Our pastor, William (Bill) Smith, has served at Memorial since 1991. Pastor Smith's approach with the congregation is very personal. He is a mentor, an advisor, and a extremely knowledgeable teacher.

Prior to coming to Memorial he had experience as a pastor in inner-city and multilingual congregations and brings with him an understanding of diverse congregational needs.

He has also taught at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and currently is an instructor at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Arlington, Va. He holds a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California.

"The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area has challenges for ministry similar to every city but unique in obvious ways because of the presence of the federal government. We have the same needs for worship, Bible study, and service that every church has. At the same time we find ourselves at the intersection of myriad competing philosophies, both political and religious.

"People come to this region from every state and almost every country of the world, so the cultural mix of this area makes communication of the Gospel a stimulating challenge. I enjoy the challenge, and after fifteen years of service to this church, more than twenty years total service in this region, I am still excited about the work God has called us to do in Washington. D.C."

Comments about the pastor from our congregation:

Chairman of Deacons:
"We have a very good pastor. He reminds me of a Norman Rockwell painting, America at its best, wholesome, and moral. He is a good teacher and has taught me a lot. He has helped me grow as a Christian. Bill is well grounded in the Bible and teaches from the Bible in a very compelling way. You cannot help but learn the truth. He is a good anchor for the church."

New member at Memorial:
"He reminds me of down-home people, totally unpretentious. What you see is what you get. He is the best. He won me over when I was fed up with church and because of his personal approach I joined the church. A riveting speaker and makes you always want to hear the end of the story and makes you want to come back for more."

High School Youth Group member:
"His sermons have always kept my interest and made me think about my life and what I could do to improve my actions to be a more faithful follower of Christ."

Third grader:
"He's cool, interesting and fun. He makes me want to be more like a Christian every day."

To find out more about life at our church, go to the services and activities section.

If you are interested in visiting Memorial we have directions and a map.

For more information, please visit our contact page or call the church office between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM Monday - Friday at (703)-538-7000.

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