A Richmond Congregation Since the 1830s
Seventh Street Christian Church has been part of Richmond's religious life for nearly two centuries. The congregation grew out of the movement founded by Thomas and Alexander Campbell, the early leaders of what would become the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It began in the 1830s as Sycamore Christian Church, eventually raising funds to purchase land and build a house of worship at Seventh and Grace streets. The congregation officially moved into that location on July 14, 1872 and took the name Seventh Street Christian Church. Growth pushed the church to build again, and on September 29, 1946 the final service was held at Seventh and Grace before the community relocated to the corner of Malvern and Grove avenues in September 1950. In 2002, Hanover Avenue Christian Church, at Hanover and Allen Avenue, closed and merged into Seventh Street Christian Church, deepening the lineage of saints and sacred spaces that the congregation still honors.
Worship at SPARC on North Hamilton
The congregation's longtime home at 4101 Grove Avenue is being sold, and Sunday worship has moved to a temporary space: SPARC, at 2106 North Hamilton Street in Richmond. Worship begins at 11:00 AM each Sunday, with fellowship at 10:30 AM. The service is offered in person and via Zoom, so anyone can join from wherever they happen to be. The congregation describes itself as small and curious, authentic and loving. The worship itself sits at the intersection of traditional and contemporary: hymns, prayers, and weekly communion are paired with creative elements shaped for modern application. As part of Disciples of Christ practice, communion is celebrated every Sunday, and the table is open - everyone is welcome to participate, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.
An Open and Affirming, Justice-Seeking Community
Seventh Street Christian Church celebrates the rainbow every day. In November 2022, after more than two years of discernment, the congregation voted unanimously to become an Open and Affirming congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church affirms and values people of every race, culture, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ability, and economic status, and welcomes seekers, doubters, and believers. People of all sexual orientations serve in leadership, and the topic is named openly from the pulpit. The Open and Affirming committee gathers socially, creates learning opportunities for the congregation and the wider community, participates in Pridefest, and volunteers alongside LGBTQIA+ organizations.
The congregation is a member of RISC, Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities. Its Justice Ministry identifies critical community issues, works toward solutions, and joins thousands each spring at the Nehemiah Action to call on public officials for concrete change. Many members also take their faith into the streets, participating in organized protests as a direct expression of following Jesus, who challenged oppression, stood with the marginalized, and spoke truth to power.
Committed to the Wider Richmond Community
Outreach and volunteering are woven into the congregation's identity. Members actively support ministries addressing housing, healthcare, mental health, food insecurity, and LGBTQIA+ needs throughout Richmond. Direct financial giving flows to partners across the city, and the Bagby Foundation, established by Alvin and Ruby Bagby along with other longtime members, distributes approximately $80,000 in grants annually. Recent Bagby grant recipients include ACTS, VCU's PACE Center, and Belmont Community Resource Center. Members also volunteer with FeedMore, Belmont Food Pantry, and Soar365, and give to Side by Side, the Alma Fund, RVA Community Fridges, and the Daily Planet.
Members describe themselves as small and mighty. The social calendar reflects that: bowling nights, baseball games, dinners out, art adventures, and even exploring a plot at Hollywood Cemetery are all part of how the community enjoys life together.
Children Welcome in the Sanctuary
Kids are welcome - and the noise that comes with them - during worship. A designated family space is set up with books, pillows, and other activities, plus space for strollers and bags. Children ages one through six are invited to depart before the sermon for an age-appropriate lesson with the Children's Worship Coordinator, returning before communion. All employees and volunteers who work with children have a detailed background check as part of the church's Safe Church practices.
Bible Study, Spiritual Growth, and Learning
Opportunities to deepen faith run throughout the year. Weekly Bible studies meet on Wednesdays, with additional evening studies offered seasonally. Events such as Theology on Tap have become a way for newer and longtime members to connect over conversation. The church also maintains a church library with a robust selection of modern books, including LGBTQIA+ resources that are intentionally stocked so that visitors can find support and education in one place.
Disciples of Christ Heritage
Members are proud of their Disciples of Christ roots, even though the name is a mouthful. Four marks shape the congregation's identity: practicing unity and inclusion at the Lord's Table, with an open communion and the chalice as the denominational logo; believer baptism, where each person makes their own choice to follow God; studying scripture directly and thoughtfully, with attention to context, rather than relying on creedal tests; and working for Christian unity through ecumenical partnership. As Disciples are fond of saying, the goal is unity, not uniformity.
A Building on the Move
The decision to sell the Grove Avenue building came after about seven years of discernment. Leadership noticed that more than a third of the budget was being spent on a building that no longer fit the congregation's needs, and decided that investing in the wider community was a better use of those resources. The offices remain on Grove Avenue while a buyer, Charles MacFarlane, works through City of Richmond approvals for a townhome development on the property. The plans have been revised several times - from 72 units, to 35, to 34 - in response to neighborhood feedback about density, parking, and height, with one unit removed to make room for a small neighborhood park.
Because the path through local approval has been long and complicated, the leadership team is also exploring a new option. A Virginia law known as the Faith in Housing Bill, taking effect January 1, 2027, may allow qualifying congregations to create affordable housing on their property by right, without special use permits or rezoning. Under that scenario, the church would partner with a mission-aligned developer, retain permanent ownership of the land, include a new right-sized ministry building, and devote at least 60 percent of the units to affordable and low-income housing. The congregation has long cared about affordable housing; the possibility of building it on the very property where the church has stood for generations is described by leadership as both humbling and exciting.
Stewardship and Giving
Endowments from longtime members - including Alvin and Ruby Bagby, Frances and Harper Darden, and Leticia Cauthorn - have carried the congregation for decades. Without those gifts, leadership notes, the church would very likely have closed thirty years ago. Members see themselves as stewards rather than owners, treating their time, resources, and passion as something to tend and give away wisely. Giving is accepted online through PayPal, and the congregation runs an annual pledge campaign, with a confidential pledge form available on the pledge page.
Leadership
The church is served by two co-pastors. Rev. Hollie E. Woodruff grew up in Lubbock, Texas, holds a BBA in Music Business from Belmont University and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt, and lives with her partner Brett in Oregon Hill. Her hope for Seventh Street Christian Church is to create a courageous space for respectful dialogue on difficult conversations, serve as a haven for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families, and offer justice-seekers a place to transform their community. Rev. George Cunningham joined as Co-Pastor in September 2021, coming from Tennessee with an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University and an M.Div. from Vanderbilt; he was ordained into Christian ministry in 2005 by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and previously started Open Table Christian Church in Tennessee. Jacqui Skinner serves as Interim Music Minister, drawing on years of music industry work in Los Angeles and New York and now pursuing a Master of Divinity and Master of Public Theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. Sarah Schumacher is the Children's Worship Coordinator and brings experience as an Instructional Assistant in Exceptional Education at Skipwith Elementary.
Staying Connected
The congregation stays in touch through a weekly email, an active Instagram account, a Facebook page, and a YouTube channel where recent sermons are usually posted by Tuesday. The office can be reached at 804-358-4194 or office@seventhstreetchristianchurch.org, with mail directed to PO Box 7359, Richmond, VA 23221. Whether members gather in person at SPARC, log in via Zoom, or meet around a Bible study table during the week, Seventh Street Christian Church continues its nearly two-century work of worship, study, service, and justice in Richmond.