On a stretch of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, just north of the Capital Beltway, Atonement Presbyterian Church gathers a multi-national, multi-cultural, and multi-generational family that the pastors describe as reflecting the beauty of Montgomery County. More than twenty nations of origin are represented in the pews, and the church has built its identity around the conviction that grace is not just about forgiveness but about the kind of transformation that changes hearts, homes, and everything else.
Grace Changes Everything: The Heart of Atonement
The motto that runs through the church's teaching is "Grace Changes Everything." When someone encounters Jesus, the church teaches, life does not stay the same; His grace begins to heal, reshape a personal story, and renew identity, relationships, work, and worship. Everything the congregation does, from the pulpit to the children's wing, points back to this conviction.
Around that center, Atonement has organized its life around seven core values: gospel centrality, biblical transformation, whole-life worship, grace-filled community, missional living, next-generation investment, and kingdom multiplication. Each value is paired with a vision of seeing the grace of the gospel reach across Montgomery County, the DMV, and the world.
The congregation belongs to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARPC), described on the church's teaching pages as one of the oldest gospel-centered Presbyterian denominations in America. Atonement shares the ARPC's commitment to biblical truth, Reformed theology, and Christ-exalting mission, and points to the Westminster Confession of Faith as a fuller expression of what it believes.
What Sunday Looks Like
Visitors can expect to be welcomed by greeters and ushers who are glad they came, with no pressure and no spotlight. The Sunday service begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs to 11:00 a.m. Services are live in the sanctuary and livestreamed on YouTube, so anyone can join from home.
The service gathers around the good news of Jesus through prayer, singing, Scripture reading, and communion. Worship blends the richness of historic hymns with the vibrancy of modern songs, joining generations and cultures in one voice of praise. The Director of Worship, Luke Link, directs the Atonement Choir and the Atonement Band, plays the organ, plans services with the lead pastor, and oversees liturgy, audio, and video. Those who trust in Jesus and have been baptized are invited to join the communion that is shared each week.
Children are welcomed and encouraged to attend the service from infancy upward. Worship Bags are offered at the sanctuary entrances, containing quiet activities and a children's bulletin that helps even young children follow along with the sermon. A short Children's Message is shared by the pastors during the service, after which children ages two through four are dismissed to Children's Church for a song, a story tied to the sermon, prayer, and playtime.
For families who prefer, a nursery for infants through 24 months is offered during both the 9:30 worship service and the 11:00 Sunday School hour. A private nursing mothers' room sits adjacent to the infant nursery and includes a livestream of the worship service along with cribs for napping babies. Sunday School for Pre-K through fifth grade picks up at 11:00 a.m. and runs to noon, using The Gospel Story Curriculum by Marty Machowski to walk children through the Bible as one continuous story centered on Jesus.
Children's Ministry from Nursery through Fifth Grade
The children's wing is staffed by background-checked volunteers who have completed certified child safety training and have agreed to the church's ministry policies. Each classroom is staffed by a minimum of two trained adults.
Nursery care for children from birth through 24 months is offered during the 9:30 worship service and again during the 11:00 Sunday School hour, so parents can participate fully in worship and classes with peace of mind. Sunday School runs every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until noon, with three learning levels across the Pre-K and elementary years. The Gospel Story Bible is used in every classroom, and families take home devotionals such as Long Story Short and Old Story New to continue the conversation through the week. Children also memorize Scripture through a rotating program called Sword, learning new verses every six weeks with ASL signs to aid in retention.
The Children's Library is a cozy space for families to explore Bible storybooks, picture books, biographies, devotionals, board books for toddlers, and a small selection of parenting resources. Children may borrow up to three books at a time, and guests may borrow one after filling out a contact form. Storytime is hosted in the library on the first Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m., open to all ages from birth to five years, with story, song, and fellowship.
Outside of Sunday mornings, the Family Fellowship team plans events including family movie nights, firepit gatherings with s'mores in the church parking lot, game nights, and Stay and Play afternoons with lunch and games in the fellowship hall. The Parent Equipping ministry supports parents through a weekly email, take-home devotionals, and guest speakers on topics such as Christian parenting and family discipleship, with recommended resources including New City Catechism, Mama Bear Apologetics, Connected Families, The Gospel Coalition, RightNow Media, and a children's version of The Pour Over called Decaf.
Youth Ministry: Atonement Youth Ministry
The youth ministry, led by Director of Youth Ministry Christian Hester, follows a weekly rhythm. Middle and high school students gather on Sunday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to noon in the Youth Rooms on the third floor for teaching and discussion of how God's Word speaks into everyday life. On Sunday evenings, students return for Connect, a high-energy night of food, games, and small group discussion that runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Students break into middle and high school groups, then split into guys' and girls' circles for honest conversation, prayer, and encouragement.
The youth ministry partners with parents as the primary spiritual leaders of their children. Communication, care, and shared events work together to help every student grow in faith and confidence in Christ. Larger events include seasonal gatherings such as Autumn Blaze, a Saturday-evening partnership with Good Hope Presbyterian in Fulton, Maryland, featuring capture the flag, a chili cook-off, and a time of worship.
Adult Ministries: ACE, Women, Men, Marriage, Grandparents
Atonement Christian Education, known as ACE, anchors the adult ministry in Scripture. Courses run on Sunday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to noon alongside Sunday School, and are organized into four tracks: Bible (survey of Old and New Testament, books of the Bible), Theology (systematic theology, covenant theology, spiritual disciplines), Faith and Culture (apologetics, evangelism and discipleship, cultures and worldviews, missions), and electives ranging from marriage and parenting to How People Change and Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands. Recent courses have included studies on forgiveness, the gospel in the Old Testament, and Old Testament Christology.
Women Woven Together is the women's ministry, cultivating mentorship and discipleship grounded in Scripture. The group offers mentor and Titus 2 relationships, Bible studies and courses, retreats and gatherings, and care through every season of life. Men follow a similar pattern through Men's Ministry, which organizes small groups meeting on different rhythms (some early mornings, others in the evenings, some weekly and others biweekly) along with men's breakfasts and service projects.
The Marriage Ministry mentors seriously dating couples, engaged couples, and married couples. Mentors are trained in the Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts (SYMBIS) framework, offering a biblically grounded pathway toward clearer expectations, healthier communication, and resilient, Christ-centered oneness. Mentoring is framed as discipleship and encouragement, not clinical counseling.
The Grandparents Ministry exists to equip and encourage older believers to pass their faith on intentionally. Gatherings include shared stories, biblical wisdom, and practical discussion, and the ministry connects grandparents with resources in the church library. The belief that drives it is simple: when grandparents live out their faith with intentionality and joy, the next generation sees a living picture of God's faithfulness.
English for Life: Welcoming the Nations Next Door
One of the most distinctive ministries at Atonement is English for Life, a free English-language program for adults that follows the Montgomery County Public Schools calendar. Classes meet twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., running from January to June and from late August to December. There is a $30 annual registration fee that covers the cost of books. A placement interview is required before starting classes.
Classes are offered in-person and range from literacy tutoring for those learning to read and write, to multi-level courses developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing. A team of trained teachers walks alongside students, and conversations in Spanish or French can be directed to Annelies at english@atonementlife.org for questions. Childcare is not provided, but the ministry does offer ways for volunteers to serve, including teaching, assisting, providing snacks, setting out signs, and interviewing students for placement. Training is provided through MCAEL's Foundations course and through additional team training during the summer.
The heart behind English for Life is the conviction that God has brought people from every tribe and tongue into the surrounding community and that helping neighbors learn English is one of the most practical ways to love them well. As one church leader described it, "when we teach English, we often have the chance to introduce people to Jesus and build meaningful relationships with those outside our normal circle of life."
Worship Arts and Music
Atonement Arts is a community of artists using God-given gifts to reflect the beauty and truth of the gospel. Artists work across painting, sculpture, woodworking, digital design, and other mediums, supporting the life of the church through sermon-series visuals, stage design, children's murals, outreach installations, and gallery displays throughout the building.
