A Sabbath-Keeping Family on Atlanta Highway
Montgomery First Seventh-day Adventist Church sits along Atlanta Highway on the north side of Montgomery, Alabama, where it has become known for two things at once: a steady, traditional Adventist Sabbath life and an unusually wide circle of community outreach. The motto "Love God, Love People" is stamped across everything the congregation does, from the Saturday worship hour to a regional food ministry that fills grocery bags for neighbors dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, and tight budgets.
The church family meets at 4233 Atlanta Highway and runs a large slate of programs in the building and online. Worship is held on Saturday morning rather than Sunday, the Sabbath is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and a long calendar of weekly calls, Zoom meetings, and Bible studies keeps the congregation connected through the rest of the week. Montgomery First is part of the Gulf States Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and operates in fellowship with the wider North American Division.
The Sabbath Rhythm: Saturday in the Sanctuary
The Sabbath schedule is the heartbeat of the church. On Saturday morning, the doors open early and a long day of Bible study, fellowship, and worship unfolds.
The day begins at 9:30 a.m. with a short morning devotion followed by Sabbath School. The opening program runs from 9:30 to 9:50 a.m., and from 9:50 to 10:50 a.m. the adults dig into the week's lesson in Boyd's Adult Zoom Class and live at church, while children move into their own graded classes. Cradle Roll, Kindergarten, Primary, and Junior divisions meet at the same time so that an entire family can study together. The Adult Bible Study Guide, also known as the Sabbath School quarterly, anchors the discussion.
At 10:55 a.m. the Divine Worship Service begins. The service is broadcast on YouTube Live and Facebook Live so members who are traveling, sick, or at home can follow along; past services are kept on the Montgomery First Media YouTube channel. Masks are optional in the sanctuary. The first Sabbath of every quarter is set aside as a special day of prayer and fasting.
After the morning service, two Saturday-afternoon ministries keep the building open. On the first and third Sabbath of each month, the Pathfinder and Adventurer Clubs gather at 2:30 p.m. (a shared lunch is served from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. beforehand), running through May 16. On the same first-and-third-Sabbath schedule, the Baby Cafe opens its doors from 2 to 4 p.m. to support mothers, parents, and caregivers. Many members stay for a fellowship meal before heading home, and a Powered-Up Potluck hosted by Health Ministries on the third Sabbath each month rounds out the day.
Friday Vespers and the Open Week
The Sabbath is welcomed, not arrived at. On Friday evening at 7 p.m., the congregation gathers online for Sabbath Vespers, a short devotional led by a volunteer from the foyer sign-up sheet. The meeting runs on Zoom (Meeting ID +840 2163 8473) or by phone (1-346-248-7799). Members and visitors are invited to provide the evening devotional.
The rest of the week is unusually full for a single congregation:
- 4 a.m. Morning Devotion, Monday through Friday. A short devotional and prayer time held on Zoom (1-667-770-1429, Code 710197).
- 7 a.m. Prayer Call, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A dial-in prayer gathering (334-694-1160) with prayer requests posted to the church Facebook page.
- Monday at 5:30 p.m., Boyd's Bible Study. Head Elder Boyd Stephens leads a phone-in Bible study (888-913-7451).
- Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., End of the Time Bible Study at the church. A midweek Bible study on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
- Wednesday at 7 p.m., Recharge Wednesday on Zoom. A weekly prayer and connection time (Meeting ID 997 7736 9982, or call 1-309-205-3325).
- First Thursday of each month, NAD Night Prayer Call. An all-night prayer hosted by the North American Division Prayer Ministry team, running from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Eastern (404-891-6338, access code Prayer#, 772937#).
- Sunday at 7:15 a.m. CST, Gulf States Conference Weekly Prayer Teleconference. A conference-wide prayer call (+1 667-770-1524, ID 407096#).
The elders of the church also meet monthly on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. for their regular Elders Meeting, and the broader Church Board gathers as scheduled.
The Pastor, the Elders, and the People Who Run It
Montgomery First is pastored by Pastor Dwayne Campbell, who also serves as Assistant Director of the Acts of Peace Food Ministry and Director of the Pathfinder and Adventurer Club Ministries. He can be reached through the church office at dcampbell@gscsda.org.
The lay leadership is substantial. Head Elder Boyd Stephens anchors the adult Sabbath School class and leads Boyd's Bible Study each Monday. Elder Cynthia Bush leads the Grief Ministry. Elder Dr. Christopher Daniel, a family medicine physician affiliated with Baptist Medical Center South and Elmore Community Hospital, leads the Health Ministries program and serves the church as an elder. Head Deacon Everett Cockrell and Head Deaconess Lesby Jackson oversee the diaconate and deaconess ministries. Brenda Stephens and Elder Cynthia Bush support the Administration, with Cynthia also handling Communications. Ivonne Norris serves as Sabbath School Superintendent. Belkys Gomez serves as Church Secretary and writes bulletins and online posts.
