Fifth Street Baptist Church is a historic Baptist congregation in Richmond's Highland Park neighborhood, known for the motto "Founded by Faith and Focused on Family" and for pairing family-centered fellowship with practical service in the city. Founded in 1880, the church has grown from Jackson Ward and Navy Hill into a multi-ministry congregation whose worship, education and outreach touch Highland Park and communities across Richmond.
Pastor F. Todd Gray and First Lady Diane Gray welcome people with a simple conviction: believers are called to love God with all of their heart, soul and mind, and to love their neighbors as themselves. Fifth Street carries that conviction into a Sunday rhythm of meaningful worship and an empowering word, then into Bible study, child care, food assistance, health ministry and neighborhood partnerships.
Sunday at 10, With Study and Prayer Through the Week
Sunday worship begins at 10:00 AM at 2800 Third Avenue in Richmond. The service is deliberately celebrative: the church emphasizes joyful praise, the presence of God through meaningful worship and the sharing of an empowering word. Visitors can join the service live on YouTube or watch recent and on-demand services.
The rest of the weekly rhythm is equally practical:
- Virtual Church School: Sundays at 8:00 AM, with several classes and connection groups for different ages and interests.
- Tuesday Bible Study: 11:00 AM in the sanctuary.
- Wednesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM online through Facebook.
- Monday Prayer Line: 7:00 AM, opening the week in prayer.
Church office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 AM to 3 PM, and the church office telephone is 804-321-5115. Families looking for care or formation can connect with the Child Development Center, whose licensed weekday program serves preschool and school-age children. Financial gifts can also be made online.
From Jackson Ward to Highland Park
In 1880, a group of members asked for letters of dismissal from their congregations and organized Fifth Street Baptist Church. Working together, they purchased their first building at Fifth and Jackson Street, a structure that had previously housed a German Lutheran church. As the congregation grew, it recognized the need for a larger and more modern facility. Under Dr. T. J. King Sr., a new church was erected at the same corner and dedicated on July 4, 1926.
In 1975, members voted to move from Jackson Ward to Highland Park. The relocation met resistance, but support and dedication from members of the Fifth Street family made the move possible. The congregation settled at its present 2800 Third Avenue home and continued to expand its work beyond the church building.
The succession of pastors reflects that long history. Rev. Henry Mitchell led from 1880 to 1882; Rev. A. P. Dunbar served from 1882 to 1892; Rev. Wesley Faul Graham served from 1892 to 1905 and again from 1907 to 1909; and Rev. Alexander E. Edwards led from 1905 to 1907. Rev. Samuel C. Manuel followed from 1911 to 1913, and Rev. Thomas J. King served from 1919 to 1926. Later pastors included Rev. Dr. Charles Satchell Morris Sr. from 1926 to 1930, Rev. Christopher Columbus Scott from 1930 to 1966, Rev. Henry Clayton Gregory III from 1967 to 1972 and Rev. Roscoe Davis Cooper Jr. from 1974 to 1992. Rev. F. Todd Gray has served since 1995.
Under Gray, the church has experienced renewed growth in worship, education and community work. The GRACE Center was dedicated in 2005, and its opening marked the beginning of the church's Bringing the Kingdom to the Community movement. Fifth Street continues to seek holistic and innovative ministry in its urban context, and the church has expressed a continuing desire to improve its facilities, provide health care for people who cannot afford it and establish a Christian Academy for children.
Worship, Word and Work as One Calling
Fifth Street describes its mission as: "We are a family winning the world to Christ through worship, word and work." The phrase comes from Acts 2:42-47 and is organized around five purposes: growing a Christian family, winning the world to Christ, empowering people through the worship of God, equipping people in the word of God, and fulfilling their calling in the work of God.
Those purposes shape the church's ministries in practical terms. Outreach includes advertising, canvassing neighborhoods, community activities and members inviting people to worship. The church regards membership itself as the primary vehicle for reaching people for Christ, placing personal invitation alongside organized community activity.
Worship is celebrative and relevant, centered on praising God for who God is and thanking God for what God has done. Fellowship is developed through small-group ministries and ministry events that connect people with shared interests and life experiences, helping them encourage one another in their walk with the Lord.
Education is treated as discipleship rather than simply the accumulation of biblical information. Members are encouraged to apply the word, discover their spiritual gifts and use those gifts for personal growth and the benefit of the church. Missions extends this work through educational opportunities, community involvement and collaboration with service organizations in Richmond, Virginia, the nation and the world.
