By Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D.
On Sunday, May 4, 2025, the sun rose in the east corner of the Southwest DC quadrant. That morning, DC360 Church launched its historic debut as a rebrand from Bethel Pentecostal of the Assemblies of God Tabernacle, with a view of the U.S. Capitol Building.
“At the heart of DC360 Church’s mission is a deep commitment to fostering healing and hope in our community. We believe that meaningful relationships and intentional partnerships are essential to addressing both the spiritual and practical needs of those around us,” says Pastors Fitzerald and Sophia Carter. “We work to build a stronger, more connected community where every person can experience the hope of renewal and the healing power of grace.”
This new church building is located at the corner of I Street and Half Street Southwest, directly across from the Rubell Museum. The museum building is the former site of Randall Junior High School – a historically Black public school where notable student “silky soul singer” Marvin Gaye attended. Gaye’s first family home site in DC is just a few blocks away at the corner of First and Q streets Southwest.
DC360 Church builds upon the foundation of Bethel Tabernacle – a solid rock in the Southwest community. It brands itself as a community faith-based change agent that outreaches to the
capital beltway, nation, and global communities.
For more than 104 years, the roots of Bethel Tabernacle date to 1921 with a mission of serving the nation’s capital and the Southwest community. The original church was erected on the landscape of the former 800-acre Notley Plantation of the 1700s during the era of slavery. As an anchor of the Southwest historically Black community, it survived the urban renewal of the 1960s.
Similar to other Southwest DC congregations, the church’s leadership partnered with developers to complete the seven-story project that includes the new construction of 197 apartments, a coffee shop, and a small bookstore. DC360 Church, along with St. Augustine’s, Riverside Baptist, and St. Matthew churches, has helped to address the need for more affordable housing units in the Southwest DC neighborhood. Among these four redeveloped church properties, 591 affordable housing units and 107 condominiums have been constructed. In addition, there are opportunities for small business development, early childhood education, youth and young adult development, and space for community gatherings as an incubator of services.
More importantly, these four places of worship are the faith-based building blocks that meet the Southwest neighborhood residents at the intersection of faith and community development. Literally block by block, their network of redeveloped properties connects the geographic landscape and residents’ spiritual needs from the perspective of four distinct religious denominations. Each has a unique mission to serve the congregations and the surrounding communities. From one church door to the other, they are walking distance away.
The rebranding of Bethel Tabernacle has emerged as DC360 Church in the midst of gentrification. Its new name reflects a full circle of service and commitment to “filling needs, healing hurts, and building dreams.”
“We’re excited to reconnect with a renewed vision for programs like Gladys’ Pantry,
Camp JAM, VBS, and Crossfire Basketball Camp” says Pastors Fitzerald and Sophia Carter. “Some of the new future youth and young adult programs we envision rolling out will include mentoring and leadership development programs as well as others that focus on the arts.”
As the sun sets on the southern horizon of the Southwest DC quadrant, after launching a new journey for the church’s leadership and congregation, DC360 Church’s ministry of hope is etched in the outer wall of the building. A walk and pause by the wall offer space for inspiration and meditation as the words speak to the heart of this place of worship.
Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D. writes about people, places, and historical celebrations at the intersection of faith and public policy. She earned degrees in computer science, education, public policy, and religious studies/ethnics and social justice from Jackson State University and Howard University. A Southwest Washington, DC resident of 25 years, she is a licensed tour guide, an ordained Christian minister, a Docent at the Washington National Cathedral and a past Chair of Friends of Rankin Chapel at Howard University.
