Friendship Baptist Church sits at 80 Walnut Street SW in downtown Atlanta, across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Founded in 1862 by twenty-five enslaved African Americans, it is the first autonomous African American Baptist congregation in Atlanta and the mother church to nine other Baptist congregations that grew from its pews. Its current sanctuary opened in 2017, its music and education programs stretch across generations, and a Sunday morning there still feels like a gathering of an extended family that has carried one another for more than a century and a half.
The Mother Church of Atlanta's Black Baptists
The story begins in 1848, when a small group of enslaved African Americans received permission from their enslavers to attend services at the white First Baptist Church in Atlanta. By 1862, during the Civil War, twenty-five of those same worshippers sought and obtained permission to form their own independent congregation. Among them was Reverend Frank Quarles (1819 to 1881), an enslaved minister at the Ponder House, who became the church's first pastor. The group named itself Friendship and set in motion a lineage that has now spanned eight pastors.
Under Quarles' leadership, Friendship quickly became a center of Black religious and civic life in Atlanta. Nine other Baptist congregations grew out of Friendship in the years that followed, including Mt. Zion Second Baptist Church (1868) and Wheat Street Baptist Church (1869). Friendship is affectionately called the "mother" to those congregations, a name the church still claims today.
From Mitchell Street to Walnut Street
The first sanctuary was completed in 1870 on the corner of Haynes and Markham Streets. Within a year it was already too small, and in 1871 the congregation began construction of a new building at 437 Mitchell Street. That Mitchell Street sanctuary, dedicated in 1872, would be home for more than a century.
On September 22, 2013, the congregation voted to sell the Mitchell Street property to the Atlanta Falcons to make way for what became Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The final service at the historic site was held on May 25, 2014, led by Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. William V. Guy. For the next three years the congregation worshipped at Morehouse College while a new sanctuary rose nearby. On July 30, 2017, Friendship opened the doors of its present home at 80 Walnut Street SW, and the long walk from Mitchell Street came to a close without closing the story.
A Church That Helped Found Two Colleges
Friendship's place in Atlanta extends well beyond its walls. In 1879, Morehouse College, then moving to Atlanta from Augusta, Georgia, held its first classes inside Friendship Baptist Church. Two years later, in 1881, Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, two pioneering educators from New England, began teaching Black women and girls in the church's basement. With the support of Pastor Quarles and the congregation, that school grew into Spelman College, now the nation's oldest historically Black college for women and a national leader in liberal arts education. The ties between Friendship, Spelman, and Morehouse remain close to this day.
Pastor Kelly M. Smith, Jr. and a 160-Year Lineage
The Rev. Dr. Kelly M. Smith, Jr. became the eighth pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in March 2024. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Smith is the only son of the late Rev. Dr. Kelly Miller Smith, Sr. and Mrs. Alice Smith. He graduated from Morehouse College with a B.A., earned his M.Div. from the Morehouse School of Religion of the Interdenominational Center, and holds a D. Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. While attending Morehouse, he joined Friendship himself, so his pastorate is a homecoming as well as a call.
Across forty-plus years of pastoral ministry, Dr. Smith has served as Senior Pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Knoxville for nineteen years, Berean Baptist Church in Nashville for six years, and First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill, in Nashville for thirteen years. He also served six years as Executive Director of the Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and has taught at every level from high school through graduate school.
He joins a lineage of seven pastors who preceded him: Rev. Frank Quarles (1862 to 1881); Rev. Dr. Edward Randolph Carter (1882 to 1944); Rev. Dr. Maynard Holbrook Jackson (1945 to 1953); Rev. Dr. Samuel Woodrow Williams (1954 to 1970); Rev. Dr. William Vincent Guy (1971 to 2007); Rev. Dr. Timothy T. Boddie (2008 to 2012); and Rev. Dr. Richard W. Wills, Sr. (2015 to 2021).
Sunday at Friendship: Sunday School and Worship
Sunday in the Word Sunday School begins at 8:30 AM on the FBC campus and online via Zoom, with classes for every age and stage of life. The current lineup includes Women in the Word, The Brotherhood, A.C.T.S. Class 6, The Intercessors, God's Situation Room, Senior Saints (9:00 AM), and Souled Out for Christ, the college and young adult class, also at 9:00 AM. Each class has its own Zoom room and dial-in number for members who prefer to call in.
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:00 AM, on campus and online, and is described by the church as a sacred and joyful gathering where hearts unite in praise. The Sanctuary Choir leads worship on the first and fourth Sundays of each month, the Retirees Choir provides music on fifth Sundays, and the Children's and Youth Choir, the Youth and Young Adult Choir, and other groups round out the musical life of the service. A nursery is available every Sunday for children from infancy through age five, and children are welcome in the sanctuary if parents prefer to keep them close.
Wednesday in the Word
Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 11:30 AM and again at 6:30 PM, both sessions held via Zoom and open to everyone. The Wednesday program, called Wednesday in the Word, has become one of the church's signature rhythms, with regular attendees joining from across the country and beyond. The Adult Handbell Choir also rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM at the church under the leadership of Roselyn Lewis, adding another layer to the midweek schedule.
A House of Choirs
Music is woven through the life of Friendship. The Sanctuary Choir leads on the first and fourth Sundays, while the Retirees Choir, for members age 55 and older, brings seasoned voices to fifth Sundays and special occasions. The Men's Choir leads through strong, unified singing; the Children's and Youth Choir, also known as Voices of Glory, nurtures young voices and a lifelong love for worship; and the Youth and Young Adult Choir joyfully leads in Christ-centered praise. The Hymnal Choir leads congregational singing for funerals and other services with no rehearsals required.
