Lovely Lane sits on St. Paul Street in Baltimore's Old Goucher neighborhood, a granite-and-limestone landmark that has watched Methodism in America grow from a handful of horseback preachers into one of the world's largest Protestant bodies. In 1784, sixty preachers gathered for the famous Christmas Conference at the original Lovely Lane Meeting House and organized the Methodist Episcopal Church, the first Methodist denomination anywhere. The congregation that hosts worship today has carried the name Lovely Lane ever since, even as its home, its street address, and its place in the surrounding city have changed over two and a half centuries.
Where Methodism Became a Denomination
Methodism in America began not with John Wesley, but with Robert Strawbridge, an Irish lay preacher who emigrated in 1761 to Sam's Creek in western Maryland. Though Strawbridge had never met Wesley and had not been appointed by him, he began organizing Wesleyan class meetings in neighbors' homes, the first such groups in the New World. Others soon took up the practice on Maryland's Eastern Shore, in Virginia, and in Delaware. In 1771, Francis Asbury, another lay preacher, answered Wesley's call to come to America. As colonial parishes emptied of Church of England clergy on the approach of war, Asbury traveled the circuits, preaching and organizing, and considered it his mission from Wesley to give the American Methodist movement a more formal shape. In 1772, Asbury and Strawbridge were assigned to the Baltimore circuit and became the appointed first pastors of the Lovely Lane Chapel and Baltimore City Station.
The original Lovely Lane Meeting House was built in 1774, seven years before the Revolutionary War ended. Within a decade it became the most consequential small chapel in American religious history. After the war, American Methodists no longer wished to remain part of the Church of England. John Wesley, the founder of the British movement, reluctantly agreed and ordained Thomas Coke as a general superintendent, dispatching him to America to organize the new church.
Coke met Asbury at Barratt's Chapel in November 1784. They scheduled the organizing conference for December, at Lovely Lane Meeting House in Baltimore. Freeborn Garrettson, one of Wesley's preachers, was sent "like an arrow," in Coke's words, to round up as many preachers as he could find. Garrettson later recorded that he rode about 1,200 miles in six weeks, preaching constantly, and that the conference began on Christmas Day. More than sixty preachers, plus many visitors, responded.
On Friday, December 24, 1784, Asbury wrote in his journal that "it was agreed to form ourselves into an Episcopal Church, and to have superintendents, elders, and deacons. When the conference was seated, Dr. Coke and myself were unanimously elected to the superintendency of the Church." The conference also elected twelve preachers as elders and formally adopted The Sunday Service, Wesley's abridgment of the English Book of Common Prayer, as the new denomination's liturgical guide. The Methodist Episcopal Church had been born at Lovely Lane.
By 1786 the congregation had relocated to Light Street, then to Charles and Fayette Streets when the city condemned each successive building for street widening. The original 1774 meeting house was taken down; a plaque today marks its former site at 206 E. Redwood Street (formerly Lovely Lane), about 1.75 miles from the present building. That site is a designated Heritage Landmark of the United Methodist Church.
The new denomination would go on to divide and reunite several times. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1816 by African American Methodists who found themselves excluded from equal membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Around the time of the Civil War, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South was formed primarily over the issue of slave ownership. The Methodist Protestant Church was created when a group of lay people could no longer bear what they viewed as too much control by bishops and not enough governance by laity. In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal, the M.E. South, and the Methodist Protestant churches merged to become simply The Methodist Church. In 1968 the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church. Lovely Lane has remained a Methodist congregation through every one of those changes.
The Stanford White Building on St. Paul Street
As the denomination approached its centennial in 1884, the Council of Bishops directed the congregation, by then known as First Church, to find a way to commemorate the occasion. Under the leadership of the Rev. John Goucher, who engaged the New York architect Stanford White of McKim, Mead and White, a monumental new building was conceived. White's design drew on early Christian basilicas and on contemporary Methodist meeting houses, producing a structure so accomplished that the American Institute of Architects later named it one of the "One Hundred Most Important Buildings in North America."
The cornerstone was laid October 29, 1884, and the building was dedicated November 6, 1887, as First Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1955 the congregation voted to return to its original name, Lovely Lane. Today the building stands on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as both the home of the Lovely Lane congregation and a pilgrimage destination for United Methodists from across the country and around the world.
The 7,500-square-foot sanctuary seats more than 850 people. The Brannan Chapel, with a three-story arched ceiling and Tiffany windows, doubles as an exhibition space. The Fellowship Hall, stage and food-service area included, covers 5,000 square feet. Second-floor classrooms add another 3,000 square feet. A 2,500-square-foot gymnasium with locker rooms sits at the back of the building. A dome tops the structure, and the tower is a familiar sight to neighbors in the surrounding blocks.
