The line above from a beloved hymn conveys well our Vision: “What’s Good for Least Is Good for the Whole” - and our Mission: “Love in Action”. In the face of the “Christian” nationalism all around us that proclaims Caesar Is Lord, we boldly proclaim here that Jesus Is Lord. This means we reject the love of power for the power of love - and reject peace through violent victory for peace through nonviolent justice.

All of this allows us the space to explore ways the Spirit can employ our full humanity to serve God, God’s creation, and our neighbor. I am forever amazed how this spirit of service and justice is employed by our number in their daily lives. Come - Worship with Us. Come - Serve with Us. Join us on our journey into Christ’s relational joy! - Rev. Chuck

We at Bethesda Presbyterian Church understand white supremacy to be a spiritual virus with no simple vaccine.

Our discipleship response to this scourge – our country’s “original sin” -- has been manifold: 

• Efforts by one of our church members, historian Dr. Ronald Grim, to uncover through extensive research how several church members pre-Civil War were enslavers as well. See the videos “Our Congregation’s History: A Racial Reckoning” and “Our Racial Reckoning Continues.”

• Extensive phone banking and writing several thousand postcards to combat voter suppression in 8 states (with Reclaim Our Vote)  

• Our support of our Parish Associate, the Rev. Pat Jackson, and the interracial ministry he has founded: Interwoven Congregations for Racial Justice and Healing.

• An October 2023 Interwoven Civil Rights Pilgrimage of three Black men and three White men – including Revs. Pat and Chuck – to Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery: Here’s a video overview.

• Our intensive studies of Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility, Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited, and Debby Irving’s Waking Up White.

As the Central Bethesda storehouse for Here2Help, volunteers each Sunday - from the community and from the church - provide for the weekly food needs for aboout a dozen families. Presently, many recent Afghan refugees families depend on the faithful work provided here!

The Del Ray Club, hosting 40 (!) 12 Step meetings weekly with an average of 100 (!) participants daily, has been embedded on our property since 2012. We are grateful to be perhaps the only faith community in the country housing an entire 12 Step clubhouse. (If you know of any other, please let us know - so we can network with them!)

For over a decade, in our Statement of Welcome at the top of each Sunday’s Worship program, we have boldly stated, “Bethesda Presbyterian Church is a diverse congregation welcoming all persons to serve Christ as full and active participants in our faith community, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, or any other personal attribute.”

We are proud that our pastor served two decades ago on an early More Light Presbyterians national board. MLP’s witness during his service and shortly thereafter swung open the national church doors for LGBTQ+ persons to serve in all levels of church governance: including and especially pastoral ordination. (See “Welcome Statement from Our Pastor” for more information on his involvement.)

Founded by the Rev. Dr. Robert Gamble and his wife, Olya Balaban, This Child Here has created a network of resilience for mothers and children suffering trauma from the war. It has carved out of ordinary places healing spaces, to do art - buy groceries - share tea - make music - and heal.

Each summer Sunday, 11:15 am-noon, you will find us at the Wilson Lane gate of the Bethesda Central Farmers Market next door to our church distributing 140 bottles of complimentary cold water to the patrons and vendors - with bowls and treats for dogs. Stop by and say hello!

Want to Explore Getting Involved?

Email Us: bpc7611@aol.com
Call or Text Us: 734-646-3550 (Rev. Chuck’s Direct Line)