About Us

 
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One in Worship...Many in Service!

Woodland Heights Baptist Church has been ministering in Richmond for over 100 years.

We are a welcoming, worshiping, and ministering community of Christians, and we bear witness to Christ through creative and inclusive worship, compassionate deeds of service, and commitment to caring and community. We express this vision in these words: “One in Worship…Many in Service.”

Woodland Heights Baptist Church receives members upon profession of faith in Christ and baptism by immersion, or by transfer of membership from another congregation. We encourage anyone with questions concerning membership to speak to one of our pastors.

We also welcome those who wish to come alongside us in ministry but may not yet desire to become a member. Come for a Sunday or a season. Come to serve. Come to heal. Just come and see what good work God is about!

Visit us on Sunday mornings for Discipleship Study at 9:30 a.m. and Worship at 10:30 a.m.

We hope to soon resume meetings on Wednesday evenings. Before the COVID pandemic, we met for our Fellowship Supper at 5:45pm, Children & Youth Activities at 6:30pm, and Bible/Book Study at 6:45pm. Follow announcements on this site for updates.

Our Staff

At present, Woodland Heights is without a Pastor with the retirement of Rev. Tom Ficklin (now our Pastor Emeritus—see below). As of November 15, 2022 Rev. Dorryce Ann Rudd is serving as our Interim Pastor. Rev. Rudd was born in Crewe, Virginia and her family was very active at Crewe Baptist Church. She gave her life to Christ at the age of six. Dorryce Ann graduated from Radford College and taught at J.B. Watkins Elementary School. In 2002, she graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and was ordained in 2006, into the Gospel Ministry by Branch's Baptist Church.

Mr. Emmanuel Dudkin began serving as our Interim Director of Music in May 2023. Emmanuel is a native of Ukraine with extensive experience in choral and church music. Living in Richmond for over 20 years, Emmanuel has served several churches locally and around Virginia. He has a university degree in Choral Directing from his native Ukraine, as well as a Masters of Divinity from Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond.

Katherine Johnson became our Pianist/Organist in November 2022. Katherine is a Virginia Commonwealth University music graduate with a background in church music. She also served the Richmond Ballet for years as head accompanist.

Our Connection with Southampton Baptist Church

Southampton Baptist Church was active in ministry for sixty years over on Cherokee Road.  They loved to worship and were active in many mission projects, as has been their rich history.  They were always a loving and caring body of Christians.

Southampton began its relationship with Woodland Heights in 2018.  Having given their building to the Virginia Baptist Foundation to establish an endowment to minister in various areas in the City of Richmond, they searched for a place to worship, which we readily and quickly offered.  They will call themselves a body of aging individuals, but we noted their continued high level of passion for ministry and worship.  While not immediately, we soon began to do mission work together and to worship together on some special occasions. As time went on, our alignment became greater and greater, and eventually we began worshiping together, with Rev. Tom Ficklin serving for a time as Pastor of both churches simultaneously. In January 2021, Southampton Baptist formerly joined Woodland Heights Baptist as one church. Together as one body of Christ, we are now living into our belief: “One in worship – many in service”.

Our Affiliations

Woodland Heights Baptist Church partners with the following organizations:

Our History

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Woodland Heights Baptist Church has been present from the beginnings of her community.  The church’s origins can be traced to 1908, when a Baptist Sunday School first organized in Forest Hill.  A small frame building was soon completed and in April 1910, Woodland Heights Baptist Church was born! 

The congregation continued to grow and a larger building was finished in 1917.  Just a few years later, church leaders made plans for a lovely new sanctuary with distinct features.  That structure was completed in 1927 and continues to be used today.  Worship takes place in an atmosphere of reverence and historic beauty that proclaims the glory of God.

Across the years, the church has been characterized by its keen sense of fellowship, strong commitment to mission and an ethic of service that still prevails.  Woodland Heights has birthed three local congregations and is grandparent to a fourth.  The church’s enduring faith and ministry has been a significant part of Baptist witness in the Richmond area.

The 2010 Centennial celebrated the rich heritage of the church and developed plans for her future.  Through its Second Century initiative, the church is focused upon community missions and ministries.  Working closely with the Woodland Heights Civic Association, the Patrick Henry School for Science and Arts, and other partners, the congregation seeks to provide spiritual and physical resources to a diverse and vibrant neighborhood. 

The weekly Food Closet ministry is generously supported by members and community associates and continues to introduce new friends to the church.  The summer Vacation Bible School program and other seasonal events complement the church’s regular practices of worship and spriritual development.  Woodland Heights Baptist Church stands upon a great tradition as she continues to minister and serve.