Dr. Curtis Powell serves as Director of Music Ministry, with Leslie George as Director of Media and Communications and Felipe Frazier as Director of Audio/Visual supporting the worship experience across every platform.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Children's Sunday School meets via Zoom at 9:00 AM with separate groups for ages 3 to 11 and ages 12 to 18. The Children and Youth Worship Ministry gathers kids and teens for meaningful praise on the second Sunday of each month. F.L.Y., the youth fellowship, offers social and service activities for young people between the ages of 13 and 19, with a focus on developing productive, well-adjusted leaders.
The Nursery offers a safe and loving space for children from birth through age five while their parents worship, introducing little ones to God's love through age-appropriate activities. Vacation Bible School runs during the summer, and the Theater Guild uses drama, storytelling, and creative expression to bring Scripture to life for the whole congregation.
Christian Education Across the Lifespan
Christian Education at Friendship is structured around three anchors: Sunday School at 8:30 AM on Sundays, Wednesday Bible Study at 11:30 AM and 6:30 PM, and a New Members Class held every Sunday at 8:30 AM for those exploring membership, baptism, or simply wanting to learn more about the church. The Youth and Young Adults ministry encourages young people to follow Jesus, deepen their faith, and build Christ-centered community, while the Intercessory Prayer Call, hosted Thursdays at 7:00 PM by Rev. Caroline Terry, lifts the needs of others to God in united prayer.
The Grief Ministry walks alongside those who mourn, offering Christ's love and compassion through every step of loss. Together these ministries form a long arc of formation, from infancy through Sunday school, college years, midlife, and retirement.
Deacons, Trustees, and the Hands That Hold the Church
Friendship is led by a large and active lay leadership. Roderick D. Fluker chairs the Board of Deacons. Each member or family of the church is assigned a Deacon whose work includes addressing prayer needs, conducting home visits, and providing practical support. Deacons also serve as a communication bridge among the congregation, the pastor, and the church staff, and they keep a roster of community resources for members in need.
M.C. Moore chairs the Board of Trustees, which oversees property, insurance, budgets, investments, and legal matters, ensuring that the church's physical and administrative life is cared for with the same seriousness as its spiritual life. Both boards meet and serve under the guidance of the pastor and staff.
The ministerial team supporting Pastor Smith includes Rev. Angela Sutton (also Director of Christian Education), Rev. Dr. Darryl Tookes, Rev. Dr. Walter R. Fluker, Rev. Kevin Calhoun, Rev. Stella Floyd, Min. De-Ambra Nelson, Rev. Dr. Riggins Earl, Rev. Sylvia Johnson, Rev. Caroline Terry, Rev. Barrington Williams, Rev. Barrett Johnson, Rev. William Freeman, Rev. Carl Lane, and Rev. Sherry Dukes Williams.
Service Guilds, Auxiliaries, and Outreach
Around the deacons and trustees, a network of guilds and auxiliaries carries the day-to-day ministry of the church. The Service Guild encourages Christian service and cares for the elderly; the Adult Fellowship brings members and friends together for warm Christian friendship; the Women's Ministry brings women together in Christ-centered fellowship and service; and the Brotherhood unites men of all ages for spiritual growth and outreach. The Uplifters, the church's oldest auxiliary, lead cultural and community service projects with deep roots in Friendship's history.
The Senior Usher Board welcomes worshippers and supports orderly services, while the Intergroup Council coordinates communication across all ministries. The Hospitality Committee, Cuisine Committee, Wedding Guild, Art and Garden Club, and Transportation and Parking ministries round out the practical infrastructure that keeps Sunday mornings running smoothly.
Friendship also maintains a ministry for people with disabilities, working to remove barriers so that everyone can participate fully in the life of the church.
Visiting Friendship
Visitors are welcomed but not overwhelmed. Hospitality attendants can assist anyone from the car into the building, rain or shine, and a parking attendant is on hand if the main lot fills up. The dress code is whatever makes a guest comfortable: jeans and t-shirts sit comfortably alongside dresses and suits. The sanctuary, chapel, fellowship hall, classrooms, and all restrooms are wheelchair accessible.
Those joining online can watch the livestream on Vimeo or YouTube, and the sermon archive is also available on YouTube and the church's Vimeo channel. Sunday School classes and Wednesday Bible Study offer their own Zoom rooms and dial-in numbers for remote participation.
Giving and Practical Life
The church office, at 80 Walnut Street SW, is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and is closed Saturdays and Mondays. The main phone line is 404-688-0206 and the office email is info@fbcatlanta.org. Tithes and offerings can be given online through the church's Realm portal, by texting FBC1862 to 73256, by mailing a gift to 80 Walnut Street SW, or by contacting the office to arrange non-cash contributions such as securities or property.
Members and friends can also keep up with Friendship through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok, where sermons, special music, and announcements are posted throughout the week.
A House with Deep Roots and Open Doors
From the day twenty-five enslaved worshippers walked out of the white First Baptist Church and formed their own congregation, Friendship has held two commitments at once: faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and a deep care for the people of Atlanta. The church helped birth Morehouse and Spelman, shepherded its members through Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights era, and the transformation of its own neighborhood around the rise of a new stadium. Across 80 Walnut Street SW, that work continues through Sunday school classes, choir rehearsals, Wednesday Bible studies, hospital visits, weddings, funerals, and the steady welcome offered at the door every Sunday morning.