First Memorial Baptist Church sits at 3012 15th Avenue North in the Norwood neighborhood of north Birmingham, a brick-and-mortar congregation whose roots run back more than fifty years to a fellowship that did not yet have a building, much less a budget. Today the church is known throughout the city's north side for its energetic music ministry, a deep bench of age-graded ministries, and a pastor whose tenure has produced one of the most visible periods of growth in the congregation's history. Rev. Dr. Al Moore has called 2026 "A Year of Elevation," anchored in Genesis 1:26-28, and the language captures the trajectory of a church that has continued to add members, programs, and platforms since he preached his first sermon as senior pastor on Sunday, October 7, 2012.
Rooted in Norwood Since 1970
The story of First Memorial begins with a fracture in another church. After the death of the Rev. John Allen Hayes, a dispute arose at First Baptist Church of East Thomas over the selection of a new pastor, the Rev. John J. Barfield. The disagreement escalated to a court case. When the judge ruled against the supporting members, a group left the church with Barfield. On October 28, 1970, with the leadership of a small group of followers, Barfield founded First Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in the home of Bro. and Sis. Leroy Ward, Sr. at 1311 28th Street North in Norwood. The name honored Pastor Hayes, the leader whose death had set the chain of events in motion.
The first worship service was held at the 4th Avenue YMCA, and Sis. Annie Payne was the first convert to join. The young fellowship moved next to the AG Gaston Boys Club in downtown Birmingham, then on Sunday, May 23, 1971, in a motorcade of dedicated members, the congregation moved to its present location at 3012 15th Avenue North, dedicating the sanctuary the same afternoon at 2:45 p.m., "without a dime in our pockets."
Four pastors have shepherded the church since its founding. Rev. Barfield resigned in 1971. On November 5, 1972, the Rev. Hugh L. Foster accepted the church's call to serve; he left in 1975. The congregation then called one of its own during his ordination service on August 31, 1975, ordaining Rev. Zonnie Stuckey, Sr. as the third pastor. Under Stuckey the church organized its full program of ministries, expanded its financial base, and built the Family Life Center that now houses the kitchen and additional restrooms. The sanctuary was renovated with a new pulpit, choir stand and baptistry, and the classroom wing was refreshed. After thirty-five years of service and a period of declining health, Pastor Stuckey retired on June 1, 2011. In September 2012, First Memorial extended the call to Rev. Dr. Algajuan Moore, who became the fourth pastor and whose first sermon was preached on October 7, 2012. In his first year, 81 new members united with the church and 15 converts were baptized; by his sixth year, nearly 300 additional members had joined. Dr. Al has overseen an upgrade of audio/visual technology, a new online and social media presence, and the formation of new outreach and fellowship ministries.
Sunday Worship, Children's Church, and Word Wednesday
Sunday at First Memorial follows a steady rhythm. Sunday School begins at 9:15 a.m., and Morning Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Children's Church runs at 10:30 on the second and third Sundays of each month and is designed for children ages 3-10, using puppets, music, rhymes, bible story videos, practical lessons and crafts to reinforce Christian character traits. The Usher and Greeter Ministry welcomes each member into the sanctuary, assists with the offering, helps those with disabilities, supports parents with young children, and tidies up after the service.
Midweek teaching is built around "Word Wednesday," the church's twice-a-day Bible study that meets at 12:00 noon and 6:45 p.m. For those who cannot make the trip to Norwood, three remote options keep members and visitors connected: an in-person gathering with safety protocols, a live stream on Facebook, and a dial-in audio line at 978-990-5000 with access code 520-956#. Recordings of past services and Word Wednesday lessons are archived on Media Vault.
Music, Media, and the Worship Arts
Music is treated as a central act of worship rather than a background element. The Music Ministry, led by Dr. Arthur Beard, III, spans every generation of the congregation and pairs a choral tradition with contemporary instrumentation: Bro. Emery Kidd plays bass guitar and Bro. Reginald Seals plays percussion. The Arts Ministry, led by First Lady Shanine Moore, oversees dance, mime and drama under the banner "Glorify, Honor, Praise and Exaltation," aiming to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Behind the scenes, the Multimedia Ministry keeps the broadcast running. Sis. Wanda Brown serves as Media Specialist, with Sis. Jessika Wren supporting social media and Sis. Tanisha Leonard, Sis. Audria Lyles, Sis. Antionette Wright, and Bro. Reginald Seals contributing media support, photography, video and sound. The team maintains the church's online presence, social media channels and on-site visual displays, and the Audio Media Ministry records services for shut-ins and visitors who want to share a service with someone else.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
The children's program is geared to ages 3-10 and meets weekly during the 10:30 a.m. worship hour on the second and third Sundays. Older children move into SWAGG - Soldiers Worshipping According to God's Glory - a youth ministry for grades 6-12 that focuses on building confidence in prayer, applying Scripture to daily life, and developing productive Christian role models. Co-leads Sis. Allison Christian, Sis. Demarious Matthews and Sis. Moniko Moore shape the program across both age groups.
High school graduates, college students, and career-age adults up to 30 are gathered into REFUGE, the Young Adult Ministry led by Sis. Jessika Wren with Bro. Reginald Seals serving as co-lead. REFUGE serves single, married, widowed and divorced young adults, with or without children, and is positioned as a fellowship that travels with college students when they return home. Children and youth workers are screened and the church describes safety protocols as part of its in-person worship.
Women's, Men's, Couples, and Singles Ministry
Women are organized under Glorious Ladies of Worship (GLOW), founded by First Lady Shanine Moore in 2012. GLOW enriches women through spiritual and emotional growth, worship and fellowship, with Sis. Cheryl "Lynn" Howard serving as co-lead. The Men of the church gather under Real Praying Men (RPM), led by Min. Andre Ridgeway with Deacon Phillip Brown as co-lead; the ministry centers on discipline, discipleship, and duplication of mature faith.
The Couples Ministry, led by Deacon Glen Caldwell and Sis. Robin Caldwell, meets quarterly under the theme Marriages Strengthened by Love, drawn from 1 Peter 4:8, and covers communication, conflict resolution, finances, parenting, and intimacy, with periodic off-site retreats. Single adults are served by Saved & Single, led by Sis. Tracy Mitchell, a ministry that holds space for those who do not desire marriage while supporting singles through the personal, professional and social challenges of single life.
Seniors, Congregational Care, and Education
Older Adults Still in Service (OASIS), for members sixty-five and over, is led by Sis. Charderrick Wilson with Sis. Lisa Johnson as co-lead, and engages seniors in spiritual, physical, cultural, social, and emotional growth. Congregational Care, led by Deacon Tester Cook and Sis. Karen Cook, reaches out to the hurting and lost within the church and follows up with visitors on behalf of the pastor. The Education/Scholarship Ministry, led by Sis. Inez Hughes with Sis. Renita Hill as co-lead, hosts an annual Educational Recognition Sunday and awards at least one scholarship each year to a graduating senior of the congregation. New members are welcomed through New Member Orientation and Assimilation, led by Sis. Tracy Mitchell and Sis. Karen Cook, with a focus on the first thirty days at First Memorial.
Hope and Healing, Intercessory Prayer, and Health
The Hope and Healing Ministry (also called the Evangelism/Missions Ministry), led by Min. Emma Lewis, organizes outreach to nursing homes, prisons, and hospitals, alongside localized community efforts. The Intercessory Prayer Ministry, led by Min. Annie Ridgeway, holds continual, effectual, fervent prayer for the pastor and first lady, church leaders, the church body, communities, cities, states, countries, and the world, treating prayer itself as an outreach strategy. The Health and Wellness Ministry, known as "Well @ FIRST" and led by Sis. Charderrick Wilson with Sis. Johnnie Smith as co-lead, promotes disease prevention, health education, and healthy lifestyles through the Nurses Ministry as a component.
Behind the scenes, several smaller ministries keep Sunday mornings moving. The Parking/Traffic Control Ministry is led by Bro. Derrick Fisher with Bro. Neely Davis as co-lead and is treated as the first impression of the church for every driver who pulls onto the campus. The Security Ministry, led by Deacon John Quarles with Deacon Bradley Cochran as co-lead, handles crisis response and ongoing assessment of safety policies. The Culinary/Hospitality Ministry, led by Sis. Ruthie Stuckey and Sis. Robin Caldwell, prepares meals for church events and makes guests feel at home.
What First Memorial Believes
First Memorial's Statement of Faith begins with the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, "inspired by God" and "infallible in the original manuscripts," treated as a divinely authoritative standard for every age and life. The church confesses one God who eternally exists and reveals Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each sharing the same nature and worthy of the same worship, and it rejects an evolutionary origin of creation. Concerning the Son, the church holds that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died and was bodily raised on the third day, and now sits at the Father's right hand as Head of the Church. Concerning the Holy Spirit, the church teaches that the Spirit is a person and is God, who convicts of sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals believers at salvation.
Salvation is described as the gift of God received through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin, with believers "kept secure in Christ forever," justification by grace through faith apart from works. The two ordinances observed by the church are water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as a memorial, both understood as acts of obedience and fellowship rather than means of salvation.
Mission, Vision, and Giving
The mission of First Memorial is to serve the surrounding community for the glory of God, fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 by reaching all who will hear with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The vision is to be "a life-giving, multigenerational, multidimensional, multicultural church in the Birmingham Region," infusing life through sharing the love of Jesus at every age and stage, fostering active faith, family relationships, and life-long friendships. The church organizes its goals under four headings: Discipleship, Discipline (a godly lifestyle, worship, unity, and regular Word study), and Duplication (raising up others in spiritual maturity).
Giving is offered three ways at First Memorial: in person during worship, online through a Givelify link, and by direct mail to 3012 15th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35234. An annual pledge card is offered, and "A New Way to Give" is announced as coming soon. Periodic seasons of prayer and fasting, including 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting in January, set the rhythm for the year.
The Family Life Center and the Building
The Family Life Center is the practical hub of the campus, housing the kitchen and additional restrooms and serving as the gathering place for meals, fellowship events, and ministry activity. The main sanctuary features a renovated pulpit, choir stand, and baptistry, with new classrooms and restrooms supplementing the worship space. Forms for weddings, funerals, facility rentals, check requests, reimbursements, benevolence requests, and incident reports are submitted to the Administrative Assistant.
Pastor and First Lady
Rev. Dr. Al Moore has served as senior pastor since 2012 and remains the ex-officio head of every ministry. He is supported by Mrs. Shanine Moore, affectionately known as "Lady Shan," who serves as First Lady and Operations Manager. A Birmingham native and UAB graduate, Mrs. Moore is the founder of GLOW, leads the Worship and Arts Ministry, and brings a background in human resources and a Birmingham-based retail boutique recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal with a 2010 Minority Business Award. Together they have hosted an online radio show and built a pastorate known for adding members, upgrading broadcast technology, and launching new ministries. With more than fifty years of history behind it and a fourth pastor at the helm, First Memorial continues its work in the same Norwood sanctuary its founders drove up to on a May morning in 1971.