About Us

Mission: Committed to uniting families with Christ through Reconciliation, Fellowship, Leadership, Outreach, and Worship as we attempt to share the Word to those who are spiritually lost.

Our Vision: "To fulfill the full admonitions of our Church Covenant."

With the aid of the Holy Spirit, we seek to win souls to Christ, uplift the body of believers, facilitate the spread of the gospel, and enhance the spiritual well-being of our community. It is our goal that Christian Friendship Missionary Baptist Church is a place of solitude where the hurting, depressed, frustrated, and wounded can find love, reconciliation, help, hope, forgiveness, guidance, and encouragement through the Word of God.

Our Commitment:

As a church family, we are committed to the covenant of "G. R. A. C. E" through the Holy Spirit.

Grace, through Reconciliation, Advocacy, and Collaborative Empowerment in the Body of Christ. A place where heartfelt praise and worship reaches Heaven shifts the atmosphere and changes souls. A place of worship that mends, that delivers, that heals, and sets free.

A place where there are no limits to reaching the lost, no restrictions in exalting Christ through song, praise, and testimony. No limits in creating disciples to carry out the spirit of God's Word.  A place where the altar is filled continuously with supplications for freedom, justice, equality, and peace, through the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. A place that visits the sick, ministers to the shut-in, clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, strengthens the weak, and embraces the lost under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Church History:

Like all new churches, Christian Friendship Baptist Church became established from the ideas and desires of a group of families who resided in the Town of Henrietta in 1984.  Those families referred to now as the "founding members" of this church, were the following: Mr. & Mrs. Henry (Rutha) Killings Sr., Mr. & Mrs. Roy (Gloria) Battle Sr., Mrs. Dora Black, Mr. & Mrs. Cleveland (Martha) Hope, Mr. & Mrs. Levi (Carol) Jackson, Mr. & Mrs. Otis (Geneva) Killings, Mr. & Mrs. Eugene (Marion) Jackson, Mr. & Mrs. Herman (Ora Gale) Cooper, Mr. & Mrs. Oscar (Dorothy) Thomas, Mrs. Linda Williams, Mr. & Mrs. Lorenzia (Loretta) Simpson, Mr. & Mrs. Roland (Sharon) Melvin, and Mr. & Mrs. Furman (Ann) McGill.

The members met in November and acting upon their concerns for a Spiritual Awareness and Experience for both themselves and families extended their friendship to other residences. The first "in-home" service occurred at the home of Roy and Gloria Battle. It was a decision-making meeting as well as a Spiritual uplifting in the most humbling sense.  Picture if you will, a prayer service, and fellowship this was the sentiment of these quiet meeting times. At this time, the church would be named the Christian Friendship Organization.  By January 1985, the number of persons attending had increased though services continued in the homes of members.  The culmination of these services was a Christmas Service held at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Wendell (Julia-Morrison-Morgan), the former home of Victory Baptist Church of Henrietta, NY.  At subsequent (weekly business meetings), which occurred for six months, the church decided to host several guest ministers for one month. These ministers would become pastoral candidates for Christian Friendship Organization Church.

As the cold winters of upstate NY engulfed the Rochester area, it was no match for the commitment of those involved in Christian Friendship, the dedication and spiritual presence of the Lord warmed the hearts of all!  In March of 1985, after one of many weekly business meetings, a survey generated by participating members of the church declared after a unanimous (1) vote decision that Christian Friendship Organization would become a part of the Baptist fellowship, thus changing the name to Christian Friendship Baptist Church.  The church continued to grow, becoming firm in the community, as well as strengthened by the spiritual mandates of the Word, the members began to prioritize the task of selecting a pastor.

In June of 1985, a committee was established as Pastoral Review Committee to document those ministers who had acknowledged their interest in becoming the pastor of Christian Friendship Baptist Church.  On the first Sunday, June 8, 1985, at 5:00 pm, the selection was made by the members as a leap of faith, acknowledging their genuine commitment to the Work of God.  After a unanimous vote, the Rev. Herman Alston, Jr., of Aenon Baptist Church, would become the pastor.  Rev. Alston accepted the call with vim, Vision, and vigor, and set forth to do the work of the Lord.  He immediately instituted a Youth Group, a Men's Auxiliary, Sunshine Committee, Deacons Board, and Board of Trustees.  His first Sermon was on June 16.

In the following month, Rev. Alston was ordained into the ministry by the late, Pastor James L. Cherry, of Aenon Baptist Church, and the late J.D. Jackson, Pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, at Aenon Baptist Church.  The installation subsequently occurred at Aenon Baptist Church on August 18, 1985, at 5:00 pm.  The guest speaker was Rev. James Banks the II, of the Faith Baptist Church of Buffalo, New York.  Following his Pastorate at Christian Friendship Church in 1988, the Rev. John S. Walker of Columbus, Ohio was asked to lead the church on an interim basis in July of 1989 and subsequently became pastor in December of 1989.

Rev. Walker established several Outreach Ministries, one of the most successful, was the Henrietta Corrections Facility.  Also, he founded the Adolescent Pregnancy Program, The Rochester Anti- Apartheid Program, The Palestinian Resettlement Committee, The Malawian Hunger Project, and The Swaziland Hunger Project, and The Freedom and Justice Program of South Africa.  The church continued to support several mission initiatives that resulted in February 1998, subsequently taking on a missionary objective under his leadership.

What we believe:

We are a Christian church that holds as truth the traditional teachings of Christological formulations such as the Holy Trinity, which teaches the three underlying principles of the Godhead.  That is God's Power, His Wisdom, and His Everpresence. We also believe in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, that He is God.  Though we believe in Baptism, we also recognize that Baptism does not save us. Salvation is a result of a repentant heart and acknowledgment that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.  Although Baptism is not necessary for Salvation whenever possible, the practice should be consummated by the believer, in establishing faithfulness to the command of Christ by example.

Associations and Conventions:

We are members in good standing of the Progressive National Baptist Convention (August 1997), The Great Lakes Missionary Baptist Association, and The Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Missions Baptist Convention.

Our Leadership Team:

We are a dynamic group of believers who lead auxiliaries and programs in support of societal and global issues.

• Rev. Dr. John S. Walker, Pastor
• Evangelist Barbara Lattimore-Walker, First Lady
• Associate Ministers
• Deacons Board
• Mothers Board
• Board of Ministers

Bio of Associate Ministers: