Welcome to First Baptist Church, Raleigh.
Welcome! At FBC Raleigh, we invite you to connect with our community of believers & seekers, confident that you will find a warm welcome here. Located on the Capitol Square District in the heart of downtown Raleigh, we’re focused on extending our ministry beyond the walls of our building and into the city we call home. Within our walls, we strive to nurture faith by asking difficult questions and acknowledging that we might not know the answers. We learn together and serve together, believing that God calls us to love one another, trusting that love makes a personal impact on each of us. Together we hope our community of faith offers a sense of inclusion, abundant welcome, and a place to belong. Welcome to FBC – welcome to our family.
We are located at 99 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh NC 27603. We are directly across the street from the Capitol in downtown Raleigh.
Directions
Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m. Our Worship Service begins at 11:00 a.m.
FBC Parking Lot
Directions to FBC Parking Lot
While there are two parking lots adjacent to the FBC facility, only one is owned by the church and is available for parking any day and time. The parking lot at the corner of N. Salisbury St. and Hillsborough St. is owned by the state of NC and can only be used as pubic parking on weekday evenings and on the weekends. The church owned parking lot is bounded by Hillsborough, McDowell and Edenton Streets. You may arrive at the parking lot by setting your GPS for this address: 176 Hillsborough Street.
Green Square Parking Deck
Directions to Green Square Parking Deck
Green Square Parking Deck (located at the corner of Edenton and McDowell Streets) has over 1,400 parking spaces in the deck facility, our FBC members and visitors will have access to free parking for Sunday and Wednesday activities.
Sunday parking: Enter the deck from Edenton St. (directly across the street from the Edenton St. entrance to our parking lot). On Sundays, the arms to the entrance and exit will be in the up position, allowing access to and from the deck. You will find plenty of parking immediately after entering the deck.
Wednesday parking: Enter the deck from the Edenton St. entrance. After 5:00 p.m. parking is free but the arm to the entrance will be down. You will take a ticket upon entering the deck but will not be charged if you arrive after 5:00 p.m. The parking attendant will be on duty until 6:30 p.m. but will not charge cars that have arrived at the deck after 5:00 p.m.
For Sunday School and other activities, most people enter the church through the back door of the Education Building (black/white covered awning), accessible from the church parking lot or through the glass double doors that face Edenton Street. However, you are more than welcome to enter through the front doors of the church for morning worship, which you can reach by climbing the stairs on Salisbury Street facing the State Capitol building.
Yes. We are proud of our beautiful sanctuary building. However, when the sanctuary building was completed in 1859, the builders did not have accessibility in mind! For those with trouble walking or those in wheelchairs, the easiest way to enter the building is through the back door of the Education Building where there is wheelchair ramp. Elevators are available to take you to all areas of the building.
You will find a wide spectrum of attire at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Most folks are comfortable in suits or dresses; many are comfortable in more casual wear. Know that you will not be singled out no matter what you choose to wear. Attire on Wednesday nights and at other church functions is more relaxed.
Most importantly, bring yourself, your family or friends! It may also be beneficial to bring a Bible if you have one available to you. You should be aware that an offering is collected as part of every worship service. You are certainly more than welcome to bring your contribution to add as part of your worship, but it is up to you if and how much you give.
Our Sunday morning worship service is intentionally planned by our ministerial staff to create an atmosphere where contemplation and praise are possible. We like to describe ourselves as traditional but not stuffy. At First Baptist, we follow the church year and the common lectionary, which provides a natural rhythm for the seasons of our life together. We also strive to incorporate a variety of elements and backgrounds into the service to make our worship more inviting and inclusive. We are helped in this regard by our talented choir and musicians who provide a meaningful music experience. You will find that our service is not based on entertainment, but on a desire to open minds and to feed hearts.
Yes. We have child care professionals and volunteers who teach and care for our infants and preschoolers during the 9:45 a.m. Sunday School time, as well as the 11:00 a.m. worship hour. Our nursery is located on the first floor. Any child older than 5 years old is invited to join us for worship upstairs with the rest of the congregation.
