Union Chapel welcomes the return of the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley from Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, this Sunday, July 28.

Viewed as a prolific and prophetic voice of justice and grace, Rev. Wesley is the son of the late Rev. Dr. Alvin and Dr. Helene Wesley and represents the fifth generation of Baptist preachers in his family.

Rev. Wesley is only the eighth pastor in Alfred Street Baptist Church’s 216-year history. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 2,500 members to 10,000, with 50,000 online viewers and 80 active ministries. To accommodate this growth, the church holds four weekend services.

Dr. Wesley is a native of Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with a BS in biomedical and electrical engineering before following a call to seminary at the Boston University School of Theology and subsequently earning his doctor of ministry in preaching from Northern Baptist Seminary.

He is part of the inaugural cohort for the PhD in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theological Seminary, and is an adjunct professor at Hartford Seminary, Boston University and Virginia Theological Seminary.

Union Chapel is located on Naragansett avenue at the intersection with Kennebec and Circuit avenues and welcomes people of all faiths every Sunday.

Services begin at 10 a.m., following an organ prelude at 9:40 a.m.