Recent Worship
Capture the joy of the season with this beloved First Baptist tradition featuring organ, brass, and the First Baptist Church Chancel Choir. We will collect a benevolence offering to benefit Ward 2 Mutual Aid, a grassroots, neighbor-led effort to take care of each other and our community.
This Sunday in worship we continue the season of Advent, a time of profound transitions, marking both endings and beginnings.
The embodiment of God in the person of Jesus invites us into fresh ways of living and loving, even as the world around us continues its relentless pace. In our own lives, as we navigate seasons of change, we seek words and images that become steady ground, a path for our feet as we follow Christ on the way.
This Sunday, Pastor Julie will continue the Advent sermon series with the message, “We Can’t Go Alone,” based on Luke 1:39-45. The accompanying text is Ruth 1. We will share communion together and collect a benevolence offering following worship.
As you journey through this season, may you find words for beginning again. For no matter what you are facing, no matter what this new day brings, love is your beginning.
This Sunday in worship, we begin the season of Advent and light the Advent candle of Hope. Pastor Julie begins a new sermon series entitled “Words for the Beginning.” Her message is titled “You Are a Blessing,” based on Luke 1:26-38. The accompanying text is Isaiah 43:1-7.
Today in worship, Pastor Eric will preach the message “The Christ Who Gives” based on Luke 23:33-43. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 46 and Ephesians 1.
In the Christian calendar, which our congregation follows, this Sunday is known as the “Reign of Christ” or “Christ the King” Sunday. The tradition of this particular Sunday began in 1925 to remind Christians that their allegiance was to Christ, their spiritual ruler in heaven as opposed to earthly supremacy.
To 21st century ears, the language of “Christ the King’ Sunday can sound like heavy-handed, hierarchical hold-over from our patriarch dominated past. However, Jesus “kingship” does not involve domination or triumphalism — but the radical, all-powerful compassion and love of Jesus’ seeking justice for all.
This Sunday is Gratitude Sunday, a day when, among other things, we celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness in the world and in our lives. Pastor Julie’s message, “Saying Grace,” will invite us to see more clearly God's gift and to answer more honestly and unmistakably with our lives as gift. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 95:1-7 and Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34
Today in worship, Pastor Julie will preach the message “For Good” based on Romans 8:18-30. As we look at Romans 8, we will ask an important question: In a world as broken and violent as ours, what did Paul mean - what do we mean - by the claim, “All things work together for good?” Accompanying scripture passages are Genesis 50:15-21 and Mark 10:46-52.
Today, November 3, is All Saints Sunday. We observe a special time of prayer and remembrance both for those who have died in Christ as well as for the upcoming election. We celebrate communion together, and we collect a benevolence offering.
Pastor Julie’s message is titled “The Myth of Winning.” Winning in the kin-dom of God looks radically different than our culture’s narratives about domination, climbing the ladder, and overcoming our enemies. Jesus never said, “Go, be winners,” but rather, “Come, follow me.” The sermon text is John 18:33-38 and accompanying passages are Psalm 23 and Philippians 2:5-11.
Of all the things we chase after, and look for, and think of, and do, and desire, and possess—when we come to the end of life, only three things will have mattered. Only three things will have lasted. Only three things will have helped: Faith. Hope. Love. This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie concludes her three-week sermon series based on 1 Corinthians 13: Faith, Hope, and Love: These Three.
This Sunday’s message is “Love’s Undying Heart." Accompanying passages are Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26 and Matthew 28:1-8
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Of all the things we chase after, and look for, and think of, and do, and desire, and possess—when we come to the end of life, only three things will have mattered. Only three things will have lasted. Only three things will have helped: Faith. Hope. Love. This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie continues her three-week sermon series based on 1 Corinthians 13: Faith, Hope, and Love: These Three.
This Sunday’s message is “Love’s Feet” and will focus on Hope. Accompanying passages to 1 Corinthians 13 are Psalm 130 and Mark 11:1-11.
