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Faith
Lutheran Church
Serving Eldersburg, Sykesville, Carroll County & Beyond A member of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod |
Where We’ve Been
On Sunday, September 18, 1977, Faith Lutheran Church held its first worship service in the South Carroll Senior Center, located on Bartholow Road in Eldersburg, Maryland. Forty-one people were in attendance. Shortly after that, Rev. Raymond C. Hohenstein, Mission Developer with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, was brought in to shepherd the small congregation and to assist and guide Faith’s development.
By July 1978 it was apparent that Faith was growing rapidly and in need of a full time pastor. Faith extended a call to Pastor Albert E. Bielenberg, who accepted the call and was installed as Faith’s first pastor on September 17, 1978, our first anniversary. Pastor Bielenberg resigned in July 1979. Area pastors, principals and teachers from Baltimore Lutheran High School filled the vacancy until March 1980, when a call was extended to and accepted by Rev. Godfrey (Bo) Jarabak.
Faith’s first community outreach programs were Vacation Bible School in the summer of 1978, the Live Nativity program held on the church property in December 1982, and the opening of a snowball stand in the early 1980’s.
In June 1989, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Faith’s property, located at Liberty and Bonnie Brae Roads. Less than a year later, we moved into our present church home. On May 20, 1990, we held a closing service at the South Carroll Senior Center then, carrying banners and singing, marched up Liberty Road to our new home where our cornerstone was dedicated and our first service was held. The actual Dedication Service for the new Sanctuary was held on the 12th anniversary of Faith Lutheran Church, September 23, 1990.
In August 1991, Pastor Jarabak left Faith to accept a call to a church in Virginia. On October 4, 1992, Rev. James G. Stoltenberg was installed as our third pastor. In 2002 we opened the Faith Child Development Center preschool to serve the children and families of the Eldersburg area. Pastor Stoltenberg served until September 2005, when he accepted a call to another congregation. The vacancy was filled by an intentional interim pastor, Rev. James Bloker, who served from January 2006 until May 2008.
In February 2009, Faith Lutheran Church installed its fourth long-term pastor, Rev. James M. Krach. Under Pastor Krach’s guidance, we continue to prayerfully seek God’s direction as we move forward and reach out with God’s love to our community and world.
(For more detailed information about Faith Lutheran Church’s structure, please refer to our constitution and bylaws. and Congregational Care Team Definition.)
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Maps & Directions 1700 St Andrews Way Eldersburg, MD 21784 Find us on the map |
Contact Us Phone: (410) 795-8082 eMail: the church's office webmaster |