Chevy Chase United Methodist Church is located one mile north of Chevy Chase Circle across from the 4-H Youth Conference Center at:
7001 Connecticut Avenue
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
Tel: (301) 652-8700
Email: office@chevychaseumc.org
Some Information About Our Church
About Us
The people of Chevy Chase United Methodist Church believe and practice "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors". As we seek to serve God and neighbor in all we do, we welcome anyone and everyone to worship and participate in our programs. As Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came to them and that they would be Jesus' "witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8) so Chevy Chase UMC, powered by the Holy Spirit, seeks to witness Jesus' love and justice through the stewardship of our programs and ministry in Chevy Chase, the greater Washington area, and across the globe.
So that we may be nurtured to become Jesus' disciples we:
• Worship with 3 services each week - 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. on Sundays, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Our music programs include the Joy & Praise Singers, Sanctuary Choir, children's choirs (Cherubim & Good News Gang), and an adult handbell choir (Belles).
• Study in children's Sunday school, Sunday and weekday adult classes, and Disciple Bible Study.
• Pray with a Prayer and Praise service and a weekly prayer list.
• Share in fellowship with Programs and Lunches for Seniors (PALS), Fossils (retired men), United Methodist Women, and United Methodist Men.
So that we may witness to Jesus' love and justice we support:
• Local ministries including our Preschool (ccumcpreschool.org), Cub and Boy Scout troops, and Narcotics Anonymous.
• Regional ministries including Community Ministries of Montgomery County, feeding programs for the homeless, a Liberian refugee family, and Help the Homeless Walkathon.
• Global ministries including a missionary in Nicaragua, mission trips, Bread for the World, Israel/Palestine Studies, and the Green Team.
We are part of the United Methodist Church (www.umc.org) and the Baltimore-Washington Conference (www.bwcumc.org).
Pastor's Welcome
Welcome to Chevy Chase United Methodist Church!
In the 13th chapter of his letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul wrote, "So faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Chevy Chase UMC is approaching its 100th anniversary (2012). As we honor the history and traditions that have shaped this church we celebrate our faith. As we look forward to being a faithful serving community for the next 100 years we do so with hope, hope not only for ourselves but also hope for our world to grow in peace and justice. But it is love that brings faith and hope together in our present context. And so Chevy Chase UMC seeks to share generously the love of God with all people.
Chevy Chase UMC seeks to share that love by addressing the physical and spiritual needs of members and our covenant communities whether they be local, area-wide, national, or global. Through our giving and our presence we reach out to people in Africa, India, China, Nicaragua, the Gulf Coast, the homeless in DC and the hungry in our own community. We do this by being faithful to our membership vows giving of ourselves through our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service as we seek to participate more profoundly in the God's joyful healing of the world.
We invite you to explore with us through our programs, studies, worship, and activities.
Dave Myers, Pastor
Schedule of Services
(All services Sunday, except where noted.)
| 9:30am | Contemporary Service - Chapel. Casual dress and coffee |
| 9:30am | Children's Sunday School - Children begin in worship with their parents. After the "Children's Message" they are escorted to their class rooms. |
| 10:30am | Coffee fellowship |
| 11:00am | Traditional Service - Sanctuary |
| 7:00pm | Wednesdays - Prayer & Praise Service - Chapel |
Our Pastor
David Myers took his place as CCUMC's new pastor on Sunday, July 8, 2007. Pastor Myers grew up in Orono, Maine attending the Orono United Methodist Church. Part of his formative ministerial preparation was attending and working for five summers at Mechuwana (the United Methodist Camp of Maine). He was educated at West Virginia Wesleyan, Boston University School of Theology, and did non-degree doctoral studies at Hartford Seminary.
He was ordained in 1972 and has served churches in Lowell (Centralville UMC, 1973-1977); Ayer (Federated Church of Ayer, 1977 - 1981); Lexington (Lexington UMC, 1981 - 1992); and Belmont (Belmont UMC, 1992-1999). From 1999 through 2003 he served as Treasurer of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church. While Treasurer, he was elected President (2002 - 2003) of the National Association of Annual Conference Treasurers of the UMC.
