Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley is the Senior Pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, where he serves as only the eighth pastor in the church’s more than 200-year history. Under his visionary leadership, Alfred Street has grown to more than 12,000 members with a weekly viewership exceeding 25,000, expanding its reach and ministries while steadfastly upholding its call to spiritual formation, social justice, and community engagement.
Pastoral Staff
The Reverend Dr. Marcia M. Norfleet
Senior Assistant to the Pastor and Assistant to the Pastor for Missions and Seasoned Saints
Contact: Rev. Dr. Marcia M. Norfleet
Areas of Ministry: Rev. Dr. Norfleet oversees the mission activities for the Alfred Street Baptist Church, both foreign and domestic. She also manages all education, pastoral care, and fellowships for the Senior Ministry. As coordinator of the summer intern program, she supports emerging church leaders to discern their call and vocation.
Education: B.S. Mathematics, North Carolina Central University; Master of Divinity, Duke University.
Why I love working at Alfred Street Baptist Church: “There’s a sweet spirit of generosity and outreach embedded in the membership of Alfred Street and I’m always amazed by the heart of this community of faith because it seems to expand year to year.”
The Reverend Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams
Director of Christian Education
Contact: Rev. Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams
Areas of Ministry: Rev. Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams supports the pastor as instructor for Tuesday night Bible study, Senior Bible Study, Christian Life Institute, Ministers in Training, and as retreat facilitator. She is also a professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary and the author of “Ruth,” a commentary published by Abingdon Press. Rev. Dr. Fentress-Williams is married to Kevin Williams, M.D., they are blessed with two children, Samantha and Jacob.
Education: B.A. in English, Princeton University; Master of Divinity, Ph.D. in Religious Studies/Old Testament, Yale University
Why I love working at Alfred Street Baptist Church: “I am very blessed to be a part of the Alfred Street Baptist Church ministerial team. I love the worship experience at Alfred Street. Our music, preaching, fellowship usher us into the presence of God.”
The Reverend Denzel Goodlin
Assistant to the Pastor for Youth
Contact: Rev. Denzel Goodlin
Rev. Denzel Goodlin is the Assistant to the Pastor for Youth at Alfred Street Baptist Church. Prior to this role, Rev. Goodlin served as the Senior Pastor of St. Stephen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Liberty, North Carolina. Under his leadership, the church secured $44,000 for parsonage and church renovations and live-streaming upgrades to provide low-income housing for members in the community and increase revenue through digital outreach. Rev. Goodlin’s powerful voice and partnership with the community led to an increase and giving, attendance, and membership which sparked a need for new ministries to be created in the church.
Rev. Goodlin has also served on the ministerial staff of First AME Church of Alexandria in Alexandria, Va.; St. Joseph’s AME Church in Durham, N.C.; Rush Temple AME Zion Church in Jamaica, N.Y.; Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C.; and as a former ministerial intern of Alfred Street Baptist Church.
A native of Woodbridge, Va., Rev. Goodlin holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University, where his academic research focused on black liberation, theology and ethics. Prior to his matriculation at Yale, he obtained a Bachelor of Social Work degree from North Carolina Central University (NCCU). As an NCCU student, Denzel received multiple accolades, including being named the 2016 Tom Joyner Hercules Foundation Scholar, 2017 HBCU All-Star Ambassador, 2018 Brother of the Year for the Association of North Carolina Alphamen, and 2019 HBCU Male Student of the Year by HBCU Digest. He was also initiated into the Gamma Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Aside from being a pastor, chaplain and dedicated member of the ‘oldest and coldest’ Greek-lettered fraternal organization, Goodlin is most delighted to be the best friend, partner and husband to the Mrs. Adeola Busuyi-Goodlin. Together, the two are dog parents to Fifi and Issa Doodles-Goodlin. In his free time, he also enjoys cooking, reading, exercising and Marvel films.
