MEET OUR PASTOR, REV. LINDA WATKINS
Pastor Linda is a Spirit-led and creative servant-leader who began to serve as Pastor at our church last April. She brings to First Baptist Church nearly 20 years
of experience providing clergy services to predominantly African-American, Euro-American, and multicultural congregations. She is passionate about intercultural and social justice ministry, as well as helping people and faith-based organizations achieve their potential.
Pastor Linda was ordained in 2012 through the American Baptist Churches USA at Calvary Baptist Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Her call to ordained ministry is captured in the Bible verse Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted…to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
She is grateful for the opportunities that God has provided to live out that call, including formerly serving as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and as Vice President of Amos House in Providence, a social service agency that helps people help themselves out of homelessness and poverty. Pastor Linda also was a fundraising consultant and grant writer for the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), which develops leaders, equips disciples, and transforms communities dealing with poverty, disaster and crisis. An ardent supporter of community-building and collaborative work, she has been a member of nonprofit boards such as the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, The Rhode Island State Council of Churches, and the Ministers Alliance of Rhode Island.
Deeply committed to lifelong learning and service, our new pastor holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brown and Yale universities, and a Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity. She looks forward with great excitement to serving our congregation and our shared ministry in and beyond New Haven.
What does she do for fun? Pastor Linda enjoys traveling, Zumba, the Arts, African American History, and a vegan lifestyle. And, of course, ministering to and with us!
Pastor Linda is a Spirit-led and creative servant-leader who began to serve as Pastor at our church last April. She brings to First Baptist Church nearly 20 years
of experience providing clergy services to predominantly African-American, Euro-American, and multicultural congregations. She is passionate about intercultural and social justice ministry, as well as helping people and faith-based organizations achieve their potential.
Pastor Linda was ordained in 2012 through the American Baptist Churches USA at Calvary Baptist Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Her call to ordained ministry is captured in the Bible verse Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted…to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
She is grateful for the opportunities that God has provided to live out that call, including formerly serving as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and as Vice President of Amos House in Providence, a social service agency that helps people help themselves out of homelessness and poverty. Pastor Linda also was a fundraising consultant and grant writer for the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS), which develops leaders, equips disciples, and transforms communities dealing with poverty, disaster and crisis. An ardent supporter of community-building and collaborative work, she has been a member of nonprofit boards such as the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, The Rhode Island State Council of Churches, and the Ministers Alliance of Rhode Island.
Deeply committed to lifelong learning and service, our new pastor holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brown and Yale universities, and a Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity. She looks forward with great excitement to serving our congregation and our shared ministry in and beyond New Haven.
What does she do for fun? Pastor Linda enjoys traveling, Zumba, the Arts, African American History, and a vegan lifestyle. And, of course, ministering to and with us!