On Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard in Severna Park, Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church has been a steady Presbyterian presence in Anne Arundel County for more than a century. Founded in 1912 by eight organizing members and renamed in 1946 in honor of its first pastor, Frank Churchill Woods, the church now counts more than 1,500 members, runs two distinct Sunday services, and shares its four-acre campus with a preschool, a counseling center, a community center, and a senior living facility. Woods is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and belongs to the Baltimore Presbytery. It is also designated a Matthew 25 Congregation and an Earth Care Congregation, two commitments that shape much of its identity and ministry.
Two Services, One Sanctuary
Worship is at the heart of Woods, and members and visitors can choose between two Sunday services held in the same sanctuary. The Traditional Service begins at 9:30 a.m., with hymns and special music from the choir or guest instrumentalists, readings from the Old and New Testaments, a message for the children, prayers of intercession, and a sermon grounded in the Christian tradition that has sustained the church for generations. Communion is offered weekly, and the flow of the service uses liturgy that Woods describes as "reformed, always reforming."
The Contemporary Service follows at 11 a.m. and is designed to feel more relaxed and accessible. Prayer is interactive. Sermons stay rooted in scripture while naming the realities of daily life. Music is led by the Praise Band and draws on songs by writers such as Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, and Laura Story. Together, the two services reflect a "big tent" approach: people from a range of theological perspectives and faith backgrounds are welcomed, respected, and encouraged to grow as disciples together.
From mid-June through early September the two services collapse into a single blended summer service at 9:30 a.m., then return to the two-service rhythm each fall. Both services are livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of the Traditional, Contemporary, and Combined services are kept in separate online archives.
The Sanctuary and the Apostles on Its Doors
The sanctuary at Woods has its own quiet ministry before a service even starts. Visitors arriving at the main doors are greeted by bronze figures of Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter, and the doors to the left feature Sarah and Abraham, while the doors to the right depict Paul and Lydia of Philippi. The west entrance carries figures of Matthew and Mark, and Luke and John round out the set. Pastors and staff walk viewers through each pair in a video series called An Advent Welcome: The Artistry of Woods Church, treating the door handles as both art and teaching tool.
Inside, the sanctuary opens onto a wide space shaped by stained and leaded windows, choir loft, and a chancel arranged for both choral and band-led music. The acoustics have been designed to support everything from full choir and organ to a six-piece contemporary ensemble. After services, Fellowship Hall fills with bagels, coffee, and conversation, a regular rhythm that newcomers and longtime members alike have come to expect.
A Campus That Houses a Whole Community
What began as a single sanctuary has grown into a four-acre campus where several community-serving organizations operate alongside the church. The Woods Child Development Center, a state-accredited preschool, occupies its own building on the property and serves children ages 2 to 4. The Woods Counseling and Care Center, supported by the church, provides counseling and wellness programs for individuals, couples, and families in a nurturing setting. The Severna Park Community Center shares the campus, offering programs and classes that range from dance lessons to yoga, and the Sunrise Senior Living Facility, originally developed by Woods, sits adjacent to the property. Woods pastors lead a monthly worship service for residents of Sunrise alongside church volunteers.
This shared campus is one reason the church often describes itself as "porous." In her first pastor's message as associate pastor, the Rev. Ashley Brown noted that the parking lot, classrooms, gardens, and walkways are in constant use by groups beyond the Sunday congregation, and called the property "beyond cool" as a setting for ministry and togetherness.
From "Little Church on the Hill" to 110+ Years of Ministry
Woods Church was founded in 1912 by eight organizing members. Its first pastor, Frank Churchill Woods, served the first six months without pay. Early services were held in the local public elementary school, and the first church building was financed with help from the Baltimore Presbytery and a loan from the General Assembly's new church development agencies. It took 25 years to reach a membership of about 150.