An accomplished preacher, Rev. Myers received the 1995 Ziegler Preaching Award given annually in the New England Conference of the UMC for excellence in preaching on Social Justice and Pastoral Ministry. Rev. Myers has provided leadership in the development of the 17 year old Nicaragua Covenant between the New England Conference and la Iglesia de Cristo en Nicaragua, an indigenous Nicaraguan denomination of about 120 churches. He has visited Nicaragua over 10 times.
David has a number of hobbies including making golf clubs, cooking, photography, gardening and Bar-B-Q. David is married to Deborah Renfro Myers and they are the proud parents of two college-age children, Nate and Sarah.
A Short History of CCUMC
A Church is Born
On March 14, 1912, a small group of persons met in the little brown-shingled Chevy Chase Baptist Church on Shepherd Street just east of Connecticut Avenue. Their purpose? To consider organizing a Methodist Church in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Several of the families involved, including the Orems, Troths, and Simpsons, had been meeting for a few years in the loft of a barn on Williams Lane where the Reverend Orem would hold a service after having preached his Sunday morning service at Woodside Methodist Church. Bruce Bielaski, a lawyer and son of a Methodist minister in Kensington, had built a house on Raymond Street and wanted a church for his children, so he canvassed the neighborhood to see how many people would be interested in starting a Methodist Church in the neighborhood.
The meeting was the answer.
At the meeting, Dr. Lucien Clark, recently retired from active ministry, volunteered his services for the organizing work and gave the group the benefit of his experience and counsel. The group appointed a committee to establish a permanent organization and named Dr. Clark as Chairman and A. Bruce Bielaski as secretary.
The following Sunday, March 21, 1912, Dr. Clark preached his first sermon for the new church at an evening service. That evening, the committee on organization reported that the Chevy Chase Baptist Church congregation had offered the use of their building without cost except for lights and janitor service. This offer was gratefully accepted, and plans were made to have services every Sunday evening with Dr. Clark as Pastor.
On June 20th, the Site Committee reported that the Trustees of the Baptist Church had offered to sell their property for $3960. This was considered a reasonable price, and on August 18, 1912, the group of Methodists organized and accepted the offer. The Baptists built a new church on Chevy Chase Circle, where they still are today.
On September 8, 1912, the Chevy Chase Methodist Church was officially established by District Superintendent Sumwalt with 31 Charter Members. Of these, 26 were received by letter, one by profession of faith, and four on probation.
Dr. Clark continued to serve as Pastor for eight years until ill health caused him to retire for the second time. During this period he refused to accept any pay from the church. He was dedicated to the cause, providing good business as well as spiritual guidance and was much loved by the congregation.
At a meeting of the appointed Official Board on September 26, 1912, it was agreed that the church would be called The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Chevy Chase. At the same meeting, A. B. Bielaski was appointed to prepare Articles of Incorporation, and at a meeting of the Official Board on October 31, 1912, the Articles of Incorporation were signed by the Trustees.
The organization of the church moved forward rapidly so that on January 29, 1913, the purchase of the church property from the Columbia Association of Baptist Churches of the District of Columbia was completed. Later, the Chevy Chase Land Company donated the corner lot at Connecticut and Shepherd Streets where the Chapel now stands.
The original building was rectangular in shape, running north and south and facing Shepherd Street. While the Baptists occupied it, they added more space by building a wing on the west side.
Growth Calls for More Space
Soon after the church was purchased, the need for more space was obvious, so the Methodists built a matching wing on the east side of the building. In addition to the increased space, the addition also improved the appearance of the building which was now in the shape of a cross.
The steady growth in membership and increased attendance at the Church School compelled consideration of plans for enlarging the church building. On May 19, 1921, a special committee recommended that the building be cut in two from east to west, the north portion moved fifteen feet, and the two separated sections be rejoined by new construction. This was done for about $5,000.
While the church building was being expanded, the vacant lot on Connecticut Avenue just north of the church property was purchased for $2,900, thus providing room for future expansion.
In 1922, a parsonage was built just east of the enlarged church building. The finished cost was $8,765. In the same year, an education wing was added to the back of the church.
Within two years, growth required more expansion and in June, 1924, excavation was started for a full basement under the church for the Church School, a larger kitchen and a new heating plant. By September, this work was completed at a cost of $2,000, and it was thought that the church was prepared to meet all needs for many years to come. But with the optimism of future growth, a building fund was established.
