A Lighthouse on West Jackson Street
On the northwest corner of West Jackson and South Bryan in Orlando sits Shiloh Baptist Church of Orlando, a Baptist congregation that has gathered under its motto "A Lighthouse for the Community" since 1899. For more than a century, members have described the West Jackson Street church as a refuge for families, a feeder for the city's hungry, and a steady beacon for neighbors asking, "Where do I go from here?" Today, with its eighth pastor at the pulpit, Shiloh continues to share the gospel through Sunday worship, online Bible study, youth and adult ministries, scouting troops, and a food pantry and clothes closet that serve Orlando households in need.
Eight Pastors and a 126-Year Walk of Faith
Shiloh's story began in late 1899, when six devoted Christians joined Reverend Alan Arnett at the home of Mrs. Rachel Gay for a revival that produced the church's first candidates for baptism. Following the founding pastor's lead, the new congregation purchased a lot at the northwest corner of what were then called Gush Row and Depuline Streets (now Jackson and Bryan) and built the first sanctuary there. By 1922 the membership had grown to three hundred, complete with an ushers' board, a choir, and a missionary society, and the leaders laid the foundation for a new building at 604 West Jackson Street. On Easter Sunday morning in 1923 the congregation marched from the old sanctuary to the new one.
Reverend Thomas C. Collier took the call as second pastor in July 1922 and quickly led the work of completing that building, adding a parsonage and an annex, and steering the church to become debt free in 1955. Shiloh's third pastor, the Reverend Curtis Jackson, was a son of the church licensed by Collier in 1946 and installed in August 1961. His three-year tenure introduced training for deacons, trustees, and Sunday school teachers and organized what would become the Youth Department.
The Reverend Jethro W. Toomer followed in April 1966, and his nearly twenty-five-year pastorate brought growth that required the dedication of the present sanctuary in November 1980 and culminated in the burning of the mortgage in November 1990. The Reverend Randolph Bracy began his year of service in August 1991 and is remembered for the J. W. Toomer Scholarship Ministry, the Singles Ministry, the Married Couples Ministry, and a Wednesday midday service. The Reverend Larry W. Ware was installed in July 1994, expanded the Deacon's Ministry and administrative staff, remodeled the sanctuary, dedicated the T. C. Collier Education Center, and hosted the Florida State Baptist Convention in 1999. The Reverend Alvin White Jr. became the seventh pastor on October 21, 2001, and during his tenure the Shiloh Witness Force for Christ partnered with First Start to serve more than 11,000 hot breakfasts to Orlando's homeless and hungry. Members and visitors alike describe walking through the doors of Shiloh and finding a welcome that has not changed across the generations.
Sunday at Shiloh: Worship, Sunday School, and Communion
The Sunday rhythm at Shiloh begins at 9:30 AM with Morning Worship, held in the sanctuary and broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook for those joining from home. The service is led by Pastor Derrick A. Williams and the Music Ministry, and draws on a gospel and traditional Baptist heritage that runs through every hymn, anthem, and choral response. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month during the 9:30 worship hour, with the congregation gathered around the Lord's Table in remembrance of Christ.
Immediately after worship, at 11:15 AM, Sunday School gathers in the Youth Life Center and online for every age group, under the leadership of Superintendent Sandy Pollard. Classes run from 11:15 AM to about 12:15 PM and pair children, youth, and adults in study of God's Word. Baptism by immersion is normally held in the sanctuary on the second Sunday of each month, with candidates arriving at least one hour before their scheduled time. Ushers, recognizable by their nametags, greet visitors and friends throughout the morning and can answer questions or direct first-time guests.
The Week Beyond Sunday: Prayer, Bible Study, and Rehearsals
Beyond the sanctuary, Shiloh's calendar fills the week with study, prayer, and rehearsal. On Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM, the Interactive Bible Study meets online by phone (dial 978-990-5389, access code 147513) and currently works through the Book of Romans, walking through the text together as a church-wide cohort. Wednesdays bring two gatherings on the church campus: the Music Ministry Rehearsal at 6:30 PM prepares the Praise Team, the choirs, and the musicians for Sunday worship, and the Hyped To Tell Study, a youth ministry Bible study, follows at 7:00 PM.
Intercessory Prayer is held at the church each Sunday at 5:00 AM, with members coming together to lift up individuals, families, and the city before the day begins. The Shiloh Parking Ministry, established by Pastor Williams in his early years at the church, helps members and visitors find their way onto the property for Sunday worship and other gatherings. Boy Scout Troop 90, sponsored by Shiloh, gathers on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 9:00 to 11:00 AM.
Pastor Derrick A. Williams and a Lifetime of Service in Orlando
Shiloh's eighth pastor, the Reverend Derrick A. Williams, has been part of the church since 1980. A native of Louisiana and a graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and completed additional studies at the International Seminary in Plymouth, Florida, and at the E. K. Bailey Expository Preaching program in Dallas, Texas. Before answering the call to full-time ministry, Reverend Williams spent more than thirty-eight years as a Senior Engineering Manager at a local engineering firm.
At Shiloh he has served as a Sunday school and Bible study teacher, as president of the Brotherhood, as a long-time scoutmaster, and as chairman of the Deacon's Ministry for eighteen years. He was ordained a Servant-Deacon in 1988, licensed to preach in December 2005, and ordained on July 5, 2009. On July 16, 2012, he became the church's eighth senior pastor. Under his leadership the Intercessory Prayer Ministry, the Shiloh Parking Ministry, and the Answered Prayer Ministry were established, and the congregation has continued to grow as families and visitors move through the doors of West Jackson Street. He and his wife, his high school sweetheart, are the parents of two children and the grandparents of two.
