Craig Memorial Community Church meets at 5305 Farmingdale Place in the Chapel Oaks neighborhood of Capitol Heights, Maryland, in a building that has been paid for, expanded, and improved across eight decades. It operates as a community church in the fullest sense of the word, a congregation that draws from many denominational streams, binds itself together by covenant, and has been gathering families under the same name since 1944. Its phrase, "Seeking Wisdom As a Fellowship," captures the spirit of the place.
From a Schoolhouse in Fairmont Heights
The congregation's story begins in 1944, when the Reverend Ernest Craig started holding services in an elementary school in Fairmont Heights, Maryland. He and his wife spread the word by going door to door, knocking on homes throughout the community and telling anyone who would listen that a new church had arrived. Those early services drew a small but devoted band of members, and the church took the name Chapel Oaks Community Church.
In 1963, the name changed to Craig Memorial Community Church in honor of the founding pastor. A succession of pastors followed: Reverend Leroy Pailen from 1963 to 1973, Reverend Cecil Thompson from 1974 to 1977, Reverend Louis Miller from 1978 to 1980, and Reverend Earl B. Day from 1982 to 1990. Under Reverend Day's leadership and with the dedication of the members, the mortgage on the building was paid off and a mortgage-burning ceremony was held to the glory of God.
Reverend Claude R. Swanson, Sr. became pastor in 1990 and, recognizing the need for more space, led the church to expand in 1998. The new addition brought a fellowship hall with a kitchen, storage rooms, additional office space, and an executive conference room, plus extra parking. The current pastor, Reverend Sherwood A. Walker, was elected in June 2008, and under his leadership the church has continued to focus on meeting both the spiritual and physical needs of the Chapel Oaks community.
The church's vision is to provide a place where all people may come together and worship the true and living God through the Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, to build a ministry that will serve the needs of the people, to enhance the surrounding communities in Prince George's County, and to develop programs whereby Craig Memorial will become an integral part of the community of Chapel Oaks.
Pastor Walker and a Full Ministerial Team
Pastor Walker is a Prince George's County native who grew up in Fort Washington, earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bowie State University in 1993, and completed a Master of Divinity at Howard University School of Divinity in 2004. He was ordained in January 2007 and was elected pastor of Craig Memorial the following year. He is the father of Andrew Walker.
Surrounding him is one of the most fully staffed ministerial teams of any church in the area. Each associate minister carries a specific charge. Reverend Gloria Canady ministers through visitation, calling on the homebound and those who cannot make it to Sunday worship. Reverend Peggy Harrod leads the outreach ministry, connecting the church with the surrounding community. Reverend Barbara Hines ministers to women, and Reverend Stephanie Smallwood oversees Christian education and serves as a Sunday school teacher. Minister Betty Winchester ministers to seniors through the Seasoned Saints fellowship. Minister Mary Bracey ministers to singles. Minister Eric Coates ministers to men. Minister Raymond Harrod ministers to youth and young adults. Minister Rose Marie Longus leads the prayer and intercession ministry, taking calls throughout the week from people who need someone to pray with them.
Supporting them in ministry are Norma Hart, superintendent of Sunday School, and Terrecia Green, youth director. Together they form a leadership bench that reflects the congregation's commitment to walking with people through every season of life.
Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00
Sunday morning at Craig Memorial follows a rhythm that has held for many years. Sunday School opens at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 10:30 a.m., with classes for children, youth, and adults. The lesson is available by conference call, so members who are traveling or at home can join the discussion. At 11:00 a.m., the main worship service begins. It is livestreamed on YouTube, and a sermon archive is available for replay.
Visitors can expect a service that values reverence, prayer, and Bible-centered preaching, with music drawn from the gospel tradition and a sanctuary that welcomes children and families alongside the adults. The church's teaching ministry rests on the conviction of 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Wednesday Nights, Friday Nights, and a Phone Line Open
Midweek formation happens on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m., when the prayer meeting and Bible study meet together. Like Sunday School, the Bible study is open by conference call as well as in person, with a dial-in number and access code shared in advance. Members and visitors are invited to come as they are, and the study moves through books of the Bible at a steady pace.
On Friday nights, a prayer service gathers those who carry the heaviest burdens. Members describe the Friday gathering as a time of intercession, where the church prays for one another, for the sick, and for the surrounding community. Daily devotionals from Our Daily Bread are shared with members, and the church maintains a steady diet of prayer that goes well beyond Sunday morning.
From Kids Corner to Seasoned Saints
The church organizes its ministry around the full span of a human life. At one end is Kids Corner, the children's ministry that takes seriously the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Children participate in their own moments of worship, have access to Bible-based activities through Superbook and the Bible app for kids, and learn the stories of the faith in age-appropriate ways.
From there, the Teen Connection lifts up the next generation with the charge of 1 Timothy 4:12, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Teens are connected to age-appropriate devotionals and study resources, including the online platform fervr.net, and are mentored by Minister Raymond Harrod and the Youth Enrichment Program, which pairs young people with mature Christian adults for guidance and fellowship.
Young adults gather in the Young Adult Lounge, where the call from Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go," frames a community for those navigating early careers, new families, and the transitions of young adulthood. Seasoned Saints, the seniors' ministry, follows Titus 2:1-3 and gathers the elders of the church for fellowship, teaching, and mutual care under the leadership of Minister Betty Winchester.
Alongside these age-based groups, the church maintains a robust women's ministry under Reverend Barbara Hines, a men's ministry led by Minister Eric Coates, a singles ministry under Minister Mary Bracey, an outreach ministry led by Reverend Peggy Harrod, a visitation ministry under Reverend Gloria Canady, and a prayer and intercession ministry led by Minister Rose Marie Longus. Vacation Bible School has been a recurring part of the church's year, and the church takes seriously the call to teach the next generation the stories of the faith.
One Body, Many Gifts
Craig Memorial describes itself plainly as a community church. Members come from Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Lutheran, and other backgrounds, and the church is intentional about welcoming all of them. It belongs to the International Council of Community Churches, a fellowship of congregations bound to one another by a covenant of love and committed to the unity of the body of Christ.
The church's own Church Covenant captures this spirit. Members promise, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of the church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort, to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry and the relief of the poor, to religiously educate their children, and to seek the salvation of their kindred and acquaintances. They agree to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember one another in prayer, to aid one another in sickness and distress, and to live in such a way that others may see Christ in them.
The Plan of Salvation offered by the church invites anyone who wants to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior to admit sinfulness, to believe that Jesus died on the cross for them and rose again, and to confess that faith with the mouth. The path is the classic Protestant pattern of repentance, faith, and confession, and members who make that decision are welcomed into the body of Christ and encouraged to be baptized, to worship and fellowship with other believers, to read the Bible daily, and to tell others about Jesus.
Gathering, Giving, and Staying Connected
For those who want to follow along from home, the Sunday 11:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube, and a sermon archive is maintained for replay. Tithes and offerings can be made online through the church's giving option, and members are invited to give as the Lord leads them, anchored in the words of Malachi 3:10. The church maintains an active presence through its YouTube channel, a Facebook account, and a Church Connect directory at cmcc5305.churchtrac.com, where members can find information about activities and ministries. A call-back form is available for anyone who would like a member of the pastoral team to reach out personally.
Those who would like to visit in person will find Craig Memorial Community Church at 5305 Farmingdale Place, Capitol Heights, MD 20743, with the church office reachable at (301) 772-3812 and by email at craigmemorialcc44@gmail.com. The fellowship is small enough to know your name and large enough to walk with you through a lifetime, a community of faith, belief, and trust, where all are welcome.