First Baptist Church of Chattanooga is a downtown congregation at 401 Gateway Avenue, known for lectionary-based worship shaped by robed ministers, congregational hymnals, choral music and a resonant Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. The church also gathers children, youth, adults and seniors for study and service, teaches the arts, hosts public concerts, and extends its life to a 38-acre retreat at Dogwood Lodge.
A Sanctuary Shaped by the Church Year
At 11:00 a.m. Sunday, the congregation worships in the Sanctuary following the lectionary. Spoken readings, prayers, hymns, choral music, solo and ensemble singing, and pipe organ music are combined so that people can participate in a service shaped by both tradition and variety. The gathering marks the significant seasons of the church year rather than standing apart from the Christian calendar.
The Christian year begins with Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, and continues through Christ the King Sunday in late November. Between those points, First Baptist observes Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Seasonal colors give the calendar a visible structure:
- Blue marks Advent as a season of anticipation and hope.
- White and gold mark Christmas, Easter and festive Sundays such as Transfiguration, Trinity, All Saints and Christ the King.
- Green follows Epiphany and Pentecost as a color of growth, except when a special Sunday calls for white.
- Purple marks Lent and joins penitence with royalty.
- Red marks Pentecost and other times when the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasized.
Music is central rather than decorative. The Adult Choir provides primary musical leadership through choral, ensemble and solo work supported by congregational singing. It also contributes distinctive presentations for Advent, Christmas, Holy Week and Easter. The sanctuary organ, custom built by Aeolian-Skinner in 1967, is part of an established worship pattern shaped by hymns, organ and choir. The Sanctuary and Chapel were designed aesthetically and acoustically both for corporate worship and for concerts.
First Baptist deliberately combines inherited forms with broad participation. Ministers wear robes, the congregation sings from hymnals, women and men proclaim sermons, and children take active roles in worship. The Communion Table is both a visual focal point and a theological statement: there is room at God's table for everyone. Corporate worship is understood as a community gathered together, and First Baptist emphasizes that this shared act defines and unites the church family.
Room Around the Table
First Baptist is a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship community and has been a proud part of CBF since the fellowship's founding in 1992. CBF's shared calling is expressed through partnership in transforming God's world: churches and individuals work as a global community through impactful ministries, missions and resources that spread good news, justice and hope. The church's own image of a place for everyone, with room around the table, closely fits that cooperative identity.
The congregation believes every person is created in the image of God. It therefore welcomes and affirms people of every age, race, economic reality, social status, gender and sexual identity, and invites all to participate fully in church life. Its worship places spoken ministry, music, children and the Communion Table within one shared gathering rather than separating participants into distinct roles.
Participation in CBF has shaped the way First Baptist engages issues including poverty, immigration, racial justice and the religious freedom of all believers. This commitment extends beyond national concerns. The church partners with Cooperative Baptists in the global fellowship and across Tennessee, while also building relationships with Chattanooga agencies, organizations and individuals that share its passion for service.
Sunday at 401 Gateway Avenue
A Sunday rhythm begins at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School or Bible study for all ages. At 10:30, people gather for Fellowship Time in the Lobby. Songs of Community begins in the Sanctuary at 10:50, and morning worship starts at 11:00. The sequence moves from study to greeting, music and worship without separating the church's educational and worship lives.
Guest parking is in the large lot off Gateway Avenue, or 6th Street for those approaching from downtown. The guest spaces are closest to the sanctuary and the front steps. Visitors using the main lot walk toward the steeple to find those steps. A covered drive entrance off Cameron Hill Drive serves people who need special assistance, have mobility issues or want to drop someone off at a door.
Clothing at First Baptist ranges from suits and dresses to jeans and shorts. The church asks people to dress in whatever feels most comfortable. Families with children from birth through age four may participate in Worship Care; a greeter in the Sanctuary Narthex can guide them to the Children's Hallway.
The Sunday service is also livestreamed on YouTube, allowing remote viewers to join the lectionary-centered gathering in the Sanctuary.
Children Learn and Youth Take Part
Children's faith formation is built through consistent teaching, experiential learning, trusting relationships with children and adult leaders, and continual interaction with Scripture. The Preschool Ministry serves babies through Pre-K with lessons suited to developmental stages, individual needs and cultural background. On Sunday mornings, children engage with Bible stories through creative and artistic activities that connect Scripture to their lives.
School-age children in Kindergarten through fifth grade have graded Sunday School classes for Kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade. On Wednesday evenings, preschoolers ages three through Pre-K participate in Mission and Music experiences, while school-age children can join Children's Choir. Childcare for children from birth through age two allows parents to participate in adult Bible study and other ministry opportunities during those midweek activities.
Safety measures are part of the children's ministry rather than an added detail. Parents check children in at designated Preschool and Children's areas. Background checks are required for all paid staff members and volunteers age eighteen or older, with rechecks every two years. Universal release forms are required for children participating in church-sponsored events.
Youth in grades six through twelve have a regular schedule of relationships, worship preparation and study. Sunday morning from 9:30 to 10:30, Middle School and High School groups meet in the Youth Room to learn about the Scripture used in the 11:00 service. The groups are mixed by gender and include relaxed time together. On Sunday afternoons, Youth Choir rehearses at 4:30, followed by a light supper at 5:30 and Youth Bible Study from 6:00 to 7:00. That study addresses relevant topics, develops faith and teaches young people how to understand and study Scripture.
Wednesday's Youth Gathering from 6:00 to 7:15 makes room for games, friendship and prayer. The wider youth pathway also includes community mission projects, discipleship retreats, mission trips and summer camps. Vacation Bible School welcomes children from age three through fifth grade. BAM, or Bible Arts and Music, serves preschoolers, while day camps, an overnight camp and Music and Arts Camp extend creative learning to elementary-age children.
