Two years after Eastside Baptist Church helped launch a Haitian congregation in Claxton, the church recently celebrated its second anniversary with 151 people in worship and a growing ministry among Creole-speaking families in Evans County.
The Georgia Baptist Convention includes a growing number of churches that worship in languages other than English. Buck Burch, mission catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, recently reported that there are now 193 churches in the state convention that gather to worship in 27 languages other than English. Those congregations reflect the growing ethnic and linguistic diversity of Georgia Baptists.
Two years ago, The Christian Index reported that a Haitian congregation had been established at Eastside Baptist Church in Claxton under the leadership of Pastor Matt Brady. Freddy Gardner, mission strategist for the Tattnall-Evans Baptist Association; Lorna Bius, a Mission Georgia mobilizer; and Wilbert Michel, pastor of the Haitian congregation at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, were all instrumental in helping launch Eastside's Haitian congregation.
"Mission Georgia continued their help and involvement with the Haitian church for the first year," Brady said. "Freddy Gardner continues to be actively engaged in this effort. Our association has a health ministry that many Haitians use. Some of the Haitian members are able to use their fluency in Creole to serve as interpreters in that ministry."
Ministry begins
The ministry began when Pastor Lemec Fluermont, his wife and two children, and one other Haitian family began attending Eastside. They used Google Translate to listen and read the sermon slides.
"After they had attended for several months, I asked Pastor Lemec what we could do to minister to them," Brady said. "He indicated that the greatest need would be to have worship in their language. He was adamant that they were not looking to start their own church but wanted to be a part of Eastside and to assimilate into the church as well as the community."
As the number of Creole-speaking Haitians grew, Eastside recognized the need for a worship service in their heart language while keeping the congregation connected to the larger church family. Eastside had moved into a larger, more accommodating worship center, and the older, more traditional, yet beautiful Eastside sanctuary was available for the Haitians to use.
According to Brady, there were 30 in attendance for the first Haitian worship service in September 2024. Wonderful things have happened in the church since its inception. The church recently celebrated its second anniversary and had 151 in worship. The church's highest worship attendance since its first Sunday was 213, though there is some variation in the Haitian population because of fluctuations in available work.
Most importantly, Brady said, Fluermont has seen people come to faith in Christ, and he has baptized new converts ranging in age from 11 to 65.
Additionally, the church has formed three Sunday school classes for adults, including one for new believers. Children and youth, many of whom are second-generation Haitians who speak English, attend classes with the children and youth at Eastside.
Connecting with the Haitian population
Brady explained how the Haitians, who speak Creole, connected with the Claxton church.
"Evans County is one of the smallest counties in Georgia, with a population of roughly 11,000, including approximately 800 Haitians," he said. "We are a rural area. Haitians primarily work at Claxton Poultry or in various jobs in Savannah.
"At first, some of the citizens looked at the Haitians with skepticism, but over time, the community has seen that they are hardworking people. The first Haitians who came reached out to others who moved into the community.
"Now the local grocery store has added selections of food to accommodate the preferences of the Haitian people."
The Haitian people have been welcomed into the Claxton area by the people of Eastside Baptist Church and Brady, the Tattnall-Evans Baptist Association, Gardner, and the churches of the association, and God is blessing the ministry of their church.
During the first week of September 2026, the Haitian congregation held a revival. The music included traditional Haitian hymns as well as familiar hymns long sung in Baptist churches. The worshipers dressed as if they were going to see a King and as if worship were the most important engagement of their lives — and for many, it is.