Leadership

About
Leadership

Pastors

Thabiti Anyabwile

Pastor

Thabiti Anyabwile

Thabiti is one of the pastors for ARC. He has served as an elder and pastor in churches in NC, DC and the Cayman Islands. After a few years as a practicing Muslim, Thabiti was converted under the preaching of the gospel in the Washington DC area. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children. Thabiti is the author of several books, including The Life of God in the Soul of the Church; The Gospel for Muslims; What Is a Healthy Church Member?; The Decline of African-American Theology; and The Faithful Preacher. He blogs regularly at The Front Porch and Pure Church.

Tim Ballard

Pastor

Tim Ballard

Tim was born and raised in Philadelphia. His favorite word in the English language is “grateful.” Tim is grateful for having been born to Christian parents that introduced him to Jesus at a very early age. He is grateful to God for saving him when he knows he is not worthy of God’s grace and mercy. Tim is grateful to his wife Moira for loving him unconditionally… and the list goes on. Tim has been a part of ARC from its first service and is now one of the pastors. Tim and Moira currently live in Maryland with their four children.

Daniel Jemibewon

Pastor

Daniel Jemibewon

Daniel was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio to a Nigerian mother who faithfully raised him in the church. Though he professed Christ from an early age, he lived as a cultural Christian until his mid-twenties. Following a major medical operation that led to his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Daniel came to truly know the Lord. In that season, he was confronted with the inauthenticity of his prior profession of faith and came to understand salvation as by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
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Before joining Anacostia River Church, Daniel served as a deacon of community care at another local congregation. He is passionate about teaching, discipleship, and pastoral care, desiring to see God’s people grow in maturity and joy in Christ.
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Daniel is married to Colle and together they have four children, two boys and two girls. He counts it a privilege to serve the ARC family alongside his fellow elders, trusting in the Lord’s faithfulness to build His church for His glory.

Lloyd Matthews

Pastor

Lloyd Matthews

Lloyd was born in Dunn, North Carolina, but raised in Southeast Washington, D.C. He is a veteran of the United States Navy. Lloyd fondly remembers witnessing his grandfather’s walk of faith and the impact it had on his life. He recalls two pivotal moments when the gospel was shared with him—first, as a teenager by his father’s best friend, and later, in his late twenties, by a dear friend at work. It was after this second encounter that God saved him from a life of sin. Since his conversion, Lloyd has never looked back. He is deeply grateful to God for His grace, mercy, and the many blessings in his life, both before and after his conversion. Lloyd serves on the board of Campus Outreach DC. He is blessed to share his life with his beautiful and loving wife, Wanda. Together, they have four children and seven grandchildren, whom he loves dearly. Now a resident of Clinton, Maryland, Lloyd has a profound love for the body of Christ and is grateful for his ARC family.

Thomas Matthews

Pastor | Youth Ministry

Thomas Matthews

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Thomas grew up in a Christian household, where his faith was shaped from an early age. He spent eight years away from home in Kentucky and North Carolina—seasons that strengthened his relationship with God and deepened his understanding of His purpose. In 2019, he married his wife, Joya, and together they are blessed with their daughter, Cana.

Now back in the D.C. area and settled in Southeast Washington, D.C., Thomas is passionate about serving his church and community, walking in the wisdom of Proverbs 4:28. Through his journey, he has learned to value the hedge of protection God has placed around his life, staying on the path set before him and encouraging others to do the same.

Babatunde Olusesi

Pastor

Babatunde Olusesi

Babatunde was born and raised a Muslim in Nigeria. He became a Christian at a meeting of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) in Ibadan, Nigeria three months after Gbemi, his wife (then girlfriend) had become a Christian. He immediately found a church, attended new members’ class and was baptized. He got married to Gbemi about a year and a half after the Lord called them to be his own. Babatunde then moved to the United States and continued in the faith attending several churches. Years after Gbemi joined Babatunde in the US, the Lord led them to ARC in 2017 and they have since been fully involved in the life of the church. Babatunde is especially grateful that the Lord pulled him from the crescent to the cross and is amazed and awed by this undeserved grace and mercy of God.

Dennis Washington

Pastor | Global Missions

Dennis Washington

Dennis is a native New Yorker, born in Harlem, and raised in the Bronx. He is a veteran in the United States Air Force where he served honorably. While in the Military, through various circumstances the LORD began to draw Dennis to Himself and by God’s grace saved him from a life of sin. Early on in his Christian walk, he sensed a call to serve the Lord in international missions. Since then, he and his family have served in various cross-cultural capacities, including: campus ministry with international students, mobilizing for Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, and steering committee member for the National African American Mission Conference. Dennis is happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Tarsha Washington, and they have four children together: D’mani, D’naja, Joshua, and Jonathan.

