On Hatton Street at Crawford Parkway in Portsmouth, Virginia, Zion Baptist Church is known for a history that reaches back to 1865, a family-centered Baptist witness, and a Drop-In ministry that serves breakfast to people facing homelessness and hunger three mornings each week. The congregation gathers at 225 Hatton Street, where worship, Christian education and community work meet in a building shaped by decades of ministry and a major renovation.
Sunday Worship on Hatton Street
Zion's principal Sunday gathering is the 11:00 a.m. worship service at 225 Hatton Street in Portsmouth. Praise and worship begins at 10:45 a.m. Sunday School is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., and the weekly calendar also includes recurring opportunities for baptism, Holy Communion and orientation for new members. The Christian Education Wing gives children's and youth classes a defined home on the same Hatton Street campus.
- 9:30 a.m. Sunday: Sunday School gathers in the Christian Education Wing for Bible teaching and spiritual growth.
- Second and fourth Sundays at 9:30 a.m.: New Members Orientation and Training offer a path into church life.
- Fourth Sundays at 10:30 a.m.: Baptism makes public profession of faith.
- Every Sunday at 10:45 a.m.: Praise and worship begins before the service.
- Every Sunday at 11:00 a.m.: Worship gathers the congregation; first Sundays also include Holy Communion.
For people who cannot attend in person, Zion livesteps Sunday worship through its dedicated viewing service at zbc.online.church. The sermon collection includes messages from 2020 by Dr. Kelvin E. Turner and several other speakers, allowing visitors to hear archived preaching from the church's ministry. Sunday worship is also marked by strong participation in song: the Music and Fine Arts Ministry uses choral music, dance and theater to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The joint male and female ushers guide members and guests with kindness, assist with seating, and provide accessibility and care. A wheel-elevator installed during an earlier sanctuary renovation serves the Hatton Street worship space. These are practical parts of a church that emphasizes strong marriages and families within its worship life.
From 318 Pioneers to a Hatton Street Home
Zion was organized in 1865 and is among the oldest African-American congregations in Portsmouth. Its 318 original pioneers had known worship in a basement and received a letter of separation from Court Street Baptist. Rev. E. G. Corprew served as the first pastor until 1880 and kept church records in his own handwriting. Dr. John M. Armistead became the second pastor in 1881, serving more than 40 years and helping lead the conversion and baptism of more than 750 people.
Rev. E. E. Smith, elected in 1925 as the third pastor, was remembered for his pulpit oratory, and about 600 members joined during his leadership. Dr. U. G. Wilson served during the Depression years, gave Zion the motto Ever Onward, supported missions and education, and initiated Wednesday midday prayer and the Children's Call. The congregation has treated that motto as a continuing expression of moving ahead.
Rev. H. Edward Whitaker, installed in 1963 as the fifth pastor, led a large renovation and the acquisition of the educational building that now bears his name. Rev. Walter L. Parrish II, known as the Singing Pastor, briefly served as the sixth pastor, oversaw the first church pictorial directory and introduced the meditation hymn God Bless You and Keep You. In January 1973, Dr. G. Daniel Jones became the seventh pastor. Sanctuary and educational space were remodeled, air conditioning and a wheel-elevator were installed, the sanctuary gained its colorful red carpet, and additional parking land was acquired.
Rev. Joseph L. Roberts became the eighth pastor in 1983. He instituted the annual Holy Week Revival, began the Drop-In Center and led the Extra Effort Zionites program, which helped retire the mortgage. Rev. J. Michael Little arrived as the ninth pastor in 1997 and later dedicated a remodeled addition as the Visions Community Services Center. Dr. Kelvin E. Turner became the tenth pastor in 2009, bringing what Zion calls a mix of preaching, teaching, administration and vision.
A fire had left Zion without a physical church home for four years. In 2011 the congregation purchased the former Parkview Baptist Church facility at Hatton Street and Crawford Parkway, then completed a major renovation in 2014. The sequence of ten pastors, repeated building projects, the Drop-In Center and the continuing education work make the church's history tangible in the life it sustains on Hatton Street.
