Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church

09/06/2026

Good morning, GPC family! ☀️ We'd love to see you this morning for our final summer worship service — join us at 10:00 am on-site at GPC or streaming live on YouTube! Today, Pastor Joshua concludes our summer series, Building Beloved Community, with the story of Phoebe — a faithful servant and leader whose quiet, generous ministry made it possible for others to fulfill their calling. What role do you play in beloved community? Join us and find out. 🙏

🎶 Guest organist Bill Stief and special guitar music by David Kerr lead us in worship, and we'll sing "What Does the Lord Require of You?" one final time — remember your claps! 👏

▶️ Watch the 10:00 am service live on YouTube
Joining us on-site? We'll see you in the Sanctuary! 💛

📅 Heads up — we return to 9:30 am & 11:00 am services beginning September 13!

*Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church* | *September 6, 2026*BULLETIN h...

09/04/2026

This Sunday we conclude our summer worship series Building Beloved Community — and we're ending where so much of the best ministry begins: with someone whose work is quiet, faithful, and absolutely essential. 🙏

In Romans 16:1–2, Paul opens his closing greetings by lifting up Phoebe — a trusted servant and leader in the early church. She's mentioned just once in the entire Bible. But Paul begins Romans 16 with her name, because beloved community is built not only by those whose work is most visible, but by people who lead faithfully, support generously, and help others fulfill their calling.

Together we'll sit with this guiding question: What role do I play in this Beloved Community?

A few special things this Sunday:
🎶 Guest organist Bill Stief and special guitar music by David Kerr
🎵 A final sing of our gathering song "What Does the Lord Require of You?" by Mark Miller — remember your claps! 👏

And a reminder — this is our final 10:00 am summer service! We return to our regular schedule of 9:30 am & 11:00 am beginning Sunday, September 13.

Join us Sunday. What a summer it has been. 💛

📍 Sunday | September 6 | 10:00 am
On-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube

09/03/2026

🙏 Can you believe the summer is winding down?

Seeing school buses in the neighborhood got Pastor Joshua thinking about his time at Howard University — and a man named Pops. Pops is the sexton of the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, and for 54 years he has kept that chapel clean, stocked, and always open.

Because it was always open, students had a place to ask big questions, cry a little, do some homework, and sit in Pops' office for some of the best advice they would ever receive. 54 years. Still at it. Still making a difference.

That's Phoebe. A deacon in the early church, mentioned just once in the entire Bible — and yet Paul begins Romans 16 by lifting up her ministry. Because beloved community isn't built by the most visible people. It's built by the faithful ones. The ones who know their role and play it well across every season. 🌱

What role do you play in your community? Drop it in the comments — we'll continue this Sunday! 🙏

📍 Sunday Worship at GPC — Final Summer Service!
10:00 am on-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube

08/30/2026

Good morning, GPC family! ☀️ We'd love to see you this morning — join us at 10:00 am on-site at GPC or streaming live on YouTube! Today Pastor Joshua continues our summer series Building Beloved Community with the story of Apollos — and the simple but profound truth that in beloved community, we each play a part: some plant, some water, but God gives the growth. 🌱

And today we celebrate someone who has planted and watered here at GPC for so long — we honor the retirement of our beloved music director, Katherine Williams, as the Chancel Choir leads us in worship. 🎶

▶️ Watch the 10:00 am service live on YouTube
Joining us on-site? We'll see you in the Sanctuary! 💛

*Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church* | *August 30, 2026*BULLETIN htt...

08/28/2026

This Sunday we continue our summer series Building Beloved Community — and we're sitting with one of the most beautiful descriptions of shared ministry in all of scripture. 🌱

In Acts 18:24–28 and 1 Corinthians 3:5–6, we encounter Apollos — a gifted teacher whose faith was strengthened by the wisdom of Priscilla and Aquila. He received what they poured into him and carried it forward. And Paul described their shared ministry simply: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."