Of all the things we chase after, and look for, and think of, and do, and desire, and possess—when we come to the end of life, only three things will have mattered. Only three things will have lasted. Only three things will have helped: Faith. Hope. Love. This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie begins a three-week sermon series based on 1 Corinthians 13: Faith, Hope, and Love: These Three.
Accompanying passages are Proverbs 3:1-6 and John 8:1-11.
This Sunday, October 6 is World Communion Sunday. Pastor Julie will preach the message “God’s Big Spenders” from Isaiah 58:1-12. Together, we will ask with the prophet Isaiah how we can claim to worship God if we are not “spending ourselves” on behalf of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, and the afflicted. Additional texts are Acts 4:32-37 and Matthew 25:31-40. During worship, we will observe communion.
Acclaimed author Cole Arthur Riley is the keynote speaker at the annual gathering of the World Student Christian Federation, October 3-6, hosted by FBCDC. Read more about this organization below.
Cole spoke in the FBC Sanctuary on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1:00 pm. She is the author of New York Times bestsellers This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us and Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human.
This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie continues the current sermon series with the message, How Hedonism Killed Jesus from Luke 23:1-12. Accompanying scripture passages are Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and Philippians 4:4-9.
Following last Sunday’s message, How Liberalism Killed Jesus, we turn our attention this Sunday from the legalistic Pharisees and the broad-minded Sadducees, to Herod, who was driven by appetite and organized his life around the pursuit of pleasure. While we live in a nation that seems to have an insatiable appetite for more, how do we enjoy God-given pleasures in our lives without elevating them into idols?
This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie continues the current sermon series with the message, How Liberalism Killed Jesus from John 11:43-53 and 19:12-16. Accompanying scripture passages are Isaiah 5:1-4, 7 and Romans 8:1-6, 11.
Following last Sunday’s message, How Conservatism Killed Jesus, we turn our attention this Sunday from the legalistic Pharisees to the broad-minded Sadducees, who were known for embracing the culture and customs of the Greeks and the Romans. The Sadducees desired to build a bridge to their world. Liberalism’s frequent fault is walking across the bridge and forgetting to come back. While building a bridge to the world, how do we remain true to the heart of our faith?
This Sunday in worship, Pastor Julie continues the series “Am I the One?” and preaches the message “How Conservatism Killed Jesus” from Matthew 23:1-4, 23-31. Accompanying scripture passages are Micah 6:1-8 and Ephesians 3:14-21.
Pastor Julie’s message focus’ on the Pharisees, who focused on secondary concerns, as conservatism tends to do. Conservatism can get so busy building a fence around the treasure that it often forgets what the treasure is. Jesus frees us for weightier matters of justice, mercy and love.
Today in worship, Pastor Julie will begin the series “Am I the One?” and preach the message “Our Deadly Systems.” from Matthew 26:17-25. In Matthew 26:22, after Jesus said, “One of you will betray me,” the disciples all asked, “Am I the One?” Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 126 and James 2:1-10, 14-17.
In Jerusalem in C.E. 30, three cultural and religious systems contributed to the crucifixion of Jesus: Conservatism, Liberalism, and Hedonism. These same systems are alive and well in 2024, and this series and message will prompt personal and corporate reflection on the ways that we participate in the deadly systems of this world.
This Sunday in worship, we welcome back to the pulpit our Senior Pastor, Julie Pennington-Russell . Pastor Julie returned last week from her 12-week sabbatical, and together we marked the end of her sabbatical journey and brought her back into mission and ministry among us joy, gratitude, and hope.
Pastor Julie’s message on Sunday is “Coming Back to Say Thanks” from Luke 17:9-11. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 95:1-7 and Colossians 3:12-17.
This Sunday in worship, we wrap up the sermon series, “What Kind of Church?” This series asks three important questions: What is the universal church called to be? What kind of church makes God’s heart glad? What kind of church will make the strongest gospel impact in our fractured, anxious world?