The Welcome Center and Christian Education Wing
The Hatton Street property carries both inherited features and newer improvements. In August 2014, Zion completed a $2.3 million renovation of the Christian Education Wing, added a Welcome Center and created meeting rooms with modern technology. The church describes the property as a worship, discipleship and ministry center. Earlier work under Dr. Jones had already reshaped the sanctuary, while the 2014 work strengthened the parts of the church used for learning, welcome and gatherings.
Zion's H. Edward Whitaker Education Building at 528 Green Street provides space for direct ministry and also serves the life of the congregation. Meeting spaces and classrooms, including the Fellowship Hall and Whitaker Building, can be reserved for church or community use. The Welcome Center, education wing and technological upgrades give the church practical places for hospitality, education and churchwide activity.
Facility-use requests are accepted for the Fellowship Hall, Whitaker Building and other meeting or classroom spaces. Zion also provides marketing and multimedia support for church-sponsored events, connecting its facilities, technical resources and communication ministries.
Learning Together on Wednesdays
Zion describes weekly Bible study as essential to spiritual growth, encouragement and daily Christian living. The Wednesday schedule has two study times, 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with the evening gathering held through Zoom. The approach is open to members, friends, visitors and the wider community. Each month, the class explores biblical themes and passages through learning and discussion intended to connect Scripture with everyday life.
The weekly Bible study welcomes people who are new to the Bible as well as those seeking deeper understanding. New-member orientation and training, offered on second and fourth Sundays at 9:30 a.m., give new disciples a structured way to learn about the church. The Christian Discipleship Council creates additional opportunities for positive engagement, spiritual and educational growth, and participation in church activities.
The Breakfast Table at 528 Green Street
Zion's Drop-In Ministry is one of its most concrete expressions of outward focus. In partnership with Ebenezer Baptist Church of Portsmouth, it serves a prepared hot breakfast to people who are homeless and others who are hungry. The meal takes place from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday in the H. Edward Whitaker Education Building, 528 Green Street, Portsmouth. No one is turned away who needs something to eat.
The ministry also provides spiritual nourishment through prayers, sermonettes and testimonies during the weekly breakfast gatherings. Its purpose is described as empowering people to become better stewards of their time, talents and resources. This work has deep roots in the congregation: Rev. Roberts initiated a Drop-In Center in 1983, and Rev. Little's era brought the dedication of the Visions Community Services Center.
The Excelsior Ministry supports other practical outreach, including PARC PLACE for homeless families, HER Shelter and Operation Santa Claus. These ministries connect the breakfast table with a wider network of care for people facing housing, hunger and seasonal needs.
Children, Youth and Family Life
Children and youth gather on Sundays in assigned rooms of the ZBC Christian Education Wing. The Children's Ministry seeks to nurture faith and development through a Christ-centered foundation, leading children toward a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Adult volunteers lead with the stated aim of providing a safe, nurturing and engaging setting where children can learn about Jesus and grow in their daily lives.
The Youth Ministry focuses on spiritual development and asks young people to participate as wholehearted worshipers, faithful witnesses, caring community members and equipped servants. Its goal is for teenagers to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and share that message with other young people. This ministry is part of Zion's wider family emphasis, which includes building strong marriages and homes where the love of God is taught and lived out.
Young Adult Ministry engages the personal, spiritual, financial, emotional, educational and health needs of young adults through a welcoming atmosphere and personal development. Its aim is to equip them to live Christ-centered lives and offer Christian leadership among their peers. Family Life Ministry supplies spiritual guidance and practical teaching around drug awareness, financial obstacles and educational issues for married couples.
Legacy Learning Academy is associated with the church's childcare services, and Dr. Turner serves as its board chair. Together, the children's, youth, young-adult and family ministries make room for growth from early childhood through adult leadership, with Scripture, worship, healthy relationships and practical daily life held together.
Ministries That Care for People
Several ministries support the church's care for members and community. Deacons proclaim the gospel, lead the congregation in its mission, care for the church and community, and serve the pastor and people as consecrated servants marked by unity and love. Deaconesses minister to spiritual, physical and emotional needs, assist the pastor and deacons in ordinance services, and pursue regular participation in prayer, Bible study and Sunday School. Trustees facilitate the church's business, worship environment and service to humanity while exploring new revenue streams for ministries with greater local impact.
