Christ's Reformed Church stands on West Franklin Street in downtown Hagerstown, Maryland, just a short walk from the Washington County courthouse square. The congregation is part of the United Church of Christ, and its members describe themselves as a group learning what it means to walk together with God, authentically and lovingly. Inside the historic sanctuary on Franklin Street, the church is known for keeping every generation in the same room: rather than dividing into separate traditional and contemporary services, it weaves both styles into one family-friendly Sunday gathering and adds a second Sunday hour of worship in Spanish through its Latino ministry.
Walking Together with God
The congregation's stated vision for 2024 is captured in a single sentence: Growing people of faith who live in Jesus, love one another, and bear abundant fruit. Three commitments follow from that vision.
To live in Jesus, the church pursues worship centered on the declaration that Jesus is Lord, expecting to encounter the purpose, presence, and power of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The same commitment also drives intentional spiritual formation, a call for every follower of Christ to grow more Christ-like in character and lifestyle.
To love one another (and all others), the church practices extravagant welcome, holding that the image of God is in everyone and that every person deserves to be welcomed and accepted because of their inherent dignity. Members also work to build vibrant relationships within the body of Christ, nurturing a culture of deep-spirited friendship with one another and with God.
To bear abundant fruit that renews the city and the world, the church commits to abundant, self-sacrificing giving of life, resources, and talents, both locally and globally, and to risk-taking service with acts of creative goodness that promote justice, create beauty, and make peace.
Sunday Worship, Blended and Family-Friendly
Sunday worship begins at 9:30 AM in the sanctuary at 130 West Franklin Street. The bulletin is posted online each Friday morning before the service so worshipers can follow along in advance. Brent Johnson serves as the church's organist, playing the organ, keyboard, and harpsichord for preludes, the service itself, and postludes each week.
Rather than offering separate contemporary and traditional services, the congregation intentionally weaves both streams into a single hour. Youth and children frequently take part in the service, and the church describes its worship as family friendly and biblically based, organized around its vision of growing people of faith at every age.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is available on Zoom during the gathering and is then published on the church's YouTube channel, where it can be watched or revisited afterward.
Ministerio Latino Kadosh
A second Sunday service follows at 11:00 AM and is led by Ministerio Latino Kadosh (MLK), the Latino ministry of Christ's Reformed Church. The Spanish-language service runs from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM and meets weekly. The MLK acronym appears throughout the church's calendar, marking the Latino congregation's own Sunday worship and its midweek prayer gathering.
MLK Prayer Night takes place on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the church, giving Spanish-speaking members and friends a regular time of prayer during the week.
A Lectionary Conversation on Wednesdays
On Wednesdays at 11:00 AM, the Lectionary Discussion Group gathers on Zoom to study the scripture readings appointed for the coming Sunday. The hour-long conversation is open to anyone who wants to dig into the lectionary texts in community and runs from 11:00 AM to noon. Holding the study online makes it accessible to members and friends who cannot easily get to Franklin Street during the workday.
Giving that Reaches Beyond the Sanctuary
Christ's Reformed Church practices giving at several levels. In addition to offering envelopes and mailed checks that fund the congregation and its activities, the church channels giving outward into Hagerstown in tangible ways.
Each week, members collect food items for Micah's Backpack, a program that supplies weekend food to children facing food insecurity in the community. Once a month, the congregation gathers spare change for Change for Change, a program started by the church's youth that passes the collected funds along to a different local nonprofit each month. Throughout the year, the church also supports other local fundraisers as members bring them to the congregation's attention.
Many adults from the church volunteer with area organizations, including Aspiring to Serve, HARC (a Washington County human services agency), and Reach. The church's youth have also traveled beyond Hagerstown to serve other communities, making mission trips a regular part of the congregation's life.
Recovery Meetings at the Church
The church opens its doors three times a week to host Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at the Franklin Street building. AA gatherings meet on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, each from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. These meetings are open to anyone seeking recovery support and represent one of the ways the congregation's building and hospitality extend into the wider Hagerstown community throughout the week.
Joining from Home
For those unable to be present in person, Sunday services are available on the church's YouTube channel, and the 9:30 AM service can also be joined live on Zoom. The weekly newsletter, Soul Food, and the monthly newsletter, Tidings (which includes a calendar for the month of publication), are available as downloads from the church's site, along with the Sunday bulletin that is posted each Friday by noon.
Visiting Christ's Reformed Church
Christ's Reformed Church is located at 130 West Franklin Street in Hagerstown, Maryland. The church office is open from 9:00 AM to noon, Monday through Friday, and is closed for holidays. Visitors can reach the office by phone at 301-733-4144 or by email at crc1854@myactv.net. The 9:30 AM blended service in English and the 11:00 AM service in Spanish through Ministerio Latino Kadosh are both open to anyone who wishes to worship, with the bulletin posted online each Friday and the YouTube archive available for those joining from home.