A Congregation Rooted in Anne Arundel County
Pasadena United Methodist Church sits on Ritchie Highway in Pasadena, Maryland, and has been gathering for worship in the same Anne Arundel County community for more than a century. The church describes itself as "an inclusive and grateful congregation rooted in strong community bonds," and its long history shows up in stained glass, fellowship dinners and a steady calendar of small groups. A preschool has shared the campus for almost fifty years, and a food pantry serves neighbors down the road.
From Piney Branch to a Sanctuary on Ritchie Highway
PUMC traces its roots to 1875, when the Piney Branch Methodist Church formed near the intersection of Benfield and Jumpers Hole Road. Early worshippers met in a tent and later in a local school before two congregations merged to officially form Pasadena Methodist Church. The first sanctuary went up in 1919. As the surrounding community grew, the current church building was completed in 1958. When the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Episcopal Church merged in 1968, the congregation became Pasadena United Methodist Church, and it has carried that name ever since.
Blended Worship on Sunday Morning
Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The service is a deliberate mix: traditional hymns alongside contemporary songs, with interactive sharing woven in. Children stay with their families for a "Time with the Children" before being invited to their own Christian Education classes. Middle and high schoolers gather for Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. (September through June). After the service, the Fellowship Hour offers refreshments, and the bulletin is posted online so members and visitors can follow along. The pastor, the Rev. John W. Nupp, joined PUMC after three decades of active ministry in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, including time as Director of Call and Clergy Care.
Wednesday and Thursday Around the Table
Midweek life at PUMC centers on two study options. On Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m., adults gather for a Midweek Bible Study. On Thursday evenings, a Table Talk Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m., followed at 6:00 p.m. by Table Talk, an Adult Bible Study. The Thursday rhythm also doubles as a music night, with multiple choirs and bell choirs rehearsing in the Choir Room. The result is a busy building full of children, teenagers and adults moving from dinner to study to rehearsal in the same evening.
Choirs and Handbells for Every Age
Music is one of PUMC's most visible ministries. The handbell program runs three ensembles: Chapel Chimers for grades 2 through 8, Joyful Chimers for kindergarten and first grade, and Christian Chimers for high schoolers and adults. The vocal program includes the Cherub Choir (ages 3 through second grade), the Chorister Choir (grades 2 through 8), and the Chancel Choir for high schoolers and adults. Recordings of the Christian Chimers are posted online, and the music page invites anyone interested in singing or ringing to get in touch.
UMYF: Youth Fellowship on Sunday Evenings
The United Methodist Youth Fellowship, or UMYF, meets every Sunday from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Open to youth in grades 6 through 12, the group mixes games and challenges with inspirational discussions, food, service projects, trips and outings. Recent activities have included a pool party and parent meeting, an ice cream social, and a fall bonfire at West River.
Pasadena Early Learning Center
For almost fifty years, the Pasadena Early Learning Center (PELC) has shared the PUMC campus. PELC is a ministry of the church and an interdenominational Christian preschool serving 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. The program balances academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth in a warm, caring setting. All lead teachers are certified, every classroom has a teacher assistant, and the full staff is trained in First Aid and CPR. PELC is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education and welcomes families of all faiths.
Missions and Outreach
Outreach is woven into the church's identity. Care Corner, PUMC's food pantry, opens on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. A Baby Pantry and a "Dresses for Girls" sewing group (meeting the fourth Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) extend that care to new parents and children overseas. A Prayer Shawl ministry provides handmade shawls for those in need of comfort. The congregation supports UMCOR disaster relief on both global and U.S. fronts and takes part in recurring projects including the World Vision 6K for Water, a back-to-school supplies drive, Socktober, Heifer International during Advent, Operation Christmas Child, the AA County Holiday Sharing program, an Arundel House of Hope Winter Relief partnership, and ongoing support for troops. Saturday afternoons at 3:30, a Narcotics Anonymous meeting uses the building as well.
Vacation Bible School and Scout Troops
Each summer PUMC runs a half-day Vacation Bible School for a week, led by volunteers from the congregation and the wider community. Children hear Bible stories, take part in science and crafts, and sing and play together. The church also hosts four different Scout troops, with Boy Scouts meeting Wednesday evenings during the school year and Scout leaders gathering on Mondays. Scouting is one of several community groups that share the building, along with NA and the Early Learning Center.
Beliefs and Membership
As a congregation of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, PUMC shares in the Wesleyan focus on the activity of God through prevenient, justifying and sanctifying grace. Members respond through lives shaped by personal piety and interpersonal compassion. The church describes its mission in three movements: to invite each person into relationship with God in Jesus Christ, to grow as disciples through intentional Christian spiritual disciplines, and to build God's kingdom in the community and the world.
Worship, Giving and Getting in Touch
The church office can be reached at (410) 647-3090 or PasadenaUMCoffice@gmail.com. Electronic giving is available through PayPal, with separate links for the General Fund, Memorial Fund, Care Corner, Other Missions, the Endowment Fund and Project HEARTS. Members can also arrange free bill-pay transfers through their bank to support PUMC. Visitors who want to plan a visit will find worship at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays in the Sanctuary, with Christian Education for children during and after the service, and a warm welcome waiting at 61 Ritchie Highway.