Member's Handbook

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Members Handbook

Intro

A Message from our Bishop
The First Cathedral History

1 - What is Our Church All About?

What do we believe?
Our Mission and Vision
What is the Purpose of Our Church?
How Do You Join With Us in God's Purpose?

2 - How Do We Care for You?

Pastoral Staff
Care Ministry Structure
Our Ministries and Services

From Bishop LeRoy Bailey, Jr.
Senior Pastor

When Moses went and told the people all the Lord's words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the LORD has said we will do."
Exodus 24:3

On behalf of The First Cathedral Family, we are honored to have you with us.

I want you to know that each time you enter this church you will be greeted with acceptance and love. The reason is simple: you are at home here. That is why we are a family, a family united in the message and mission of our Lord Jesus.

And each time you leave our doors, you will be stronger and more empowered to face the challenges of your life. In fact, I guarantee you will not only face those challenges head on, but conquer them and succeed in victory.

However, this will only happen if you remain keenly aware of the extraordinary activities and opportunities available to you. Our church is filled to the brim with programs and events designed especially for your needs. Yet, we do this not only for the encouragement of our family and the betterment of our lives, but so that we are ready at a moment's notice to do the Lord's work. This is not a ministry that waits until the "time is right." No, we get ready for God, when He says, "It's time!"

So dear friend, I welcome you joyously to a truly loving home. Remember, we are incredibly blessed with a magnificent vision and potential. Together, there is nothing we cannot do in the name of Jesus.

Our doors and our hearts will always be open to you.

God bless you,

Bishop LeRoy Bailey, Jr.
Senior Pastor

Note: This Members' Guide is a wonderful resource. It provides all of us with the same resource of information regarding the life of our church. It allows us all to follow the same path in seeking the Kingdom and to work the same field in building the Kingdom by actively creating disciples of Jesus Christ. As disciples, we are the bricks and mortar upon which His Kingdom is built. The more disciples we make here at The First Cathedral, the stronger and greater we build the Kingdom of God.

Please refer to this Guidebook often. Along with our website, you will find it very useful by assisting you in demonstrating your faith through The First Cathedral.

History

The First Cathedral has been blessed with a Godly history. We are Christ Centered, Gospel Bound, Spirit Led and ever Prayerful. During this dynamic journey over the past three decades our pastor and leaders have adhered to the one true mission of the church: to win souls to Jesus Christ. Through this uncompromised dedication we have been witness to unprecedented growth in our family of believers. Lives have been saved and changed, broken marriages have been renewed, families are whole again and, since 1968, people like you have come to us for encouragement and support.

Our journey together began on April 12, 1968 when Rev. Edward R. King was appointed the first Pastor and the church officially registered as the 1st Baptist Church. In 1971, the journey continued as Dr. LeRoy Bailey, Jr. became our Pastor. With Pastor Bailey came a new vibrance and vision. Over the next quarter century, our momentum and ministry increased more and more with each passing year. New and effective programs began, fulfilling dire needs of the church members and the community. New facilities were purchased, including our current location, in order to accomplish the diverse objectives of our ministry. New affiliations were created with other ministries around the world in order to utilize the incredible talent within the church to further God¹s Kingdom not only locally, but to the far corners of the globe. Finally, a new sense of hope was born in the community. An undeniable hope that came from the neighborhood¹s wellspring of Christian life, The First Cathedral.

Presently, the journey has taken us to a membership exceeding 8,000; all united and engaged in building an extraordinary future. Our current Development Campaign has allowed us to welcome an ever increasing group of people who are seeking the Lord through the newly constructed worship center. The continued growth of our congregation necessitated the building of this larger facility for worship and accommodating our expanding ministries. Our vision has become reality in our new facility at Wintonbury and Blue Hills Avenues in Bloomfield.

1 - What is Our Church All About?

I. What do we believe?

The Bible - The Bible in its entirety is the inspired Word of God. It shows His will for man's salvation, and is the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life

God - There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three Manifestations: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is Sovereign and Absolute in His authority.

Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is Lord, the only begotten Son of God. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross for our sins according to the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.

The Holy Spirit - Is the third person of the God Head. He convicts men of sin. He regenerates, indwells, guides, instructs, and empowers the believer for godly living and service.

Man - Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.

Salvation - The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit and become children of God.

The Return of Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. The dead shall be resurrected. He shall reign forever.

The Church - The true Church is composed of all such persons, who through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the head.

