Seattle First Baptist Church

Mission Statement
We are a community of faith united in exploring what it means to follow the way of Jesus Christ, to be a people of God and to love and care for our neighbors.  As a Church we will know no circles of exclusion, no boundaries we will not cross and no loyalties above those which we owe to God.

About us
The founders of our church, the Holgate and Hanford families, were among the very first pioneers to settle in Puget Sound.  Our church is one of the oldest in Seattle. We are an American Baptist Church USA, a member of the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches and a Welcoming and Affirming congregation.

We are proud of our historic Baptist Liberties which prize soul liberty, freedom of conscience, autonomy of the local church, religious liberty, and priestly liberty. Our members enjoy being among all faith seekers. Not only is the spiritual journey encouraged, it is supported with retreats and spiritual direction, and is of strength to all in our congregation. As a progressive American Baptist church, we are a healing bridge for those whose experience with fundamentalism has been painful. We are a welcoming and affirming congregation: sexual and gender minorities are naturally integrated into our congregation. We affirm the role of women and men as mutual partners; we act on gender issues. We affirm both the vitality of nuclear families which come in many colors and the intergenerational church community which supports interdependence and sharing. Our children participate in worship and have lessons and opportunities of their own with dedicated mentors.

We are an historic Peace Church where pastors and congregation have stood for peace and against war throughout the twentieth century and to the present. Justice and compassion are trademarks. Throughout our history, pastors and members have taken courageous and often controversial stands on behalf of those marginalized by our society. We strive for excellence in worship, and insightful and progressive interpretation of scripture. We offer opportunities for volunteers to sing in a large choir and play a wide range of instruments, centered on the historic Æolian-Skinner Organ Opus 1216 crafted by G. Donald Harrison, installed here the summer of 2007.

1111 Harvard Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
Phone:    206.325.6051
Fax:    206.324.4326