fifthstreetbaptist

The Big Picture

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:56:44 GMT

Baptist General Convention and Lott Carey

Fifth Street not only takes cares of mission efforts in the community, we are a part of a wider community of mission oriented organizations, the Baptist General Convention (BGC) and Lott Carey. Do you know what these organizations are about? How can you be involved? We're glad you asked!

The mission of BGC is "To unite and equip churches, ministries, associations, and constituents to do holistic ministry that propagate the Gospel, advances the Kingdom of God, and supports education and missions in Virginia and beyond. Our mission is to encourage ministry support and participation through partnerships state and national bodies and other likeminded agencies that are ever expanding." The Baptist General Convention is a statewide effort that has something for everyone - men, women, and children. Fifth Street had and still has leaders in both the local and state Women's Division. They host several Christian Education training sessions throughout the year and has a Annual Statewide Conference once a year where all divisions come together and offer classes to advance in Christian knowledge. More information can be found on their website: https://www.bgcva.org/about-us.html

The mission of Lott Carey is " The Lott Carey Global Christian Missional Community is dedicated to broadening the reach of the Christian faith across the globe. By fostering a network of prayer, providing financial aid, and offering technical guidance, we collaborate with local communities to bolster ministries focused on evangelism, compassion, empowerment, and advocacy. United in our efforts, we strive to impact lives profoundly with the transformative power of love." Lott Carey also has divisions for men, women, and children. The Annual Sessions for Lott Carey are held over several states. More information can be found on their website: https://lottcarey.org/

Each year Fifth Street supports both of these great organizations financially and we can't do it without you. When giving your tithes and offerings, don't forget to donate to missions!

"NAACP: Leading the Fight for Justice and Equality"

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:45:15 GMT

On Saturday, February 24, 2024, thirty members of Fifth Street, including Pastor Gray, were in attendance for the annual NAACP Founders and Life Membership Luncheon. We were there to celebrate Deacon Lorna Cosby and her achievement in receiving the 2022 and 2023 Million Dollar Medallion Membership Awards. Deacon Cosby has been a fixture in the Richmond Chapter of the NAACP, taking over the recruitment of membership for many years. Two of our Child Development Staff, Mrs. Michelle Mealy-Williams and Ms. Antoinette M. Mealy were also given awards for Fully Paid Silver Life Memberships. Fifth Street as a church was awarded five (5) Membership Awards as a church. We all set there proud to be members of Fifth Street and hearing our church's name called.

Most importantly was the reason of the day. There's no disputing it: the support of the black voters is essential to securing victory in the 2024 Presidential election. We must fight attempts to erase our history, to invest in our neighborhoods and to take care of each other. The Christian Social Action and Justice Ministry are committed to ensuring our voices make an impact.

Originally, legislators hoped that within five years of its passage, the issues surrounding the 1965 Voting Rights Act would be resolved and there would be no further need for its enforcement-related provisions. They were wrong! Because of civil rights leaders, NAACP and others, Congress had to extend these provisions in 1970, 1975, 1982, and most recently in 2007. Most of you have heard of John R. Lewis the Civil Rights Activist, well the John R. Lewis Advancement Act of 2023 bill would restore and strengthen parts of the Original Voting Rights Act of 1965, most notably, its requirement for certain jurisdictions to seek federal approval before enacting certain changes to their voting laws.

This election season, we hold the most powerful tool to make democracy work for Black Americans: our vote! Don't just complain about our leaders, GET OUT AND VOTE!

If you would like to become a member of the NAACP or you need to renew your membership, please see Deacon Lorna Cosby or call (804) 651-4738.

Coming Through for Those in Need!

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 16:02:13 GMT

Thanksgiving Baskets/Gift Card Community Distribution

On November 15, 2022, Fifth Street Baptist Church distributed 126 bags of food, gave out 35 gift cards with food, and 38 gift cards were mailed to our sick and shut- in. To God be the Glory!!! Our goal was 100 bags of food and we far exceeded that because of blessings from God and our members.

A personal thank you is extended to Truist Bank and Tonya Smith who blessed us with a large donation containing a variety of foods and hens for this event. We thank our church member, Tonya Smith, who works at

Truist Bank for including us in this food donation partnership program. Tonya volunteered her time and worked with us on distributing the food.

