St. Matthew Baptist Church
St. Matthew Baptist Church was birthed out of Friendship Baptist Church of Stratford under the leadership of its Founding Pastor, Reverend Aaron M. Best. Reverend Best began his discipleship at Friendship Baptist Church in January 2003. As he continued to grow in his calling to ministry, he was licensed and later served faithfully as an Associate Minister for seven years, from August 2008 through May 2015. Following this period of service and discernment, Reverend Best answered God’s call to establish a new ministry, which became St. Matthew Baptist Church.
On June 14, 2015, St. Matthew Baptist Church officially launched at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in the Bridgeport Room. The Founder and Senior Pastor, Rev. Aaron Best, delivered his inaugural sermon as Senior Pastor. The sermon was based on Matthew 4:18–23 (NKJV) and was titled, “Are You Going to Do It or What?” On that historic day, Sister Judy Geyer united with the church, becoming the first disciple of St. Matthew Baptist Church. Sister Alona James served as the church’s first usher, and Sister Brittany Stewart served as the inaugural Director of Music.
OCTOBER 2015: St. Matthew Baptist Church proudly observed its inaugural Women’s Season, featuring distinguished guest preachers from across the region. The guest preachers for the Women’s Season included Rev. Dr. Betty Fludd, Associate Minister of Messiah Baptist Church; Minister Carol Perkins, Associate Minister of Friendship Baptist Church of Stratford; Minister Renata Johnson, Associate Minister of East End Baptist Tabernacle Church; and Rev. Dawn C. Snell, Associate Minister of Union Baptist Church.
NOVEMBER 2015: St. Matthew Baptist Church outreach launched its First Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive that fed 78 families in the Bridgeport community.
DECEMBER 2015: St. Matthew Baptist Church began negotiating with the Bridgeport Roman Catholic Diocese for the purchase of the decommissioned church, Holy Rosary Parish. Unfortunately, negotiations broke down and the purchase was never realized
FEBRUARY 2016: St. Matthew Baptist Church hosted its first Easter Egg Hunt at Lafayette (Nanny Goat) Park. The Easter Egg Hunt was attended by 200 community children, Bridgeport Fire Department truck, and City Councilwoman Jeanette Herron.
MARCH 2016: St. Matthew Baptist Church hosted a private showing of the movie "Risen" at AMC Theater. The private showing was viewed by members of the community and other church disciples.
NOVEMBER 2016: St. Matthew Baptist Church began a partnership with Bridgeport Hospital/Yale New Haven Healthcare to work together on health issues that affect the Bridgeport community. On November 19, 2016, they partnership hosted Men's Health Symposium. The event was attended by 60 participants from the community. Panelist included, Dr. Ceasar Irby, Dr. Keith Churchwell, Dr. Sachin Majumdar, and Joseph Petreycik, RN. Mr. William Jennings, President and CEO of Bridgeport Hospital was also in attendance.
MARCH 2017: St. Mattew Baptist Church Hosted its first Religious Tolerance Symposium in partnership with the University of Bridgeport. Panelist included: Rev. Cass Shaw, President and CEO of The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport; Rev. Dr. Lindsay Curtis, President of Connecticut State Missionary Baptist Convention and Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church (Norwalk); Father Reginald Norman, Priest at Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church; Dr. Ahmed Ebrahim, Bridgeport Islamic Center; and Rabbi Michael Farbman, Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven.
AUGUST 2018: St. Matthew Baptist Church in partnership with our home church, Friendship Baptist Church of Stratford, hosted "A Journey's to the Potter House" presentation of Jeremiah 18, by Rev. Dr. Michael Ferris. This event was attended by community and faith leaders.
JANUARY 2020: After being a "church without walls," St. Matthew Baptist Church relaunched its worship services at 126 Washington Avenue, sharing space at the historical First Baptist Church of Bridgeport.
MARCH 2020: During the height of the worldwide pandemic, COVID-19, the City of Bridgeport severally restricted indoor gatherings, including church services. In mid-March 2020, non-essential services were suspended, and many faith leaders opted to close buildings and move to virtual services voluntarily. St. Matthew Baptist Church paused all indoor gatherings and began worship services virtually.
JUNE 2021: Effective March 19, 2021, the state lifted capacity limits on religious gatherings, allowing them to operate at 100% capacity, though social distancing and mask requirements remained in place; and after 18 months of virtual worship service, St. Matthew Baptist Church began in-person worship service, opening the doors of the church and began rebuilding the ministry through the pandemic.
