First Baptist, Georgetown Celebrates 150 Years

, many of whose predominately African-American congregants live outside of Georgetown, hopes the entire Georgetown community will come celebrate its 150th anniversary this weekend.

The church has organized a Family Fun Day Street Fair this Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. at 2624 Dumbarton St., NW near .

“The church is a part of the rich history of Georgetown,” said church member and street fair chair Patrice Howard. “It’s for us to celebrate Georgetown history together and not as a segmented part.”

The event will include food, music, vendors and games. Howard said a lot of families in congregation have musical talent and will showcase it at the fair. The children’s choir will perform and youth will read poetry. The celebration will spill over in to the neighboring Rose Park. Tours of the historical church will be given.

Men in the congregation laid the cornerstone of the current church building in 1882. However, a former slave, the Reverend Sandy Alexander, founded Georgetown First Baptist Church in 1862.

Collins Williams, a licensed preacher from Fredericksburg, Va. gave Alexander a plot of land at 29th and O Streets to build a church. When the congregation outgrew that building it moved to the current location.

“We hope to allow our community and friends to come out and celebrate with us as we have achieved this milestone that God has allowed us to,” said Reverend Robert K. Pines, who has served as pastor since 2006.

Howard said he has been knocking on doors to hand out event flyers to neighbors, inviting them to celebrate the church's history together.

“We feel that we certainly are a part of the community and we want the community to come and feel welcome to celebrate with us as well,” said Rev. Pines.