Partners in Faith

SWES

Southwest Emergency Services (SWES) is supported by 20 local churches, including Hope. We provide a food pantry and financial aid to those in need in our area. Also, we have a Clothing Closet for anyone who would like to come. You are invited to support this outreach ministry with donations of non-perishable food items, clothing, household items, and money. Please call 410-247-8154 for more information. SWES is located at 1201 Maple Ave, Baltimore, MD. 21227, behind Arbutus United Methodist Church.

Baltimore Presbytery

Visit the Baltimore Presbytery web site.

The Catholic Community at Relay
Hope Church – Catholic Community At Relay
A special relationship

In the 1960’s the former Relay Presbyterian Church building was standing empty, because the congregation had moved to their new home, “Hope Presbyterian Church” in Arbutus. Ecumenical Campus Ministry requested the use of the church buildings and grounds and permission was granted for the use of the property. Ecumenical Campus Ministry flourished there into the early 1970’s until the decision was made to pull the ministers from this location, and placed them on the actual campus grounds of UMBC. Many of those who had been meeting at the church, continued to do and at some point a vote was taken, and it was decided that the Ecumenical Campus Ministry Group would henceforth be known as the Catholic Community At Relay, but with a very Ecumenical flavor. This fledgling group had great intentions but little money, as is the wont of college students. Hope Presbyterian allowed the group to continue to meet there, and Hope actually supported the young community financially. Eventually the students began to graduate and get jobs and were able to gradually support themselves. In December of 1996 The Catholic Community At Relay purchased the property from Hope Presbyterian Church, and another era began in the annuals of the two communities.

Thanksgiving Services were shared between the two churches, hosting each other, every other year. Then one of the families from Hope invited two teens from The Northern Ireland Children’s Project to visit with them for the summer. Since one of them was Catholic and one was Protestant, it was decided that we should show them that a Catholic church and a Protestant church could live in peace, and share worship together. So began our annual Summer Worship Service together, and it continues to this day. It is a unique relationship we, two sister churches, have shared for a very long time. It will be interesting to see how we continue to share the life of each other’s congregation.