etc. In every episode he asks the question, “What is the most challenging sermon you’ve ever preached?”

I don’t have an answer to that specific question, but I can speak to the most challenging sermon I’ve ever had to prepare--the one that I will preach today. As with every sermon, the Holy Spirit troubles the preacher before the sermon is ever delivered. That means that as the preacher, I am comforted first, convicted first, and challenged first.

So what made it challenging? In the midst of my own grief, I am preaching on grief. This sermon was scheduled to be preached on August 11th, but with my father’s sickness and death, I am preaching it today--just two days after National Grief Awareness Day. How’s that for God’s timing?This sermon was not conceived and written in a safety chamber out of the grips of grief. Through my own questions, sadness, and tears, I had to wrestle with what I believe about God. There were moments where I had to quiet the loudness of my own grief to hear what the Spirit was saying to the church.

Ultimately, while this was the most challenging sermon I’ve ever prepared, it was also the sermon where I felt God like never before. God comforted my heart and soul through this message. God showed Himself mighty and strong in this message. And, though challenging, I am a witness that it is true that, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Being Still

I don’t know about you, but for me, Summer 2024 seemed to have come and gone in the blink of an eye. One day the sun was setting at almost 9 o’clock in the evening, I blinked and the next day the sun was taking her rest before 8:00 o’clock. The girls got out of school for summer break, I blinked and just like that we’re doing back to school shopping.

Even though we have only a few more blinks before Autumn makes her unofficial entrance, I would invite you to savor these next several weeks.

I invite you to embody the words of the Psalmist to, “Be still,” in order to find rest and joy in the presence of God. I invite you to put into practice the words found in this poem by Shellan Lubin:

“Rest:

as beautiful and necessary a task as any.

How else can we remember to breathe?

to think?

to shut out the world?

to not think?

to regain the strength

to take on the world?

to take in the world

with all our senses?

to dream?”

As I pause this week, I will rest so that come September, I am enlivened with new God-sized dreams for life and ministry. Will you join me in this beautiful and necessary task of rest? Join me...so together we can return with new dreams, ready to take on the world for the cause of Christ.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

You are the Church

One of my favorite passages of Scripture, and one that I often preach at weddings, is found in the third chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians. As I reflect on my father’s transition, and the ways in which God has used all of you--the members of First Baptist Church--to minister to our family during this time, I am drawn back to Paul’s words: “Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:!2 VOICE)

During the COVID pandemic, faith communities across the nation, including FBC, had to grapple with what it means to be the church. Unable to gather in particular locations at set times, we quickly learned that church is not a building, nor is church defined by or confined to the 10:30 hour that we gather for worship on Sunday morning. We came to understand that church--the church of the True and Living God--is so much more than that. In many ways, we were forced to return to the ancient definition of church (in Greek, eklesia) as the gathered ones called out and set apart by God, summoned for a specific purpose.

Which brings me back to our season of bereavement. FBC, you have embodied church during this time. You have taken seriously, with your actions, what is required of those who have been set apart by God. You have clothed yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, in garments expansive enough to cover our entire family. Thank you, First Baptist, for not playing church, or simply doing church, but we give God praise and thanks for you being the church--called out and set apart by God, summoned to exude and extend love to all.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

He is … Father

By vocation, I am a woman who handles words as part of who I am and what I do, yet there are times when my own words get lodged within, unable to escape my tongue or typing fingers. The death of my father is one of those times. In honor of my father, I share part of a poem “He is … Father”  by Epiphany:

…He is​

the shine in a little girl’s eyes

the icon of a son in the mirror

a husband to his woman

a provider & a leader

the endearing traits of a real man

personified in how He lives​

…He is​

the strength of the family unit

the shelter in a raging storm

a patriarch to the ancestral tree

his seed produces legacies

to carry on his dynasty​

…He is​

stability in the midst of adversity

He rules with a gentle hand

teaches his daughter how to be loved

to accept nothing less than a true man

He instills pride in his son

to be the best Man that He can be​

…He is​

a monumental influence

to the innocence of youth

a consonant pillar of masculinity

without a heavy hand as proof

if you had to measure A Man

in all He say or do

it is in the path He chooses to follow

it is the fruits of his wealthy spirit

that makes him so unique​

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Our Rock

There are times when God speaks directly to my soul through my Spotify playlist. My drive to the hospital on Sunday morning to see my dad as he lay in ICU was one of those times. Overwhelmed by dad’s condition and by what would need to be done, the Holy Spirit interrupted my consumed mind with the voice of Stephen Hurd:

