At 26012 Frederick Road in Hyattstown, Maryland, Hyattstown Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a small, growing congregation with a notably broad welcome. Its 1871 sanctuary centers worship on Holy Communion, with live music, scripture readings and preaching. Beyond the sanctuary, the church is known as the Lasagna Church for feeding hungry neighbors, while its Little Free Pantry, Little Free Library and LGBTQ+ outreach carry that hospitality into the community. Its motto calls it The Historic Church with the Big Heart & Open Mind.
Sunday at Ten: One Service, Two Ways to Gather
Hyattstown Christian Church holds one Sunday worship service beginning at 10 AM. The congregation gathers in the sanctuary at 26012 Frederick Road in Hyattstown, and worshippers may also join through Zoom. Dial-in is supported, and the church provides the Zoom link by email. Everyone is welcome to worship and receive Holy Communion at the Lord's Table.
The Sunday service follows a clear rhythm:
- Live music led by Music Director and organist Matthew J. Dohm
- Scripture readings and a sermon
- Holy Communion at the Lord's Table
- Fellowship before and after worship
Pastor Yakelin Santos brings the children up for a children's lesson each Sunday. During the sermon, children may move to the children's room for Sunday school and care. The congregation also values the informal time around worship, with people welcomed to fellowship both before and after the service.
Study and discussion groups meet during Advent and Lent, typically using material from the SALT Project or a book. The pastor is available for appointments for spiritual support. Recent sermons and lectionary readings can be found through the church's sermon and scripture resources.
From Homes to the 1871 Sanctuary
Hyattstown was officially incorporated in 1809 and named for Jesse Hyatt, who owned the land that was initially called Hyatt's Town. Alexander Campbell came through the area in March 1834 while on a preaching tour. His influence inspired trustees to be appointed in 1837 to build a church for Disciples of Christ.
Hyattstown Christian Church was organized in 1840. Its founders were Eli Wolfe, William Richards, Charlotte Richards, Lavinia Wolfe, Sarah Hyatt, Sarah Price and William E. Anderson. They first met in homes. A log church was erected in 1845 on the land that is now the church cemetery, about a quarter mile south of the present building.
Rev. Alfred N. Gilbert of Baltimore later led construction of the current church. Jacob Thomas and his wife of Baltimore donated the lot. The cornerstone was laid in 1870, construction cost $3,000, and the building was dedicated on August 20, 1871 with a congregation of 40 members. The known roster of pastors and interim pastors who have served the church eventually reached 33, although the names of some early ministers remain uncertain.
The Communion Table's Long Journey
The base of the altar in the sanctuary is the Communion Table first used by the Ninth Street Christian Church in downtown Washington, D.C. When that congregation divided among suburban churches, its building was sold to a congregation displaced by the Southwest Freeway. Ninth Street used the proceeds to build Henson Valley Christian Church, while the remaining funds went toward Heritage Christian Church.
Ninth Street moved in 1964, worshipped temporarily near Third and A Streets NE, and then held services at a school in Oxon Hill until the Henson Valley building was erected in 1968 and 1969. Henson Valley received most of the old congregation's furnishings and history. Ninth Street eventually gave its Lord's Table to Bethesda Christian Church on Wisconsin Avenue, where it served as a literature table in the vestibule.
When Bethesda Christian Church voted to end its active life in 1985, it shared valuable furnishings and history with other Capital Area congregations. Hyattstown received the Holy Table that had served at Ninth Street and later Bethesda. Congregant Jim Miller added new trim and stained the top, turning it into an altar while preserving the carved words IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
At the Lord's Table with an Open Heart
Hyattstown Christian Church is an Open and Affirming congregation. Its welcome extends to all people regardless of ability, age, education, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation or any other distinction. From baptism and the Communion table, from the nursery cribs to church leadership, people are welcomed whether they were raised in a church or have never attended one.
The church describes the Disciples of Christ as a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, the congregation welcomes everyone to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed them. Its mission statement calls the church the little church with the big heart and says it seeks to bring God's love and service to the broader community by meeting people where they are.
Organ, Four-Part Harmony and Children at the Center
Music has long been central to worship at Hyattstown. Matthew J. Dohm began serving as Music Director, Organist and Pianist in 2011 while a freshman at the University of Maryland. Although he initially did not know how to play the church's pipe organ, he learned at the university and soon was playing its foot pedals and newly installed chimes. He earned a BA in Music from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is also a gifted pianist, instructor and vocal coach who plays guitar, violin, viola, bass, cello and organ.
The Chancel Choir, led by Matt Dohm, sings three- and four-part harmonies during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Choir members also occasionally offer solos, duets and trios throughout the year. Special musicians and vocalists visit at different times, and a Music Sunday is typically held once a year, often during summer, when congregants and friends share instruments and voices. Dohm provides preludes and postludes live and has also recorded them on the church's gifted Kawai grand piano. Selected music and preludes can be heard on the church's YouTube channel, and the choir is always seeking new singers and musicians.
Children have a regular place in the service. Pastor Santos leads a children's lesson each Sunday, and Matt Dohm works with the children at the organ. During the sermon, they may go to the children's room for Sunday school and care. The pastor has also presented children with their first Bibles, making the Sunday gathering a shared experience for families and the congregation.