Water Baptism - Water baptism by immersion is a public statement of faith, where the new Christian publicly declares that their old sinful nature has died and been buried and their new nature, born of Jesus Christ, is now alive.

Communion - All Christians need to partake of the communion elements which represent the Lord Jesus' body and blood. By participating in the Lord's Supper we proclaim His death until His return.

II. What is the Mission and Vision of Our Church?

A. Mission Statement
Our mission is to recognize and meet the needs of all God's people. We strengthen, equip and encourage our family to become disciples of our Lord and Savior. As disciples, we continually and creatively demonstrate God's love, thereby earning the right to share the Hope of the Gospel: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, now and forever.

B. Vision Statement
The people of The First Cathedral have made a commitment to do whatever it takes to make the church of Jesus Christ relevant and meaningful to all people and God has honored this commitment.

The prophet Isaiah envisioned a time when, "…the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert." (Isaiah 35:6) This prophecy was fulfilled by our Lord Jesus when he told the Samaritan woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

The First Cathedral's vision is to be an oasis for all people who wander in the desert and wilderness of their lives. Like the peaceful fountain that greets all those who enter our cathedral, our vision is that all those who encounter our congregation or individual members receive the life giving water of Jesus.

Together, our vision is for a church:

Where joyous children learn, play and grow in God's love, just as the children whom Jesus welcomed to himself. (Matthew 19:13-15)
Where enthusiastic young people are encouraged, equipped, and challenged to seek first the Kingdom of God and are guided in discipleship, just as the young men that Jesus called on the shores of Galilee. (Matthew 4:18-22)
Where fulfilled adults find peace, assurance and wisdom. (Phil. 4:7-8)
Where elders are honored, revered, and esteemed as they guide us to the fulfillment of God's plan. (Joel 2:28)
Where families, ordained by God, are upheld and strengthened in their commitments to God and to each other. (Ephesians 5:21)
Where visitors from all cultures, traditions, and tongues experience joy of our worship, the love that we have for each other and the hospitality that we extend to them. (Philippians 4:4, I John 4:7, Romans 12:13b)
Where everyone is called to yield their entire lives as holy sacrifices to God and are equipped for effective ministry in the world. (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:11-12)
And where all of us, as we face the great challenges and struggles of life, find in our Christian faith not only the power and hope to meet the test, but to grow in wisdom and maturity, "until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)
Where visitors from all cultures, traditions, and tongues experience joy of our worship, the love that we have for each other and the hospitality that we extend to them. (Philippians 4:4, I John 4:7, Romans 12:13b)
Where everyone is called to yield their entire lives as holy sacrifices to God and are equipped for effective ministry in the world. (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:11-12)
And where all of us, as we face the great challenges and struggles of life, find in our Christian faith not only the power and hope to meet the Where visitors from all cultures, traditions, and tongues experience joy of our worship, the love that we have for each other and the hospitality that we extend to them. (Philippians 4:4, I John 4:7, Romans 12:13b)
Where everyone is called to yield their entire lives as holy sacrifices to God and are equipped for effective ministry in the world. (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:11-12
And where all of us, as we face the great challenges and struggles of life, find in our Christian faith not only the power and hope to meet the test, but to grow in wisdom and maturity, "until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)
Our vision continues as we see a mighty river flowing from The First Cathedral, bringing new life to our neighborhood and our city, joining with waters flowing from all other ministries, creating a wave of hope and new life to cover the world.

Along with other Christian ministries around the world, we will join them as a church:

Which is eager to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with all people in all nations, and which supports this commitment through joyous worship, personal witness, prayer and offerings. (Matt 28:18-20).
Which demonstrates its love for others through full participation in missions and generously sacrifices its wealth to share the Gospel and relieve human suffering locally and globally. (Luke 10:25-37).
Which shares God's passion for real peace on earth and that "justice roll down like waters," and which is an advocate for God's law, peace and justice in New England and throughout the world. (Zeh 9:9-10, Amos 5:24).
In which every member is considered and considers their life to be a ministry, called by Christ to serve him and glorify him in all of life, "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead; pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:13-14)

III. What is the Purpose of the Church?

God's purpose for the Church is clearly stated in two scriptures: The Great Commandment - Matt 22:37-40 and The Great Commission - Matt. 28:19-20.