Together we'll consider: what does it look like to pass along a legacy of faithfulness and ensure the Good News is spread in every season? How do we remain humble enough to learn, generous enough to share, and faithful enough to trust God to do the rest? 🙏

We'll also be celebrating a very special milestone this Sunday — the retirement of our beloved music director, Katherine Williams, as the Chancel Choir leads us in worship. 🎶 Come ready to honor her extraordinary ministry and the legacy she leaves behind.

Join us Sunday. 💛

📍 Sunday | August 30 | 10:00 am
On-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube

08/27/2026

Invitations to our "NOT a Gala!" went out last night. If you are a Rainbow supporter (and you probably are if you are seeing this), you are invited! Check your junk and spam folders, or see the invitation at https://mailchi.mp/rainbowplace/this-is-not-your-average-invitation.

We hope you will join us on September 25th for the most Un-gala ever!

08/27/2026

🏕️ Pastor Joshua recently spent a week with his godson — what he calls Camp Uncle Josh.

His godson is curious, thoughtful, and has an incredible sense of humor. But as the week went on, Pastor Joshua found himself reflecting on something deeper — the gift of that relationship, and the woman behind it. His godson's grandmother, Janet, poured into Pastor Joshua from VBS through confirmation and beyond. So much of who he is today is a direct result of her spiritual legacy. 🙏

That got him thinking about Paul and Apollos — a relationship people often read as competition. But Paul resets the narrative: we each play a role in shaping one another to glorify God. Apollos isn't Paul's rival. He's part of Paul's spiritual legacy.

Whose legacy are you part of? And who is part of yours? Drop it in the comments — we'll continue this Sunday! 🙏

📍 Sunday Worship at GPC
10:00 am on-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube

08/23/2026

Good morning, GPC family! ☀️ We'd love to see you this morning — join us at 10:00 am on-site at GPC or streaming live on YouTube! This morning, Rev. LeAnn Hodges continues our summer series Building Beloved Community with the story of Lydia — a businesswoman whose curiosity about Jesus led to devotion, and whose devotion led to investing everything she had in beloved community. 🙏

Don't forget your backpack or work bag for our Backpack Blessing — and bring school supplies to support students at Summit Hall and Rosemont Elementary! 🎒

▶️ Watch the 10:00 am service live on YouTube
Joining us on-site? We'll see you in the Sanctuary! 💛

*Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church* | *August 23, 2026*BULLETIN htt...

08/22/2026

This Sunday we continue our summer series Building Beloved Community — and we're meeting one of the early church's most remarkable and unlikely patrons. 🌟

In Acts 16:11–15, 40, we encounter Lydia — a successful businesswoman and dealer in purple cloth in the city of Philippi. She didn't have to go looking for Paul. But she went out to the edges of town out of curiosity, and that curiosity led to devotion, which led to an investment of everything she had to give. Together we'll sit with this guiding question: what might God create with and through me to support Beloved Community if I trust God enough to envision a future filled with hope and abundance?

We'll also be led in worship by Mary Kempf and Clovis Mbah 🎶 and return to our gathering song "What Does the Lord Require of You?" by Mark Miller.

And this Sunday we'll be blessing backpacks and work bags for all our returning students — plus receiving backpacks and school supplies to support students at Summit Hall and Rosemont Elementary Schools. Bring your bag and bring your supplies! 🎒

Join us Sunday. 💛

📍 Sunday | August 23 | 10:00 am
On-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube

08/21/2026

😅 It started with the electric bill.

Pastor Joshua opened his mailbox, saw the number, and almost fell out. But once the shock wore off, it got him thinking — everything costs. Including community.

It's always a little inconvenient when we have to widen the circle and consider the needs of someone else rather than just prioritizing me, myself, and I. But that inconvenience should never be the roadblock to accepting God's invitation to walk together. 🌱

Lydia understood this. A successful businesswoman and dealer in purple cloth, she could have stayed focused on her own priorities. But she got curious about what God was doing in community — and she invested everything she had. Her business became a blessing not just for her, but for everyone connected to her in Philippi and across the Jesus movement.

There's always a cost to community. What cost are you willing to pay? Drop it in the comments — we'll continue this Sunday! 🙏

📍 Sunday Worship at GPC
10:00 am on-site in the GPC Sanctuary | Streaming live on YouTube