Red Nose

On the corner of Norwood Road and New Hampshire Avenue, right across from the massive Lutheran Church of St. Andrew, is the much more modest Heritage Christian Church, a Disciples of Christ congregation. Right on the home page is the important stuff: Coffee every Sunday at 11:45! I kid, of course. Here's what the Disciples believe: Founded in the 1960's, Heritage Christian Church is a small, thriving congregation, diverse in beliefs, age, race, socio-economic status,... Read more →

Tucked away down a slight hill is Colesville Presbyterian Church, where my grand-niece was married back in 2006. I have to say that, as a technical communicator, I like their use of the bulleted list:As a church of Jesus Christ, we strive to be a church that: Gives a sense of warmth, love and joy to all who enter; Worships and celebrates God with praise for God’s mighty works Thanks God for God’s daily gifts... Read more →

Here we are at Transfiguration Anglican/Episcopal Church. It's right by some heavy-duty road construction, so it's easy to miss this pretty church completely as you navigate the traffic cones. The rector and assistant rector are women -- hurray for you, Episcopalians! At Transfiguration, they believe that: As a community of faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to fulfill a vision of inclusiveness by sharing, supporting, and serving each other and our community, through the... Read more →

Here is the golden-domed temple of the Muslim Community Center: According to the site: Islam, as a faith, means total and sincere surrender to God so that one can live in peace and tranquility. Peace (Salam in Arabic, Shalom in Hebrew) is achieved through active obedience to the revealed commandments of God, for God is The Just, The Peace. Today they are hosting their Spring FunFest, with -- what else -- food! Some things simply... Read more →

It seems like many of the churches on New Hampshire Avenue offer some sort of eats; First Alliance Church is no exception. They offer a Donut and Bagel Fellowship! First Alliance is an evangelical Christian church. Here's what they offer (besides donuts and bagels, that is): Our goal is to help people know God better, live life more fully and serve one another more faithfully. Our desire is to be a growing and reproducing community... Read more →

Okay, so Colesville Baptist Church isn't directly on New Hampshire Avenue, but the great big sign that points to it is, and that's good enough for me. According to their website, Colesville Baptist is a pretty friendly congregation: How friendly are we? We believe that hospitality is a Divine command. You are welcome here. By the way, we are a big family united in Christ so, just like at a family reunion, you will see... Read more →

Here's the New Hampshire Avenue Gospel Chapel, with its peaked roof pointing straight to heaven. Here is their statement of beliefs. If they're right, I'm guessing that I'm going to need an asbestos wetsuit, what with that whole "lake of fire" thing. Read more →

Mercy is the theme for Our Lady of Vietnam, a Roman Catholic community. (I gleaned this from reading the Google-translated version of their website.) I love their beautiful and graceful church, especially the large gong hanging over the front door. The mission of Our Lady of Vietnam is to "live united and love each other." I think, based on their site and the Google translation, that their patron saint is a Polish nun, St. Maria... Read more →

Happy Easter! There's no "method" to my choosing Ashton United Methodist Church for today's house of worship along Church Street; it just happened that way. The site describes the congregation this way: We are called to connect people to God, connect people to one another; and connect ourselves in Christian ministry to a broken and hurting people. We welcome with the love of Christ all persons, regardless of race, religious affiliation, or handicapping conditions. Come... Read more →

Next door to the day spa on New Hampshire Avenue is Ashton Baptist Church. According to their site, they "are a loving, caring church with a wonderful group of believers who range from age 1 to 100." Their Sunday worship services begin with a continental breakfast, always a good thing! I really wanted to learn more about their puppet ministry, but that page is under construction, alas. I'd venture to guess, however, that God is... Read more →