Michael V. Bonner
Chair, Board Of Deacons
Michael V. Bonner
Chair, Board Of Deacons
Focus & Background: Deacon Michael V. Bonner joined Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in 1997. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He has been a deacon since 1999 and became chair in 2019. Deacon Bonner is committed to serving the needs of the church and has a special interest in creating programs that support our youth and our seniors. As chair of the Deacon Board, he supports the pastor in meeting the spiritual needs of the church body, which includes working on church priorities to achieve our goals. He oversees the ministries, prays with and listens to our members, serves Communion inside and outside the church walls, and participates in church programs. Deacon Bonner also is committed to the church Food Pantry, where he serves as its coordinator, working each Wednesday and Friday to assist clients.
Availability: As needed.
Evangeline Fultz Stevens
Chair, Board Of Deaconesses
Evangeline Fultz Stevens
Chair, Board Of Deaconesses
Focus & Background: Deaconess Evangeline Fultz Stevens joined Nineteenth Street Baptist Church by experience of grace in 1998 from the Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Danville, Va. She became a deaconess in 2002 and served as treasurer and vice chair prior to assuming the position of chair in January 2020. As chair, she leads the Deaconess Board in assisting the pastor and the deacons in meeting the spiritual needs of the church and achieving church goals. She is a member of the Senior Usher Board (past president), serving as church greeter, and a member of the Interdenominational Church Ushers Association of Washington, DC & Vicinity (ICUA), Missionary Society, Pastor’s Aid Ministry, Women’s Ministry, and Sunday School. Deaconess Stevens has a strong love for connecting with homebound members, especially those who live alone and who do not have email. She makes sure that they are kept abreast of events and church resources. Deaconess Stevens is a retired registered nurse and always willing to put her skills to work when called.
Availability: As needed.
Franklin L. Smith
Chair, Board Of Trustees
Franklin L. Smith
Chair, Board Of Trustees
Focus & Background: Chairman Franklin L. Smith joined Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in 1991, along with his wife, Deaconess Gloria Smith, and two of their five children, when he came to Washington to serve as superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools. He is a native of Cape Charles, Va. He became a trustee in 2015 and chair in 2016. Trustee Smith is thankful to work with members of the Board of Trustees who are willing to work together for the betterment of our church. He is thankful that the Trustee Board has added new revenue sources by renovating and converting the Jones-Handy House into a rental property and by installing solar panels. The trustees also have restored the fellowship hall, procured modern, lighter-weight tables for church use, reduced our water bill through grants, upgraded our telephone and internet systems, and funded the church digital media sign. You also can find Trustee Smith singing in the Men’s Choir.
Availability: As needed.
Patricia Kilby-Robb
Director, Board of Christian Education
Patricia Kilby-Robb
Director, Board of Christian Education
Education & Background: Deaconess Patricia Kilby-Robb began her Christian education service as a Sunday school teacher, president of an I Am His (IAH) youth development program, and a member of the Board of Christian Education at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. In 1999, she was elected the director of the board. She has been appointed to the Baptist Educational Congress on Christian Education of D.C. & Vicinity Board, chaired the William H. Jernigan Scholarship Committee, coordinated the D.C. & Vicinity Christian Education Forum, and served in other leadership roles. She has received certificates in Christian education administration and is participating in a four-year leadership school to become certified as a dean under the auspices of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., National Baptist Congress on Christian Education, and Progressive National Baptist Convention.
Deaconess Kilby-Robb is retired from the District of Columbia Public Schools system, where she served as a principal and in other capacities. She later joined the United States Department of Education and is serving as an education program specialist in the Charter Schools Program. Kilby-Robb has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and education from Howard University. She also studied as a Ph.D. candidate at Howard and at the Fielding Institute in California.
June L. Jackson
Church Clerk
Sageta Jackson
Assistant Church Clerk
Shirley France
Church Treasurer
Shirley France
Church Treasurer
Focus & Background: Sister Shirley France has been a member of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church since 1981. As church treasurer, she is responsible for maintaining the financial records of the church and reporting the financial condition of the church to the Board of Trustees. She advises and assists church boards, committees, auxiliaries, and ministries with their financial accounts. Over the years, Sister France’s footprint has been in just about every area of church life. She has served as a multiple-term Trustee Board member, a long-standing leader of the Kandelite Choir, and a former Church School superintendent. Currently, she serves in the Church School, Music Ministry, Youth Ministry, Global Missions Ministry, Budget Committee, Progressive Adults, and Scholarship Committee. Sister France has IT and financial work experience at AT&T/C&P/Bell Atlantic/Verizon, but the use of her talents at our church goes far beyond these areas.
William Hoff
Disbursing Officer
William Hoff
Disbursing Officer
Focus & Background: Brother Hoff is on the Trustee Board and has been a member of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church since 1985. With over 25 years of experience in finance and budget management, he was elected disbursing officer by the congregation for 2019 and is serving his second term. In this role, he assists the congregation, boards, and the pastor in improving the fiscal health of our church. Brother Hoff’s commitment is to leave this church financially sound and stable. Thanks to his work, the church’s fiscal house is in better order and the church infrastructure is in better repair. It is his personal desire to assist and contribute to the education and health needs of the youth in our church. He is also a member of the Men’s Choir. Our church is proud to have this U.S. Army Veteran as a member and leader.
Stephanie Thomas-Gordon
Interim Superintendent, Church School
Stephanie Thomas-Gordon
Interim Superintendent, Church School
Focus & Background: Deacon Stephanie Thomas-Gordon joined Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in 2010 with her son, Justin. She quickly found a space to explore and ground her personal and professional pursuits in community and economic development steeped in Christian values. She is drawn to a call-to-action to protect the vulnerable, energize faith communities, speak truth to power, and demonstrate the prototypical ministry and care of the early church as found in the book of Acts. This desire led her to humbly serve as a deacon and as Church School superintendent. As superintendent, she leads and manages Church School programs and teacher training as a part of the Board of Christian Education. Deacon Thomas-Gordon also shares her talents in the Music Ministry and the Women’s Ministry. She has received the City & State Reports of New York Corporate Social Responsibility Award and a Next City Vanguards –“40 and Under” award for distinguished urban leaders and innovators.
Kenneth Peagler
Minister of Music
Kenneth Peagler
Minister of Music
Focus & Background: Kenneth (Kenny) Peagler is an internationally acclaimed pianist, singer-songwriter and arranger who has performed with countless musical icons worldwide. He also has served at several churches over the years. Since April 2019, he has been utilizing his gifts serving as minister of music at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. His artistic diversity not only includes gospel music but spans the spectrum of genres encompassing classical, jazz, popular, and rhythm and blues. His drive for blending genres and connecting with other musicians and the audience gives his sound a rich emotion.