SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – There was a meet and greet on Sunday with the new Third Baptist Church Senior Pastor Taylon Lancaster. Lancaster is a 23-year-old alumnus of Harvard. The community came together to meet the Pastor at the Sunday Worship Service and the Block Party that followed.
“He is full of fire, [the] young man [is] knowledgeable beyond his years and we just have to get behind him,” expressed Rhodric Gates, the Deacon of Third Baptist Church.
The 23-year-old Harvard graduate is the youngest pastor to serve in the church’s history.
Third Baptist Church is 154 years old and as the new, and youngest Pastor he says he aspires to lead through offering services to improve the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and organizations while addressing social inequalities through worship.
Third Baptist Church member Ruth Elaine Goodman says the committee knew he would be a great pastor, “I was like one of the ones that said, ‘I know God is working it out for us. And I think we will be happy with him, you know, he’s doing us good, he’s doing us well.'”
The meet and greet was held at the church on Walnut Street in Springfield at 11:45 a.m. Mayor Domenic Sarno and longtime Third Baptist Church parishioner and friend Anne Edge Battle were at the meet and greet.
Members of the church say they look forward to Pastor Lancaster’s journey at Third Baptist Church.
Kiara Smith is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since March 2023. Follow Kiara on X @KiaraBSmith1 and view her bio to see more of her work.
