First Baptist Church of Silver Spring, also known as The Church Downtown, stands at 828 Wayne Avenue in downtown Silver Spring, where fourteen people founded it on October 22, 1924. The congregation's stated priorities are simple: loving neighbors and welcoming long-time followers of Christ and newcomers alike. The church's own description: "We are a church family that believes first and foremost in loving our neighbors."
Sunday Mornings at 828 Wayne Avenue
Sunday is the heart of the week at The Church Downtown. At 10am, two parallel programs begin: Adult Bible Study in the main hall and children's Bible classes organized by age from nursery through high school. An hour later, at 11am, the Sunday worship service fills the sanctuary. Each service is livestreamed online so neighbors can join from home, and the recording is then posted for later viewing. Communion is prepared by the Ordinance Committee on the first Sunday of every month and at a few other special services. Sunday services are held in English at the main building; affiliated congregations gather in the same building for worship in French, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Ethiopian.
The Saturday Food Closet
Feeding neighbors has been central to First Baptist's calling since the New Deal era, when the church voted to dedicate a tenth of its income to missions and began opening its facilities to serve the surrounding community. That tradition is alive today in the Food Closet, open every Saturday from 10am to noon and reached through the Wayne Avenue entrance. Volunteers staff it in four rotating teams, with each team serving once every four weeks, and visitors may come once a month for groceries. The food ministry kept running through the COVID-19 crisis and has remained open without interruption. Food Closet Coordinator Jim Reed welcomes new volunteers who want to stock shelves, pick up bakery and grocery donations from schools around the county, or unload supplies during the week.
From Apple Orchards to the 2018 Building
On October 22, 1924, fourteen people gathered in what was then a tiny village of apple orchards and dirt paths on the outskirts of the nation's capital to start the Silver Spring Baptist Church. The first services were held in the old Armory, which later became Silver Spring's fire station. In 1925 the congregation purchased three lots at the corner of Wayne and Fenton for $4,393.62 and built a parsonage, followed by an auditorium. As the New Deal arrived, Silver Spring transitioned into an urban community and the church voted to give ten percent of its income to missions. The church's facilities doubled as a day nursery for the village.
The church renamed itself First Baptist of Silver Spring in 1947 as the post-war years brought unprecedented growth to the area. Ministers of Music and Education were added to the staff to expand programming. A temporary sanctuary gave way to a permanent one dedicated in 1957. In 1968 the Child Development Center was added, and a religious education class for young people with intellectual disabilities was formed. Over the following decades, the church expanded the Food Closet, lent its buildings to Shepherd's Table, a daytime refuge for neighbors experiencing homelessness, and began welcoming new language congregations to share its space.
By the early 2000s, the original buildings were aging and crumbling. Senior Pastor Dr. Duncan McIntosh led the campaign to rebuild on the same property. The new building opened in 2018, with the first service in the new facility held that same year.
Four Faith Communities Under One Roof
The Church Downtown shares its building at 828 Wayne Avenue with three other faith communities, each adding its own language and tradition to the corner. Église Baptiste de la Foi offers a Sunday service in French and Haitian Creole. Iglesia Baptista Immanuel offers a Sunday service in Spanish. Hope of Glory Believers Ethiopian Church also gathers in the same building, sharing the space for Ethiopian-language worship. Together the four congregations bring English, French, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Ethiopian worship to downtown Silver Spring, and First Baptist regularly hosts joint services with the affiliated congregations throughout the year.
Tuesday and Wednesday Nights by Zoom
On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7pm to 8pm, an Adult Bible Study meets online for prayer and devotional conversation. Anyone interested can request the Zoom login by emailing the church office at info@thechurchdowntown.com or by calling (301) 754-1100. Wednesday evenings are also rehearsal night for the Sanctuary Choir, which sings during Sunday worship and at holiday services and welcomes anyone who loves to sing. Rehearsals begin at 7pm.
Children, Youth, and Sunday School
Child care and children's ministry have been part of First Baptist since the very beginning, when the church facilities served as a day nursery during the New Deal years. That commitment continues in the new building, where a large section of the floor plan is dedicated to Sunday School classrooms organized by age from nursery through high school. Vacation Bible School is offered each summer. Beyond Sunday School, children and youth enjoy a yearly Easter egg hunt, ice-skating and bowling parties, picnics, splash days, farm trips, and a summer lake outing organized for the church family.
Welcome Corps and Global Mission
Locally, the church partners with Welcome Corps, a program of the U.S. Department of State, to sponsor refugee families settling in the Silver Spring community. A volunteer team from First Baptist walks newcomers through housing, healthcare, education, and employment, helping them make Silver Spring home.
Across the hemisphere, the church also supports Eliberto and Molly Juarez as global servants with International Ministries in El Salvador. The Juarez couple works with Mision Vida y Paz, an educational program that trains Christian volunteers to bring biblical-values curriculum into public schools.
A Hundred Years of Community Ministry
In 2024, First Baptist marked a full century of serving Silver Spring with a special anniversary gathering. Longtime members shared memories from across those hundred years, including Reverend Dr. Duncan McIntosh, who had led the campaign to replace the aging buildings with the present facility, along with Betty Stange, Ed Flickinger, Parma Holt, and Jeanne Byrd. Their reflections traced the church's journey from a village gathering of fourteen people on October 22, 1924 to a downtown ministry that still operates a Saturday food closet, partners with Welcome Corps to bring refugee families to Silver Spring, and supports missionaries in El Salvador.
The pace of community life stays busy. The congregation takes part in the Silver Spring Thanksgiving Parade, Pride Day in Silver Spring, and a Vacation Bible School each summer, and hosts joint services with its affiliated language congregations throughout the year.
Core Values
The church names four core values that shape its life together. Agape Love means choosing to be aware of the feelings of others, accepting differences, and giving people a sense of growth. Inclusiveness is appreciating the diversity of God's Kingdom. Service is ministering to the community with the intention of helping people discover transformation. Wisdom is gaining insight on the right thing to do.
Getting Involved
Beyond the choir, the Food Closet, and Welcome Corps, the church's life is carried by a long list of committees and ministries that welcome new volunteers. The Communications Committee helps with audio, video, and online communication. Education supports children's ministry. The Ordinance Committee prepares communion on the first Sunday of each month. Personnel supports church staff. Trustees care for the building and grounds. Ushers help with Sunday services. Deacons minister to the congregation. Finance oversees resources, and Women in Action plans events such as the ladies' brunch. The Church Council, chaired by Tom Peddicord, coordinates the work of all the committees and ministries.
Online giving is available through Realm, the church's online platform. Visitors can also subscribe to the email list for periodic updates on worship, programs, and ways to serve.