Who We Are
Calvary Baptist Church, located on the corner of 8th and H in downtown DC, is a community of faith with more than 145 years of Christ-centered social justice history. We are continuously engaged in creating meaningful worship and music, fostering relationships within our community, and reaching out to the city. We are a church that takes membership seriously meaning we believe in the transformative power of a Christian community that strives to reflect the love of Jesus Christ.
We believe in Gospel transformation: that relationship with God through Jesus Christ, sacred worship, and investment in authentic Christian community changes us and changes the world. We're resolutely Baptist, so we hold strongly to the ideal of soul liberty and priesthood of the believer; read here, however, theological affirmations consistent with the general ethos of our membership.
Finding Community in DC
What is it you are looking for in community? The opportunity to meet people and make new friends in a city where transience rules the day? A time when you can relax and just be who you are? A trusted place where you are loved and supported by those around you?
If this is your vision of community it is shared in our vision of church and living out the gospel message.
We believe finding community here in the District is one of the most important decisions you will make for yourself and or your family regardless of how long you remain in the city.
Finding Meaningful Community means:
- Reflecting on the sacredness of relationships you can build in a faith community.
- Determining if this is a group of people who you want to stand beside through life's moments of greatest celebration and deepest sorrow - and if you want them to stand beside you.
- Assessing if your God-given gifts can be cultivated in this community. Is this a community where you feel valued?
- Deciding if this community models the justice-making love and service of Christ you hope is instilled in your children, friends and loved ones.
- Determining if this community is a place where you can grow in your discipleship and faith in Jesus Christ.
- Investing physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially in the growth and vibrancy of a community.
- Committing to resolving conflicts in healthy ways through mutual respect and remembrance of God's commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Calvary Baptist Church is one of many churches in the city of Washington, DC. We don't know if we are the community of faith for you. But, one way to find out is to join us for worship at 11:00 am on Sundays and during fellowship after our services. Come get to know us. And let us get to you know you. We believe in the transformative power of a Christian community and hope if you don't have a church you attend you'll begin the search now.
Our faith as a community is reflected in our affiliation with the Alliance of Baptists, the American Baptist Churches, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As a congregation we are continuously engaged in the process of discerning God's vision for our church. This walk of discernment has led us to affirm "as followers of Jesus Christ, we offer all members of Calvary Baptist Church full and equal access to all pastoral services and opportunities for leadership." For our full statement of equal access affirmation, click here.
To learn more about this affirmation as it applies to the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community click here to read Calvary's editorial piece in the Washington Blade.
To learn more about who we are we invite you sign up for our bi-weekly email newsletter and join us for worship Sundays at 11:00 am.
Our Vision
We believe God has called us to:
- Be an ecumenical, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, Christian body that reaches out to the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ to the end that people respond to the Gospel and accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior and follow Him in discipleship and the fellowship of the church.
- Actively build an inter-generational membership that represents and values all age groups.
- Maintain pastoral staff, worship services, programs, facilities, and administrative structures that promote unity and reach out to the immediate Penn Quarter community and throughout the Washington metropolitan area.
- Facilitate community ministries that include and value youth and people of all age groups, the homeless and working poor; promoting efforts toward social justice; and supporting new work among those with special needs.
- Generously support home and foreign mission work through local and national denominational group.
Our Staff
CBC staff is comprised of a diverse group of talented and highly educated individuals dedicated to the mission and ministries of our community of faith. To learn more about our staff click here.
Our Partners
Calvary Baptist Church expands more than 50,000 square feet and includes one of the largest pipe organs in Washington, D.C., a commercial kitchen that would leave Rachael Ray speechless, a steeple and sanctuary that are historical monuments, a full size basketball gym, recording studio, performance/theatrical space and rock climbing wall. What is a church doing with these resources? Sharing them. CBC is home to resident partners - Brainfood, Kid Power DC, Theatre Lab, Inc., and Washington Youth Choir. Each of our partners possesses unique expertise in serving D.C.’s youth.
Brainfood
Brainfood is a non-profit organization founded in 1999, with the mission of using food and cooking as the tools to teach life-skills and healthy living to teenagers. DC’s youth continue to struggle with a failing school system, violent neighborhoods and poverty; all creating additional challenges on the road to adulthood. Brainfood is currently serving 75 high school students in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC, with an average annual impact of 60 hours per student, with some students attending Brainfood classes more than 200 hours per year.
Kid Power-DC
Kid Power-DC is a community youth organization working to explore the history of the District of Columbia. We believe that by making a personal connection to the past by acquiring advanced and artistic skills, at-risk youth can become powerful neighborhood advocates. Through this educational process, our students will gain the independence to direct the course of our mission and promote positive social change.
Theatre Lab, Inc.
Theatre Lab of the Dramatic Arts is the largest drama education center in D.C. serving more than 1,000 youth and adults each year. At The Theatre Lab we also understand that the benefits of theatre training go far beyond the stage. For that reason, we offer "Life Stories," free drama outreach programs for seniors, incarcerated youth, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Through the development of an original dramatic work based on their own life experiences, Life Stories will use art as a lens through which to view past decisions and evaluate future choices. Currently, twelve students from CBC’s after school program are participating in the Life Stories program.
Washington DC Youth Choir
Founded in 2005 by renowned music educator,
Joyce Garrett
, the Washington Youth Choir is an afterschool music education and college preparatory program whose mission is to enhance the educational experience of DC-area youth with the rigorous study and performance of music and to facilitate their transition out of high school. Building upon Garrett’s past success with the award-winning Eastern High School Choir, the Washington Youth Choir fulfills a critical need for arts education in the District.
Students interested in joining the Washington Youth Choir should contact them at 202.293.7508 to schedule an audition. Please note singers must be high school aged to participate.
