Our Blog

We saw God's work in Walmart's dinosaur aisle.

Connie Harshaw — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

After attending church on Sunday, we received an assignment from Linda Whitley, who provided us with five 'Angel Tree' tags and instructed us to pay close attention to the ages and specific toy preferences for each child. We proceeded to Walmart to purchase the five designated items, where we encountered Stan in the aisle featuring dinosaur toys. He explained that he was selecting toys to donate to a church, as was his annual tradition. We shared that we were also making donations through our church and had been given a list of required toys. Upon learning that our church was First Baptist on Scotland Street, we discovered, after a brief conversation, that both of us were purchasing toys to support the same congregation.

He reviewed our list and inquired whether any toys remained on it, but we only had the tags that were provided to us on Sunday. He departed briefly and subsequently returned with a $100 bill, requesting that we double our purchases so that more children could receive gifts. John and Bobbie Walker from Annapolis, Maryland, overheard our conversation with Stan, witnessed his contribution, and generously offered additional funds for us to buy even more toys. At this juncture, Mike contacted Linda Whitley to seek guidance regarding the selection of items to purchase with the extra money we received from individuals previously unknown to us at Walmart. I then asked Mike to obtain an additional shopping cart, as our original cart was already filled with our selections alongside those from Stan, John, and Bobbie. He returned to the dinosaur aisle in tears. After a brief pause, he handed over another $100. Once composed, he shared that on his way to get another cart, he ran into our friend, JarMarcus King, the owner of J&F Alliance Group, and recounted the events in Walmart's toy section—Stan’s donation prompted additional contributions from the Walkers. JarMarcus then told Mike, “Man, I got to do something too,” and that was the $100 bill that Mike showed me.

We originally intended to purchase five items based on 'Angel Tree' tags and deliver them to the church as requested. Unexpectedly, four generous individuals gathered in the Walmart toy section to support the Salvation Army’s ‘Angel Tree’ program. As a result, we were able to leave with 28 toys for children aged 3-5. The experience highlighted how collective generosity can expand our ability to assist others—a meaningful way to observe the holiday season and to bless others.

A Truly Joyful and Rewarding Time in My Life

George Sledd — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Becoming involved with various First Baptist Church projects following my retirement has become a truly joyful and rewarding time in my life. Being engaged in church and community activities, I have learned new skills, and I have had an opportunity to meet some incredible people. Perhaps the most gratifying experience is having the opportunity to witness the sincerity of individuals who strive daily to be a blessing in the lives of fellow human beings.

As I reflect on my experience as a member at First Baptist Church, I am better able to understand the life application and meaning of my favorite scripture which is found in Psalms 1:3. In the King James Version it states…”And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

God has brought me to this place and time such that perhaps my walk as a “Believer” will become a source of encouragement for one of God’s creations. My prayer is that I be a fruitful tree and that I be a source of encouragement to those who I meet along my journey in life.

A Blessing That Was Years in the Making

Rev. Juanita P. Graham — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

As so many of us do on New Year's Eve, I was taking time to reflect on the year. I thought about some of the highs and lows of 2024, and there was one thing that really stood out. I was blessed with a great opportunity to do something I didn't think would ever happen. But as I thought about that wonderful experience, I realized that the beginning of that blessing started years ago.

In order to appreciate the fullness of what transpired, I need to refer back to 2018. April of that year, I was asked to speak at a program in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My part in that program was to give a response to his book, Why We Can't Wait. It was a response that I can unequivocally say was divinely imparted. For you see, as I was preparing the response, it came out in the form of a poem. Now mind you, I had never really written any poetry, so I was quite amazed. The poem is entitled, Do You Know Why We Can't Wait? It addresses some of the points that Dr. King was making back then, while also highlighting some of the similar conditions of 2018.

Now, fast forward to November 2024. Dr. King’s son, Martin Luther King III came to Williamsburg, VA to ring the Freedom Bell at The Historic First Baptist Church and to attend the Let Freedom Ring Foundation annual gala. It was at this time that one of the highs of my year happened. The Lord allowed me the opportunity to get to meet and give a copy of that poem and my book to Mr. King. I would not have ever thought that would happen. It is amazing what God can and will do if we yield to His will.