Among the building's heritage holdings are a Strawbridge Oak Pulpit carved from the oak associated with Robert Strawbridge, an Asbury plaque in the sanctuary, and a painting depicting the calling of the Christmas Conference. Other items from the museum collection include displays of John Wesley artifacts, a commemorative photograph of the 1939 uniting conference held at Lovely Lane, and an old postcard of the church.
Sunday Morning Worship
Lovely Lane gathers for worship every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The service is livestreamed on YouTube, and recorded video is available after 12:30 p.m. for those who cannot attend in person. The congregation describes itself as an active worshiping congregation committed to spreading the Good News of salvation and being a home to all, and welcomes worshipers from near and far, all income levels, all ages, all abilities, and a spectrum of backgrounds and opinions.
The liturgy follows the historic patterns of the Methodist tradition: an organ prelude, an introit, an opening hymn with the prompt to stand as you are able, a call to worship, prayer of illumination, readings from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospels, congregational prayer, the Passing of the Peace, sharing of joys and concerns, pastoral prayer, the Lord's Prayer, sermon, a responsive hymn, the offering with an offertory anthem, a closing hymn, and a benediction. Hymns are drawn primarily from the United Methodist Hymnal and The Faith We Sing. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and on major feast days.
A distinctive Lovely Lane moment: at the close of nearly every service, the Bicentennial Bell is rung. Most Sundays the pastor preaches. Guest preachers occasionally fill the pulpit; one recent service was led by the Rev. Jessica Costleigh of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Pasadena, Maryland.
The pastor is the Rev. Levon D. Sutton. The Rev. Nancy Nedwell is Pastor Emerita. The lay leader is John Strawbridge, who shares a name with the lay preacher credited with bringing Wesleyan Methodism to Maryland. Bill Scanlan Murphy, who holds an M.A. from Oxford, serves as the church's organist.
After the service, the congregation gathers in Lovely Lane Hall for fellowship hour. Tours of the historic building and the Lovely Lane Museum are offered every Sunday after worship and can be arranged on weekdays through the church office.
An Open Door: A Reconciling Congregation
Lovely Lane has formally declared itself a Reconciling Congregation. The members and friends of the church have stated that they follow John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who was excluded from Church of England pulpits because he welcomed those the church ignored and preached that God's grace is for everyone.
The congregation's public statement reads: "We believe that each person is of sacred worth. In response to Jesus Christ's radical (non-traditional) teaching of hospitality towards all, we welcome and affirm all people regardless of age, race, gender identity, ethnic background, sexual orientation, physical appearance, physical or mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, educational background, political party or marital status into full participation in the life and ministry of Lovely Lane UMC. We commit ourselves to being inclusive of all who seek to join us in a faith community reflective of God's love for all."
The Reconciling identity shapes the way visitors are received, the language used in prayer and liturgy, and the kinds of community events the church chooses to host. Visitors arriving for the first time will find greeters at the door, a printed bulletin, and a fellowship hour that invites newcomers to introduce themselves. Those interested in baptism, membership, or simply learning more may indicate so on a connect card available at the church.
The Arts & Neighborhood Center
Beyond its identity as a worshiping congregation, Lovely Lane functions as a neighborhood anchor. In the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the building hosted more than 750 participants representing over forty educational, cultural, recreational, civic, community-volunteer, and performing-arts groups of all faiths and backgrounds. Folk dancers have used the Fellowship Hall. Community meetings, textile-arts exhibitions, basketball games, and touring history classes have filled the rest of the building.
The Lovely Lane Arts & Neighborhood Center makes several spaces available for community use. Fellowship Hall offers 5,000 square feet with stage, food service area, and air conditioning. The Chapel Main Floor provides 2,500 square feet with a three-story arched ceiling and natural light from the Tiffany windows. The Sanctuary, at 7,500 square feet and 850-plus seating capacity, is available for performances outside church use. Second Floor Classrooms add another 3,000 square feet. The Gymnasium and Locker Rooms cover 2,500 square feet for recreational activities. A conference room, social hall, and additional spaces round out the inventory.
Modern amenities added since 2020 include a new ADA-compliant street-front access ramp from St. Paul Street, four additional gender-neutral restrooms on the main floor with changing tables, and air conditioning with a fresh-air mixing component in the Fellowship Hall. Tables, chairs, custodial services, and fans are available to users. Weddings, funerals, and other religious services are coordinated with the pastor and the church office; all use of the sanctuary must be arranged with the pastor.
The Arts & Neighborhood Center sits in the heart of an Arts & Entertainment District in the Old Goucher neighborhood, midway between Charles Village and Station North. Many of the users are programs that serve Baltimore's students and youth.
A commemorative line of watercolor prints and notecards depicting the building was created in 2020 by Baltimore architect and watercolorist Jerome Gray to mark the launch of the 21st Century Project. The images are available for purchase through the church as another way to support the work of the center.