Midweek Tables and Study Groups
First Baptist's life beyond Sunday includes a Monday CWJC class at 5:30 p.m. and Prayer Shawl Ministry on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Conference Room. These smaller gatherings complement the large Sunday services and give the week a steady rhythm of fellowship, study and prayer.
Wednesday evenings begin at 5:30 with a Fellowship Meal in the Fellowship Hall. People may bring food to share, and meals are provided several times during the school year. At 6:15, age-specific activities begin across the church: Preschool Music in E107, Children's Choir in E111, a Youth Gathering, Epiphanies study and discussion in E217, and pastor-led Midweek Bible Study in the Fellowship Hall. Gym time for school-age children and youth begins at 7:00.
The shared supper makes room for adults and children to begin the evening together before moving into separate study, music, mission and recreational activities. Adults have both a Bible study and a discussion group, while younger participants can enter music, youth fellowship or the gym without leaving the church's central life together.
A Fine Arts School with a Church Purpose
The School of Fine Arts has provided private instruction since 1997. Adults and children may study voice, piano, strings, organ, guitar, winds, percussion or conducting, with lessons adapted to age and experience. The school welcomes beginners through advanced musicians, including those preparing for college or a career and those pursuing personal enjoyment and fulfillment. It generally suggests second grade or higher for beginning piano or violin and middle school age for beginning voice or wind instruments.
Faculty members are experienced as both teachers and performers, approved by the School of Fine Arts Advisory Committee. Many have advanced degrees, and the school draws on qualified musicians and creative artists in the Chattanooga area. Lessons take place in dedicated studios, with a lounge for waiting family members, free parking and a secure building.
The school's mission combines artistic development with Christian service. It seeks to nurture God-given talents in a loving, supportive setting and to share the love of Christ through the arts. Students present free public recitals in the chapel at least twice each school year, learning from peers while showcasing their work. Full and half scholarships administered through the Crutchfield Scholarship Fund support students with financial need.
Students have earned recognition through area music and vocal organizations, received scholarships to colleges and universities, and taken roles in local theater productions. Their concerts and recitals contribute to Chattanooga's cultural life while giving students a setting in which disciplined study, creative expression and community service meet.
Choirs, Pipe Organ and Public Concerts
The Music and Worship Ministry extends across generations. The non-auditioned Adult Choir leads Sunday worship and prepares special seasonal music. The educational Children's Choir serves Kindergarten through fifth grade. The Youth Choir for grades six through twelve contributes to worship, festivals and choir tours, while experienced adult and high school ringers may join handbell ensembles that rehearse and lead worship seasonally.
Choir director and writer Brian Wren describes a congregation's corporate song as a theological statement: the church is the body of Christ. First Baptist's choirs, organ, handbells and congregational hymn singing make that idea audible each Sunday. Jeff Parker serves as Minister of Music and Worship and directs the School of Fine Arts; Darryl Miller is organist and Jenny Parker is pianist.
The Sanctuary and Chapel also serve as concert venues. Public school presentations, university and community choral concerts, organ recitals, and performances by local professional artists all belong to First Baptist's wider musical witness. These events use the acoustic character created for worship while making the church's musical gifts available to the Chattanooga community.
Service Beyond the Sanctuary
Mission work begins from the church's conviction that Christians are called to serve all of God's creation. First Baptist works with Cooperative Baptists in the global fellowship and across Tennessee, together with Chattanooga organizations and individuals that share its calling. Mission work includes sharing meals, delivering clothing, educating students and finding ways for people to contribute according to their abilities.
Senior adults remain active in the center of this service. They lead Shower Ministry, Truck Ministry, Helping Hands Ministry and Mary Martha Ministry. Shower Ministry includes work involving plastic mats for people without homes. The First Friends senior group also meets for luncheons and takes several-day and overnight trips during the year.
Youth add their own service through community projects, retreats and mission trips, connecting what they learn in Scripture and youth groups with action beyond the church. Children and youth also participate in the church's ongoing ministry life through choirs, camps, Bible study, mission experiences and worship.
GriefShare provides a specific form of care through an 11-week support group for people experiencing grief. Participants learn about the emotions that may arise, practical ways to cope with an unpredictable season, and the value of support during grief. The gathering is intended as a safe and welcoming place for people who understand the difficulty of grief from experience.
These ministries embody the church's understanding of partnership rather than isolation. First Baptist also makes financial participation possible through online giving.
Dogwood Lodge and an Active Building
Dogwood Lodge is a 38-acre lakefront retreat center near Chickamauga Lake, described as 35 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. The lodge accommodates up to 72 people. Its grounds include a large dining hall with a commercial kitchen, a game room and lounge, a swimming area, picnic shelter, tent and RV camping, fishing piers, and opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. Family Camp brings camping or lodge stays, worship and shared meals into this setting.
The downtown church building is also active beyond Sunday worship and Wednesday activities. Mission endeavors, partner organizations and community groups use its rooms for gatherings. The building can accommodate a traveling youth group, a professional planning session, a fine arts gathering and other community or partner needs. Some uses carry a fee to cover hosting costs. First Baptist does not host weddings for non-members.
Together, these settings reveal a church whose identity is not confined to one service or building. At 401 Gateway Avenue, the lectionary shapes Sunday morning, hymnals and pipe organ fill the Sanctuary, and children and adults gather around shared tables throughout the week. The same congregation studies, sings, teaches the arts, serves Chattanooga, makes room at the Communion Table and carries its shared life to Dogwood. First Baptist remains a community of worship, learning, artistic expression and hospitality centered on the love of Christ.