From the Sanctuary to Frederick: Feeding and Showing Up
The church's outreach grew from a deliberate effort to consider its future. In 2015, leaders recognized that something needed to change for the congregation to remain active. In 2016, the church participated in Hope Partnership's New Beginnings process to explore its options and direction. The congregation discovered a strong passion for helping marginalized people, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community and those who are hungry or homeless. It also identified a love of children and the arts, fellowship and the teachings of Jesus. The resulting Future Story called the church to work beyond its walls and make a positive difference in other people's lives.
Feeding the Hungry as the Lasagna Church
Hyattstown volunteers typically feed hungry and homeless neighbors four times a year at the Frederick Soup Kitchen. Their nickname for that work is the Lasagna Church. The meal includes lasagna, garlic bread, salad, fruit, iced tea, coffee, water and dessert, with the dessert often made at home. This ministry places the congregation's concern for spiritual and physical need into a shared community meal.
A Little Free Pantry and Little Free Library
The Little Free Pantry stands on the north side of the church parking lot, about halfway up from the road. It contains nonperishable foods, many in single-serving packages with pop-top openings, along with personal hygiene products, masks, socks and underwear. The church welcomes community partners to raise awareness and organize drives so the pantry remains well stocked.
A Little Free Library offers books for children, teens and adults, with DVDs planned for later. The library was built by a neighboring church member, Doug, who also helped fill it with Pastor Santos. It has been registered in the national record of Little Libraries. The books, like the pantry's practical supplies, are meant to be taken and enjoyed by the surrounding community.
Pride, Christmas Gifts and Rebuilding
Each year the church takes part in the Frederick Pride Festival, securing a place to support the LGBTQ+ community. Under the leadership of Beth Sweeney, members make beaded rainbow-colored bracelets to distribute while also making clear that LGBTQ+ people are loved and safe to worship there. The Frederick Pride Festival is one of the clearest expressions of the congregation's Open and Affirming welcome.
At Christmas, the church works through a local elementary school to help children experiencing homelessness or poverty. Gail Howard leads the effort, which involves purchasing requested gifts, wrapping them and returning them through the school. The church has also responded to disaster abroad, raising money after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and joining a rebuilding trip to help repair homes that still had major damage. These projects reflect a wider understanding of mission as love and service directed toward specific needs.
A Settled Minister with a Teaching Background
Rev. Yakelin Santos is the church's settled minister. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she is a third-generation minister in the Disciples of Christ. She earned a BA from the University of Puerto Rico with majors in Acting and Drama and History, followed by a master's degree from the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico. Before ministry, she worked as a high school teacher and a college professor for 17 years.
Santos is a member of First Christian Church in Alexandria, Virginia, and serves the Disciples of Christ Capital Region in several capacities. She is also a bi-vocational minister working for the Department of Defense. Her monthly reflections explore faith, prayer, Scripture, learning to listen and the importance of disagreeing with respect and love. That teaching background is evident in the children's lesson she leads each Sunday and in the way she connects biblical themes with family life, grief, joy and the continuing work of faith.
A Building for Gatherings, Weddings and Milestones
The historic church building contains a sanctuary that accommodates 99 people. It has three rows of pews and a balcony with four more pews. The sanctuary and the full building, except for the pastor's office, can be rented for weddings, funerals and other services. The church also shares its space with other religious organizations that need a place to worship.
The meeting room is comfortable and flexible, with a wooden conference table and eight chairs, a sofa and four additional chairs. A flat-screen television can serve as a computer display through HDMI or USB, and a coffee nook has two coffee makers. The fellowship hall accommodates approximately 50 or more people and includes a kitchen, additional tables and chairs, a projection screen and a portable projector. A children's playroom can be used for childcare during meetings or for a structured children's program. The building also has Wi-Fi, two large single-person unisex restrooms and a changing table in one restroom.
Pastor Santos is available to officiate weddings and provide pre-marriage counseling. As an Open and Affirming congregation, Hyattstown welcomes the opportunity to host same-sex weddings either in the church or at an offsite ceremony. The building has thus served not only weekly worship, but also community meetings, milestone celebrations and the life of the congregation.
Picnics, Potlucks and Seasonal Gatherings
Hyattstown Christian Church describes itself as a small but growing congregation supported by many volunteers. Its fellowship life includes an annual end-of-summer picnic at a park or a congregant's home, with bingo, food and games. A Bethany Beach retreat, typically held on the first weekend in October, brings time for fellowship, relaxation and reflection. Potluck luncheons often coincide with a fifth Sunday in the month and also celebrate occasions such as baby showers and Valentine's Day.
Other outings include group trips to a Frederick Keys baseball game, with time to eat and cheer together. Halloween parties after worship have featured games, prizes, food and the popular mummy wrap game. Christmas caroling has also included singing from the balconies of congregants who are homebound, carrying the music into the community in a tangible way.
Keeping the Little Church Active
Support for the church's continuing work can be given online. Donations are tax-deductible, and recurring gifts help the congregation remain active in the community. Zelle is available using the church's email address, and PayPal is another option; PayPal donors are encouraged to add the stated transaction fee to their gift. The church's giving options support worship, music, building care and outreach.
That combination - a sanctuary rooted in 1840, a Communion Table carrying memories of several Capital Area congregations, music that fills the room, and service aimed at neighbors who are hungry, homeless or marginalized - is central to Hyattstown Christian Church's identity. It continues to define itself not by size but by welcome: the little church with the big heart, meeting people where they are and carrying God's love and service into the broader community.