Deacons & Deaconesses

Hanna Baker

Deaconess of Community Development

Hanna Baker

Although DC is her home now, Hanna grew up in the Bahamas, where she came to faith as a middle schooler. Service has always been a way of life for her, she started out selling dolls in the Bahamian Straw Market at age 6. In addition to serving the ARC family as Deaconess of Community Development she serves as a civil servant in local government, and formerly served as an elected neighborhood official. She is a proud graduate of the University of Central Florida, a lover of Christian hip-hop and the favorite aunt to 10 nephews and 7 nieces.

Dawn Covin

Deaconess of Member Care

Dawn Covin

Philadelphia born, North Carolina raised, and Southeast DC planted is how Dawn describes where she is from. Her father was in the military during her formative years and her family moved around quite a bit before settling in North Carolina. After attending college and graduate school, Dawn started a professional career as a consultant and moved to DC, which she refers to as her favorite city. Dawn and her husband Michael have been married for over 20 years and have 4 amazing daughters. They are a homeschooling family and she is passionate about supporting mothers and women with a “heart for home” to create flexible, work-life integration through entrepreneurship and God’s grace. Dawn is humbled and blessed to call ARC home. She and her husband visited one time and never left. She prays that all members know that they are loved by God the Father and cared for in practical ways by their generous and loving ARC church family.

Durce Johnson

Deacon of Men's Ministry

Durce Johnson

Durce was born and raised in south central New Jersey. Following an early life of poor choices and worse results, he responded to what he believed was God’s call and accepted Christ at an early age, but walked away from Christ soon thereafter. In 1984, he moved to DC, where he joined a Baptist church, rededicated his life to Christ and has not looked back. About seven years later, he met his beautiful wife, Jacqueline. In 1993, Durce and Jacqueline married and moved to Rock Hill, SC and lived there for three years. Over the years, they have been active members of several Baptist churches (1 in SC and 2 in DC, to be exact). They were led to ARC in 2016 and became members in 2018. Durce and Jacqueline have been blessed beyond measure by the teaching, preaching, ministries, and relationships at ARC! Durce thanks God for ARC’s leadership and his church family. God has been faithful, graceful, and merciful to him. Durce feels he’s truly a beneficiary of Christ’s sacrifice and is committed to sharing about it! Durce and Jacqueline have three adult children and five grandchildren.

Ashley Shuler

Deaconess of Ushers and Greeters

Ashley Shuler

Ashley is a Northern Virginia native whose passion for service and leadership began early. At just 10 years old, she gave her life to Christ on Resurrection Sunday: a moment that would shape her lifelong commitment to faith, community, and impact. Growing up, Ashley found joy in volunteering and serving others, which naturally sparked her interest in politics and public policy.

After graduating from the College of William & Mary, Ashley pursued a career across the private, nonprofit, and federal government sectors. Through her work, she has gained deep insight into how people, policy, and government intersect: particularly in the areas of healthcare, civil rights, homelessness, and higher education.

Today, Ashley serves as a Program Specialist for Prison Education Programs and Second Chance Pell at the U.S. Department of Education, where she is dedicated to expanding access to education and creating pathways for second chances.

Outside of work, Ashley loves discovering “side quests” around the DMV, playing pickleball, and continuing her commitment to service through volunteer work.

Ministry Leaders and Staff

Moira Ballard

Children's Ministry Director

Moira Ballard

Moira currently serves as the Children’s Ministry Director. She has homeschooled her four children over the past 15 years. She enjoys sharing the Gospel to children in a way that they can grasp and comprehend. Moira also works as a photographer, graphics designer, and video editor. She resides in Upper Marlboro with her husband, Tim, of 22 years; along with their children.

Esinam Berchie

Worship Director

Esinam Berchie

Esinam serves as a worship director at ARC. Before she spoke to the Lord, she sang to him whether it was to tell Him she was happy or sad. She has known the Lord to be her consistent safe place and her dearest friend. The Church has been a source of encouragement and security throughout her life. Since her early teens, she has served in worship ministry in some capacity and has ministered through music in various states and globally. Whether on stage or behind the scenes work with audio/visual, Esinam’s desire is for the hearts of men, women, and children to soften in the presence of the Lord that they may truly know Him, love Him, and most importantly be loved by Him.

Ashley Davenport

Neighbor Outreach Director | Small Groups

Ashley Davenport

Ashley serves as the Neighbor Outreach Director at Anacostia River Church. She was born in Springfield, MO, but has since called Topeka, KS, Memphis, TN, and now Washington, D.C. home. Although she was not raised in a Christian home, God always placed people in her life to teach her about Him. She came to faith at 10 years old at a church camp. Coming to faith as a child from an unbelieving family has helped shape her heart for evangelism for both children and adults. Since college she has held ministerial outreach jobs serving predominantly black and brown communities (Kids Across America, Memphis Athletic Ministries, Neighborhood Christian Center and Young Life) and is passionate about people knowing the love of God, the peace of His fellowship, and the power of His truth. She is excited to see God use the local church to build relationships with the neighbors in Anacostia for His glory.