Internal church organizations support those outside activities, but the church also emphasizes the ministry of every believer. Fifth Street holds that each committed person has a personal mission and that each person can participate in the work of the Kingdom.
A Worship Service Built Around the Arts
The Fine Arts Ministry is central rather than decorative at Fifth Street. Its work is intended to invoke the Spirit of God, illustrate the glory of God and inspire God's people. The Music Ministry leads worship, gives voice to praise and works to root music in the word of God, while the Movement Ministry offers physical expressions of praise through mime and dance.
The church's music carries a wide range of voices. Janie P. Hill Women's Choir, Wilbert Tucker Male's Chorus and Celestial Voices are joined by the Walter A. Graves Young Adult Choir, the Esther T. Greene and Emory Pomphay Children's Choir, and the Eunice Foster Handbell Choir. These groups work continually to perfect their gifts and enhance praise.
Dance has an equally visible place. The God Is Able Adult Praise Dancers, Daughters of Miriam Young Adult Praise Dancers and Angels of Praise Children's Praise Dancers communicate praise through movement. Hush Mimes and Signs of Praise Mimes offer another form of expression. A Drama Guild, ushers, and an audio and media team support the message, music and artistic elements of the gathered worship.
The media ministry supports in-reach, outreach and up-reach by combining text, audio, pictures and video. Its graphic design team creates visual pieces, while audio and visual production provides high-definition imagery and broadcast-quality video for Sunday services, small community gatherings and church events.
Learning for Children, Youth and the Whole Family
The Education Ministry organizes the church's learning life around the word of God, encouraging people to be encouraged and empowered. In addition to Tuesday's in-person study and Wednesday's online class, virtual Church School classes meet at 8 AM on Sundays. Esther, Davidson, Agape, Barbara Tucker Lee and GIFTS for young adults meet on Sunday, while Alpha, Omega and Thornton meet at 9 AM on Saturday. These classes provide multiple options for study and connection.
The New Members Ministry focuses on the retention and education of newer members. Its class considers what it means to be saved, what is required and what benefits come with salvation, in a setting where participants share and grow together.
The Child Development Center extends the church's family emphasis through licensed care and education. Its preschool serves children ages 2 to 5 and uses the Creative Curriculum, with classroom activities designed to let children make choices and learn through experience. Before- and after-school programming serves children and youth ages 5 to 12 with tutoring, mentoring, skill-building and enrichment activities, including time for fellowship.
The center also partners with Richmond Public Schools' Early Head Start program. Other features include cultural enrichment, nutritious meals and snacks, daily devotions and Bible study, excellent student-teacher ratios, and staff certified in CPR, first aid and MAT. The center operates Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 5 PM and is licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services' Child Care Licensing Division.
A nursery, Vacation Bible School, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are also part of the church's education and family ministries. The Children and Youth Ministry seeks to build Christian character, morals, values and behavior through creative methods that help young people know Jesus, express faith through their own words and actions, and use their talents in service to the church and community.
Food, Health and Practical Support in Highland Park
The church's Federated Mission Organization describes its work as serving people who are poor, oppressed, imprisoned or neglected in the metropolitan area, the state, the nation and the world. Its most recognizable direct service is the Fifth Street Baptist Church Food Pantry, an ongoing ministry that provides non-perishable food to neighbors in Highland Park and has extended service to other Richmond communities.
Food bags are built as complete meals rather than as a single item. They may include breakfast cereal and milk, pasta and sauce, lunch foods, vegetables, rice, peanut butter and bread, along with non-food items such as toilet paper. Under the encouragement of Pastor Gray and with the support of church members, donors and volunteers, the pantry has become a sustained ministry for families facing food insecurity.
Food pantry coordinator Linda Macbeth-Harper works with volunteers and donors to organize the distribution of food to neighborhood families. The work reflects the church's conviction that the goodness of God is shared in practical ways when a community's immediate needs are met.
The Health Guild provides health services, information and education to the congregation and surrounding community. The church's wider neighborhood work has also included development of a full-service health clinic, with affordable care for people who cannot afford it remaining an important goal.
Seasonal service continues through two recurring traditions. Thanksgiving Baskets provide food to families and fruit baskets to members who are sick or shut in. The Angel Tree partners with The Salvation Army to provide gifts for children and senior adults, helping local families place gifts under the family Christmas tree.
Other partnerships include community festivals, citizens' patrol groups, mentoring programs and work with local schools. The church has also been involved with the Northside District Community Development Corporation and leadership of the Highland Park Community Revival. Its Christian Social Action and Justice Ministry engages questions of justice and equality, including support for Black voters and civil rights.
