Antioch Baptist Church holds installation service for new pastor
Rev. Barnes enjoys his installation service with his wife Constance.
The congregation of Antioch Baptist Church welcomed Rev. Frederick L. Barnes Jr. as their new senior pastor on Oct. 21. This past Sunday, Jan. 20, they held an installation service for Barnes at Phillips Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.
It may seem odd to have an installation service several months after a pastor took over, but Barnes had a purpose for the delayed event. Barnes wanted the installation date as close to Jan. 21 as possible, because on that date in 2001, he delivered his initial sermon.
Barnes spent 16 years as associate minister at Phillips Chapel, where he taught a disciple’s class in the Sunday School Ministry, as well as working with the Men’s Ministry. On Sunday afternoon, there wasn’t an open seat in the house, as both congregations packed the sanctuary for the service.
“When I saw the turnout here today, some of the people were telling me that they would not ‘bear this cold if it wasn’t you.’ It just speaks to the Christ in me and the mark I have left here at Phillips Chapel,” said Barnes.
“This church is near and dear to my heart, I’m going to always be a part of Phillips Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. I love this church, I love these people and I love this pastor. The Chapel is a wonderful place with a unique worship experience.”
The service began in grand fashion with Barnes and his wife Constance being escorted in by the deacons of the church. Also, included in the service were personal reflections, a presentation of gifts and a sermon delivered by Rev. Chad R. Armstrong, pastor of Phillips Chapel. His sermon centered on being patient on God’s blessings.
“The sermon was awesome, released to do greater leadership, I thought it was a timely message for my life, my ministry and where I am now that God has held me here to allow me to prepare myself,” Barnes said. “The first call is one of preparation for what God has for you, so it was here that God allowed me to prepare myself, now He has released me to go out and do that great work He has assigned to my hands.”
Following the message from Armstrong, the “Act of Installation” portion of the service began.
Several ceremonial acts such as the charge to the church, presentation of the Bible and presentation of the keys were included, among others.
According to Barnes, there are a few ministries that are close to his heart that he wants to instrument as the new senior pastor of Antioch Baptist.
“I want to get a male mentoring ministry in place, that’s near and dear to my heart and I know it’s really needed out here,” he said. “Also, an evangelism ministry, that we might get out in the community and go out and reach, because it’s people out here in the world around us each and every day. So those are two of the most important things I want to do right out the gate.”
Barnes has been waiting several years to get a call from a church. He says he has had several opportunities that he thought was for him, but they did not materialize. For him to get the call from Antioch was a blessing.
“I had so many opportunities that I felt were right within my grasp, but God said ‘no, not yet,’” he continued. “When they called me, I felt like God said this is my time and where he wants me. I heard someone say something one time that ‘God will open a door and hold it open until you’re ready’, so I feel like God had this door open for me, but he was just waiting on me to get ready.”
