Alfred Street Baptist Church Celebrates 220th Church Anniversary
Alfred Street Baptist Church Celebrates 220th Church Anniversary: The historic Alfred Street Baptist Church led by pastor Howard-John Wesley celebrated its 220th anniversary on Sunday.
The church located in Alexandria, Virginia, United States has been a pillar of the community for over two centuries, providing spiritual guidance, education, and social services to countless individuals and families.
The Sunday event however unfolded with a special worship service, featuring the church’s renowned Psalms of Praise choir and its symphony orchestra.
Sharing on his Instagram page a video clip of part of the event portraying the church choir’s soulful renditions of hymns, the senior pastor acknowledged that the event “was nothing short of spectacular.”
“Today was nothing short of spectacular as we celebrated 220 years of Alfred Street’s @alfredstreetbc rich history and legacy. We were so blessed to hear the amazing sounds of our #psalmsofpraise choir & our wonderful #sanctifiedsymphonyorchestra @melvinmebj @jdagreatest04 @bishop_hilliard” he wrote in the video caption.
Alfred Street Baptist Church, originally Colored Baptist Church and later First Baptist Church is an affiliate of the National Baptist Convention, USA. It was founded in 1803 during the period when Thomas Jefferson served as the third president of the United States. Susan Black, a Negro slave was the first baptized member of the church with several slaves from Mount Vernon Plantation as its members.
Rev. William Evans served as the church’s first leader while Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley currently serves as its 8th president.
Wesley, elected by 92 percent of the congregational vote on February 26, 2008, was installed on September 28, 2008.
“Over the years, Alfred Street has been a leader among churches and has made significant contributions in education, missions, children ministries, and advancement of women,” a statement on the church’s website read.
“Alfred Street continues a legacy of worldwide leadership as we strive to Make Disciples To Win the World for Christ,” it added
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