Episcopal Church of Christ the King:
Profile.
Episcopal Church of Christ the King
1930 Brookdale Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21224
1-410-944-6683
Rector:
Episcopal Church of Christ the King: Introduction.
Nestled on six acres of open space amid shopping centers, apartment complexes, and a diverse residential area, The Episcopal Church of Christ the King is a haven of rest and a place to gain strength for all who come.
We pray to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to envision the path that will be ours to travel for the years ahead. We search for those who would join us on that path, and invite you to consider joining us in our ministries. Christ the King Church has been blessed to have had five seminary graduates from our congregation, and we have been the intern parish for numerous seminarians and deacons.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthian's 12:27
Mission Statement of the
Episcopal Church of Christ the King.
The Episcopal Church of Christ the King, a part of the Anglican Communion, is a caring family who believes in Jesus Christ's redeeming love. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we strive to be spiritual, welcoming, and loving in a multicultural setting. We are dedicated to the sharing of God's grace and Holy Spirit within our community and throughout the world.
Episcopal Church of Christ the King
in the community.
In the Woodlawn area of western Baltimore County, the Episcopal Church of Christ the King (ECCTK) provides an open and natural setting for worship in an otherwise sprawling and developed region. Best known as the national headquarters for the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Woodlawn/Windsor Mill is comprised of several neighborhood communities. We are part of the community of Chadwick, a growing development of single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, and townhouses. Within a two-mile radius of the parish, are numerous elementary, middle, and senior high schools, as well as shopping centers, restaurants,
and office building complexes.
Our church is located just fifteen minutes by car from Baltimore's famous downtown Inner Harbor. We are approximately five miles west of Baltimore City, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. We are one mile off of the Baltimore Interstate Beltway (I-695) that surrounds the city. The main thoroughfares associated with this area are the Beltway, Security Boulevard, Rolling Road, Baltimore National Pike (US40), and Liberty Road (MD26). Annapolis, the State Capital of Maryland, is about an hour away by car to the southeast. Our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., is an hour to the southwest.
As a "Beltway" church, it is convenient for people to travel from many of the extended communities surrounding the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. We have members that come from as far away as Westminster, New Windsor, and Owings Mills located to our Northwest, Columbia and Granite to our West, and Catonsville, Pasadena, and Arbutus to the South as well as from several Baltimore urban neighborhoods and the nearby communities of Windsor Mill, Chadwick, and Woodlawn.
Our immediate neighborhood has been changing since the early 1960's. The demographics of this neighborhood have changed from primarily Caucasian to what is now a mixture of races, nationalities, languages, and faiths. When local community associations meet, they resemble a mini-United Nations, with Indian, Korean, African-American, Chinese, Nigerian, Caribbean, and European-American members attending. As a result, our congregation has also changed and reflects that mixture.
Our participation in the community currently includes providing:
- Nursing Home Services three times a month;
- Food Vouchers for the needy
and making available our facilities for:- a before and after school child care program (the Extended Child Care Program: ECCP);
- Boy Scout Troop 140;
- The Church of Goodness, (a Korean Methodist Congregation);
- Several local Home Owners Association meetings;
- Diocesan Committee meetings;
- MD Cursillo Leadership meetings;
- A monthly Cursillo Ultreya grouping
Beginnings of the
Episcopal Chapel of Christ the King.
Western Baltimore Country has always been fertile ground for growing. Tobacco was a primary product
during the colonial years, and it is no surprise that one of our main thoroughfares was named, Rolling Road, where the baled hogsheads (bales) of tobacco were rolled up to boats along the river in nearby Elkridge, Maryland. As the area around Baltimore developed, the Diocese of Maryland became aware of the need for a church in the general area of Rolling Road and Security Boulevard. Saint Bartholomew's Church, located on the west side of Baltimore City, rose to the challenge. They purchased land in 1954 for the Rolling Road Mission, and called Father Charles L. Longest, in October, 1960, for the explicit purpose of starting the mission.
The new congregation held its first service on March 25, 1961, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Heine. Outgrowing the home, the group began meeting at the Rolling Inn on Baltimore National Pike, where the Sunday morning service began by sweeping out the cigarette remains from the floors before worship.