JULY 2024: St. Matthew Baptist Church encountered significant challenges in connection with its long-standing lease and proposed purchase of its place of worship. After leasing the property for approximately seven years, St. Matthew Baptist Church entered into an agreement with the then-represented owner, First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, to purchase the property. During the due diligence process, St. Matthew Baptist Church identified material irregularities concerning the property’s title and the identity of the lawful owner. As a result, the transaction was appropriately paused pending correction of these issues.
Regrettably, the identified title irregularities were not remedied in a timely or transparent manner by First Baptist Church of Bridgeport. Consequently, and notwithstanding the existing purchase agreement, First Baptist Church of Bridgeport proceeded to sell the property to Greater Bridgeport Ghanaian SDA Church, Inc. This action constituted a breach of the agreement with St. Matthew Baptist Church. In response, St. Matthew Baptist Church initiated a breach of contract action against both First Baptist Church of Bridgeport and Greater Bridgeport Ghanaian SDA Church, Inc.
AUGUST 2024: Due to ongoing litigation involving First Baptist Church of Bridgeport and the Greater Bridgeport Ghanaian SDA Church, Inc., property management elected not to renew the long-standing lease held by St. Matthew Baptist Church since January 2020. As a result, St. Matthew Baptist Church was compelled to temporarily pause worship services and initiate a search for a new location from which to resume services and continue serving the Bridgeport community. Church leadership has since identified several viable locations, and the church anticipates securing a new facility in the near future.
JUNE 2025: St. Matthew Baptist Church celebrated a milestone in ministry, the 10th Church and Pastoral Anniversary. The weekend of June 14–15, 2025 marked a significant milestone in the life of St. Matthew Baptist Church as the congregation celebrated both the Pastor’s Anniversary and the Church Anniversary. This occasion represented more than the commemoration of time; it affirmed the faithfulness of God, the resilience of the congregation, and the enduring vision upon which the ministry was founded. The celebration served as a moment of collective reflection on the church’s spiritual growth, community impact, and sustained commitment to worship, service, and social responsibility. It underscored the church’s role as a stabilizing and transformative presence in the community, while also setting a renewed trajectory for future ministry and outreach.
For Dr. Aaron Best, Founder and Senior Pastor, this milestone carried profound personal and vocational significance. It acknowledged years of faithful leadership, pastoral care, and visionary stewardship marked by sacrifice, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to the spiritual and holistic well-being of the congregation. The anniversary affirmed the trust placed in his leadership and celebrated the fruits of a ministry rooted in integrity, compassion, and prophetic witness. Collectively, this milestone strengthened the bond between pastor and people, reaffirmed the shared mission of St. Matthew Baptist Church, and renewed a collective resolve to advance the ministry’s calling with clarity, unity, and purpose in the years ahead.
OCTOBER 2025:St. Matthew Baptist Church, in partnership with our medical partner, Bridgeport Hospital, hosted the Men's Health Symposium 2. This health symposium focused on prostate, lung, and colon cancers that effect men, specifically Black men. The medical panel included: Dr. Julie Kang, Dr. Steven Kardos, Dr. Daniel Lavy, and Dr. Daniel Rudolph. The symposium was also attended by Dr. Anne Diamond, President, Bridgeport Hospital, and Dr. Vic Morris, Chief Medical Office of Bridgeport Hospital.
DECEMBER 2025: The joint Watch Night Service hosted by St. Matthew Baptist Church and the home church, Friendship Baptist Church of Stratford marked a significant and meaningful milestone for both congregations. Historically, Watch Night services have symbolized reflection, renewal, and collective hope as the church transitions from one season into another. By coming together for this sacred observance, both churches affirmed a shared commitment to faith, fellowship, and spiritual unity that extends beyond individual congregational boundaries.
For St. Matthew Baptist Church and Friendship Baptist Church, this moment represented more than a collaborative worship experience; it reflected mutual respect, trust, and a recognition that the work of ministry is strengthened through partnership. Each congregation brought its unique history, gifts, and spiritual traditions, creating a unified worship experience that honored diversity while emphasizing common purpose. The service underscored the belief that collaboration, rather than isolation, best reflects the body of Christ working together for the good of the community.
This joint Watch Night Service also serves as a model for effective partnership in ministry. It demonstrated how churches can leverage shared resources, leadership, and vision to deepen spiritual impact and foster broader community engagement. By worshiping together, both churches modeled cooperation, humility, and collective stewardship, setting a precedent for future joint initiatives in worship, outreach, and service. Ultimately, this milestone affirmed that when congregations unite around a shared mission, they not only strengthen one another but also bear a more powerful witness to faith in action.
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:15-18/NKJV).
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