The Missions Ministry would like to thank Deacon Tony Easter for purchasing and distributing a truck load of fresh collard greens and sweet potatoes to all those present during this Thanksgiving event. Deacon Easter faithfully blesses us each year with this contribution.

This day would not have been possible without the following:

An extra special thank you goes out to our Fifth Street Baptist Food Pantry Coordinator, Mrs. Linda Macbeth-Harper and her Team, for organizing and preparing 126 food bags for this event. They also distributed the bags as our guest arrived.
Thank you to Ms. Carol Winston for ordering and purchasing our 100 gift cards.
Thank you to Deacon Cynthia Johnson for organizing and mailing our gift cards to our sick and shut-in members.
Thank you to our Trustee Ministry for your financial donation.
Thank you to members of Circles 2, 7, 8, and the Clothes Closet for donating hand sanitizers.

We thank our "Church Family" for your Thanksgiving donations that allowed us to make this hap- pen. I am so proud to be a member of this church. We always come through when called upon to help those in need. We love each and every one of you!!!

Many Blessings Always, Deacon Pat Trent
Missions Ministry President

Have You Heard From God Today

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 22:05:23 GMT

Maybe God Speaks Loudest In Stillness

In the 19th Chapter of 1st Kings, Elijah, God’s prophet, is on the run from his enemies. He has successfully stood for the Lord and now he needs some support from the Lord. He runs to where he thinks he can hear from God. He listens for him in the wind, and an earthquake, and then a fire...He Looks for God in the noise.

Our lives are bombarded by noise. We spend our time filled with the T.V., the Ipod, the cell phone, the internet and yes the radio. We are people plagued by auditory and visual overload.

We are overwhelmed by noise.

Even our prayers are filled with noise. We ask and ask, and talk and talk. But prayer is both active and passive. It is seeking as well as speaking. There’s power both in the request and the silence.

Elijah finally heard from God not in the noise but in a still, small voice.

Maybe God speaks loudest in stillness.

There are times when we experience God in joyful praise, In singing and shouting...but sometimes we hear Him in silent sitting, sometimes away from the noise.

Have you heard from the Lord today? Maybe to do so we need to quiet life’s noise.

Women's Week - To Honor and Feed the Whole Woman

Mon, 24 May 2021 16:59:01 GMT

The celebration of women’s week was anchored by this scripture:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

- Ephesians 2:10 (NTL).

In my opinion, Black women historically seem to get everything handled on the "to do "list with the quiet, subtle strength of a hurricane's eye. We, women, will often accomplish these tasks by neglecting our self-needs.

The goal of the week was to honor and "feed" the whole woman. We addressed our financial responsibilities in April, financial literacy month, with tips on couponing at local stores. We learned about depression from a registered dietitian, who has a diagnosis of depression and incorporates healthy eating habits to manage her illness. Dr. Jones showed us some tools to help assess if we were growing in life or doing things hindering our development.

And on Saturday, we came together for fellowship fitness as we line dance together. Lastly, Reverend Dr. McQueen Williams wrapped up the week with an uplifting message: We are not a mess; we are masterpieces.

Taking care of ourselves first was the overall takeaway from our Women's Week experiences. We also discovered how much we missed camaraderie with each other and how important it was to be in fellowship. The growth will continue, and our fellowship will continue in our mid/post-pandemic world.

Click below to watch the service

THE FSBC FOOD PANTRY: Over 11 Years of Service to Richmond Communities

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 16:20:23 GMT

Fighting Food Insecurity in Highland Park

Every 3rd Tuesday, the Food Pantry is open to Fifth Street Baptist Church’s neighbors in need. In addition, the Food Pantry has been a Godsend during the Pandemic, as many of the residents of Highland Park were unexpectedly thrust into poverty almost immediately. Many of them lost their businesses, their jobs, and their homes. They became food insecure and required the kind of assistance that was beyond anything they could have imagined. Many others had no idea how they would feed their children who were accustomed to eating two meals per day in school. After all, schools shut down, that resource was no longer available to them.

