When the railroad came through West Acton, it made it easier for folks to travel. The West Acton Baptist Church was formed in 1846.

West Acton Baptist Church History

The historic bell in our steeple was cast in 1854 by a former apprentice of Paul Revere

West Acton Baptist Church, founded in 1846, is a small

congregation of about 55-75 active members/participants with an average worship attendance of between 25-35. Its membership is intergenerational with a few younger families with children

but the majority of members/participants are

middle-age to elderly. While primarily Caucasian, there are a few African, Haitian and African

American families and individuals within the church family.

From 1970-2015 the church had two long term pastorates – one for 18 years, the Rev. Roswell Cummings, and one for 25 years, the Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton. Both ended their careers in retirement from West Acton. In 2016 the church called its first full-time woman pastor, the Rev. Laura Harris-Adam. They were very excited about her work, but she stayed only three years and left shortly after giving birth to her first child to return to the mid-West where her family of origin lives. The church was sad to see her go and a bit disappointed but understood her desire to be closer to her family.

Theologically the church could be described as middle-of-the road. They are supportive of women in ministry and have been for a long time and they are supportive of LGBTQ people and issues although they are not members of AWAB. They have used a range of Christian education materials across the theological spectrum. The worship is relatively traditional but there is definitely an informal atmosphere on Sunday mornings. Lay people participate in worship as readers and during the prayer time. The organist is a talented musician (piano is her major instrument) and the choir director is a professionally trained music teacher in a well-known Greater Boston private school. They are both knowledgeable about church music and bring a nice blend of traditional and contemporary pieces to the program. The intergenerational choir is small with 6-8 regular members. There is also occasional use of hand bells.

We have a multi-generational Choir & Handbell Choir

We participate in Community Events like Oktoberfest & Holiday Stroll

Members of the First Baptist Church in Littleton began bible studies in their homes in West Acton when the train came through town & they eventually formed & built the West Acton Baptist Church.

Today we continue doing various events with FBC Littleton like our Annual Family Fun Day (picnic, games & activities at NARA Park), Common Thursday (Special topics of discussion over a meal of soup & bread at FBCL), joint summer services and special services (Maundy Thursday, Installation Service).

NARA ParkNorth Acton

With FBC Littleton

Rained out but a fun time had by all with FBC Littleton at WABC

Good Friday WalkLife-size cross

brought 2 ½ miles

We participate in Activities & Events with many churches in Acton

Gun violence vigil at Kelly’s Corner in Acton

We invited the Acton Community to a Free Easter Breakfast every year

Sanctuary decorating for all seasons

Our youth group “The WAY” (West Acton Youth) enjoy various activities

at church & in the community

Infant Dedications Baptisms

The church actively supports the mission and work of the wider American Baptist family, the regional ministries of TABCOM including the MBMM work (Massachusetts Baptist Multi-cultural Ministries), and local mission opportunities. Church members attend region and association meetings regularly and one member serves on the board of MABIT (Mass. Baptist Investment Trust). There are two former American Baptist missionaries in the congregation – one was a full-time education missionary with International Ministries for about five years in Burma (now Myanmar) in the early sixties and the other was a short-term medical missionary with IM (nursing) for a few months in South East Asia. Another couple in the church was instrumental in establishing a “household goods” ministry in the community that has grown into a major non-profit outreach program. The church actively supports two food missions - The Community Supper and the Acton Food Pantry – and hosts several AA programs. The church is a member and supporter of WAVMA, The West Acton Village Merchants Association. The church has an active women’s group and a small Sunday School and youth program.

We are very active in mission work, within our church, in the Acton Community, Nationally & Internationally

White Cross Donations for

MBMM

Toy Drive for a village in

Guatemala

Donation of a “Breakfast Basket” for the Holiday Stroll Basket Raffle to benefit Acton

families in need

Sponsoring & volunteering at the Acton Community Supper

Clothing Drive

Habitat for Humanity

We have hosted the Stillman Association Mission-a-Rama several times, here we highlighted the Hagar Sisters ministry.

A visit from a few of the

International Ministries

representatives

Annual Food Drive

for the Acton Food Pantry

WABC Women’s Annual Picnic in the Park at the Acton Arboretum

We have a very active congregation with a women’s group, family events and intergenerational activities

Annual Women’s Christmas

Party

WABC Children enjoying various

seasonal activities

Intergenerational Activities

During the course of Rev. Harris-Adam’s tenure the church went through a self-reflection process with an outside consultant and identified three “provocative proposals” to work on. Two focused on the building and grounds and the third on strengthening its multi-cultural diversity. The first proposal was to up-grade and improve the a/v equipment and the second was to improve the over-grown “prayer garden.” The third, focusing on diversity, was rather ambiguous. All three proposals were developed with an out-reach/community engagement focus, i.e. making the building and programs more accessible and attractive to the community. However, no comprehensive plan was developed to put these proposals into action before the pastor left, but, the a/v equipment is being slowly up-dated and some work on the garden has been started.

Also during Rev. Harris-Adam’s tenure the church reorganized its administrative structure and moved to a one-board concept with ministry or action “teams.” This has proved popular and probably will be officially established as their “new norm” at the next annual meeting.

Financially the church is relatively stable with some modest investments and a steady income stream from a Co-op day Nursery School that rents church space five days a week, an ABC-USA Brazilian church uses the facility on Sunday evenings & usually one other evening during the week, they give a modest monthly donation to the church. Even with these financial resources, because the congregation is small and the giving rather modest due to its size, the church has to work hard to fund a full-time pastor and maintain the old building. They are looking now to have a ¾ time pastorate although that is negotiable.

The Community

West Acton is a small “village” of the town of Acton (Acton’s population is about 22,000) and has its own “downtown” commercial area. The Acton school system is highly rated and Acton has been named by Money Magazine as recently as 2015 as one of the most desirable small towns in the country in which to live. Acton has a hired, professional Town Manager, an elected Board of Selectmen and uses the “open town meeting” format of governance. It is located about a half hour west of Boston. Economically Acton is a middle to upper-middle class community. It is accessible by two near-by major highways – Interstate Rt. 495 and Mass. Rt. 2 and near-by railroad stations. A well-regarded regional hospital, Emerson Hospital, is located in nearby Concord.

The Greater Acton area could be described as “over-churched.” In the town of Acton itself there are two UCC congregations, a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, a United Methodist church, an Episcopal church, a relatively new and growing Evangelical church called High Rock (a member church of the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination) and a Roman Catholic parish. In nearby Boxboro there is another UCC church and in nearby Stow a UUA congregation and another Roman Catholic Church. In nearby Littleton there is another American Baptist church with which West Acton Baptist Church has done some cooperative programs, making a total of twelve churches including West Acton Baptist and thirteen if the Brazilian congregation is counted, all in a rather small geographic area. This presents a real challenge for a church like the West Acton Baptist Church to be a unique option.