Saint Bartholomew's Church authorized a building fund in January, 1962, and on Easter Sunday, 1963, the Chapel of Christ the King celebrated Eucharist at the brand new Parish House. On May 26, 1963, Bishop Nobel C. Powell dedicated a new chapel. The Vicar moved into a new home on the property in 1967.
The 41 families and 73 communicants of 1963 grew to 83 families and 181 communicants during Father Longest's ten years as Vicar.
Mission becomes
Episcopal Church of Christ the King.
In 1972, the Chapel's income exceeded expenditures for the first time. In 1973, Father Charles Longest accepted a call to another parish, and in May, 1974, The Rev. William P. Reed accepted the call to become Vicar of the Chapel of Christ the King.
Fifty jubilant members of our congregation, present at the Diocesan Convention in May, 1977, heard Father Longest, chairman of the Diocesan Committee on Missions, officially declare our family: "The Episcopal Church of Christ the King".
Under Father Reed's guidance, the parish grew, paved the parking lot, started construction of a pipe organ, and, in 1980, established a building fund for a larger and improved Parish Hall. The congregation wanted to increase space for our own activities, and to allow for greater ministry to the neighborhood. Under Father Reed's direction, Christ the King developed vibrant Christian Education programs, established a formal Stewardship Campaign, and added a midweek Eucharist.
Interim Years at the
Episcopal Church of Christ the King.
In 1981, Father Reed died suddenly, leaving the parish grief-stricken and distraught. The parish took a bold step, and called the first female rector in the Diocese of Maryland, the Reverend Noreen P. Suriner, in 1982. Under Rev. Suriner's direction, the congregation completed the pipe organ, built a new parish hall (Reed Hall), established the organist as a staff position, and developed and dedicated a Memorial Scattering Garden. Reverend Suriner provided pastoral care to the congregation that was changing. The racial makeup of the congregation broadened, and the average age of the membership increased.
In March, 1995, Rev. Suriner felt compelled to answer a call to serve at Trinity Memorial Church in Binghamton, NY. After an extensive search process the Parish issued a call to the Rev. Linda P. Fernandez who became the Rector in January, 1997. Under Rev. Fernandez's guidance the makeup of the congregation continued to diversify as immigrants from many of the African nations joined our parish. In it's very diversity the congregation grew in strength and numbers - supporting, where possible, the priestly ministry and developing lay ministry to guide the church through difficult days.
Recent Years at the
Episcopal Church of Christ the King.
The resignation of Rev. Fernandez, in March, 2004, meant a prayerful search for a new priest which was rewarded in April, 2005, when Fr. Christopher G. Lee (a Welshman) answered the call. Leaving behind the Church in Wales (and his 12th century church of St. Teilo's) he was inducted as Priest-in-Charge on June 12th, 2005. After a year of getting to know each other, and liking what they saw in each other, Fr. Chris accepted the Vestry's call to become Rector on Easter Sunday, 2006, much to the joy of the total congregation. He is a priest dedicated to the building up of Christ's church, committed to the ecumenical movement and ever grateful to the congregation at Christ the King which is made up of people from many parts of the world. Under his leadership the church continues to grow in spirit and strength. With the enthusiastic support of people from the congregation Fr. Chris started celebrating Eucharist at a nearby nursing home twice a month and a prayer service once a month. Under his guidance and gentle tutelage the congregation continued to grow in spirit and in numbers.
Then, with the sudden and unexpected death of Fr. Lee following surgery in September of 2007, the congregation was again left distraught and grief-stricken. After a four month period of mourning, the search for a new Rector was started. Feeling the need for consistent clergy leadership during the search process, on February 24, 2008, we welcomed the Rev. James Shields into our fold as our part time Priest-in-Charge.
Street Directions to the
Episcopal Church of Christ the King.
Get off the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) at Exit 17 (Security Blvd Exit). Take the exit going west toward Rolling Road, not the exit going east toward Woodlawn. Travel west along Security Boulevard about one-half mile, through traffic-lights at Belmont Avenue, Lord Baltimore Drive, and Rolling Road. Continue west for another block, until you reach Brookdale Road. The "blue church on the corner", better known as The Episcopal Church of Christ the King is on your left. Make a left turn onto Brookdale Rd., and then turn right into the ECCTK parking lot.