Mt. Olivet: The Resting Place of Methodist Bishops
Mount Olivet Cemetery, across town from the church, is known as "The Resting Place of Methodist Bishops." The "Bishops' Lot" was given to the Baltimore Conference for "traveling preachers and their wives" as they might wish to be buried there. In 1854 the Trustees of Lovely Lane erected the Bishops' Monument on this lot, an 18-foot monolith of Italian marble. Due to the deterioration of the original stone, a duplicate monument made of granite was dedicated in 2016, the 200th anniversary of Francis Asbury's death.
Near the Bishops' Monument rest the remains of Francis Asbury, Enoch George, John Emory, and Beverly Waugh and his wife. Next to the monument stands the monument of Robert Strawbridge and his wife Elizabeth. Strawbridge was the lay preacher who emigrated from Ireland to Maryland's Sam's Creek in 1761 and established the first Methodist class meetings in America, more than two decades before the Christmas Conference at Lovely Lane.
In recent years the ashes of E. Stanley Jones and Mabel Lossing Jones, leaders of the modern church and world missionaries, were interred in the lot. A time capsule was added in 1966 as part of the 200th Anniversary of Methodism in America observances; it is scheduled to be opened in 2066.
Detailed section maps and interment records for Mt. Olivet are available to researchers through the church office. Flowers, both natural and artificial, are allowed, as are modest decorative items. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the property. Questions about new interments, lot purchase, monuments, or cemetery records are handled through the Lovely Lane office during regular business hours.
Museum, Library, and Archives
Lovely Lane is home to the United Methodist Historical Society Museum and the archives of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. The museum provides an overview of United Methodist history through artwork and artifacts and tells the story of the 1884 Lovely Lane Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church's centennial monument to the Christmas Conference.
The library of the United Methodist Historical Society includes biographies, histories, historic Books of Discipline, worship books, and hymnals. Digitized publications are linked through the library's online page. The archives include records of annual conferences and some conference agencies, certain personal papers, and records of local churches that have been discontinued.
The museum is open Tuesday through Friday by appointment. For tour or research requests, contact the Lovely Lane Museum at 410-889-4458, reach the curator, the Rev. Bonnie McCubbin, at bmccubbin@bwcumc.org, or write to the administrator at archives-history@bwcumc.org.
A Capital Campaign for the 21st Century
In 2019, Lovely Lane launched a capital campaign to create the Arts & Neighborhood Center within the walls of its historic building and offer a year-round facility with 21st-century capacity. A $250,000 grant award in 2020 from the National Fund for Sacred Places allowed church leaders to leverage funds from public and private sources. Phase 1 work, completed at a cost of $1.6 million, included construction of the new handicap-accessible, street-level ramp on St. Paul Street, installation of four additional public restrooms on the main floor, restoration of the Tiffany windows of the Brannan Chapel, integration of electrical service and increased electrical capacity, installation of an air conditioning system and new flat roof in the Fellowship Hall, and construction of an accessible restroom inside the museum.
A $1.5 million Phase 2 campaign is now underway. Components include renovation of the gymnasium locker rooms and floor covering, upgrade of HVAC equipment on the second-floor classrooms, installation of state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment in the Fellowship Hall, restoration of the South Tower entrance to the Brannan Chapel, completion of the Tiffany arch-top windows restoration in the Brannan Chapel, and restoration of walls and flooring in the Brannan Chapel.
Since 2019, donors (individuals, foundations, businesses, and government agencies) have given nearly $2 million toward the project. Tax-deductible gifts may be made through PayPal to the Restoration Fund, the Rehabilitation Capital Campaign Fund, or the church's general offering.
Practical Information for Visitors
Lovely Lane is located at 2200 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, in the Old Goucher neighborhood. Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in person, with livestream on YouTube. The fellowship hour follows in Lovely Lane Hall, and tours of the historic building and museum are offered after the service. Recorded services are available on YouTube after 12:30 p.m.
Parking on weekends and after 5:00 p.m. is available in the Baltimore Lab School parking lot at 2220 St. Paul Street, just north of the church, entered off 23rd Street. Accessible parking is in the Lovely Lane Museum parking lot, entered from 22nd Street and Lovegrove Street (alley), with elevator access to the sanctuary level. Visitors needing assistance may call 410-889-1518 to have the museum door opened.
The church office is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The main phone number is 410-889-1512. The museum phone is 410-889-4458. The general email is admin@lovelylane.net. The pastor's email is revsutton@lovelylane.net. Cemetery correspondence can be addressed to lovely.lane.bcs@gmail.com. The church maintains a presence on Facebook and offers an events calendar for those wishing to plan a visit or a community event at the building.
Lovely Lane United Methodist Church stands today, as it has since 1774, as a witness to the gospel and a touchstone for American Methodism, still ringing the Bicentennial Bell every Sunday and opening its doors, its table, and its altar to all who come.