TBC Hosted Installation Service for Rev. Willie Bodrick, II

Calling it a move to strengthen its foundation for generations to come, the historic Twelfth Baptist Church (TBC) officially installed Reverend Willie Bodrick, II as its Senior Pastor during a Pastoral Installation Service Sunday, September 26. Rev. Bodrick, II is the second-youngest pastor in the Church’s 181-year history and its youngest pastor in the last 145 years.

Rev. Bodrick, II, the 14th senior pastor at TBC, has served in this current role since January 2021. The service was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

“I’ve spent my entire ministry career at Twelfth Baptist Church, first as an intern in 2012 during my studies at Harvard Divinity School and in nearly every role leading up to Senior Pastor,” said Rev. Bodrick, II. “TBC has a rich history that dates back to 1805, and I’m dedicated to ensuring long-term sustainability to keep its mission alive. My passion for service is exemplified through the work of the church and I look forward to expanding our footprint across the community.”

Rev. Bodrick, II has been one of the most prolific leaders during the pandemic in the city. Throughout the last nine months, he led efforts to establish the Twelfth Baptist Church Vaccination Clinic, in partnership with Boston Medical Center, vaccinating more than 2,400 people in the community. He hosted a Fireside Chat on TBC’s Facebook and YouTube channels educating and informing the community about the COVID-19 vaccine with an infectious disease expert, which attracted more than 800 views. He also expanded the virtual platform of the Church to amass more than one thousand weekly viewers on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, ensuring his community stayed connected while physically apart.

Rev. Bodrick, II also played an instrumental role in facilitating donations and partnerships with corporations which allowed TBC to give more than $250,000 to community members and organizations during this pandemic. TBC’s food distribution program provides meals to an average of 200 families a week. TBC also recently received $1 million from King Boston, the church’s largest-ever gift. It will use this funding to aid its social ministries, food insecurity program and former incarcerated program, and as a catalyst for its upcoming capital campaign.

Mass. Representative Russell Holmes, Acting Mayor of Boston Kim Janey, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, and Boston City Councilor At-Large Michelle Wu attended the Installation Service alongside prominent local, regional and national religious leaders, including Rev. Arthur T. Gerald, Jr., Pastor Emeritus, Twelfth Baptist Church; Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown, Associate Pastor, Twelfth Baptist Church; Bishop John M. Borders, III, Senior Pastor, Morning Star Baptist Church; Rev. Liz Walker, Senior Pastor, Roxbury Presbyterian Church; Rev. Gregory Groover, Senior Pastor, Charles Street AME Church; Rev. Willie Bodrick, Sr., Senior Pastor, Shady Grove Baptist Church (GA); Rev. Reggie L. Bodrick, Senior Pastor, Sand Hill Missionary Baptist Church (SC); Rev. Jaron Green, Senior Pastor, Union Baptist Church, Cambridge; Rev. Marcus McCullough, Senior Pastor, Bethel AME Church, Springfield; Rev. Art Gordon, Senior Pastor, St. John's Missionary Baptist Church; Rev. Franklin Murray, Senior Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Cheryl Towns-Gilkes, Associate Pastor, Union Baptist Church, Cambridge; Rev. Laura Everett, Executive Director, Massachusetts Council of Churches; and Rev. Dr. Mary Day Miller, Executive Minister, The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts.

“Rev. Bodrick, II is building upon the 216-year legacy of Twelfth Baptist Church since it was founded as the First African Meeting House to strengthen the community and solidify a foundation for generations to come,” said Rev. Arthur T. Gerald, Jr., Pastor Emeritus, Twelfth Baptist Church. “He has navigated through a pandemic, a time of racial reckoning and an economic crisis to best serve TBC’s families and the community at large. I am proud to have Rev. Bodrick, II lead our church as an advocate for breaking societal barriers.”

Rev. Bodrick, II has been recognized for his dedication to making his communities strong, most recently as a 2021 Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40, The Boston Foundation’s 20 Leaders of the 2020s, and a 2020 Northeastern University Huntington 100 Award. Outside of his work at TBC, Rev. Bodrick, II currently serves on the following: Forward Fund-King Boston/The Boston Foundation, Co-Founder; Roxbury YMCA Board of Advisors, Board Member; City of Boston Equitable Recovery Taskforce, Member; Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Board Member; Boston Bar Association New Lawyers Forum Public Service Committee, Co-Chair; Black Doctoral Candidate Network, Co-Founder; Boston Public Schools Opportunity and Achievement Taskforce, Member; Boston Network for Black Student Achievement, President; MA Attorney General Racial Justice and Equity Council; Boston Bar Association (BBA) Taskforce on Police Accountability; DA Rachel Rollins Transition Team (previously served); Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Member.

In addition to his role at TBC, Rev. Bodrick, II works as a law clerk at Brown Rudnick, LLP in the Corporate Practice Group. He received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law. He currently resides in Roxbury with his wife Dr. Devin Cromartie-Bodrick and their son.

About Twelfth Baptist Church:

The historic Twelfth Baptist Church is located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. The church was founded when a group of 36 parishioners split from the First African Baptist Church, also known as the African Meeting House in 1840. It was during this time at TBC began its legacy of serving as an anti-slavery meetinghouse and providing spiritual guidance. Throughout its history, Twelfth Baptist Church has served as a forum for champions of human rights.