At 2624 Dumbarton Street NW, just east of the C&O Canal in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., stands First Baptist Church, Georgetown, a Black Baptist congregation organized on October 5, 1862 by the Reverend Sandy Alexander, a former slave. More than 160 years later, the church continues to gather for worship, prayer, and Bible study, livestream each Sunday morning, and run a broad slate of ministries for children, adults, and seniors. Its motto, drawn from Acts 8:26-40, is "Sharing Our Faith with Others."
From the "Ark" to Dumbarton Street
The story of First Baptist begins before 1862. Collins Williams, a licensed preacher from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and his wife Betsey held religious meetings in private homes along 27th and P Streets and 27th and N Streets in Georgetown before ever building a sanctuary. Williams even donated a small piece of land at 29th and O Streets for a church.
When Sandy Alexander came to Georgetown in 1856 to organize a Baptist church, he found only two Baptists in the neighborhood. Within a few years, however, his preaching drew many converts, and the congregation was further strengthened by members who came up from the Shiloh Church of Fredericksburg. The small frame meeting house they raised on the Williams property became known as the "Ark." When it could no longer hold the growing body, Brothers Henry Lucas, William Wormley, and William T. Brown chose the present site at 27th and Dumbarton Streets.
Construction began in 1882. The men of the church dug the foundations at night while the women cooked hot suppers. Rev. Alexander raised an additional $300 on a trip through the North to add to the $300 the members borrowed. The stonework alone cost $800, draining the building fund and leaving the structure incomplete for a time. Eventually Alexander himself saw it through to completion. When the first payment on the mortgage was made, the receipt was issued to the "First African Baptist Church." Trustee William T. Brown refused to accept it, insisting on the honor of being Georgetown's first Baptist congregation. The receipt was torn up and rewritten.
Alexander served as pastor for 37 years until a streetcar accident disabled him in 1889. The congregation continued his salary for the remaining seven years of his life; he died on March 28, 1902.
A Lineage of Twelve Pastors
The pulpit of First Baptist has hosted twelve pastors across three centuries. After Alexander came the short ministries of Rev. James H. Hill (who remodeled the sanctuary with new pews and a pipe organ for $10,995), Rev. Edgar E. Ricks (whose tenure saw a group of dissatisfied members form the nearby Alexander Memorial Baptist Church), and Rev. Dr. James Robert Lincoln Diggs of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Diggs, who served only a year before moving on to Trinity Baptist Church in Baltimore, was an American civil rights leader, a founder of the Niagara Movement (a precursor of the N.A.A.C.P.), and the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in sociology (Illinois Wesleyan, 1906).
Rev. James Luther Pinn pastored from 1916 to 1931, Rev. Marcellus Noelle Newsome from 1933 until his death in 1939, and Rev. Thomas Ewell Hopkins from 1940 to 1954. Hopkins led one of the most progressive periods in the church's history: membership grew from 166 in 1940 to 642 in 1952, and the building was fully remodeled and redecorated both inside and out. Rev. Fulton Obadiah Bradley served from 1956 to 1962, followed by Rev. Wellington D. Abrams, who pastored for 25 years (1963-1988) and was named Pastor Emeritus upon his retirement. The Washington Post Magazine recognized First Baptist in its December 21, 1986 edition as one of the oldest and most prominent Black churches in Washington, D.C.
Rev. C. J. Malloy, Jr. (the tenth pastor) added the attached Abrams Annex to the property, established a church budget and voucher system, an Investment Committee, a Handbell Choir, a church newsletter, and participation in the SHARE Food Bank program. Rev. Dr. Robert K. Pines, the twelfth and current pastor, was selected on July 16, 2006 and officially installed on December 3, 2006.
Pastor Robert K. Pines and the Church Today
Robert K. Pines is a native Washingtonian, the youngest of nine children, and an alumnus of Dunbar Senior High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (1984) and a Master of Business Administration (1985) from The George Washington University. After more than twelve years at Sallie Mae, where he rose to Director of the Credit Department, he resigned in 2005 to devote himself fully to ministry.