Stone Sanctuary Constructed
By 1934, the Building Fund had reached approximately $12,000 and it was felt that the long-desired new stone sanctuary could be built. A special Building Committee was appointed with Harvey L. Curtis Chairman, It was decided that the funds available would permit the erection of a stone sanctuary adjoining the existing building on the west, extending toward Connecticut Avenue. This would make it possible to utilize the older building for Church School and a social hall with only slight remodeling. Richard S. Johnson, an architect and member of the church, was asked to prepare plans for the proposed new sanctuary.
On August 29, 1934, a contract was awarded to Edward L. Simpson, builder and member of the church, for the erection of the new sanctuary. The new building was completed at a total cost of $20,240 and was formally dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 14, 1935, by Bishop Edwin H. Hughes.
Meanwhile, more room was needed for religious education, so a frame building was constructed on the lot just north of the new sanctuary. At a special service on Sunday afternoon, October 13, 1935, this new education building was formally dedicated.
Following the unification of the Methodist churches nationwide in 1939, the name of the church was changed to the Chevy Chase Methodist Church, Incorporated.
Present Sanctuary Built in Stages
By 1944, the membership of the church had outgrown even the existing sanctuary and it became necessary beginning on October 1, 1944, to hold two services of worship each Sunday morning; so a committee was appointed with William Orem, Jr., son of Reverend Orem, Chairman, to make plans for a larger sanctuary.
Under Coordinator Horace E. Troth, Jr., ground was broken in July 1948 for the present sanctuary, but rising costs limited construction to just the basement area. This first stage of building was called the Parish Hall, consecrated on April 10, 1949 by the Pastor, Dr. Clifford Richmond. In June 1954, the Parish Hall was renamed Phillips Memorial Hall and dedicated to the memory of Mrs. George Emory Phillips, a generous benefactor of the church.
By the summer of 1953, funds were available to start the remaining construction of the sanctuary. On November 7, 1954, the present sanctuary was consecrated by Dr. Asbury Smith, Director Superintendent. It had cost $550,000 including Phillips Hall, its basement.
Parsonages Added
The first parsonage was built in 1922 facing Shepherd Street on ground now occupied by the Education Building. The present parsonage at 3810 Taylor Street was purchased and redecorated, and Dr. Richmond and family moved in in February 1957. The former parsonage became part of the Church School facilities.
Property at 7009 Connecticut Avenue was purchased in 1955 as a parsonage for the Associate Minister. It was sold in 1961.
On October 2, 1958, the property at 3805 Shepherd Street was purchased for expansion needs, first used as offices and classes, then in 1961 renovated as a parsonage for the Associate Minister. It is now the pastor's residence. The extra lots extending to Delaware Street provide a playground for day school and youth activities.
Education Building Constructed
By 1958, the need for more space for the Church School and other church functions had become so acute that a committee with E. Lester Simpson as Chairman was appointed to plan a new education building. The building replaced the wooden structures that had served so well over the years, the old church, the first parsonage and educational buildings. It joined with the old and new stone sanctuaries to form the present combined facilities. It was completed at an approximate cost of $382,000 and was consecrated September 24, 1961 by Bishop John Wesley Lord.
Memorials Crucial to Building Program
Over the years, contributions in the form of memorials to loved ones have played an essential part in the expansion of the church facilities. Many of the facilities and and equipment we enjoy today could not have been obtained through the normal building fund drives. These gifts, both large and modest, have made our church more beautiful, more comfortable and more effective as a religious center. As an example, during the construction of the present sanctuary, the Memorials Committee, with Florence Jager as Chairperson, obtained individual gifts that made possible the beautiful stained-glass windows designed by Wilbur Herbert Burnhan of Boston. The beautiful pews were also memorial gifts, and the great organ designed by the Moeller Organ Company was primarily given by the WSCS (now the UMW) with funds they raised from rummage sales and other projects. The entire cost of redecorating and refurbishing the Chapel in 1964 and later the grand piano in the sanctuary was also covered by Memorial gifts.
Memorials contributed greatly to the completion of the Education Building, too, equipping rooms, providing musical instruments, audio-visual equipment and many, many more important items as the need arose.