The Great Commandment
" 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt 22:37-40)

The Great Commission
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matt. 28:19-20)

Love the Lord with all your heart - Worship
Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is worship (Ps 147:11). The church exists to worship God (Matt. 4:10). If we don't worship God, we will find something else to worship such as job, family, money, a sport or ourselves.
Love your neighbor as yourself - Ministry
Ministry is showing God's love to others by meeting their needs (spiritual, emotional, relational and physical) and healing their hurts in the name of Jesus. The church equips believers for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12).
Go and make disciples - Evangelism
The church exists to share the Gospel of Jesus locally and world-wide to win souls to Christ (Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:15). This is our commission from Jesus, it is not optional. Jesus holds us responsible to share the Gospel with unbelievers.
Baptizing them - Fellowship
Baptism is not only a symbol of salvation, it is a symbol of fellowship. It means you belong to Christ's family (Rom 12:5). You're not alone. Christians need relationships to grow. The church exits to provide fellowship and help believers develop relationships.
Teaching them to obey - Discipleship
Discipleship is the process to help people become more like Christ in their thoughts, feelings and actions. The process begins when a person receives Christ and continues through the rest of his life ( Col.1:28). The church exists to edify or educate God's people. It's the church's responsibility to develop people to spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:12-13).

IV. How Do You Join with Us in God's Purpose?

Understand What We're all About
Jesus tells us that understanding the word of the Kingdom is the key that prevents the devil from stealing it from our hearts (Matt 13:19). Listen intently to our Bishop's messages, look carefully at the character of our ministry, speak with our members and you'll discover that what we're about is sharing the love of Christ to bring all people to a personal relationship with Christ.
Know that God Has Joined You to This Ministry
The Lord adds to the Church…and not the persuasiveness of men (Acts 2:47). Likewise, we believe that the Lord directs the steps of His people and leads them to the specific ministry where He would have them to work. When you know the Holy Spirit has joined you to us, then this becomes "Your" church family.
Volunteer to Fulfill the "Vision"
God has given us different gifts and talents. He expects us to work together under the leadership of this ministry to accomplish the "Vision" of The First Cathedral. Ask God to lead you to the specific ministry of our church family that incorporates your gifts and helps us fulfill God's purpose.
Submit Yourself for Training and Service
This becomes "your family" when you serve as a vital part of the ministry. After you complete your Orientation and New Members Series Classes, please take advantage of the "Enhancement Classes" offered each Sunday morning that will further prepare you for Christian service. If you desire more intense courses of study, The New England International School of Ministry offers extensive training for Evangelism and Christian training.
Support the Ministry of The First Cathedral
When you recognize the anointing upon a prophet and support his work, you receive the same reward as that prophet, just as if you had done the work yourself (Matt 10:41-42). Even though you may not go to the foreign mission field or serve in an Outreach Ministry, when you support this ministry through your prayers, tithes, offerings and attendance, then God credits you with our successes.

2 - How Do We Care for You?

I. Pastoral Staff

A. Senior Pastor
Archbishop LeRoy Bailey, Jr.

B. Assistant to the Archbishop
Reverend LeRoy Bailey, III

C. The Care Pastors
These have assigned Pastoral Groups to assist the Bishop in caring for you. (Ex. 18:13-26)

Reverend Carol Dyson

Cardys8@aol.com

Reverend Denise Goggins

Dgoggins30@comcast.net

Reverend Dezaree Pines-Wilusz

dpineswilusz@comcast.net

D. How Can I Contact my Care Pastor?
You may email them or call the church at (860) 243-6520 ext 101. You can also speak briefly with your Pastor after the services.

II. Care Ministry Structure

The Care Ministry assists Bishop in Caring for People according to the Biblical pattern of Ex. 18:13-23, Num. 11:14-17; Acts 6:1-7.

To help His shepherds care for people, God sets a delegated structure of leaders and anoints them to work with shepherds. Therefore the shepherds do not have to bear the weight of ministry alone. Also they are freed from the daily administration of the church and can dedicate themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

III. What are the Ministries of our Church?

The First Cathedral ministries fulfill our Mission Statement and reflect the character and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a church of compassion and refuge reaching out to a world that needs salvation and purpose.

Every ministry of our church reflects the mission of Jesus, reaching out to all people with the message of hope in God. Every ministry endeavors to lift the quality of human life regardless of personal failures or the circumstances that led to their condition. Every ministry offers restoration and a new future for people through the redemptive grace of God in Jesus Christ.

The following words of Jesus recorded in Luke 4:18-19 describe the type of ministry we offer to all whom the Lord brings to our church:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.

For First Cathedral Ministries, see next page.