Congregational Vitality

 

New Starts

Dreams and Visions

Dreams and Visions is a church in Baltimore that’s awake to the realities of our world and alive to the possibilities of God. Together, they’re creating an imaginative space of restoration, where people find the courage to be their full selves. They are a community rooted in the faith and experiences of LGBTQ+ people. At Dreams and Visions, they seek to pattern their lives after Jesus, that healer, agitator, and teacher who stands on the side of the oppressed. Worship services are currently held one Sunday a month at 4 p.m. at the Maryland State Boychoir Center for the Arts (3400 Norman Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21213).

Follow Dreams and Visions on Facebook and Instagram for service times, updates, and more.

Beloved Community

Beloved Community Multicultural Congregation is a ministry of mission and outreach to build a Christian faith community to come together for praise and worship. In their outreach efforts, they are intentionally multicultural and celebrate diversity and cultural richness. In their worship services, they praise and worship together, celebrate rich cultures, languages and unique gifts, encourage children to participate, break bread together, deepen relationships around multicultural table fellowship and open their homes to one another. Thus Beloved community is a family where you belong, not just invited or welcomed. Beloved Community Multicultural Worship is on Saturdays at 5 p.m. at First Evangelical Lutheran Church (3604 Chatham Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042).

Follow Beloved Community on Facebook or email Pastor Surekha Nelavala for more information.

Church on the Square

Church on the Square is open, affirming, hopeful and embracing of all faith journeys. They are unashamedly followers of Christ. Similarly, like Christ, they strive to be inquisitive, friendly to all and inviting of creative conversation to express thoughts and opinions, fostering understanding and formulation of definitive answers. Their hope is to create a post-denominational community church that focuses on building neighborhoods, no strings attached. They see the neighborhoods of Southeast Baltimore as their congregation, not just those who choose to show up for events or services. All they have is available to the community and they are here to serve. Church on the Square aspires to the imitate the humble and selfless servant leadership of Jesus. Church on the Square is a safe haven and fully affirming to LGBTQA+ neighbors. The leadership represents their diversity. The members celebrate their diversity. God rejoices in all people finding love and home at Church on the Square. Worship services are held on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. at Church on the Square (1025 S Potomac Street, Baltimore, MD 21224).

Follow Church on the Square on Facebook and Instagram.

The Slate Project

The Slate Project is an experiment in Christian community where people gather both online and face-to-face in order to follow Christ. Their founding question is, “What if we had a clean slate for being the church?” They are committed to following the way of Jesus together, into local and digital neighborhoods and discerning in community how to be the church in the 21st century. Baltimore-based face-to-face gatherings include #BreakingBread, a weekly dinner liturgy held on Mondays at 5:45 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Incarnation (4 E University Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21218) and #WakeUpWordUp, a Bible study held on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at Nancy by SNAC (131 W North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201). Digital gatherings include the weekly Twitter chat, #SlateSpeak, held Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. EST.

You can follow The Slate Project on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mountain of God

 

Mountain of God Evangelical International Church is an African-national ministry started by a zealous evangelist who was resettled in Baltimore, Maryland by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service in partnership with Christ Lutheran Church.  Patsor Jean Paul saw the need for Swahili speaking community in Baltimore area and began the service with five families in October 2016 in the Christ Lutheran Church Chapel. Swahili, French, Lingala and English languages are used at the Mountain of God Evangelical International Church during worship services. Worship is held on ______ at ____ at Christ Lutheran Church (701 S Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21230).

Crisfield Exploration

Photo by Flickr user @kennykunie, available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/26535752@N08/7918216050

Located on the Chesapeake Bay, Crisfield, Maryland is a waterside community in Somerset County. The resort community is famous for its seafood – especially the Maryland blue crab. Though there are more than 30 churches along the Crisfield Route 413 corridor, there is no Lutheran congregation. Since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Lutheran Disaster Response has been doing amazing rehabilitation work – so much so that the community started to ask for the Lutheran church to have a presence. Building on the already existing relationship with the community and leaders, we are exploring the possibility of starting a Lutheran church in Crisfield.

Mara Evangelical Church

Mara Evangelical Church is a worshiping communing started by Mara refugees settled in the Baltimore area. Mara Christians began gathering at homes to worship in their language about seven years ago. They soon grew and moved to Christ Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland.

Global Peace Lutheran Fellowship

Global Peace Lutheran Fellowship is a mission congregation aiming to create a welcoming place for worship and communion for the people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. They welcome everyone who wishes to join for worship services, gatherings, Bible studies, meetings and discussions of spiritual formation, retreats, events, and celebrations. Their vision is to impact and renew Frederick, Maryland and beyond with the transforming message of Jesus Christ through words and actions. Worship services are held on the third Sunday of the month at 5 p.m. at Evangelical Lutheran Church (31 E Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701).

You can follow Global Peace on Facebook or email Pastor Surekha Nelavala for more information.

Synodical Strategic Partnerships

Mission Sustainability Cohorts are groups of congregations intentionally covenanted to learn, examine, explore together opportunities to reclaim evangelical heritage and spiritual grounding in a transitional society.  The training modules include, but are not limited to, tri-listening (listening to God, to the scripture and to our neighbors), asset mapping, evangelism, stewardship, fundraising and grant writing.