WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 – Members of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., voted overwhelmingly Oct. 11 to extend a call to the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray to become the 18th senior pastor of the historic congregation.
Haggray, who has been the executive director/minister of the District of Columbia Baptist Convention since 2001, accepted the call. He becomes the first African-American senior pastor in the church’s history, which dates to 1802.
“I am honored to have been extended a call to pastor The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C. I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity to serve such an historic congregation, with its rich heritage in this great city that I love,” Haggray said.
“First Baptist has a long history of distinguished ministry and has made enormous contributions to Baptist life in America. Their pastors have also been highly regarded, and I have a real sense of appreciation that the congregation called me to serve in this role. I accept this call and solicit the prayers of my D.C. Baptist Convention family.”
In recommending Haggray to the congregation, Justin Grant, chair of the nine-person search committee that selected the candidate, said the panel was consistently impressed with Haggray’s credentials in every area of church leadership as well as his passion for the church, its neighborhood and its metropolitan area. “While our search was extremely thorough and extensive in its scope and depth, we arrived at the conclusion that the best candidate also happened to be the closest,” he noted. “The committee is grateful to God for guiding us to this servant leader. We believe he is the pastor First Baptist needs at this time to lead us into a bright future of reaching our neighborhood, city, region, nation, and world for Christ.”
Dennis Austin, who as the church’s moderator is its highest elected lay leader, said, “The call of Dr. Haggray represents an historic milestone in the life of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., as we enter the second decade of our third century. He knows us and loves us -- our congregation, the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods, the District of Columbia and the National Capital Region -- already, and can hit the proverbial ground running.”
Haggray was also the DCBC’s first African-American executive. The unique convention -- historically affiliated with both Southern Baptist and Northern Baptist national bodies -- today encompasses a broad range of the nation’s Baptists. It officially is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Churches USA, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention -- one of the largest African-American Baptist denominations. The DCBC also partners with the Baptist World Alliance, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Alliance of Baptists, as well as other local and regional Baptist organizations. It is composed of more than 150 cooperating congregations in the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland.
Prior to taking his DCBC post, Haggray has served as pastor of two other Washington congregations as well as churches in New Jersey and Connecticut.
He is 46; a native of Savannah, Ga.; and a graduate of the University of Virginia, Yale University Divinity Scho  ol and Wesley Theological Seminary. His wife, the Rev. Shelby Martin Haggray, is a native of Martinsville, Va., and currently serves as the associate dean for community life at Wesley Seminary. They and their three children (Micah, 10; Martin, 9; and Sophia, 5) reside in the District of Columbia.
Haggray expects to begin preaching and leading worship regularly at First Baptist Nov. 15, with additional details of his transition from his DCBC position to full-time work at First Baptist to be determined.
Like DCBC, First Baptist is a unique congregation whose membership is broadly diverse in terms of theology, political affiliation, denominational background, ethnicity, professional and educational experience, national origin, sexual orientation and place of residence.
First founded to serve Baptists from all over the country who were among those moving to the new federal city, First Baptist has long bridged the theological, regional and ethnic divides between Baptists in the United States.
Historically the church has been dually affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA and the Southern Baptist Convention since the founding of both denominations. In more recent years, many First Baptist members of Southern Baptist heritage have found affinity with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Alliance of Baptists.
But the congregation, which describes itself as “a church of Baptist tradition and ecumenical perspective,” has a strong tradition of welcoming members who join from other denominational backgrounds. First Baptist’s highly liturgical worship style and cathedral-style neo-Gothic sanctuary reflect this appreciation for the contributions of other Christian traditions.
Unlike many Baptist congregations, First Baptist has for decades affirmed the full equality of women at all levels of church leadership -- including as ordained ministers and deacons.
Pastor Search Report - October 2009
Haggray Press Release | 
