A Place to Belong on Quince Road
On a quiet stretch of Quince Road in Memphis, Balmoral Presbyterian Church has built its identity around a single phrase: "A Place to Belong." The congregation of Balmoral Presbyterian Church is fully inclusive, deliberately welcoming people of every race, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, and faith history. The church's mission statement names the heart of that welcome plainly: "We are an open community who believes God is love and who lives our belief through praise and service." A four-part vision shapes the work: embracing the marginalized community, nurturing spiritual growth, providing an inclusive haven, and serving the local community.
Sunday Morning at Balmoral
Worship is at the center of life at Balmoral. The Sunday morning rhythm begins at 9:30 with Sunday Studies, an adult education hour held in Classroom A, where the Faith Formation Team offers a variety of topics for spiritual growth. The community gathers in the Sanctuary at 11:00 for the principal Worship Service. The service follows a traditional Presbyterian pattern, supported by a Worship Team that arranges everything from liturgists and ushers to Communion preparation and sanctuary decoration for the seasons of the church year. Volunteer liturgists step forward to assist the pastor in leading worship, and the Sacrament of Holy Communion is set up and served by a rotating team of members. The service is also livestreamed on YouTube, with previous messages available for those who want to revisit a sermon or catch up on a week away.
Music holds a cherished place in Sunday worship. The chancel choir, under the direction of Ken Croft, provides musical offerings for worship and special services from September through May, with members also offering special music through the summer months. A handbell choir directed by Lynn Ward plays on some Sunday mornings, and Noel Wilkins serves as pianist. Together, the music program gives the congregation a steady diet of choral, instrumental, and congregational song.
Pastoral Leadership
The Rev. Mark Howland (he/him) has served as Pastor of Balmoral since June 2023 and was installed in September 2023. He is joined by the Rev. Elizabeth Dick (she/her), Parish Associate, who provides pastoral care support for the congregation and leads worship when the pastor is away. The Office of Pastor is shared with a wider team of church leaders. The Session, the congregation's governing body made up of ruling elders, oversees the spiritual and temporal life of the church.
Learning and Growing Together
Faith formation at Balmoral happens in many settings. Sunday Studies meets in Classroom A during the school year and resumes in the fall after a summer break. The Faith Formation Team also keeps an eye on youth and young adult education, looking for fresh ways to walk alongside people at every stage of life.
For those who want something smaller, the Thursday Small Group has been meeting for years on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 10:15 a.m. in Classroom A. The group of about eleven members shares joys and challenges, studies Scripture, swaps quotes, songs, poems, and stories, goes on outings to local museums and events, and prays for one another. A Book Club is open to anyone who loves good books and good company, with members suggesting titles and leading discussions throughout the year and ending the year with a potluck and favorite poems around the table. Presbyterian Women gathers for Bible study created by Presbyterian women and ecumenical sisters, with a purpose to nurture faith through prayer, support the mission of the church, work for justice and peace, and build an inclusive community of women.
Two regular gatherings keep members connected outside the building. Chair Yoga meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. in Classroom A and is designed for all levels, especially for those who prefer a seated practice. Tuesdays with Ted is a breakfast gathering for men at the Cracker Barrel on Hacks Cross Road at 8:00 a.m., a long-running morning of conversation about local, world, and church events.
Children at Balmoral
The youngest members of the congregation are woven into the life of the church in tangible ways. On Sunday mornings, the children take part in Quarter Sticks, walking through the sanctuary with two "sticks" to collect quarters during the time of offering. The quarters gathered are sent to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund. Children's faith formation is part of the work of the Faith Formation Team, which guides adult education as well as youth and young adult education. The Sandwich Making Ministry welcomes volunteers of all ages, offering one more way for families to serve together on the fourth Sunday of each month.
Serving the Hungry
Balmoral has been a service-oriented church since its earliest days, and the fight against hunger runs through almost everything it does. Every Sunday, members bring canned goods to place in the Food Cart in the sanctuary. The donations are taken to the food pantry at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Germantown, which distributes food to roughly 80 to 100 food-insecure families each week. The third Sunday of each month, the congregation focuses on particular items the pantry director has identified as most needed: dried beans, rice, canned vegetables, canned chicken, soup, handheld can openers, personal hygiene products, and business clothing. Money placed in the cart is also welcome and goes directly to the pantry.
Twice a year, a Balmoral team is commissioned during worship and heads downtown to serve at the First Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen, which has been providing a Sunday afternoon meal to the food insecure of Memphis for more than forty years. The Soup Kitchen was founded on the simple observation that "well, people are hungry on Sundays too." After the meal, the Balmoral volunteers help outfit guests through the on-site clothes closet. Once a month, on the fourth Sunday after worship, the Sandwich Making Ministry gathers to prepare 100 sandwiches that are delivered to the same Soup Kitchen for distribution to people experiencing hunger and homelessness.
Every Tuesday, a team from Balmoral travels to the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) to pick up meals and deliver them to seniors in Memphis who are food insecure. The Balmoral route is MIFA route number one. Balmoral also contributes financially to MIFA, whose programs assist vulnerable seniors and families in crisis with rent, utilities, food, clothing, and other necessities.
Reaching Beyond the Walls
Balmoral opens its building and its volunteer hours to the wider community in several ways. The church hosts a local Al-Anon group, which meets at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings in Classroom A, offering a confidential space for those affected by someone else's drinking. For voters, a Balmoral hospitality team sets up at the church on election days, providing snacks, fresh fruit, coffee, water, and a friendly greeting. The church takes pride in being named the Friendliest Voting Precinct in Shelby County.
In the colder months, Balmoral donates mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves to the Hospitality HUB, a hospitality, counseling, and resource center for homeless persons in downtown Memphis founded in 1997 by the downtown churches. The church also partners with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through its four churchwide Special Offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing, the Peace and Global Witness Offering, the Christmas Joy Offering, and the World Communion Offering.
Earth Care
Balmoral is a member of the Earth Care Congregation, and a dedicated Earth Care Team has worked to bring that designation to the church. A community composting partnership with The Compost Fairy allows households in the neighborhood to drop off compost at the church for a small monthly fee, in exchange for two buckets, a fridge magnet, and seasonal mulch. The team also shares tips for eco-friendly household products, from bamboo toilet paper to beeswax wraps to laundry and dishwasher sheets, and routes donations of clothing and household items to Covenant Presbyterian Church of Germantown and First Presbyterian Church, which distribute them through local food pantry and clothes closet ministries.
Presbyterian Connections
Balmoral is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The church is part of the Mid-South Presbytery, which sits within the Synod of Living Waters, and participates fully in the wider connectional life of the denomination, including the four churchwide Special Offerings and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Presbyterian Women, in particular, ties the local Bible study and fellowship groups to the national work of the church.
Getting Involved
Anyone who wishes to join Balmoral is welcome. The church teaches that all individuals who trust in God's grace in Jesus Christ and desire to be part of the fellowship and ministry of the congregation are welcomed into membership as sojourners on the journey of faith. A Welcoming Team makes sure first-time visitors are greeted, oriented to the building, introduced to members, and handed a welcome packet.
The broader life of the church is shaped by a number of ministry teams: Congregational Care, Earth Care, Faith Formation, Fellowship, Human Resources, Nominating, Operations, Outreach, Welcoming, and Worship. The Outreach Team describes the church as one that has "been a service-oriented church since its inception," with every active ministry started when members with a passion and willingness to respond to a call met and developed a plan.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Giving is available online through Realm, by texting BALMORAL to 73256, or by scanning a QR code in worship. A sermon archive, the church calendar, and up-to-date event listings are kept on the church's site.