Our Mission
At Rusagonis Baptist Church, our purpose is summed up in four short phrases:
1
More Christians
2
Stronger Christians
3
Caring Community
4
Better World
What We Believe
We believe that there is only one God, and that He is perfect in every way.
We believe that the Bible is God’s truth, and that it is the perfect guide to empowered living.
We believe that every person is loved equally by God, and that God made us for relationship with Him.
We believe that the only way to have a relationship with God is to ask for and receive His forgiveness, made possible by His victory over death on a cross, and to allow His Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out.
We believe that all followers of Jesus should be part of a local church, and that it is the Church’s responsibility to obey God, love one another, serve our world, and share God’s truth with others.
OUR MINISTRY LEADERS
Lead Pastor
Brent MacDonald
Brent has served as lead pastor at RBC since September 2002. He is married to Wendy, and has three grown children. He loves to read, and play games...and is an unashamed Montreal Canadiens fan (but don't hold that against him).
Worship Ministries
Giselle Tranquilla
Giselle joined our staff in the spring of 2017, bringing with her a deep love for God, a willingness to serve, and a heart for leading worship. Giselle also has a family and individual counseling practice in nearby Fredericton.
Youth Ministries
Cheryl Rees
Cheryl joined our team in spring 2018. She is married to Joel, and is busy with two school-aged children. She has been blessed with boundless energy, and a playful spirit, and is a gifted leader among emerging generations.
Child Ministries
Heather Howe
Heather joined our team in fall 2026, having spent many years volunteering with children and youth (notably as director of our popular annual Christmas musical). She lives on a large dairy farm in nearby Burton with her husband Aaron and family.
Our Roots
Rusagonis Baptist Church’s beginnings date all the way back to September, 1833, when a group of 21 individuals led by Brother George Garraty (a school teacher from Lincoln), felt the need for a Christian church to be established in Rusagonis.
The original name of the church was the *Rushagornish Free Christian Baptist Church.
Since that time, the church has seen many changes, including construction projects, church plants, name changes, and different approaches to ministry. But the message of the love of God through Jesus Christ has never changed.
On November 20, 1997, in order to accommodate a growing ministry, the church family relocated to it’s current location at 4 Whittaker Rd, where we now enjoy a contemporary, accessible facility, with ample space for our many activities.
*Note: The name Rusagonis (“where the rushing waters meet”) has gone through many spelling changes over the years. In addition to the current spelling, historical records sometimes read “Rushagornish” and even “Russiagornish”.