When my heart is overwhelmed

I pray Lord lead me to the rock

Lead me to the rock that's higher than I

O Lord

I began to sing along, shifting my mind from the situation at hand to God who holds all situations in His hands. I was overcome with peace by the time the song reached the refrain:

You are my firm foundation

My salvation my solid rock

Hurd’s words are not his own, rather riffed from David’s prayer in Psalm 62:1-3. I have always been drawn to David’s metaphor of God as our Rock. As our Rock, God is a steady and secure presence in our lives. God is the One we can rely on to be faithful and sure when everything else around us is topsy-turvy. At the same time, not only is God secure, but as our Rock, God is also the One who holds us up when we are overwhelmed, overcome, and consumed by life.

Whatever circumstance you find yourself in--if you are like me in a season of overwhelm--I invite you to find safety in the gracious presence of God, who is indeed our Rock.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

But not…

I am writing this missive on Sunday evening as the nation is reeling from yet more perplexing news in our increasingly volatile political climate. Family, we are navigating uncharted waters in unprecedented times.

For a moment, I was overcome by a deep feeling of despair. I talked with family and friends; our conversations filled with more questions than answers. I scrolled through social media which only intensified my despair. I was feeling a bit helpless, wondering about the days ahead. I was all ready to stew in my feelings until the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the words of the Apostle Paul, “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed...” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).

What stood out to me in my meditation were the words but not that followed every experience of hardship. But not is a testimony that God is yet active in our lives. But not is a reminder that hardships are present, but not provident. But not is a confirmation that evil and oppressive forces will never have the last word in the earth because as Jesus told his disciples, “In the world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”

So, family, since we are not crushed, driven to despair, forsaken, or destroyed, let us be of good cheer and continue to do the good work of Jesus which includes liberation and justice on earth as it is in Heaven.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unexpected Blessings

If you recall, last year I put a considerable amount of effort into my garden. Unfortunately, that was not my testimony this year. Between family, FBC ministry, PNBC work, and finding time to rest, I did not have the time this Spring to prepare and plant a garden.

Before we left for our trip to Africa, the garden area was overrun with weeds. I vowed to clear it when we returned. I figured that although I did not plant in the Spring, there would still be time to prepare for Fall planting of greens, scallions, carrots, and such.

Imagine my surprise when we returned home to find beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, cucumber flowers, and hot peppers fruiting in the uncultivated garden. The fruit that died on the vine reseeded the ground and voila! Immediately, I enlisted Joseph’s help. We cleared out as many weeds as we could, made a plan to buy stakes to prop up the tomatoes, and committed to tending to the garden for the rest of the season.

The Holy Spirit has reminded me of three lessons through this process that I want to share with you:

• God can (and will) take dead things and use them to bring new life;

• Be careful of letting unwanted things take over your life. They can get caught up with the desirable things and make it hard to separate the unwanted from the desirable without harming what you really want.

• When God gives you an unexpected blessing that you didn’t plan or work for, don’t take it for granted, but do your part in order to reap the full harvest that God has for you.

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

The Master Architect

Over the course of fifteen days, Brother Joseph, the girls and I were blessed to visit Africa. We began our trip in Egypt, visiting Cairo and Giza. From Egypt, we traveled “home” to Ghana. In both places, I did things I never did before, like traverse the Canopy Walkways at Kakum National Park and enjoy a hearty Egyptian street-food, Kosherie.