The Reverend Marla C. Hawkins
Assistant to the Pastor for Children, Culinary Manager
Contact: Rev. Marla C. Hawkins
Areas of Ministry: Rev. Hawkins oversees all programming for children ages 4–12. She is the instructor for the Ministers in Training program, AWANA and WOW, and is a small group leader. She also offers pastoral counseling and serves as director of the culinary ministry. A seasoned educator, she is a vital part of the church’s Christian Formation Program. She is married to the love of her life, Charles D. Hawkins, and is the mother of Wallace, Omar and David. She has two grandchildren, Nokomis and Micco.
Education: B.S. in English, Dillard University; M.S. in Adult Education and Education Administration, North Carolina A & T State; Management Diploma by Objectives from Louisiana State University; Master of Divinity, Samuel DeWitt Proctor school of Theology at Virginia Union
Why I love working at Alfred Street Baptist Church: “Alfred Street has a rich tradition of Christian learning and I am blessed to pass this legacy on to the next generation of this faith community.”
The Reverend Justice Hill
Assistant to the Pastor for Online Ministries
Contact: Rev. Justice Hill
Rev. Justice Hill is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, where he was baptized and ordained at Brookland Baptist Church.
He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Louis University in 2022 with a double major in Political Science and American Studies. During his time at Saint Louis University, Rev. Hill was inducted into the Student Hall of Fame and delivered the commencement address for his graduating class. While at Saint Louis University, he also became a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
In 2025, Rev. Hill earned his Master of Divinity degree Summa Cum Laude from Duke Divinity School, with certificates in Preaching, Baptist Studies, and Black Church Studies. While at Duke, he served as President of the Black Seminarians Union, Assistant Chaplain for the Duke University Football Team, and Young Adult Minister at St. Joseph AME Church in Durham, North Carolina.
Rev. Hill is passionate about ministry that empowers, encourages, and equips people to live out their faith boldly. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, working out, discovering new TV shows, and growing his cologne collection.
His favorite scripture is Joshua 1:9 — “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Reverend Paul Hypolite
Assistant to the Pastor for Congregational Life
Contact: Rev. Paul Hypolite
Education: B.A. Speech Communication- Minor in Journalism, Texas Southern University; Master of Divinity, Virginia Union University in progress.
The Reverend LaTasha L. Morgan
Assistant to the Pastor for Counseling
Contact: Rev. Dr. LaTasha L. Morgan, LPC
Areas of Ministry: Rev. Morgan serves as the assistant to the pastor for counseling. As a board certified and licensed mental health therapist, she provides professional and Christian counseling, mental health program implementation and support to the existing and growing Alfred Street ministries and membership.
Education: B.A. in Business Administration, Strayer University; M.A. in Organizational Leadership, Nyack College; M.A. in Education and Human Development- Counseling, George Washington University, D.Min. in Christian Counseling, Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary.
Why I love working at Alfred Street Baptist Church: “I love working for Alfred Street Baptist Church because of the unique opportunity it has provided to integrate spirituality, faith and theology with psychotherapy to help heal, build and uplift an amazing community and beyond!”
The Reverend Natalie Murdoch
Assistant to the Pastor for Young Adults
Contact: Rev. Natalie Murdoch
Reverend Natalie Murdock was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and committed her life to the Lord at age seven. She discerned her call to preach while completing her undergraduate degree and Master of Public Health at Purdue University. Pursuing excellence in theological education, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia where she earned her Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University as a Woodruff Fellow. During this time, she was licensed and ordained at the Historic Hill First Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Allison Henderson-Brooks. There she served as Associate Minister to College Students and Young Adults. Natalie currently serves at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia as the Assistant to the Pastor for Young Adults under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley.
In addition to her faithful work within the church, Natalie has partnered with wonderful community organizations that support young adult ministry, including the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is also the founder of Notes from Corrin and She’s Come This Far by Faith. Notes from Corrin is designed to encourage spiritual formation among young adults, through numerous forms of content including her podcast, Another Day, Another Chance, and her Substack, From Nat, With Love. She’s Come This Far by Faith cultivates community amongst young adult Black women starting their journey in ministry. Natalie is grateful for every opportunity to serve God’s people, and she counts it a joy to share in what God is doing in this moment at Alfred Street Baptist Church.
