History :

Hope Presbyterian Church was established in 1969. Although Hope's history reaches back only four decades, our genealogy stretches back over 100 years. Hope is actually a church of two merged congregations - Relay Presbyterian (est. 1880) and Bethany Presbyterian (est. 1953). Rev. Allan Moore was the first minister to serve at Hope. However, most people associate Hope with Rev. Dr. Cherry Marshall. Cherry, as she is affectionately called by the congregation, assumed responsibility as pastor for Hope in the early 70s and has served in this capacity ever since. Cherry also holds the distinction of being the first female clergy ordained in the Presbytery of Baltimore.

In 2002, we expanded our original building (just as the early blueprints predicted) to include a new structure that houses offices for staff, Sunday school classrooms, and our daycare center, "Joyful Noise". The original worship space is still in use today as it has been since the early Bethany days, although it has been renovated/updated over the last few years. The one constant in our history - we have always taken pride in being an intimate, friendly, and inclusive community of believers who share a common faith in Jesus our Savior. We invite you to join us this coming Sunday and experience for yourself the spirit of Hope Church.

First time visitors receive a small box of Rheb's candy. It is our way of saying, "it is sweet" of you to come, please come again. The children are encouraged to pick up Children's Bags that contain a variety of items. The saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child." This is a village of love. At this Church you will be greeted both at the beginning of the service and at the end of the service. The Pastor is accessible and approachable. The Church is mindful of those who have physical limitations. There is an elevator, parking for the handicapped, wheelchairs are available, large print bulletins and special spaces in the Sanctuary for those who are in wheelchairs. We want all to feel included and welcome. Recently we have added visuals to the Worship Service. The words of the hymns are on the screen at the front of the sanctuary. Also pictures are often used to help us visualize the Scriptures. Once a month we have a band that plays during worship. The band of two guitars, drummer and keyboardist has been a wonderful addition to our worship.