As any Angel would in times such as these, Linda saw an opportunity. Under the guidance and encouragement of Pastor F. Todd Gray, the generosity of Fifth Street Baptist Church’s members, and the patronage of many other generous donors, Linda was able to expand the capacity of the Food Pantry to not only serve the Highland Park Neighborhood once per month but to include the entire city on a weekly basis for many weeks. Linda is such a force that she inspired a bevy of volunteers and charities to donate not only food but their precious time to serve the patrons during the most deadly Pandemic our country and the world had ever seen.

The Food Pantry provides non-perishable food items, including several full meals, to recipients. They provide items, i.e., breakfast cereals and milk; full spaghetti meals, including pasta and sauce; and also lunch items. All food bags include vegetables, rice, peanut butter, and bread. Non-food items, i.e., toilet paper, are also provided.

Linda Macbeth-Harper is dedicated to those in need because, at heart, she is a loving, caring person who, when a need is presented, she is compelled to meet it. Linda is currently the sole caregiver for two elderly, ailing loved ones. Yet, she never waivers in her commitment to serve the residents of the Highland Park Neighborhood through the Food Pantry.

Family Will Always Be Family

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 14:51:43 GMT

The Installation Services of Rev. Pierce A. Williams

T he sun was shining bright on Saturday, March 27, 2021, as we sat in anticipation of the opening words to begin the installation services of Rev. Pierce A. Williams as pastor of the First Union Baptist Church on Dill Road. This was a drive-in worship experience, and the parking lot was full of friends, family, and church members, waiting to congratulate Rev. Williams on this momentous day. The speaker for the occasion was Rev. F. Todd Gray, pastor of Fifth Street Baptist church.

As Rev. Gray and Rev. Williams greeted each other in the pastor's study, you could see the mutual happiness of seeing each other, and you could feel the holy spirit was in the room, as Rev. Williams addresses Rev. Gray as his "spiritual father."

Rev. Pierce A. Williams was a staff member at Fifth Street Baptist Church from October 2015 until October 2019. He started his ministry with Fifth Street as the Children and Youth Minister. Later in his tenure, he became the Executive Minister in charge of church finances, overseeing the many ministries within the church and working closely with Rev. Gray. Rev. Williams also met the love of his life, his now wife and First Lady, Michelle Lewis Williams at Fifth Street.

Many associate ministers under Rev. Gray's guidance and mentorship have become pastors of their own church. In 2019, God called Rev. Williams to do his ministry away from Fifth Street, but the bond and relationships he held with them never died. And on March 27, Rev. Williams became the pastor of First Union Baptist Church on Dill Road.

Rev. Gray, the homilist for the worship experience, greeted First Union Baptist members and expressed the following about the church and Rev. Williams.

"You are a great church, and you are getting a great man," said Rev. Gray. "There are a number of folk that preach good, and then there are some good preachers. You have found a good preacher. Not only is he gifted, but he has a love for God, God's people, and that he is sincere...He reminded me that four years to the day I ordained him, and this is a double honor."

As Rev. Gray began his sermon using Matthew 10:5-10 as his scripture reference and the address was entitled Marching Orders. His message asserted the need to spend time with the Lord, even when you don't want something. He said, "you have to be prepared before you go into battle, and every now and then, just have a little talk with Jesus. Spend time crying with Jesus and receiving the holy spirit from Jesus."

The car horns were sounding off as people listened and responded to this stirring and uplifting message from Rev. Gray. The scripture reference tells us that our marching orders are to meet the people's needs within the church. And in closing, he reminded Rev. Williams that God will take care of him when no one else has his back.

After all the official acts of installation were completed, Pastor Pierce A. Williams gave his remarks. He first thanked the First Union Baptist Church, its leadership, and its members. He then went on to share his appreciation to Rev. Gray and the Fifth Street Baptist Church family.

"To my spiritual father, to Rev. F. Todd Gray. I love you, sir, and I honor you, I honor you," said Rev. Williams. "You allowed me to come to Fifth Street as the Youth Pastor and Executive Minister. And I am forever grateful for those long nights and all those learning experiences that we have endured together. I thank God for you and my Fifth Street family. Where you at Fifth Street ( car horns sounding in response )? Again to Pastor F. Todd Gray and my Fifth Street family, thank you for nurturing me, and thank you for loving me, and thank you for continuously supporting us even down the street across the railroad tracks, you are supporting us, and I thank God for you."