As for 2025 … I don't know what lies ahead. However, I know my God, who can and does do exceedingly and abundantly above all I can ask or even think according to the power that works within me … I know, He is already there. He will walk with us throughout the coming year and if we yield to his will, who knows, what we do in 2025 may be the beginning of a blessing that will multiply and cross over many years to come.

An Honor to Spread the Word

Reginald F. Davis — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000

During the week of October 24th-30th, I was honored to accept two invitations to speak. The first, an invitation to participate in services with the Racine Wisconsin Fall Pastor’s Association. I thank the Association's President, Rev. Keith T. Evans, pastor of the Greater Mt. Eagle Baptist Church and Moderator Rev. Melvin Hargrove, who represented the Wisconsin Pastor’s Association. It was a tremendous honor to preach on the topic of the Black church and to share passages from "The Black Church Relevant or Irrelevant in the 21st Century."

My second opportunity to share the word was with the members of the John Wesley United Methodist Church, in Greenville, South Carolina. John Wesley UMC is the oldest historically black United Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. My sincere thanks to Rev. Dr. Daniel Hembree for his invitation to lecture and preach. I was honored that Rev. Hembree and his church members selected my book to be their primary focus for their 156th church celebration. The discussion regarding the Black church and the worship service was incredibly uplifting and inspiring. To God be the glory!

Living History - 2021

Rev. Dr. Julie G. Grace — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000

On this past sunny Tuesday afternoon standing on the church grounds talking to Sister Connie Harshaw and Brian Bailey, our Church Administrator, we were approached by a woman, Patrice Walker Powell, who said that she was told by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to come to our church to bring her 93-year young mother in search of a photo of her father. The church building was still closed to visitors, but after she told us that she had traveled from Chester, Virginia to bring her mother who really, really wanted to see if the photo was on display in our church, we contacted our Chairman of the Trustees to get special permission for her to enter the building to see if we had such a photo. Once in the building she confirmed that the photo she was searching for hangs on the wall of our church in the glass display case and her beloved husband is shown on the immediate right side of Dr. King’s during his visit to our church in June 1962. His name is Reverend Wyatt T. Walker and at that time he was the Chief of Staff for Dr. King. There they both were, on the wall of our church in a photograph taken at our church during that historic visit.

Wyatt T. Walker (1929-2016) was a double graduate of Virginia Union University, He also held a doctorate from Rochester Theological Center. Reverend Walker, a prolific author was considered a leading authority on the music of the African-American religious experience. His first pulpit was at Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg. Later in New York’s Harlem community, he established a record of urban ministry as the pastor (for 37 years) of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ. He was a respected theologian, human rights activist and cultural historian. For several years, he served as Chief of Staff to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while both were with the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) in Atlanta and later served as Special Assistant to Governor Nelson Rockefeller of NY, as an Urban Affairs Specialist. His human rights work and clerical leadership carried him to 100 countries."

His wife’s name is Mrs. Theresa Ann Walker and she was a freedom rider, arrested in Mississippi while fighting for our civil rights. She and her daughter are members of Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, but wanted to make sure that she visited our church while in Williamsburg. Gillfield Baptist Church is the second-oldest black Baptist congregation in Petersburg, Virginia and one of the oldest in the nation. It was organized in 1797 as a separate, integrated congregation.

An Exuberant Apostle of Racial Justice

Connie Harshaw — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0000

As we all struggle to understand the complexities of race in our country and around the world, I am left to wonder where in the world will we now find a true spokesman for racial equality and nonviolence? Now, more than ever, we need leaders from our faith communities that can inspire us. Where will we find another Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Ella Baker, WEB DuBois, Cesar Chavez, Mahatma Gahdhi, Susan B. Anthony, Elie Wiesel, Dorothy Height? Bishop Tutu will be missed on the world stage. The Washington Post describes him as an “exuberant apostle of racial justice in South Africa” and states that he explained his devotion to social justice in religious terms, saying his “Christian faith demanded that he speak out for the underdog and the oppressed.” There are many individuals fighting for civil rights and social justice, but who are the leaders in the faith community that are now our most influential civil rights leaders? As I sit here and wonder about who are the most influential civil rights leaders since 2000, I am reminded of a recently compiled a list of well-known activists after reviewing biographies and news stories from resource material, websites of organizations such as the NAACP, the Nobel Prize website, and media sites. That list is composed of civil rights leaders who are still very active and are working in various fields – from racial justice to support for formerly incarcerated women and religious liberties. On that list, we find Esmeralda Simmons, James Rucker, Lateefah Simon, Nihad Awad, Ciara Taylor, Opal Tometi, Van Jones and others…but where are the charismatic faith leaders who believe in non-violence and that can deliver messages that are not muddled – or contradictory? Does our current movement lack a spiritual center? Again, I wonder who are, and where are our faith leaders today on civil rights and social justice?

