Our Beliefs
Our Founding Fathers and the present congregation subscribe to the following ideas:

*The church is a divine institution created by God through Jesus Christ our Lord to carry out His work in the world.
*The Holy Spirit empowers the Church to maintain its life and growth.
*We will worship, educate, nurture and minister in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Members of this church are Believers, reborn through the Word and Spirit, who have publicly professed their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior in obedience to His command, have been baptized by immersion in water and have voluntarily pledged to one another to live in accordance with the faith and practices of this church. We affirm that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and reveals His eternal will and purpose in Jesus Christ. It stands as the sole authority and guide for the faith and practice of this church. The church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of the "Baptist Faith and Message of 1963". In so far as practical, the church cooperates with the Portsmouth Baptist Association, the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

Our History
Spanning three centuries, one hundred and five years, Port Norfolk Baptist Church has been at the heart of the community all along. From a Sunday School begun in a small waterfront pavilion in the Winter of 1897, the Church moved to a brush arbor built in the Spring of 1898 on the southeast side of the five hundred block of Maryland Avenue and Detroit Street. The Church was then under the support of Calvary Baptist Church. The Home Mission Board replaced the brush arbor in 1898 with a small frame church on the southwest corner of Maryland and Detroit. Dr. A. B. Dunnaway, the first Pastor, was called in the Spring of 1898 and the Church was organized with forty-five members. It was constituted on September 12, 1898.

In 1900, a new church building was completed on the corner of Detroit and Broad Streets, the present site. In 1913, the Church added a Sunday School building and a parsonage was built on the adjacent lot. The Sunday School Building was remodeled and enlarged in 1930. The plans for the present building were initiated in 1943. The new Sanctuary and Sunday School Building were completed in 1953. The Fellowship Hall, enlarged Sunday School Building , and Chapel followed, with the Chapel being dedicated in 1961. In 1984 the Fellowship Hall was dedicated to Dr. R. Clayton Pitts, a former pastor.

Missions Involvement
Our church family is actively involved in missions through offerings, special groups, and the Women's Missionary Union (WMU). We are a part of the Port Ministry for seamen who come into our local ports; we provide worship services for the Emily Green Shores Retirement Home; hospital visitation and a ministry for the homebound. Through our WMU we are active in missionary efforts in the United States and all over the world. We also work with state and local missions organizations. Our youth are very active in missions through World Changers, feeding the homeless, and neighborhood missions projects. The children learn about missions through "Mission Friends" and "Team Kid."

Our Music Programs
Our Music Department offers not only a chance to worship through music, but also great fellowship and fun at weekly choir rehearsals and get-togethers. We have an adult choir with members of all ages, a handbell choir, and a children's choir that always performs at Easter and Christmas, as well as other times throughout the year. We have several fine soloists, including our pastor, who bless our services with music and give concerts during the year. We have a praise team, Spark of Life, which leads in worship at different times.

Youth and Children
Our children and youth are actively involved in the life of our church. They have Sunday School, Sunday Evening Study groups, Wednesday evening activities and Vacation Bible School. There are also many special events including Game Nights and Ultimate Frisbee, skating parties, lock-ins, and retreat camps. Our teenagers have been involved in missions through the World Changers Program, and Eastern Shore mission trip. The younger kids are learning about missions through the Team Kid program on Wednesday evenings. All during the year, special holiday events keep everyone excited about being a part of Port Norfolk Baptist Church.

Recreation and Sports
Basketball and softball teams for men and women play every season. Win or lose we have a great time! Special picnics, parties, Easter Egg Hunts, Christmas parties and concerts happen all through the year. Our seniors meet each month for lunch, take special trips, and have guest speakers on topics that affect their lives.

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God."

-Acts 3:5