A Place to Belong, Become, and Believe on Montrose Road
Faith United Methodist Church stands on a 4.5-acre parcel on Montrose Road in the Old Farm neighborhood of Rockville, Maryland, where it has gathered its members in a Williamsburg-style sanctuary since 1966. The congregation that meets here today, multi-generational and explicitly inclusive, was chartered with 99 members in January 1964 and traces its roots to a single worship service held in a parsonage living room on June 30, 1963, with 42 people in attendance. Six decades later, Faith still describes itself the same way it has for years: as a place to belong, become, and believe.
The church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To that end, Faith UMC combines traditional Sunday worship, a robust music program, deeply layered formation for children and youth, and a wide-reaching network of outreach partnerships that span housing, hunger, health, social justice, and global mission. Two public commitments distinguish the congregation: it is a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network, welcoming LGBTQ+ people fully into the life and leadership of the church, and it holds the status of a Lighthouse Congregation within the Baltimore-Washington Conference, having chosen not to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church when other congregations departed.
Sunday Worship at 10 a.m.
Worship is at the heart of life at Faith UMC. The congregation gathers every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary, and every service is also livestreamed. Three viewing options are offered each week. Worshippers can join the Worship & Chat experience for live conversation during the service, watch the livestream, or tune in on the Faith UMC YouTube channel. A recording remains available afterward in the worship archives, and a printable bulletin is posted in advance.
The service draws on a strong traditional music ministry that involves people of all ages, anchored by a Chancel Choir that leads worship weekly from September through mid-June. Children's and youth singing ensembles contribute regularly. Visitors will find a warm, come-as-you-are atmosphere. Masks are not required, but congregants are asked to respect any individual's request for distance or masking, a practice the church describes as protecting families with young children and others who are most at risk. Bibles and bulletin materials are accessible online, and prayer requests can be submitted by email during the service.
From Parsonage to Sanctuary: The Faith Story
Faith UMC's history begins in the spring of 1963, when the Board of Missions and The Methodist Union purchased a 4.5-acre parcel on Montrose Road and a parsonage at 12101 Old Bridge Road from Kettler Brothers to serve the new housing community of Old Farm. Bishop John Wesley Lord appointed the Rev. James L. Matheson as the first pastor, and Matheson famously traveled around the neighborhood on a bicycle, spreading the word about the new church. Faith commemorates that beginning in the kneelers around the altar.
The young congregation grew quickly. After worshipping in the parsonage and then at Farmland Elementary School, Faith United Methodist Church was officially organized on January 19, 1964, with 99 charter members and a church school of more than 100. Groundbreaking for the current Williamsburg-style sanctuary took place on March 7, 1965. The first worship service was held in the new building on March 27, 1966, and Bishop Lord consecrated the sanctuary on May 8, 1966. An education wing followed, with groundbreaking in 1967 and consecration in 1972.
The musical life of the congregation was shaped for decades by Floyd Werle, who came to Faith in 1967 as organist and later became Director of Music. During his 35 years at the church he wrote more than 200 hymns centered on the joy of worship. After a 32-year career in Air Force music, Werle was honored in 2008 when the United States Air Force named its music library on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling the Floyd Werle Music Library. Faith's tradition of strong choral and instrumental music has continued in the decades since.
Children and Family Ministry
Faith's children and family ministry rests on a simple conviction: that spirituality is seeded in childhood wonder, and that families in all their messiness and joy are a primary place where faith grows. Sunday School is offered for children and youth in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Each Sunday, twenty-minute interactive sessions use story, wonder, and the Bible to nurture the spiritual life of young people.
Children and youth begin their morning in the sanctuary for worship at 10 a.m. Middle and high school students are dismissed prior to the Children's Message, while children in kindergarten through fifth grade are dismissed following it. After the sermon, all Sunday School classes return to the sanctuary to rejoin the congregation for the remainder of worship. Children are welcomed in the pews at all times, and a kids' table at the front of the sanctuary offers a comfortable spot for those who prefer to gather there.