Ministry directors round out the team. Bernell Mapp directs Acts of Peace Food Ministry, with Michelle Jackson as secretary. Donna Campbell, a licensed social worker and adjunct faculty member at Northern Caribbean University, leads the Baby Cafe as facilitator and serves as Club Secretary for the Adventurers and Pathfinders. Katie Serrano is the contact for Children's Ministries. Barbara Williams serves as Bible Worker. Everett Cockrell's wife, Lesby Jackson, also serves the Baby Cafe team as a peer supporter.
Sabbath School: The Bible Study That Stays With Members
Sabbath School is treated as the primary engine of discipleship at Montgomery First. The mission is to nurture the spiritual growth of members and prepare them for effective Christian witness in their communities and beyond; the vision is a global community of believers rooted in God's Word and engaged in service.
Beyond the live Saturday-morning classes, Boyd's Adult Sabbath School class is also broadcast on Zoom each week for those who want to call in from home. The Adult Bible Study Guide provides the curriculum, and lesson podcasts from earlier years remain archived online, going back to early 2021 lessons on covenants, Genesis, education, and the book of Revelation. The Sabbath School program also carries mission stories from around the world and includes a quarterly Thirteenth Sabbath Offering that focuses on a different region each quarter: the South Pacific in Q1, East-Central Africa in Q2, the Inter-European Division in Q3, and the World Budget in Q4.
A Worldwide Church Family, A Local Mission
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant body of roughly 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million members in North America, with 173 hospitals and sanitariums and more than 7,500 schools operating around the world. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) carries out community development and disaster relief in more than 130 countries.
Adventist beliefs are simple and direct. Adventists believe in a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God. They hold that Jesus came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of the world, and rose again on the third day. After His resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit as Comforter and Counselor, with the promise that He will return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation. They also believe that God cares about the whole of human life: the way people live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around them.
Montgomery First puts this into a focused mission statement: to unify God's people under the influence of the Holy Spirit to develop disciples of Christ according to Matthew 28:19-20, integrating evangelism, community outreach, Bible literacy, the health message, prayer, and fellowship. The vision is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commission in the spirit of love, in Matthew 22:37-39, until the return of Jesus Christ.
Acts of Peace: The Food Ministry Beyond the Walls
If there is one program that has put Montgomery First on the map in Montgomery, it is Acts of Peace Food Ministry. The ministry is a movement of compassion, dignity, and healing. Rooted in Christ's ministry of service, it works to meet the immediate needs of families while creating pathways toward long-term health and stability.
The flagship project is the Produce Prescription Program, a partnership with The Wellness Coalition, the Heart of Alabama Food Bank, and Baptist Healthcare Foundation through the Montgomery Family Medical Residency Program. Patients enrolled by their doctors receive produce prescriptions that are redeemed for fresh fruits and vegetables at local grocery stores. The program pairs the produce with guided shopping experiences, nutrition education, and ongoing encouragement, treating food as a partner in preventing and managing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease.
Alongside the Produce Prescription Program, Acts of Peace runs a regular food pantry that distributes groceries and supports meal programs for individuals and families in need. The ministry welcomes volunteers, donors, partner organizations, and referrals. To support the work, contact MontgomeryFirstOffice@gmail.com, Aop.FPharm7da@gmail.com, or aop.foodpharm@gmail.com; to volunteer or refer a family, reach the Ministry Director Bernell Mapp at mappbernell@gmail.com or 334-669-7770. The Alabama Food Bank can be reached at 334-263-3784 for additional food resources across the region.
Health Ministries: Eight Remedies and a Plant-Based Potluck
Health Ministries at Montgomery First is led by Elder Dr. Christopher Daniel, a family medicine physician whose clinical expertise includes obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high blood pressure. The ministry is built on the Seventh-day Adventist Health Ministries framework of whole-person health (physical, mental, social, and spiritual) and on the church's commitment to the historic "Eight Remedies" (nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God).
Programs in 2026 include nutrition promotion and education, training for local food service, healthy Sabbath potlucks, healthy cooking classes, and the Healing Kitchen initiative, where members share and sample plant-based recipes designed to lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Monthly Powered-Up Potlucks pair fellowship with a featured healthy meal, and the second and fourth Sabbaths of each month include a special emphasis on wholesome eating. Plans are also underway for a community garden, a digital recipe book, and outreach events that extend the wellness message beyond the church walls. A regular online series by Belkys Gomez titled "The 8 Remedies: God's Natural Prescription for a Better Life" anchors the teaching.
Baby Cafe: A Drop-In for Mothers and Babies
The Baby Cafe at Montgomery First is part of the Baby Cafe USA network of 140+ licensed sites that offer free, drop-in breastfeeding and chestfeeding support. The Montgomery First location runs on the first and third Sabbath of the month from 2 to 4 p.m. and is staffed by trained peer supporters, lactation consultants, and counselors. Parents can walk in with no appointment for one-on-one help with latching, milk supply, pumping, and postpartum care, and can also access educational resources in a relaxed, nonjudgmental setting.
