Welcome
We want people to know that there is not a better friendship than one with Jesus.
Help people find that hope and grow in friendship with Him. We emphasize grace and acceptance, the mission to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with people from all backgrounds and walks of life. With caring and open hearts, we seek to embody our love through our many ministries and our wonderful worship experience, to reach anyone willing to hear.
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed of faith and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.
Our Mission
We exist so that people can experience Jesus Christ through the power of friendship.
Our Story
In 1973, Elder Jones located a store-front row house at 1611 4th Street, N.W. First Church paid the first six months rent on the building and started its service for the people in the inner city. Many community services were provided to the residents in the neighborhood.
In 1978, Elder Reaves started a soup kitchen which was open two days a week and then Sunday operations was added to accommodate those who weren’t able to come during the week.
In 1987, the pastors of the 10th Street FriendshipSDA Church and Fourth Street SDA Church came together and decided with much prayer that the two churches could merge because they both had the same mission. After the members heard the viability of the move, they voted to become one church; the name would be the Fourth Street Friendship SDA Church.
In January 1988, we officially became one church. And now because of the dedication of many members and volunteers of the Bread of Life Ministry (Soup Kitchen), more people are being fed and are hearing the Good News that Jesus is coming soon. “When you did it
to these my brothers, you were doing it to me.”
Join Us
Every Saturday
1611 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
11:30AM EST
What We Believe
Adventists believe a Trinity of three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – make up one God. They made salvation possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem and lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father’s will. When Jesus was crucified for the sins of the people of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, victory was won for everyone.
When He returned to heaven following the resurrection, Jesus left the Holy Spirit to serve as our Comforter and Counselor. He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation and take His people to heaven. Adventists are among the believers who look forward to that day.
Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
By prayerfully searching the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, our church has identified key statements that summarize principal teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are noted as the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Why Saturday?
One of the most notable differences between Seventh-day Adventists and many other protestants is worshiping on Saturday instead of Sunday.
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“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath day of the Lord your God . . . “ (Exodus 20:8-11)
Embracing the teaching of the ten commandments, Seventh-day Adventists recognize Saturday, the seventh day, as the Sabbath. This practice is derived specifically from the Fourth Commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11, which calls for us to work the first six days of the week and to rest on the seventh. In celebrating the Sabbath we aspire to follow Jesus’ own example throughout the New Testament in this practice, observing Friday night sundown to sunset on Saturday night as a time to rest and be present to God and one another.
Our Pastor
Glenford Baxter, BA, M.Div., D.Min., has served the Church as a third generation Seventh-day Adventist Pastor along with his partner in ministry, Hazel for over 25 years. They have been married for forty-eight years in committed service to living God’s word before preaching it with words. From their fruitful union the Lord has blessed them with three adult children who received Christian education in SDA schools. Both are certified PrepareEnrich Marriage Counselors who actively work to strengthen couples and families. They have provided pastoral leadership in the Allegheny East Conference territory in the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Pastor Baxter is guided by the principle; “It is best to be right and kind, but better to be kind than right.” Having studied Christian conflict resolution, he believes in solving conflicts using God’s methods alone- as His methods alone will bring true success. Christ ministered to people’s needs before inviting them to follow Him—“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence, then He bade them, “Follow Me.”—The Ministry of Healing, 143.
Pastor and Sister Baxter accept that all things work for good – even the difficult things God uses to shape and chisel our characters, fitting us to live together in harmony here, and preparing us for eternal life.