WE CARE: Partnership for Inner-City Richmond
WE CARE stands for Wellness, Education, Community Awareness and Resident Empowerment. It is a collaborative alliance of Northside businesses, churches, service groups, nonprofit agencies and other community organizations committed to the inner city of Richmond. Fifth Street participates in this wider network, and Monisha Crosby serves as a contact for both the WE CARE fellowship and evangelism work.
The Evangelism Commission describes itself as a ministry of action that meets people at the point of their needs. Activities include greeting guests in worship and online, sharing a refreshing drink and a word through the Cooling Waters Outreach, bringing the gospel to residents of Brookhaven Retirement Home, and giving young people an opportunity to know God through the Hotchkiss Field Youth Recreation Outreach. The ministry also emphasizes united prayer in the heart of the community and the responsibility of every member to invite others.
Fifth Street's connections extend through the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, a statewide effort to unite and equip churches, ministries, associations and constituents for holistic ministry, education and missions. The convention includes divisions for men, women and children, offers Christian education training and holds an annual statewide conference. Lott Carey is a global Christian missional community that broadens the reach of the Christian faith through prayer, financial aid, technical guidance and collaboration with local communities.
Fifth Street supports both the Baptist General Convention and Lott Carey financially each year. The partnerships extend the church's emphasis on worship, word and work beyond the congregation and into Virginia and the wider world.
Pastor F. Todd Gray and the Fifth Street Family
Rev. F. Todd Gray, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, is a fourth-generation preacher and the son of Rev. Franklin E. Gray and Mrs. Cheryl A. Hitchens. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he entered ministry and later graduated from Ohio University. He earned master's degrees from the School of Theology of Virginia Union University and Union Theological Seminary, received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Richmond Virginia Seminary, and teaches church history and theology at Virginia Union University's Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology.
Gray's honors include National Merit Scholar recognition, the D.C. Rice Theological Scholarship, the Union Theological Seminary Graduate Scholarship, the NAACP Community Leadership Award, the SLC Leadership Award, the key to the city and mayoral proclamations of "Rev. F. Todd Gray Day." He previously served at Zion Baptist Church in Chillicothe, First Baptist Church of South Richmond, New Hope Baptist Church in Ohio and Mount Olive Baptist Church in Wicomico, Virginia, where he developed innovative ministries, led growth and oversaw major building programs.
His wider leadership includes serving as moderator of the Shiloh Association, chairman of Virginia Churches of the National Baptist Convention and a member of the Baptist General Convention board. He has also served on the Private Industry Council, Richmond Renaissance Board and United Way, chaired the City-wide Men's Revival and co-chaired the city's Commission on African American Males.
Since arriving at Fifth Street in 1995, Gray has emphasized celebratory worship and community witness. Under his leadership, the church has experienced spiritual renewal, renewed enthusiasm in services, a wider range of ministries, community festivals, mentoring programs, school partnerships, the Highland Park Community Revival, a Child Development Center, the GRACE Center and development of a full-service health clinic. First Lady Diane Gray stands beside him in this ministry, and together they describe Fifth Street as a family called to joyful praise, meaningful word and shared service.
A Campus for Care, Learning and Restoration
The GRACE Center, God's Redemptive and Community Empowerment Center, was dedicated in 2005 as a state-of-the-art Child Development Center and catering facility. It gives Fifth Street a large setting for early learning, family activity, catering and community events, and its facilities can be reserved for events. The child care and tutoring ministries connect the building project directly to the daily needs of Highland Park families.
Attention also turns to the older church and campus assets through the Restoration and Rejuvenation Project. The initiative focuses on infrastructure and system needs that will preserve the church's historic character while improving safety for members and visitors. Funding comes through an initial restructured loan and member contributions, making restoration both a physical project and an expression of the family's long-term care for the place where they worship.
The church's commitment to local young people continues through the Jennie M. Shaw Community Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides scholarships to high school seniors. Eligible students are members of Fifth Street, residents of Highland Park, or students at John Marshall High School or Armstrong High School. Since 2003, the foundation has awarded more than 15 scholarships. It carries the name of Deacon Jennie M. Shaw, whose service to Richmond is remembered through the fund.
Today, Fifth Street Baptist Church remains a family-shaped Baptist church with a broad ministry in Richmond: joyful praise on Sunday, Bible study throughout the week, care for children and families, practical support for neighbors and a historic building being renewed for future use. Its work ties the legacy of Jackson Ward and Navy Hill to the active mission of Highland Park.