Robert has served as Minister of Pastoral Care at First Baptist since 2008. He and his wife Lydia have been members of First Baptist since 1999.
Robert Burton, retired after forty one years in ministry, thirty two of which was as a hospital chaplain, is Minister for Pastoral Care for First Baptist and Pastor of our sister church, Riverside Avenue Baptist Church. A graduate of Carson-Newman College (B.A.) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D., Th.M., and D.Min.), he is a Board Certified Chaplain (Retired), AAMFT Clinical Member, and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
He and his wife, Lydia, sing in the choir at First Baptist. She is a registered nurse. They have three grown daughters, Grace, Mary Jane, and Nannette and six grandchildren, Jacob, Will, Helen, Audrey, and John. His hobbies include collecting books about cars (which is cheaper than collecting cars themselves) and being a rather serious audiophile with an assortment of vintage vacuum tube amplifiers.
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Roberts Ramblings May
Tuesday, May 8Lisa Ferguson, certified and licensed additions counselor, will be using space at Riverside to offer professional counseling services for family members of alcoholics and drug addicts. The church council at Riverside met with her recently and voted to offer her space as she begins her practice in this important area... -
Robert’s Ramblings April
Friday, Apr 6It is interesting, perhaps even inspiring, that our two churches work together in so many regards. This fact flies in the face of much conventional wisdom. It would be normal to think that we should be competitors, but we are not. In fact, we compliment each other. Riverside provides space... -
Robert’s Ramblings – March
Wednesday, Feb 29I believe I have mentioned already (only five or six times!) in this column that Riverside will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary on Sunday, September 31 this year. We plan to send out a letter of invitation to people, especially those who have moved out of town, who have played... -
Robert’s Ramblings February
Wednesday, Feb 1I recently did a study of and preached on, the story of Jonah in the Bible. Jonah, as you recall, resisted the call of God to bring a message of redemption to the people of Nineveh. His story is one of reminding the people of God of their failure to... -
Robert’s Ramblings January
Tuesday, Jan 10Somewhere out there, even as this is being written, there is a hog out there who will be roasted this Fall for a very special celebration. It will be for the 50th anniversary of the founding of Riverside Avenue Baptist Church next September 30, 2012. This event will coincide with... -
Robert’s Ramblings – November 2011
Monday, Oct 31“I was born and raised in the South. I never thought I would ever attend a meeting like this!” He said that just a few feet from where Lydia and I had been sitting. We were attending the first New Baptist Covenant in 2008, in Atlanta. He was African American,... -
Robert’s Ramblings – October 2011
Thursday, Sep 29Even though we are barely past the Riverside/First Baptist annual Fall picnic for this year, it is not to soon to share a very special event that will coincide with the same event for next year. Mark your calendars for September 30, 2012. That will be the celebration for the... -
Robert’s Ramblings – September 2011
Tuesday, Sep 6Riverside has long seen its mission as “a small church with a big heart whose doors are open to everyone in Jesus’ name.” That mission is well stated in its covenant, which is read each time we celebrate communion. A portion of that covenant is quoted here: We will cultivate... -
Robert’s Ramblings – August 2011
Tuesday, Aug 9Jake Hendershot will be returning again this Fall to sing at the Riverside/First Baptist picnic on September 25. Jake is the husband of Barb Wilson’s granddaughter (grandson-in-law?). He is an Earth & Space Science Teacher New Castle Chrysler High School and also a popular local musician. Jake has a deep... -
Robert’s Ramblings – June 2011
Wednesday, Jun 1The Indiana Network for Higher Education Ministries (INHEM) has awarded two internship grants of $1750 each to two Ball State students involved in the Oasis Campus Ministry (formerly known as Baptist House). These students are Samantha Dawkins and Shala Pugh. Shala is known to many at First Baptist, having sung...