A new quarterly program launched in fall 2026, called Faithful Friends, gathers children in third through fifth grade on Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. for dinner, games, hands-on service projects, and time together. Family Fun Nights have served a similar intergenerational role for several summers. Messy Church, an inter-generational worship service rooted in fellowship, creativity, shared meals, and celebration, has been a tangible expression of the congregation's commitment to belonging across generations since 2019.
Youth and Family: A Shared Ministry
Faith UMC and North Bethesda United Methodist Church share a youth ministry that serves middle and high school students across both congregations. The shared ministry exists to foster a welcoming, supportive Christian community that affirms the full identities of young people, including their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background, and to help them develop deep, meaningful peer relationships within an intergenerational setting.
Weekly gatherings for grades 6 through 12 alternate between the two church campuses and include food, fellowship, formation, and service. Suzanne Smedberg, a physics teacher at Poolesville High School and longtime member of the Faith chancel choir, coordinates the shared ministry. Her vision is straightforward: love God, love each other, change the world.
Adults of All Ages
Faith describes its adult ministry with the image of branches remaining in the true vine, drawing on Jesus' words in John 15. The church welcomes both committed disciples and the simply curious, gathering for shared questions about God, discipleship, and belief. A variety of small community groups meet at various times, some on Zoom and others in person, to care for one another, study together, and serve. New groups are welcome.
Once a month, on the third Sunday following worship, the congregation hosts Juice, Joe & Justice, a discussion series on social justice issues. Sustained by juice, coffee, and cookies, participants explore intersectionality through the lens of their identity as followers of Jesus. Each session stands on its own, so newcomers can join any month. A Zoom option is available for those unable to attend in person.
The church also points adults to the broader United Methodist Church Handbook, a digital, print-ready resource updated for the current quadrennium that explains who United Methodists are, how they are connected, and how they live out their shared mission. A conversation guide for new members accompanies it.
Music for Every Age
Music at Faith is a traditional ministry that involves people from age six to ninety-six, with no previous experience required and no church membership needed. Dr. Michael Wu, who has served as Director of Music since 2009, leads the program and also serves as Artistic Director for Strathmore Children's Chorus and a full-time teacher at Landon School.
The Chancel Choir, open to adults and older youth, rehearses on Thursday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. and leads worship each Sunday from September through mid-June. The Bells of Faith, a five-octave handbell choir led by member Nancy Kuhn, rehearses on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and contributes to worship about once a month from September to May, in addition to participating in an annual bell choir festival in Ocean City, Maryland. The Young Singers of Faith, for children in Pre-K through third grade, rehearse on Sundays following worship and contribute to the 10 a.m. service about once a month. Singers, ringers, and instrumentalists of any ability are invited to join; soloists and small ensembles are also welcome.
Caring for One Another
Faith describes itself as a nurturing, caring congregation, and three named ministries embody that commitment. The Prayer Chain receives prayer requests and immediately mobilizes a team committed to praying for them; requests can be emailed to the Congregational Care Ministry team. That team, a group of trained volunteers, provides visitation and prayer, with members available in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings and in the online Worship & Chat for private prayer.
Made in Faith gathers knitters, crocheters, and quilters to craft prayer shawls, baby layettes, lap quilts, and scarves that comfort those in need or celebrate joyful events. Each meeting opens with a devotion and closes with a blessing over the works that will be given away. Newcomers are welcome, even those who would like to learn.
A Church That Goes Out the Door: The Six Priorities of Serve
The congregation's outreach ministry, organized under the heading Serve, focuses on six priorities: Housing, Hunger, Health, Inter-Generational Connections, Social Justice, and Global Connection. Together they shape the way Faith UMC seeks to be the hands and feet of Christ in Montgomery County and beyond.
In housing, Faith partners with Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Works, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Montgomery Housing Partnership, Rebuilding Together Montgomery County, Stepping Stones Shelter, and A Wider Circle. The hunger ministry works with the Manna Food Center, the Montgomery County Food Council, Rockville Help, and the Souper Bowl of Caring. A small publicly accessible Blessing Box stands on the east side of the church building near the driveway, stocked by the congregation with non-perishable food, toiletries, and paper goods for anyone in need.
