First Baptist Church, located on Minnesota Avenue SE in Washington, D.C., is proud to celebrate a rich history of 150 years of serving the community with praise, worship and Bible study. Let us take a look at how they got their start.
Way back on Oct. 19, 1873, Rev. Moses Wilson, Sister Julia Taylor and Brother John Ward met in Sister Taylor’s home. They discussed what was then just a dream in the hearts and minds of these newly freed slaves. The dream was to organize a church where they could practice freedom of religion. At the close of that meeting, the dream had become a reality and the First Baptist Church of Rosslyn, Virginia, had been founded.
In January 1962, First Baptist called Rev. Carl M. Patterson as pastor. Pastor Patterson soon began to notice a change in the landscape of the area around the church in Virginia. Rosslyn was becoming a high-rise district and was no longer a suitable location for the church. After much prayer and meditation, Pastor Patterson led the congregation to relocate to its present site on Minnesota Avenue in Southeast Washington in November 1965.
The church is now a fixture on the corner of Minnesota and C Street SE, serving and meeting some of the needs of the community under the leadership of Bishop Harold N. Brooks Jr., senior pastor since February 2005. He is a Howard University graduate, and he has a Doctor of Divinity Degree from Virginia Union University. On Aug. 22, he was consecrated by the House of Paul Ecumenical founded by the late Bishop Leonard N. Smith. He is now a member of Global United Fellowship.
The church had two pre-anniversary services. The theme of the anniversary celebration was “A thankful people serving a faithful God for 150 years.” We began the celebration by highlighting the history of the Sunday School in the life of First Baptist. The preacher for that service was (grandson of a former Pastor Carl Patterson), Rev. Eugene M. Pearson, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Aldie, Virginia. Former Sunday School students, teachers and leaders returned to share in this special program.
The second pre-anniversary service featured “a celebration of music in the history of FBC” which featured the Mass choir under the leadership of Marlene Fleming Dillion. The choir sang music that was familiar to the church from metered hymns, contemporary gospel, and anthems.
An afternoon banquet was held on Oct. 14 at the Eloquent Touch Ballroom in Suitland, Md. During the banquet, Nathaniel Gillian, Washington DC ACT-SO National Winner, performed several jazz numbers on the saxophone. Also, Simply Shirley provided some comic relief during the afternoon event. The highlight of the evening was a presentation by the church’s oldest member, Mrs. Elsie Conway (97 years old). Pastor Brooks shared how to move the legacy into the future.
On Sunday, Oct. 15, during the morning service, Dr. A.C Michael Durant of the Tenth Street Baptist Church was the guest preacher. He preached the message, “Let the church be the Church.” Council Chair Phil Mendelson brought special greetings. During the service, five new members were inducted into the Golden Heritage Club, which recognizes members with 50 years or more of service at FBC. Mrs. Conway has 86 years of membership. Rev Donna C. Heatly (FBC youth minister) received the Deacon Jacqueline M. Boyden Christian Service Award for her outstanding leadership of our COVID Pandemic Taskforce.
Ironically, Rev. Eldridge Spearman, who was one of the nine pastors of the church, left FBC in 2004 to serve as the pastor of Mt Jezel who also celebrated its 150th anniversary this month as well. Many of the founding families still have family members who remain a part of the congregation. First Baptist Church remains “a sanctuary in the heart of Southeast with a heart to serve.”
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on Twitter @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
