"Love to the loveless" shown/that they might know their loveliness.
Enjoy our 3-minute video introduction below!
This paraphrase from a hymn conveys well our Love in Action focus at Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Contrary to the m.o. of many institutions, what is good for the loveless is considered good for the whole here. Maintaining this focus on the power of love versus the love of power allows us to explore ways the Spirit can employ our full humanity — good, bad, and ugly — for serving God, God’s creation, and our neighbor. And I am forever amazed how this spirit of service and of 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
Our Church's Calling: "Love in Action: Our Church in Our Community"
What Do We Mean By This?
All of us long for the feeling of love. Many times, we settle for just that: the feeling.
Then, there’s the joy, satisfaction and life-transformation that comes from practicing love.
Love In Action. That joy and satisfaction and life-transformation is what we at Bethesda Presbyterian Church represent in God’s world.
Our Antiracism Witness
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. Rev. Chuck serves on Interwoven’s Board of Directors.
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 developing, intentional relationship with a predominantly Black congregation nearby, Northminster Presbyterian Church in DC.
Our lengthy studies of Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility, Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited, and Debby Irving’s Waking Up White.
On Our Property: Our Pandemic Food Inventory
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 are depending on the faithful work provided here!
On Our Property: A 12-Step Clubhouse
The Del Ray Club, housing 40 12-Step meetings weekly with an average of 100 participants daily, relocated to our Bethesda Presbyterian Church property in 2012. We may be the only faith community in the country housing an entire 12 Step clubhouse!
That all May Freely Serve: Our Historic Embrace of our LGBTQ Neighbors
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 also proud that our pastor served on the pioneering national More Light Presbyterians board whose witness opened the door for LGBTQ persons to serve in all levels of church governance – including pastoral ordination. (See “Welcome Statement from Our Pastor” for more information.)
Women’s March on Washington
At Bethesda Presbyterian, we provided shelter, food, and good church cheer for 25 Presbyterian women and men from Michigan who participated in the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017. Several of our guests led our Worship service.
We are Love in Action: We are "The Little Church Who Could!"
Want to Explore Getting Involved?
Email Us: bpc7611@aol.com
Call or Text Us: 734-646-3550 (Rev. Chuck’s Direct Line)