Jacqueline Johnson

Hospitality and Events Ministry Director

Jacqueline Johnson

Jacqueline (or Mama J, as she is affectionately known) is a proud Afro-Latina and devoted follower of Christ. She gave her life to Christ at the age of twelve, but it wasn’t until her adult years that she truly understood the importance of living in obedience and maintaining a relationship that glorifies God. This understanding led her to rededicate her life to Christ in 1991. Since then, Jacqueline has served in various leadership roles, focusing on mentoring young women and married couples.
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Jacqueline and her husband, Deacon Durce, have been married for 31 years and are blessed with three adult children and five grandchildren. Born in Panama and raised in northern Virginia, she has a rich cultural heritage that she celebrates. Jacqueline served eight years in the United States Air Force, where she developed a strong sense of discipline and service.
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Today, Jacqueline is an accomplished event planner and business owner. She serves as the Hospitality and Events Ministry Director at ARC, where she has been a dedicated member since 2018, having started attending in 2016. In addition to her ministry work, Jacqueline is passionate about pro-life causes and works part-time for an organization that supports moms and babies in crisis. Her life is a testament to her faith, family, and commitment to serving others.

Joya Matthews

Women's Ministry | GriefShare Ministry

Joya Matthews

Joya currently serves as the leader of ARC’s Women’s Ministry. She is a Tennessee native, but now lives in Southeast Washington, DC with her husband, Pastor Thomas, and their toddler. Joya grew up in a Christian home and was first baptized at eight years old. At fifteen, she rededicated her life to Christ after gaining a deeper understanding of and personal commitment to the Gospel. She believes God used college ministries and local churches in Memphis, TN, as well as Anacostia River Church and intentional discipleship to help anchor and strengthen her faith.

In 2021, Joya established the GriefShare Ministry at Anacostia River Church following the passing of her father. Having been deeply encouraged by the ministry herself, she felt called to create a space where others could find comfort and hope. Through this ministry, she has had the privilege of walking alongside dozens of church members and neighbors as they navigate their grief journeys.

She’s passionate about helping women discover their true identities in Christ, and sharing the comfort of the Lord with those who are grieving. She is deeply honored to serve the Anacostia River Church community.

Enya McDaniels

Campus Outreach Staff

Enya McDaniels

Enya was born in New York and raised in Conyers, GA. In high school, she came to faith through a friend's bible study. Enya graduated from Howard University in 2023 with her B.S. in Psychology. During her freshman year of college, she became involved with Campus Outreach and began to be discipled. Through her time in CO, she learned what it meant to live life on mission as a disciple of Christ. She's continued to live on mission, serving as Women's Campus Staff and making disciples at Howard University.

Angie Rivera

Campus Outreach Staff

Angie Rivera

Angie is from Millsboro, DE and she became involved with Campus Outreach at American University during her freshman year in 2019, where God used the ministry of CO to bring her to Christ. For the remainder of her time in college, the Lord grew Angie tremendously through the teaching and preaching of His word at Restoration Church and Campus Outreach weekly meetings. Through a short-term trip to Thailand, she believes the Lord clarified her calling and her desire to see college students know and experience the love of Christ in 2023. Angie is excited to continue serving students in Washington, DC and now Howard University, to labor to see the gospel go forth to all the nations.

Natasha Rones

Worship Director

Natasha Rones

Natasha serves as a Worship Director at ARC. She loves the Lord and His people, and it is one of her greatest joys to sing to the Lord and to encourage others to do so as well.

Natasha is married to her husband, Brock, and their union of over 25 years has blessed them with three children whom they love greatly. Natasha’s favorite passage of scripture is Romans 8, as it has encouraged her throughout her Christian journey.‍

Meriam Zegeye

Campus Outreach Staff

Meriam Zegeye

Meriam was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before moving to Alexandria, Virginia. There she came to faith through her church youth group. She recently received her B.S. in Global Health from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Through the discipleship she received from Campus Outreach, she saw what it means to live out the Great Commission. She serves on staff at Howard University building relationships, sharing the gospel, discipling, and being a bridge to the local church. She is eager to see many young women come to faith and embrace the call to make disciples of all nations!

Sundays, 10AM at THEARC
1901 Mississippi Ave SE
Washington, DC 20020

Email: admin@anacostiariverchurch.org
Phone: (202) 251-2660

Mailing Address:
Anacostia River Church
P.O. Box 10314
Washington, DC 20020