A chance to talk with Jesse Cole

Connie Harshaw — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

As I stare at the portrait of Mr. Jesse Cole, I cannot help but think that the members of the First Baptist Church Nassau Street Descendant Community and I would like to spend a few minutes with him. We want to hear what compelled him to donate land and a building to free and enslaved African Americans here in Williamsburg to gather and worship. As we struggle in the 21^st century with the unresolved and difficult conversation on race in Virginia, and in the country, we feel that he could perhaps help us to understand a lot by sharing the reason for his decision. It had to be an unpopular and even dangerous position to take centuries ago. What could it have been? Was it his faith in a God that loves us all? We need just a few minutes with you Mr. Cole.

The Togolese Population Needs Water

Reginald F. Davis — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 05:00:00 +0000

In the past quarter-century, the percentage of the Togolese population with access to safer water sources has been steadily increasing from less than 50 percent in 1990 to 63.1 percent in 2015. Despite this improvement, water quality in Togo is still relatively poor with more than 30 percent of its population that remains unable to obtain water safe for consumption. In rural areas, the population suffers from health complications due to a lack of access to clean drinking water sources and sanitation. As Pastor of the First Baptist Church, I will join Senior Pastor Michael Simone of Spring Branch Community Church in Virginia Beach, VA and father of Rev. Travis Simone of the Williamsburg Community Chapel and others on a mission to improve the situation and bring hope to the villages of Togo, West Africa. I want to hear from the congregation and visitors on other things that we can do to help the government and private citizens in providing aid to the villages of Togo.

Praise

Demetria George — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Praise is a poet's rhapsody, full of admiration for a guardian whose reckless love has saved their life/soul.

A symphony of voices singing Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord

Praise is a young child's prayer thanking the Lord at night before bed

It is the twirls and jumps of dancers and the bold expressions of mimes telling the story of deliverance

Praise is the joining of a congregation coming to celebrate their blessings and the release from tribulations

Praise is extending a hand to a sister in Christ pulling her out of her stupor, It's giving your brother the strength to carry on

To push forward and don't give up

Praise is spreading love to those who are considered undesirable

Praise is calling out to God even when things are rough because while I breathe , I hope

And I as long as I have breath in my body, I will glorify him in every way I can.

Declaring him the One and Only ruler of My Soul

Because as Psalms 71:8 says:"My mouth is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendor all day long".

This is an original poem written by Ms. Demetria George on Saturday, August 3, 2019 for a special service at the Historic First Baptist Church.

Another View History Lesson - Let Freedom Ring Bell

Minister Lucy Arrington — Sun, 09 Jun 2019 04:00:00 +0000

On Friday, June 7th, Mrs. Connie Matthews Harshaw, President of the Let Freedom Ring Foundation sat down with Stephen Seals of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Barbara Ham Lee of WHRO-FM for a conversational history lesson on the Historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg and the Let Freedom Ring Bell.

The Historic First Baptist Church, established in 1776, was created by free and enslaved Blacks. The church is formally recognized as one of America's oldest continuous African American congregations. It is home to the "Let Freedom Ring" bell, which was silenced during segregation and the Civil Rights movement, yet it rings again today. The Freedom Bell also made modern history on September 24, 2016 when former President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Ms. Ruth Odom Bonner rang the bell at the opening ceremony for the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History in Washington D.C.

Listen here to Another View History Lesson - A Conversation with Barbara Hamm Lee about the Let Freedom Ring Bell

Thank you to Mrs. Connie Matthews Harshaw for all that you do to tell the story and help others understand that Our History is American History.

Listen live to other topics discussed on Another View with Barbara Hamm Lee at www.anotherviewradio.org.