About
We're Family Here
Arlington Baptist Church is a loving church family with your family at its heart. Though a growing, thriving membership, one cannot come to a service at Arlington without feeling the warmth of a small family!
There is a closeness at our church that is seldom felt in this day and age. Visitors are encouraged to come and make themselves at home. After having been around the people of Arlington Baptist Church for awhile, certainly you will quickly feel like one of the family.
Our History
The Arlington Baptist Church was organized as the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley, California, in July 1947.
The nine charter members who comprised the membership of the church were led by Rev. Jay Pruden who served as the interim pastor until Rev. Michael Schepis was called as the first full-time pastor of the church in October, 1948. It was under his leadership that the church obtained property at 6382 Arlington Blvd., East Richmond Heights, California.
In 1979, the church acquired the property and buildings of the Trinity Baptist Church of El Cerrito, California, when its membership voted to merge with our church. We began meeting for services at the El Cerrito property and later converted the Richmond property to a Kindergarten through 12th grade christian school.
From the very first service in 1947 until now, the Arlington Baptist Church has been a lighthouse for the gospel to the multitudes in the East Bay area. It was a conviction with those first nine members of the church that "...Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it...," and it is that same conviction that drives the present membership.
"Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Ephesians 3:21.
Arlington Baptist congregation in front of the old property on Arlington Blvd. during the 1950s.
