Goshen Mennonite Church

Tucked away on Brink Road in Laytonsville, Maryland, stands the Goshen Mennonite Church. It’s a place with a rich history, intertwined with the lives of the community it serves. The Goshen Mennonite Church wasn’t always Mennonite. The story begins long before 1949, the year the Mennonite congregation first took root. The land itself was purchased in 1790 for the Goshen Methodist Church. A log structure, then a brick one around 1830, and finally the present building, dedicated in 1871, marked the Methodist congregation’s presence. The church even had a balcony, accessible only from an outside entrance, specifically for African American worshippers. This building, steeped in history, became the home of Goshen Mennonite Church in December 1950, thanks to the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. In 1949, Menno Sell and a small group began holding services in the Woodman Hall. This marked the beginning of the Goshen Mennonite Church. The community, largely made up of families from Virginia and Tennessee seeking work, found a spiritual home. A Sunday school started, a summer Bible school thrived, and the congregation grew. The transition to the former Methodist church building is a testament to the power of prayer and community. Initially, the mission board hesitated to fund a modern heating system, offering only enough for space heaters. Yet, through prayer and the generosity of church members, a new oil furnace was installed at a fraction of the cost. Similarly, electric lights replaced oil lamps thanks to the volunteer work of Wilmer Hunsecker. By 2013, the Goshen Mennonite Church found itself no longer in a rural setting but surrounded by expensive homes. This shift meant most members lived outside the immediate area. Yet, the church continues to thrive. In 2019, led by Pastor Charles Kline IV, the Goshen Mennonite Church, with its membership of 26, boasted an average weekly attendance of 45. The Goshen Mennonite Church, a beacon of faith and community, continues its journey on Brink Road. From its Methodist beginnings to its Mennonite present, the church has witnessed the changing tides of time, remaining a steadfast presence in the lives of its members.