After six-year search, historic Black Princeton church names new pastor

After an extensive national search that spanned six years, the First Baptist Church of Princeton has named the Rev. Maureen Gerald as its new senior pastor. She is only the second woman to hold the title in the church’s 225-year history.

Gerald, a Princeton Theological Seminary alumna and long-standing Mercer County resident, was formally installed during a ceremony on June 7 at Stone Hill Church of Princeton. Church leaders see Rev. Gerald’s appointment as the beginning of a new chapter in the congregation’s long and evolving history.

The appointment marks a significant moment for the historic congregation, which traces its origins to 1880 as Bright Hope Baptist Church. The church, located at the corner of Paul Robeson Place and John Street in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, adopted its current name in 1930.

“I am truly honored to serve as the new pastor of the First Baptist Church of Princeton,” Gerald said in a statement. “With the tremendous support of the church leadership, our new chapter will be shaped by intention and commitment to inspiring preaching and teaching, inclusivity, intergenerational engagement, and outreach and collaboration within our faith community.”

In addition to her theological training and pastoral leadership, Rev. Gerald brings a professional background as a licensed mental health counselor, coach, and consultant. She emphasized that her ministry will center on both spiritual growth and emotional well-being.

“I am a lifelong faith builder within the Christian community,” she said. “As a mental health professional, I will continue to blend theological insight with advocacy for mental health, social justice, and spiritual growth in my role as senior pastor.”

Her previous roles include executive pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton and founding church planter of Kingdom Church in Ewing, a multi-site congregation that grew to more than 6,000 members. She is also the founder and CEO of Momentum Counseling and Consulting LLC, a firm focused on holistic wellness in diverse communities.

Gerald’s work extends beyond the pulpit. She has collaborated on media programming, including a radio segment titled “The Love Ethic of Dr. Martin Luther King for the Millennium” with Dr. Peter Paris, and she has been active in Princeton Theological Seminary’s Urban Ministry Initiative. Her life and work have garnered congressional commendations, including recognition for surviving the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

The First Baptist Church of Princeton is known by its mission statement as “The Church with Open Doors, Where Hearts are Healed, Souls are Saved, and God is Praised.”

More information about Rev. Gerald is available at maureengerald.com.