Of all of the experiences, visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza was the most memorable. As a former Art History teacher, it was amazing to see places I had only seen in books and photos. As we took in the sights and surroundings of the Great Pyramids of Giza, I was awestruck. Our Egyptologist touted the great architectural feat of human invention and ingenuity that made the pyramids possible, however my mind was on the Master Architect behind the construction of such a massive, mathematical, and magnificent structure. While the Greek historian, Herodotus named the Great Pyramids among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, I reflected on the Wonder behind the wonder. In other words, the Great Pyramids were a witness of the creative power of our Great God and reminded of Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

God created the human beings and raw materials that conceived and constructed such greatness. And I am encouraged that the same God who was at work through those ancient architects is still at work today and that there is much greatness that God will do through you and me.

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Unoccupied

As I prepare to be away, Mark 6:31-32, comes to mind, “And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.”

This scene is sandwiched between busy moments of ministry. Before saying these words, the disciples came to Jesus and shared all of the successes they had in ministry. What followed was a famished crowd that met Jesus and the disciples when their boat docked. In between success in ministry and feeding the multitude, Jesus tells the disciples, “Let’s take a vacation.” There is a connection between our vocation and vacations.

First Baptist, God be praised, we’ve had a fruitful first half of the year! And though God has much more for us to do this year as we unashamedly go higher in worship, deeper in study, and wider in fellowship for far reaching impact for Christ, I feel a deep sense of fulfillment as I live out my vocation. I also sense Jesus saying, “Donna, take a vacation.”

By definition, a vacation is an extended period of leisure and recreation. It comes from a Latin word which means to be unoccupied and unoccupied is exactly what I plan to be. I am looking forward to sharing in rest, joy, sightseeing, and laughing along with Bro. Joseph and the girls. I am also looking forward to returning strengthened for ministry, because the world is hungry for the Living Bread...

Unoccupied until July 9th,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah

Watch Children

On this Children and Education Sunday, I am reminded of the yellow, diamond shaped traffic signs that read, “Watch Children.”“Watch Children” signs are placed to make drivers mindful of the safety of children that may be walking, running, or playing in the area. When I see these signs, I slow down, being careful of the presence of children. But these signs also cause me to reflect beyond what they mean for the safety of children. 

What if we heeded this sign not simply as a warning to be cautious about traffic, but also as an invitation to life more fully and more alive? Watching children—and emulating some of their behaviors—may be helpful for the fullness of life and thriving for adults of all ages. Even Jesus reminded us in Matthew 18:3, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

We can watch the playfulness and imagination of children…

Children are naturally playful. At around three months of age, babies begin to smile in joyful response to the smiles of those around them. Toddlers can find pleasure in playing with almost anything—from manufactured toys to empty cardboard boxes. 

Elementary school children look forward to recess when they can play with their friends. And teenagers, in all of their budding maturity, become energized at the opportunity to play. Play and imagination brings a sense of vitality that many adults would benefit from. When the care of life become overwhelming, simple play—like opening a fresh box of Crayola Crayons with a coloring book—can re-energize us for the tasks and decisions ahead. 

We can watch the courage of children…

I am amazed when I watch small children playing on jungle gyms. They approach slides and monkey bars with a boldness that is inspiring. And they try, and try, and try to reach their goals and don’t stop until they’ve made it. Surely, small failures come, but they pick themselves up and keep trying. In an adult way, it is asking the question, “What would I do if I knew I could not fail?” and attempting the feat with audacity and grace. 

We can watch the intimate connections of children…

Children thrive on touch. In addition to proper nutrition, human touch has crucial effects on physical and emotional growth of newborn babies. More than physical touch, emotional connection with others is also important to children. Children, unless they have been violated in some way, are some of the friendliest people on the planet. Children live deeply into the truth that no person is an island, and that human beings are created to be in relationship with each other. As adults, we can embrace our interconnectedness through everything from handshakes and hugs to telephone calls to our friends to let them know that we were thinking of them.

In addition to these, I’m sure there are many other beautiful lessons we can learn from the lives of children. So, I invite us to heed and obey the signs to “Watch Children” as we become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Growing in Christ,

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah