First Baptist Church--Tradition and Ecumenism since 1801In 1801, Baptists began meeting in the U.S. Treasury building in Washington, D.C. A year later, several laypeople and a few ministers organized a church and declared its mission to "serve as an additional inducement to such as may feel inclined to remove to this City; as also to traveling preachers of that denomination to visit their Brethren and preach in this place."
Prior to this building, the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., (1328 16th Street NW) met in four other sites throughout the city, including the site where Ford's Theater is now located. In 1890, the congregation moved to its present location on 16th Street and in 1955 services were held for the first time in the sanctuary pictured above.
Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08
4 comments:
One thing I like about the Baptists; they do not build really fancy structures for worship. They are for the most part utilitarian and plain.
Bobbie: What an interesting observation. I'd never noticed that before, but I'll certainly pay more attention to that now. To me, any church that isn't the denomination I grew up in is far fancier than the church buildings my church builds, which are largely meant to be utilitarian in nature and are devoid of any stained glass, iconography, or architectural detail.
Oh, I am enjoying these church photos. The architecture is so different yet still beautiful. I looooove the main window in this one!
Lisa: I'm so glad! I'm having fun with this series. (It feels like cheating to have photographed all of these churches on the same day, but if I had to go out everyday and take a new picture of one of the churches on 16th, I'd never do this bit!) I like the window on this one, too. One of these days, I'll go inside and see what it is.
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