The musical life of the church centers on three ensembles. The Atonement Choir is intergenerational and presents classical, gospel, and modern songs of praise, meeting on Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Praisemeisters, the children's choir, teaches kids the joy of singing together and leading in worship on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. The Atonement Worship Band leads contemporary music with vocalists, guitar, bass, drums, piano and keys, woodwinds, and strings, with rehearsal on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. A Tech and Production Team handles sound, slides, and livestream on Wednesday evenings as well, helping everyone in the sanctuary and online worship freely.
Global Outreach and Mercy Ministry
Global Outreach, or GO, is framed as an every-member calling. Some go; others give, pray, and send. Atonement has a long history of sending and supporting pastors, missionaries, church planters, and creative workers, partnering especially with World Witness, the global missions agency of the ARPC, to train, send, and sustain workers serving in difficult and strategic places around the world. Partnerships span work in Togo, Pakistan, England, and other locations, with teams serving over the years in England, Turkey, Togo, Mexico, and Russia, and a forthcoming short-term trip planned to Bolivia.
The vision behind GO is not simply to send missionaries but to strengthen movements of faith led by local believers. Atonement's strategy emphasizes indigenous church planting in unreached places, equipping and supporting pastors and leaders who will plant, disciple, and multiply gospel-centered churches within their own communities and cultures. A GO Prayer Team undergirds the work in prayer.
Locally, the Mercy Ministry brings that same missional posture into the neighborhood. Pastors, elders, and trained ministry leaders make up the shepherding care teams, walking alongside people through births, moves, graduations, hospitalizations, grief, loss, homebound seasons, and other needs. The Deacons provide hands-on help for housing, food, and life-affirming support, partnering with broader resources. GriefShare support groups, led by Care Coordinator Amy Hackman, run twice a year on Saturday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Christian Education Center as a 13-week experience.
The Meals Team offers one of the simplest ways to serve, delivering meals to families recovering from illness, welcoming new babies, or walking through crisis. Each dish prepared reflects a small gesture of God's grace at work through His people.
What Atonement Believes
The teaching page summarizes the church's beliefs in eight core statements, held in joyful unity with the historic Christian faith and the Westminster Confession. The Bible is the living, infallible Word of God, true in all it says, trustworthy in all it promises, and authoritative in all it commands. God is one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, perfect in holiness, steadfast in love, and worthy of all honor. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, became fully human without ceasing to be fully divine; through His life, death, and resurrection He conquered sin, satisfied justice, and opened the way for sinners to be reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit gives new life, convicts of sin, and seals believers for the day of redemption. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The Church is the family of all who belong to Jesus. Jesus Christ will come again personally, visibly, and gloriously to make all things new. And the Church is sent by grace into the world to make disciples of all nations, proclaiming the gospel with words and works.
Membership and the Gateway Class
Joining Atonement is framed as a covenant of mutual care and commitment rather than a formality. The Gateway class, taught by Pastor Ryan Mowen, is a seven-week course that helps newcomers explore what it means to follow Jesus and how God uses His Church to grow disciples. Taught as a space to learn, ask questions, and connect with others, Gateway serves as the on-ramp to membership for those exploring a next step at Atonement.
Leadership
Rev. Ryan Mowen has served as Lead Pastor since January 2020. His calling to pastoral ministry began in 2009, and he holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Liberty University and an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Luke Link is the Director of Worship. Allison Miller oversees Children's Ministry. Christian Hester leads Youth Ministry. Gil Gotiangco serves as Director of Ministry Support. Jim Rohrer has been the Connections Coordinator for years, helping newcomers get plugged into church life. Amy Hackman coordinates care ministries and leads GriefShare. Kristin Rundell serves as Service Coordinator for the Children's Ministry. Behind the scenes, Karen DeHaven manages the books as part-time Business Manager, Keri Jacobs serves as Office Manager handling communications and publications, and Robin Kenney provides executive support to the lead pastor. Together they walk alongside a congregation that has grown into one of the most multi-faceted gospel communities in Montgomery County.