Pastor Pines was licensed to preach at Mount Airy Baptist Church on August 22, 1999, earned a Master of Divinity from Howard University's School of Divinity in 2001, and was ordained under Pastor Larry B. West on September 27, 2003. He served as Assistant to the Pastor at Mount Airy until 2006 before being installed at First Baptist Georgetown. He completed a doctorate at Wesley Theological Seminary on May 6, 2024. He has served in several capacities with the National Capital Baptist Convention of Washington, D.C. and Vicinity, Incorporated, chaired the Human Capital Committee of the Northwest One Council, and is a member of the D.C. Ministers' Conference. He and his wife, Loretta Y. Pines, are partners in the ministry he leads.
Under Pastor Pines, the Noon Day Prayer Service and Bible Study have been re-established, along with the Praise and Worship Team, new members' training, and a refurbished Abrams Annex with a new sound system. During 2019-2023, when the church was virtual because of the pandemic, major repairs were carried out. The church re-opened on February 11, 2024 with a new baptism pool, renovated bathrooms, a new live-stream system and sound booth, and exterior structure work.
The Sixfold Mission
First Baptist's condensed mission statement spells out six commitments rooted in Scripture:
- Announcing the Kingdom through steadfast evangelism (Matthew 10:1-7; Acts 1:8).
- Advancing the Kingdom through faithful discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20; John 8:31).
- Assisting the Kingdom through ministry (John 13:12-17; Matthew 25:34-46).
- Acknowledging the Kingdom in Christ-centered fellowship (Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 4:1-6).
- Awaiting the Kingdom in faithful prayer (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7).
- Honoring the Kingdom through diligent study of God's Word (Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
On the question of salvation itself, the church teaches that the gift is received by believing that Jesus Christ died for sins and was resurrected, with the promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life with God.
Sunday Worship, Bible Study, and Prayer
Sunday morning worship is the center of congregational life. The service is livestreamed, allowing members and friends from anywhere to join. A weekly Noon Day Prayer Service and Bible Study accompany the Sunday gathering and were re-established under Pastor Pines after a period of absence.
Christian Education is led by Deaconess Grace Knox, with parallel tracks for new members, Sunday School, and Bible Study. Vacation Bible School extends that teaching to children, teens, and adults through themed, spiritually engaging activities.
Music, Dance, and the Spoken Word
The Music Ministry, under Deaconess Louella Bailey, provides spiritually uplifting music for regular Sunday services and special occasions, setting the tone for the spoken Word of the day. The Liturgical Dance Ministry, led by Jacquelyn Lonon, enhances the spiritual experience through choreographed dance, music, and praise and worship, and welcomes and trains those who feel called to worship the Lord through movement.
Ministries for Every Stage and Season
The Deacon Board (led by Deacon Richard Lonon) and Deaconess Board (chaired by Deaconess Louella Bailey) assist the pastor in proclaiming Christ and teaching the New Testament. The Prayer Ministry, under Benita Swann, offers intercessory prayer for anyone in need. The Men's Ministry (Van Bond, II) and Women's Ministry (Carol Butler) encourage growth in faith and service in the community. The Senior Ministry (also led by Benita Swann) seeks to serve older members "joyfully and not groan, in love, graciousness, and good deeds" (Hebrews 13:17).
Church Administration & Support includes the Ushers (Wilma Barrett), who greet worshippers and maintain order; the Trustee Board (Delmas Henry), which oversees the care and upkeep of the building; and the Finance Ministry (Francene Harper), supported by the Investment Committee (Timothy Barr) and the Audit Committee (Andrea Bailey).
The Communications side of the church includes Public Relations, A/V/S & Communications (Deacon Timothy Barr), and the Historic Archives Ministry (Vinette Saunders), which collects and preserves the artifacts of the congregation.
Missions and Outreach
The Missionary Ministry, under Benita Swann, follows Matthew 25:35-40 in serving "physically and spiritually to the brothers and sisters of mine." Through its deacons, partnerships, and ministries, First Baptist has reached local schools, colleges, assisted-living facilities, and homeless shelters, and has aided disaster-stricken communities in the United States and abroad.
Worshiping Together
First Baptist Church, Georgetown meets at 2624 Dumbarton Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20007, with Sunday morning worship livestreamed online for those who cannot attend in person. Giving is available online and by mail. Prayer requests may be submitted through the church, where members and ministry leaders pray for needs ranging from grief and loneliness to guidance and a closer relationship with God. The congregation of 1862, which began with religious meetings in private homes, still gathers to share its faith with others, more than 160 years later.