Flanders Baptist and Community Church
East Lyme, Connecticut
Flanders Baptist
and Community Church
Rev.
Jean-Fritz
Guerrier
Faith with depth.
A commmunity with heart.
A Yale graduate, non-profit executive, former Fulbright Scholar and college administrator, Jean-Fritz was called as pastor of Flanders Baptist and Community Church in 2023. He brings a love for people, a teacher’s curiosity, and a commitment to helping faith become a source of hope in everyday life.
A PASTOR, TEACHER & NEIGHBOR
Getting to know
Jean-Fritz
Jean-Fritz’s path to ministry has crossed classrooms, boardrooms, congregations, and cultures. He brings more than two decades of experience in higher education, banking, nonprofit leadership, consulting, and pastoral ministry.
Today, he serves as Moderator (President) of the Stonington Union New London (SUNL) Association, a regional association of nearly 20 American Baptist churches, and as a board member of the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network (IREJN).
At Flanders, his work joins preaching, teaching, and pastoral care with the practical responsibilities of church leadership. Beyond the congregation, he volunteers at Bride Brook Rehabilitation Center and Crescent Point, offering companionship and group engagement to older adults. He is fluent in French and has strong reading proficiency in Spanish.
THE JOY OF PASTORING
“One of my deepest joys is pastoring a church where people greet one another with smiles on Sunday mornings. Those smiles say something beautiful: we are glad to be together—and there is room for you, too.”
Rev. Jean-Fritz Guerrier
FAITH THAT SHAPES HOW WE LIVE
A ministry of hope,
connection, and purpose
Rooted in the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Attentive to the people around us.
Joy through service
In his writing for Yale’s Reflections, Jean-Fritz describes pastoral ministry as a privilege: sharing life’s celebrations and sorrows, and finding hope even in difficult places.
Room for conversation
His experience across cultures and Christian traditions informs a commitment to listening, staying in relationship across differences, and loving people whose perspectives differ from his own.
Faithful, thoughtful renewal
His writing on church renewal calls congregations to listen carefully, try new approaches, and use technology and small groups to strengthen Christian community and witness.
Explore these themes in his selected writing below
Strong organizations serve people well.
His work in nonprofits and education brings the same concern for people into organizational life: clear communication, fair personnel practices, responsible financial stewardship, and planning that connects a mission to practical action.
Faith lived together—in prayer, worship, and community.
EDUCATION
A foundation
for service
Master of Divinity
Yale University, Yale Divinity School
2018
Master of Arts
Trinity International University
2015
Master of Business Administration
Southern Illinois University
2005
Former Fulbright and Sengel Scholar
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
Many settings.
A commitment to people.
Pastoral leadership
Pastor at Flanders since 2023, following pastoral ministry at First Baptist Church of Norwich and First Baptist Church of West Haven.
Nonprofit & human resources leadership
HR–DEI Director at Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS), 2022–2024; previously Director of Operations at Centre Regina Assumpta. His work has included hiring, staff development, personnel systems, finance, and operations.
Higher education & governance
Assistant Professor of Business at Université Notre Dame d’Haïti and Dean of the College of Business at Université Roi Henri Christophe; community-life roles at Yale; former board member of Broward Community Charter Schools.
Finance, consulting & leadership development
Former JPMorgan Chase banker. Consultant to municipalities, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations on financial management, organizational structure, and planning.
OUR SHARED WORK SINCE 2023
Growing together at Flanders
With the gifts, generosity, and dedication of members, volunteers, staff, and church leaders, Flanders continues to create new ways to worship, connect, and serve. During Jean-Fritz’s pastorate, this shared work has included:
Worship beyond our walls
A video system to livestream and record services and events, helping people stay connected when they cannot be in the sanctuary.
An annual Christmas concert
A gathering that shares the music and hope of Christmas with the church and wider community.
The EverPlace
A contemporary church service on Saturdays at 4:30PM, offering another opportunity for worship, fellowship, and practical encouragement.
Explore The EverPlace →
Belong-and-Bear-Witness
A group ministry designed to deepen relationships, encourage faith, and help people welcome others into Christian community.
A major sound system upgrade
An investment in the sound system that supports the congregation’s worship, music, and special events.
UNDERWAY
Planning for the future
A strategic planning process to listen, discern priorities, and connect the church’s resources with its mission and community.
SELECTED WRITING & MEDIA
Ideas, stories and conversations
Explore Jean-Fritz’s reflections on faith and institutional renewal, read profiles of his work, or spend time with the church through its recordings.
Written by Jean-Fritz
YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL · REFLECTIONS
At the Crossroads of Contradictory Worlds ↗
A personal reflection on vocation, belonging, service, and life across different worlds.
THE CHRISTIAN CITIZEN - 2018
Declining church membership calls for radical reengineering ↗
An invitation to reconsider how congregations organize, connect, and carry out their mission.
Profiles & coverage
YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL · 2022
Onetime banker finds path as pastor and refugee advocate ↗
A profile from an earlier chapter of his ministry.
THE DAY
First Baptist pastor recognizes church crisis, tries new ideas ↗
Earlier news coverage. Publisher access restrictions may apply.
WATCH & LISTEN
A window into church life
Begin with the church’s collection of worship recordings, or explore the four selected video links.
A community gathered in worship, across the seasons.
THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU HERE
We would love
to meet you.
Whether church is familiar, new, or something you are returning to, you are welcome at Flanders. Come worship, bring your questions, and get to know the people who make this community home.
Join us for worship
Sunday · Traditional worship
11:00 AM · September–June
9:30 AM · July–August
Saturday · The EverPlace
4:30 PM · Contemporary worship
162 Boston Post Road
East Lyme, CT 06333
860-739-7987
Flanders Baptist and Community Church
Committed to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and to serving one another.