After the original structure was built, the church underwent two or three major expansions. In 1946 the Severna Park Presbyterian Church was officially renamed Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in honor of Frank Churchill Woods. Over the decades the congregation grew into one of the largest churches in the Baltimore Presbytery, and the membership has expanded to more than 1,500 people committed to local and global mission. The congregation also helped bring into being the Sunrise Senior Living Facility, the Woods Counseling and Care Center, and the Severna Park Community Center, gifts to the wider Severna Park community that continue to serve today.
Holy Grounds: Earth Care and Outdoor Worship
Woods is an Earth Care Congregation through the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the four-acre campus is part of its ministry. Two hundred and sixty native plants were added through Unity Gardens grants in 2018 and 2019, and a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant funded the planting of 175 native trees and shrubs. In 2020 a 150-plant erosion control effort turned a mowed slope into new habitat, and twenty native trees followed through the county Tree Trooper program.
Storm water is managed through rain gardens and a swale on either side of the main parking lot, with redirected rooftop runoff that soaks into the grounds rather than rushing to county drains. Inside the main building, high-efficiency HVAC systems, upgraded insulation, low-water fixtures, and LED lighting have reduced energy consumption by more than 50 percent, earning Woods a runner-up award in the 2022 Interfaith Power & Light Cool Congregations Challenge.
Several landmarks dot the grounds. An Ebenezer Stone, named for the stone Samuel set up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, invites visitors to reflect on God's faithfulness. A bell installed in the bell tower around 1950 was struck by lightning in 1987; the damaged bell now sits outside under a pergola designed by Elder Dale Moeller in honor of the Woods centennial. The Children's Centennial Cross, decorated with ceramic tiles made by Sunday School children, was dedicated in 2012. The Holy Grounds Amphitheater, an Eagle Scout project built by five scouts and their families, seats 100 people and is used for Sunday School, sunrise services, Scout meetings, and outdoor gatherings.
Music That Spans Generations
Music is woven into nearly every part of Woods Church life. The Adult Choir, led by Director of Music and the Arts David Merrill, rehearses Thursday evenings and leads worship in a variety of styles. The Praise Band, directed by Sarah Kent, leads the 11 a.m. Contemporary Service and also rehearses on Thursdays. Children in grades 1 through 5 can join the Children's Choir, which meets after the 9:30 a.m. service in the Choir Room, and youth in grades 6 through 12 can join the SEEK Band, which offers music for worship along with solo opportunities.
The church also hosts recitals and concerts in the sanctuary. Pianist Junghoon Park, the church's keyboardist, has performed works by Bernstein, Beach, Gershwin, and Horowitz in free afternoon recitals, and the music program has presented Broadway-themed concerts featuring local artists and choir members.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Children's Ministry at Woods focuses on building strong foundations of faith in a positive, Christ-centered environment. Sunday School is offered for Pre-K through 5th grade at both 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. from mid-September through early June. Vacation Bible School is held once each summer for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. A "Kindness Crossroads" station during Lent invites families to add Kindness Connections between Ash Wednesday and Easter, and Sunday Kindness Crossroads is set up after the 9:30 a.m. service for families who want to stop in.
Youth Ministry serves 6th through 12th graders. Sunday School for youth meets at 9:30 a.m. in Rooms 208 and 212, exploring topics such as "Do Not Fear," "Care for Creation," and "Do Justice." The Youth Group gathers on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Fellowship Hall for games, dinner, and community. Each summer the youth mission trip, known as WoodsWork, partners with Habitat for Humanity; in 2026 the team traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to build homes. To support that work, the youth host an annual picnic table build, donating finished tables to Habitat for Humanity.
Confirmation is offered for 8th graders and older. The class meets weekly on Sundays from 2 to 3 p.m. in Room 212 and is described as a year of examining and recommitting to a walk with Christ, renewing baptismal vows or being baptized, and learning what it means to be part of the Church. Two retreats, a fall Youth Summit and a spring Confirmation Retreat, complement the classroom work.
Children's Ministry also makes space for sensory-sensitive kids. Noise-dampening headphones are available to borrow on Sunday mornings; they are cleaned after each use, and ear guards are changed, one of several steps the church has taken to be inclusive "from the tall to the small."