The health ministry supports organizations that advocate for and provide care to the underserved, including the American Red Cross, Community Reach of Montgomery County, Give Ye Them to Eat, Mobile Medical Care, and Nyumbani. Inter-generational connections focus on educational equity, with partnerships supporting the Retreat and Camping Ministries of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, the Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative, Interfaith Works' school supply drive, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, and Raising a Village Foundation. Social justice work happens through the Love One Another Ministry of Justice and Inclusion (LOAM), which fosters dialogue on racial and LGBTQ+ equity and equips the congregation to act.
The global connection ministry sustains two missionaries supported through covenant relationships. Dr. Belinda Forbes serves in Nicaragua with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church as liaison for Faith and Health Partnerships with Fundación Amos Salud y Esperanza, mentoring volunteers in a community-based primary dental health program. Kimberly Lewis serves as Co-Director of the Arbol de Vida Training Center at Give Ye Them to Eat in Puebla, Mexico. Faith also partners with UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which provides humanitarian aid around the world.
Outreach Grants and Microgrants
Two distinct grant programs channel the congregation's generosity outward. Outreach Grants respond in timely fashion to needs that cannot be anticipated in advance, including recent support for Bethesda Cares, the Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative, Manna Food Center, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, the New Neighbor Interfaith Alliance, and UMCOR's international and domestic disaster relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Melissa. Microgrants, capped at $500 each, fund smaller projects and lesser-known local non-profits identified by members of Faith. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
The Faith United Methodist Foundation
The Faith United Methodist Foundation was founded and approved by the Charge Conference on December 3, 1996, and granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation accepts gifts, donations, and legacies and is governed by a board appointed annually by the church's Leadership Board. Contributions are prudently invested, and investment earnings are distributed periodically through grants to IRS-approved charitable organizations working in the DC/Maryland/Virginia region. Grants are capped at $2,500 per recipient and are evaluated for alignment with the mission of the church and the United Methodist Social Principles. The Foundation contributes every dollar to community projects, with no deductions for administrative expenses, and operates separately from the church's annual operating budget.
Reconciling, a Lighthouse, and Open to All
Faith United Methodist Church's public statement of welcome names what it means to belong here. The church affirms that God created all of humankind in God's image and that the United Methodist mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is incompatible with excluding anyone from the full breadth of ministry. Faith welcomes and affirms people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, as well as people of every age, race, ethnicity, ability, level of education, family structure, and economic, immigration, marital, and social status. It acknowledges living in a world of profound inequities and commits to the pursuit of justice in solidarity with those who are marginalized and oppressed. As a member congregation of the Reconciling Ministries Network, Faith has committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection.
On May 1, 2023, Faith was approved as an official Baltimore-Washington Conference Lighthouse Congregation, a designation for congregations that chose not to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church during the recent denominational realignment. Lighthouse Congregations offer a place of healing, rest, and discernment for people who wish to remain United Methodist even when their home church has disaffiliated.
Leadership, Staff, and the Building Today
The Rev. Dr. Laura Norvell serves as pastor. A graduate of Indiana University and Wesley Theological Seminary, where she earned her Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry, she was ordained a full elder in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference in 2018 and appointed to Faith in 2019. She previously served at Grace UMC in Gaithersburg, Liberty Grove UMC in Burtonsville, Emmanuel UMC in Laurel, and Ferndale UMC in Glen Burnie.
Kim Webster serves as part-time Financial Manager. Dr. Michael Wu serves as Director of Music. Keshika Dias serves as Facilities Manager in a partnership with Rockville UMC. Suzanne Smedberg serves as Youth Coordinator. Ann Bartlow serves as Organist. André Coleman serves as a tenor in the Faith UMC Choir. Valerie Kunsman serves as part-time Office Administrator. The Leadership Board, chaired by Bill Maas with Pastor Norvell as a member, oversees the life of the congregation.
The church building remains at 6810 Montrose Road in Rockville, with two entrances from Montrose Road and additional access via Tildenwood Drive, including an entrance to the back parking lot before the walking trail. The church office can be reached at 301-881-1881 or office@faithworkshere.com.