This Sunday, we will welcome back with joy, gratitude, and hope our Senior Pastor, Julie Pennington-Russell, from her 12-week sabbatical. Pastor Julie will assist with worship leadership this Sunday, and she will return to the pulpit next week: Sunday, August 25.
This week, we will welcome to the pulpit Rev. Mark DeVries. Mark spent 35 years in youth ministry, serving as the Associate Pastor for Youth and Their Families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee for 28 years. Mark is the co-founder of Ministry Incubators and the founder and of Ministry Architects, the consulting group that has been working alongside First Baptist as they discern and begin to implement their next strategic chapter. Mark is the author of 12 books, including Sustainable Youth Ministry and Family-Based Youth Ministry. He and his wife Susan make their home in Nashville, TN and have three grown children and four grandchildren.
Mark’s message on Sunday is “A Camino Kind of Church” from Mark 1:16-20. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 62:5-12 and Ephesians 1:15-23.
This morning in worship, we continue the sermon series, “What Kind of Church?” This series asks three important questions: What is the universal church called to be? What kind of church makes God’s heart glad? What kind of church will make the strongest gospel impact in our fractured, anxious world?
The message today is “The Scent of the Spirit” from John 6:35, 41-51. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 34:1-8 and Ephesians 4:25-5:2.
We welcome to the pulpit Rev. Dr. Charlie Fuller. Charlie is a former Executive Pastor of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, DC. After failing at retirement, he is currently director of Pathways to Ministry and Coach in Residence for Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Pathways to Ministry is a nearly quarter-century-old ministerial preparation program that, among other things, hires ministerial residents for two-year terms to engage in the practice of ministry.
In addition to his time with First Baptist, Charlie has also been a music professor, dean, music minister, chaplain, and transition pastor. The position in Dallas has brought him and his wife Cindy near to their two daughters and four grandchildren who live in the Dallas suburbs. Charlie is truly excited for the privilege of coming back home to FBCDC!
This Sunday in worship, we continue the sermon series, “What Kind of Church?” This series asks three important questions: What is the universal church called to be? What kind of church makes God’s heart glad? What kind of church will make the strongest gospel impact in our fractured, anxious world?
The message this Sunday is “The Peacemakers' Journey” from Matthew 5:3-11. Accompanying scripture passages are Micah 6:1-8 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.
We will welcome to the pulpit Rev. Sterling W. Severns. Sterling and his wife, Laura, are looking forward to being back among dear friends at FBCDC where he served as Associate Pastor from 1998 - 2004.
Since 2004, Sterling has served as the Senior Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. During his twenty-year tenure, he has focused on rekindling Tabernacle's role as a teaching congregation, partnering with several seminaries and universities to mentor numerous pastoral residents and interns. Under his leadership, Tabernacle has become known for its innovative and participatory worship practices and strong commitment to inclusivity. Sterling guided the congregation through a year-long discernment process on sexuality, leading to the church becoming welcoming and affirming. He also led efforts to integrate diverse ethnic refugee communities from Myanmar into the church's life and leadership and was instrumental in the founding of ReEstablish Richmond, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping newly resettled refugees integrate into the broader Richmond community.
In recent years, Sterling has expanded his ministry by focusing on re-missioning work and equipping pastors around the world. This work involves leading online collectives for church leaders, helping them develop vision and tools to revitalize their congregations. Sterling's leadership is characterized by a wholistic vision that values the interconnectedness of human experiences and prioritizes equipping the church to love God and live like it.
We’re located at 16th and O Streets NW—in the heart of Washington, a mile north of the White House. We are part of the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods. Need more info? Call us or click below.
We look forward to greeting you in person. In the meantime, you can request prayer or ask a question by calling or sending an email.
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The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C.
1328 16th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 387-2206
Office Hours
Sunday 10 AM–2 PM
Monday-Thursday 10 AM–4 PM
Friday-Saturday Closed