Adults at Every Stage
Adult Formation at Woods is built around Bible studies, fellowship groups, and affinity gatherings, and the church describes lifelong service, ministry, and learning as its commitment to following Christ. On Sunday mornings at 8 a.m., a Men's Bible Study led by Tom Page meets in Room 208 and on Zoom, and a Women's Bible Study led by Mary Beth Hadley meets in the Office Conference Room and on Zoom (in person the first Sunday of the month). A Faith Formation book study led by Peter Clute meets at 9:30 a.m., and a Bible Study and Faith Group led by Jim Newman meets at 11 a.m. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. the week's preaching pastor leads a Bible study examining the upcoming Sunday's scripture readings over Zoom.
Several smaller groups fill out the week. Woodsmen, a men's fellowship led by Tom Lerario, meets Saturday mornings at 7:30 a.m. for Christian fellowship, self-reflection, and education. The Priscilla Circle, led by Bev Haines, gathers the second Tuesday of each month at 10:15 a.m. for a women's Bible study; recent studies have used the Horizon series and Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. The Hillier ChristCare men's group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Library, with a monthly dinner at a local restaurant. McKinsey Fellowship, led by Phyllis Beardmore, meets Mondays at 7 p.m. for a Bible study that includes residents of the McKinsey Park community. Haines ChristCare meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. on Zoom. V.O.W.S. (Venturing on with Service), led by Lee Laque, meets the second Tuesday at 7 p.m. and pairs study with home repair and other service work in the community. After Hours Fellowship, established during lockdown, meets on Zoom the first and third Tuesdays at 8 p.m. for prayer and conversation. MomStrong, led by Carly Dent and others, gathers on the third Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room and walks the B&A Trail.
Affinity and service groups include REHABS (Retired Handi-persons Breakfast Society), which meets Thursdays at 8 a.m. for breakfast before tackling maintenance projects around the building, and the Gardeners, who meet Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, March through October, to maintain the native plant landscape. Woods Softball fields a co-ed team on Sunday afternoons during the season for anyone 16 and older.
Pastoral Care Through Deacons, Stephen Ministry, and Prayer
Pastoral care at Woods flows through several overlapping ministries. The Board of Deacons cares for members through home communion, an All Saints banner procession, senior fellowship, monthly contact with homebound members, flower deliveries to those dealing with sickness and loss, and cards to those who are healing, bereaved, or homebound. Stephen Ministry provides one-on-one, confidential Christian companionship for people going through difficult times, walking alongside them for as long as helpful. The Prayer Tree is an email and phone network of congregants who pray daily for confidential prayer requests submitted to the church, with options ranging from fully private to shared publicly during worship. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls and squares that are blessed and given to anyone needing a tangible expression of care. Noah's Ark hosts the annual Blessing of the Animals service and sends condolence cards to those dealing with the loss of a pet.
W.E.L.C.O.M.E. (Welcoming, Evangelism, Linking, Communications, Outreach, Membership Engagement) is the umbrella ministry that ensures both newcomers and longtime members feel at home. The acronym captures its goals, and the ministry extends beyond the first impression to ongoing support for anyone going through a difficult time.
A columbarium on the Woods campus provides a place for the interment of cremated remains. The columbarium has niches on its front, rear, and back walls, and the church invites families to visit and learn more.
More Than 25 Mission Partners Near and Far
Outreach and Service at Woods sustains financial and volunteer support for more than 25 mission partners addressing affordable housing, hunger relief, homelessness, and the nurturing of children and families locally, nationally, and internationally. The ministry is led by Pat Johnson and Susan Bohlman.
Local partners include the Annapolis Immigration Justice Network, which connects unaccompanied children, families fleeing violence, and other Anne Arundel County residents with legal counsel and support services; Arundel House of Hope, an ecumenical organization providing emergency, transitional, and permanent affordable housing along with a Winter Relief shelter program; the Cecilia McKay Good Neighbor Fund, established in 1952 to respond to local emergency needs such as evictions and utility cutoffs; the Woods Counseling and Care Center; the Harundale Presbyterian Free Lunch Program, which Woods supports by preparing and serving meals several days a month; Hope for All, which helps people transitioning from homelessness furnish a home; Langton Green Community Farm, which supports adults with disabilities; Lighthouse Inc., a homelessness prevention support center and shelter in Annapolis; and SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods), a food pantry and emergency services provider.
Urban partners include Drink at the Well, a multi-denominational organization in Curtis Bay that mentors women and connects them to resources, and Shepherd's Clinic in Baltimore, which offers free, comprehensive health care to those who cannot afford commercial insurance. National partners include Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), and PC(USA) Mission Worker Support.
Global partners include CEDEPCA in Guatemala, which provides training and economic empowerment for women; the Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, Woods' sister church, whose Living Waters project recently passed the milestone of 6 million liters of clean drinking water shared with the community; and Ministry of Hope in Malawi, which supports rural communities and orphans through feeding centers, a crisis nursery, mobile medical clinics, and educational scholarships.
As a Matthew 25 Congregation, Woods commits to building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating systemic poverty. The church's mission statement is "Welcoming all to grow and serve in Christ," and its vision is "To be a voice of faith transforming lives and society through Jesus Christ."
What Woods Believes
Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States and one of more than 10,000 active congregations. Presbyterians at Woods affirm the Trinity - the sovereignty of God the Creator, the incarnation in Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world and in believers. The church describes itself as "reformed, always reforming," and welcomes the broad range of theological perspectives found within the PC(USA).
Woods is a Matthew 25 Congregation and an Earth Care Congregation. As an Earth Care Congregation, it incorporates creation care into worship, education, facilities, and outreach, and as a Matthew 25 Congregation it commits to building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating systemic poverty. The church states that it does not have all the answers but sincerely strives to ask the right questions, and it opens its doors to those who need spiritual healing, a resource for faith expression and growth, and a companion of hope.
Staff and Officers
The Rev. J.C. Austin serves as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff. The Rev. Ashley Brown joined Woods as Associate Pastor in September 2026, with a focus on adult faith formation. David Merrill is Director of Music and the Arts and leads the Adult Choir, Children's Choir, and SEEK Band. Sarah Kent is Director of Contemporary Music and leads the Praise Band. Kat Green is Director of Children's Ministry and Lindsey Miller is Coordinator of Children and Youth Ministries. Oliver Page is Director of Youth Ministry. Lauren Lohff is Coordinator for Pastoral Care and Adult Formation. Eric Willner is Coordinator of Worship Technology. Jason Jackson is Director of Operations, Alec Green is Sound Engineer, Olivia Rivers is Administrative Assistant for Property, and Pam Ward is Office Administrator. Roxann Bartone directs the Woods Child Development Center.
The church is governed by elders and deacons elected to three-year terms. The Clerk of Session is Denise Hill. Deacon moderators are Kathryn Kissam, Kris Hemmings, and Leslie Wintz. Officers are listed on the church's officers page.
Planning a First Visit
Visitors will find parking in the main lot, where greeters are ready to help direct them to the sanctuary or Sunday School. Dress at Woods ranges from suits to jeans and tennis shoes; the early service tends to be a bit more formal, while the later service is generally more relaxed. Worship at either service includes a biblically focused message and music, with the Traditional Service drawing on hymns and choral pieces and the Contemporary Service using the Praise Band.
Children are welcome in worship, and Children's Sunday School runs at both the 9:30 and 11 a.m. services. Noise-dampening headphones are available for sensory-sensitive children through the Children's Ministry. A nursery is staffed during both Sunday morning service hours. After each service, Fellowship Hall opens for bagels and coffee, a long-running tradition at Woods and an easy way to meet people.
New Members Classes are offered periodically; those who complete a class are presented to the congregation during a worship service. Visitors with questions can email hello@woodschurch.org or call the church office at 410-647-2550. Worship bulletins, the weekly Messenger newsletter, and prayer lists are available online, and the church livestreams its services on YouTube each Sunday for those who prefer to participate from home.