ULYSSES, Pa., (BRN) – The First Baptist Church of Ulysses is a historic Main Street church in the borough of Ulysses, Pennsylvania. The town itself is nestled in a picturesque valley in the wilds area of North Central Pennsylvania.   

The church was first founded in 1833, with the current church building being dedicated in 1918. The church faithfully served the community until a leadership failure in 2018 was instrumental in the closing of the church and the dismissal of all members.   

After a few exploratory meetings by former members and friends of the church, the church reopened in July 2021. The church was restarted as a replant, and by September 2021 had an average of 35 in attendance. 

 In October 2022, Rev. Ray Rohland was called as the interim pastor. At this time, the church expressed interest in future affiliation with the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey (BRN). In 2023, The First Baptist Church of Ulysses officially joined the BRN family. 

So far for 2023, Rohland and his wife, Gail, have been blessed to see the church’s average attendance climb to 47. The congregation and the community are generally of the older generation, but 30% of the congregation is new, due to the church being re-established. This new group of people includes a fair number of young families. 

In addition to affiliating with the BRN earlier this year, the church has also begun a monthly men’s breakfast and study as well as an adult class after the church service. These new initiatives compliment a popular Wednesday evening Bible study.  

The church is also excited about ministering to the children in the community. A newly developed children’s church has been well received, with many children attending each week. The church is also interested in reaching out to the community with the gospel. 

 Looking forward to these outreach opportunities, the church is very excited to be affiliated with the BRN. The church’s previous experience in being unaffiliated has contributed to the congregation being especially grateful for the BRN.  

During the whole process of joining, there were many helpful communications that helped with getting the church replant organized in a better way. The church is currently engaging in a pastoral search for a full-time pastor and, again, BRN/SBC resources have been very helpful. There is a huge sense of encouragement from being in partnership with the BRN! 

Ways to Pray for The First Baptist Church of Ulysses: 

  •  A successful search for a full-time pastor 
  • Continued growth in numbers and growth in maturity among the members 
  • Successful outreach to the Ulysses community and the wider area around the church
  • Wisdom and guidance for Rev. Ray Rohland and his wife, Gail, as they lead and care for the congregation and community
  • For the members to see their role as witnesses and to walk in the Spirit!