The cafe is facilitated by Donna Campbell, LMSW, who teaches social work at Northern Caribbean University. The team includes Lazan Fraser Smith (MSN, RN, a maternal and child health nurse at Jackson Hospital), Kamira Webster-Hunt (RN and experienced breastfeeder), Patsy Naomi Franco (peer supporter), Lesby Jackson (peer supporter), and Yolanda Fredrickson of Aware Birth & Beyond, a Latina certified childbirth educator and doula serving families across the River Region. The Wellness Coalition and the Milk Haven Committee provide additional support. Contact babycafemontgomeryfirst@gmail.com, babycafe@thewellnesscoalition.org, or 334-293-1920 for more information.
Children's Ministries: From Cradle Roll to Juniors
Seventh-day Adventist Children's Ministries at Montgomery First walk with children from birth through age 14 into a relationship with Jesus Christ. The graded divisions are Baby Steps (birth to 12 months), Beginners (ages 1 to 3), Kindergarten (ages 4 to 6), Primary (ages 7 to 9), and Juniors/Youth (ages 10 to 14).
Each division works alongside Sabbath School and provides age-appropriate religious education in a safe, inclusive setting. Children are taught through Bible stories, songs, hands-on activities, and outreach projects, and the ministry keeps a strong focus on character building, service, and family involvement. The ministry's mission is to equip children with a biblical foundation that drives a desire to be disciples, transform hearts, lead others to Christ, and seek God daily. Anyone over 18 who serves with children or youth must complete a criminal background check and child protection training through Sterling Volunteers every three years.
Families are also pointed toward a wide range of online resources, including GraceLink, Primary Treasure, My Place with Jesus, Cornerstone Connections, Guide Magazine, AZ KIDS, Discovery Mountain, Jonathan Park audio adventures, and the weekly NAD "Our Family Room Story Time" on Facebook. Contact Katie Serrano at mfsdachildrensministry@gmail.com.
Club Ministries: Adventurers and Pathfinders
The Club Ministries carry the youth side of the church. Two flagship programs run side by side.
Adventurer Club is for children in pre-K through 4th grade. The Adventurers focus on spiritual growth through Bible stories, songs, nature, arts and crafts, and hands-on activities. Children earn badges and patches while building friendships and serving alongside their families. The motto is "Jesus is the Center."
Pathfinder Club is the older-youth program for ages 10 to 15. Pathfinders work on outdoor adventure skills like camping, hiking, canoeing, and survival, alongside Bible study, leadership development, and community service. Older Pathfinders mentor younger members and take leadership roles within the local club. Badges and honors are earned in areas like health, nature, Bible knowledge, arts, music, and community service.
Both clubs meet on the first and third Sabbath of the month at the church, with lunch from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and meetings from 2:30 p.m. through May 16. The local team is led by Pastor Dwayne Campbell as Director and Donna Campbell as Club Secretary; reach the club at mfsdapathfinder.adventurer@gmail.com. The Gulf States Conference runs the regional Adventurers, Pathfinders, and Master Guides programs and offers a wider calendar of events.
Grief Ministry: Walking the Valley Together
Montgomery First's Grief Ministry is led by Elder Cynthia Bush. The team runs a faith-based, semi-structured GriefShare-style support group that meets Sunday mornings with both dial-in and log-in options on Zoom, allowing members and neighbors who are grieving the loss of a loved one to gather for prayer, fellowship, and education. The ministry's mailing address for prayer requests is griefrecoveryfellowship@gmail.com.
Resources beyond the local group include the Christians in Crisis hotline, a grief camp for children through Hospice Angels, Alive Alone for parents who have lost a child, Bereaved Parents of the USA, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (1-877-MADD-HELP), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the SAVE Program, the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 then press 1 or text 838255), and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (1-800-959-8277).
Visit, Give, and Stay Connected
Montgomery First is at 4233 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery, AL 36109-3024. Visitors are warmly welcomed. First-time guests, those new to the area, those looking for a church home, returning members, and anyone interested in baptism, rebaptism, Bible study, or a pastoral visit are invited to reach out to the church office. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., and the second and fourth Wednesday from 12:30 to 5 p.m. The main phone line is 334-277-4164 and the office email is montgomeryfirstoffice@gmail.com.
Worship is livestreamed every Saturday on YouTube and Facebook, beginning with Sabbath School at 9:30 a.m. and the Divine Worship Service at 10:55 a.m. Past sermons are kept on the Montgomery First Media YouTube channel and Facebook page, so anyone who missed a service can catch up.
Online giving is available through the AdventistGiving platform. The church also maintains a newsletter, "2026 vol. 1," published by the Montgomery First Office. Members and friends are encouraged to keep their contact information current with the church office.
For prayer requests, an online form is available, and the church invites members to dial into the 7 a.m. Prayer Call on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.
From the Sabbath sanctuary on Atlanta Highway to food distributions across Montgomery, a breastfeeding cafe on the first and third Sabbath afternoons, a Pathfinder club cheering on Saturday-evening hikes, and a phone line of prayer at 4 a.m. on a Tuesday, Montgomery First Seventh-day Adventist Church lives out its call to "Love God, Love People" in a hundred small ways each week.