Ministries for Every Age and Every Stage
Shiloh's ministry roster is wide enough to cover nearly every season of life. Youth Ministry focuses on helping young people develop spiritually, socially, and intellectually, and on building a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that can be lived out day by day. The Young Adult Ministry gathers adults in a forum to discuss spiritual questions, encourage fellowship, and motivate one another to keep walking in faith. Women's Ministry is described as a safe haven for women to spend time with God, where women of every stage find prayer, Bible study, worship, and fellowship as "Women of Destiny" in the body of Christ. Men's Ministry leads men to Christ and disciples them toward the fullness of their potential as fathers, husbands, and leaders, following "the greatest man, JESUS CHRIST." The Couple's Ministry walks with married couples, encouraging them to grow in their relationship with Christ and with each other through biblical teaching and shared experience.
Music Ministry includes a Praise Team, Men's Choir, Women's Choir, Youth Choir, and Combined Celebration Choir, all charged with setting the atmosphere and tone for worship at every service and with training up new singers and musicians. The Usher Ministry meets and greets visitors, friends, and families throughout the morning. The Missionary Society gives of its time, influence, talent, and substance to teaching and spreading the gospel at home and abroad, working across denominations with churches and organizations around the Orlando area to fulfill the Great Commission. The Media & Communication Ministry carries the message beyond the walls of the sanctuary through sound, video, and other digital tools, equipping other ministries to use technology for worship and outreach.
The Health Awareness Team (HAT) Ministry offers monthly educational resources, workshops, and seminars on health topics, encouraging prevention and support for the women and men of the congregation. The Beautification Ministry tends to the appearance of the worship spaces throughout the year, creating an elegant place to worship. The Intercessory Prayer Ministry equips, enables, and encourages members to pray continually and effectively, with the conviction that Jesus is the Head of the church and that His house is to be called a house of prayer. Deacons at Shiloh, with Nathaniel Askew as chairperson and John Giles as vice chairperson, assist the pastor in pastoral care, encouragement, and the spiritual growth of all members.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Drama, and Dance
Two scouting programs call Shiloh home. Boy Scout Troop 90 has been sponsored by the church for more than fifty years, building character, faith, and citizenship in scouts from sixth through twelfth grade through the values of the Scout Oath and Law, and has produced multiple Eagle Scouts along the way. Girl Scout Troop 190 has operated at Shiloh for more than fifty years as well, with Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors from kindergarten through twelfth grade building courage, confidence, and character under positive adult role models.
The Dance Ministry presents the gospel through Christian dance, with praise, worship, and prophetic interpretation rooted in verses such as Psalm 149:3 ("Let them praise His name with the dance"). The Drama Ministry uses art, mime, and drama to enrich the church's outreach and proclaim the gospel alongside other local believers. Together the arts ministries give children, youth, and adults a place to serve with their God-given gifts, both inside the sanctuary and in the wider Orlando community.
Answered Prayer: Feeding Orlando from a Food Pantry and Clothes Closet
The Answered Prayer Ministry is Shiloh's front line of mercy. Working with local food distribution centers such as Second Harvest Food Bank, the ministry provides food on a regular basis to families in need throughout the Orlando community. The same ministry runs a clothes closet that helps clothe residents affected by disaster or hardship, and it joins with other Orlando-area churches and organizations to fulfill what the church describes as the Great Commission. Pastor Williams established the Answered Prayer Ministry along with the Intercessory Prayer Ministry and the Shiloh Parking Ministry in his early years as senior pastor, and the pantry and closet continue to serve as tangible expressions of the church's call to be a lighthouse in the community.
Joining the Church: Baptism, Membership, and the Next Step
Each Sunday during worship, Shiloh extends four invitations: salvation, rededication, assurance, and church membership. Baptism at Shiloh is by immersion and is held as an outward testimony of an inward decision, normally on the second Sunday of each month in the sanctuary before morning service. New members, after being received into the fellowship, attend orientation classes on Sundays at the Youth Life Praise and Worship Center, where they meet other new members, learn about Shiloh's history and ministries, and are equipped to find a place to serve. Members describe the church as warm and welcoming from the first visit, with a teaching that is grounded in biblical truth and a worship experience that feels free and uplifting. Visitors and those exploring membership reach the church office at 407-422-9631 or shiloh@sbcorlando.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
What Shiloh Believes
Shiloh's statement of faith walks through eighteen articles of belief. The church holds that the Holy Bible is divinely inspired, a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions are tried. There is one living and true God, infinite and intelligent, known as Jehovah, with three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection. Humanity, created in holiness, fell into sin by voluntary transgression and now stands under just condemnation. Salvation is wholly by grace, through faith in the Son of God, who honored the divine law by his personal obedience and made full atonement by his death, and is received by repentance and faith.
The church affirms justification by faith, the freeness of salvation, and the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth. Election is held to be the eternal purpose of God, consistent with human free agency and a foundation for Christian assurance. Sanctification is a progressive work carried on by the Holy Spirit through the Word, self-examination, and prayer. Perseverance of the saints distinguishes real believers; the law of God remains the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government; and a gospel church is a congregation of baptized believers, governed by pastors and deacons whose qualifications are defined in the pastoral epistles.
Christian baptism, Shiloh teaches, is the immersion in water of a believer into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, an outward testimony of faith and a prerequisite to church membership and the Lord's Supper. The first day of the week is the Lord's Day, kept sacred to religious purposes and the means of grace. Civil government is of divine appointment, magistrates are to be honored and obeyed except where their commands oppose the will of Christ, and there is a radical difference between the righteous and the wicked that holds both in life and after death. Shiloh looks to the last day when Christ will descend, raise the dead, and fix the eternal state of every person on the principles of righteousness.