Active Women of Zion recasts the church's vision through women's hospitality and awareness of life issues affecting members and the community. Men of Zion is an organized body of Christian men whose purpose is to lead, guide and cultivate discipleship for Christ while providing similar hospitality and awareness.
Music and Fine Arts gives gifts of song, movement and drama a place in ministry, with the Gospel communicated through choirs, dance and theater. The joint ushers create a calm, orderly and welcoming worship environment. The Christian Discipleship Council informs, inspires and promotes engagement, while the Hospitality Committee prepares food, hosts church fellowship events and helps strengthen connection at shared meals.
The Martha Douglas Missionary Society seeks to fulfill its calling through worship, Christian education and the proclamation of the Gospel by word, deed and ministry to human needs. Marketing and Public Relations connects the congregation, community and wider world with worship and ministry activity. The Multi-Media Ministry supplies audio and video support and preserves a visual and vocal record of services for future generations.
Preaching, Leadership and Community Commitment
Dr. Kelvin E. Turner has served as Zion's senior pastor since 2009. He came to the church after a devastating fire and is described as a preacher, teacher, administrator and visionary whose work has emphasized both spiritual formation and community impact. He earned a bachelor of science in psychology from Wayne State University, a Master of Divinity in Christian Education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary.
Turner's pastoral background has included associate minister, youth pastor, pastor, executive pastor and senior pastor in Michigan, Kentucky, Washington, D.C., Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. He has also traveled in the United States and abroad in support of humanitarian efforts and the sharing of the gospel. That combination of church leadership and civic involvement reflects Zion's outward-focused mission.
His community service has included leadership roles with Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia, the Legacy Learning Academy board and the Civil Service Commission for the City of Portsmouth. Zion's associate ministers are Rev. Vernon Crump III, Minister Karma Gaines-Ra, Reverend George W. Thompson and Rev. Fitzroy Smith. Together, pastoral and associate leadership support the congregation's mission to grow the kingdom by winning souls, strengthening the family and developing godly leaders for community transformation.
A Kingdom-Focused Mission
Zion calls itself kingdom focused. Its mission is to grow the kingdom by winning souls, strengthening the family and developing godly leaders for community transformation. That mission connects the congregation's history to the work it names for the present: worship, discipleship, leadership development and service directed beyond the church.
The church describes itself as biblically centered, with all Scripture considered divinely inspired and the final authority in belief and behavior. Its core values also name worship, prayer, stewardship, evangelism, family, discipleship, outward focus, growth, love, forward thinking and leadership. Prayer is taught as both a privilege and a responsibility for every member. Discipleship is described as becoming like Christ through intentional learning and practice, while an outward focus means ministering the love of God beyond the church's walls.
That outward focus is visible in the breakfast table, shelter support, mission education and the many ministries built around congregational life. Forward thinking, in Zion's terms, means honoring the past while intentionally adapting ministry practices to meet future demands. Leadership is not limited to titles; the church speaks of respecting leadership and growing leaders for the kingdom. Stewardship broadens the same idea to time, talents and treasures, all understood as entrusted to God and managed for the good of the church's mission.
Zion's teaching about salvation and baptism is explicit. A baptized believer in Jesus Christ is described as part of the family of God, while those who have not yet received Jesus are warmly invited to claim Him. Baptism is taught as an initial act of Christian obedience and a public confession of faith, identifying a believer with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. At the close of Sunday worship, an invitation to discipleship is extended, and new members have recurring orientation and training.
Giving is another expression of the church's outward mission. Online giving, Cash App at $zbc1865, and mailed contributions all support the work, while the church frames generosity through the image of sowing seed and receiving a harvest. The long history is therefore not simply a record of former pastors and buildings. It continues through worship on Hatton Street, study on Zoom and in person, meals in the Whitaker Building, classes for children and young people, and leaders shaped for service in Portsmouth and beyond.
Ever Onward remains more than a historical motto for Zion. It joins a 318-member beginning to a present congregation that keeps Scripture central, worship central and its outward commitments active. At Hatton Street, those threads meet in a Baptist church known for enduring through change, for family formation and discipleship, and for feeding people who come hungry.