Rev. Herbert C. Townes, a son of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church (MSBC), was born in the Hallsboro community of what is now part of Midlothian Virgina. He is the eighth of nine children born to the late Leon Henderson Townes, Sr., and Mary Hannah Harris Townes. He is married to the former Emma Brown of Matoaca Virgina and they have one daughter Patricia Shell, eight bonus grandchildren and three bonus great grandchildren.
Rev. Townes accepted Christ at an early age, was baptized at MSBC and served in various ministries in the church as a youth.
He matriculated through the Chesterfield County Virginia School System graduating from Carver High School, Chester Virginia in 1965. After high school graduation he served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force as an Aircraft Electronic Navigation Radar Equipment Repairman with service in Vietnam.
Following an honorable discharge from the USAF, Rev. Townes returned to his employment with the U.S. Postal Service where he worked for over 38 years and retired as the Manager of Maintenance for the Main Office at 1801 Brook Road, Richmond Virginia.
Rev. Townes was called to ministry, licensed in December 1998, and ordained as a minister in April 2000. Having obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management from St. Paul’s College, Lawrenceville Virginia in 1993, Rev. Townes went on to earn a Master of Divinity Degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University, Richmond Virginia graduating in 2002.
His ministry experience is comprised of serving in various ministries as an adult at MSBC including Chair of the Deacon Ministry, Usher Ministry, Adult Choir, Sunday School Teacher, Associate Minister and Minister of Christian Education. Upon request, he has conducted various church related workshops as he shares his teaching gift to the glory of God. Rev. Townes served as pastor of Friendship Memorial Baptist Church, Richmond Virginia and served as Interim Pastor for Greenbrier Baptist Church, Powhatan Virginia.
He is a member and past chair of the Ministers and Diaconate Leadership Conference of Amelia, Chesterfield and Powhatan Counties, member and past chair of the African American History Committee of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia. Out of the rich experience of visiting Ghana West Africa in 2002 and serving as Chair of the African American History Committee of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia, Herbert encourages himself and all to, “Embrace your essence and not your stereotype – because our ancestors are watching.”
Rev. Townes is an avid gardener/farmer who respects, enjoys God’s creation and living among living things.
What Herbert truly desires you to know is not about him, but is about Jesus Christ and that is –
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7, KJV)