On a quiet residential street a few blocks west of downtown Rockville, the doors of Rockville United Church open every Sunday morning onto a congregation that began with a covenant of union in 1967 and has spent the decades since then weaving together two Protestant traditions, a passion for social justice, and a long-standing commitment to its neighbors. The church, known affectionately as RUC, sits at 355 Linthicum Street in a building that has grown along with the people who worship there, and it draws members and visitors from across Montgomery County who are looking for a progressive, inclusive community of faith.
Two Traditions Under One Roof
RUC is a union congregation with roots in both the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its history reaches back to two neighboring congregations formed in the mid-1950s: Faith United Church of Christ, organized in November 1955, and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church USA, established in November 1959. By the mid-1960s, the two small congregations shared a vision of ministry and mission that was bigger than either could accomplish alone. On June 25, 1967, under the guidance of Rev. Wiley Prugh of St. Andrews and Rev. Donald Maccalum of Faith UCC, the two churches signed a covenant of union and became Rockville United Church. The new congregation made its home in the building on Linthicum Street that St. Andrews had begun constructing in 1962.
The union that year was not only an internal merger. In the fall of 1967, the founding ministers and members also created an organization to serve the larger Rockville community. The United Church Center for Community Ministries, organized by RUC co-pastors Revs. Maccalum and Prugh, was the metropolitan Washington area's first community ministry and inspired similar ministries in Northern Virginia and Montgomery County. That organization, eventually renamed the Community Ministries of Rockville and today known as Community Reach of Montgomery County, has remained closely tied to RUC for more than half a century.
The church building has changed and grown along with the congregation. A new kitchen was built in 1977-78, and a major addition that included a fellowship hall and office space was completed in 1985-1986. Additional office space and a conference room were added to the office area in 1999. More recently, a 2023 capital campaign raised funds to renovate the kitchen and plan for a playground and outdoor worship space.
Worship and Music at RUC
Sunday is the heart of the week at Rockville United Church. The doors open for fellowship at 10:30 a.m., and the service begins at 10:45 a.m. The congregation worships in a hybrid format, both in person in the sanctuary and on Zoom, so that members near and far can take part together. The Sunday morning bulletin is posted online in advance, and past services can be watched on the church's Vimeo channel.
Music has long been a centerpiece of worship at RUC. The church's Director of Music, Jim Levy, first came to RUC in 1991 and returned after a hiatus in 2012. He has composed a number of pieces for the choir, including a Passion Oratorio, various Psalm settings, and a setting of Isaiah 35 that was performed at the National Cathedral. A faculty member at George Washington University since 1984, Levy started the university's Jazz program and now serves as Emeritus faculty. He and his wife live in Takoma Park. The choir draws on many musical traditions, and the congregation describes its worship music as inspiring and varied.
Worship at RUC follows a progressive Christian style that draws from Reformed and Congregational roots while remaining open to wonder, questions, and the mystery at the heart of faith. Communion services include non-alcoholic grape juice and both regular and gluten-free bread. Large print bulletins are available at every service, and hearing assistance devices are offered for in-person worship.
A House Open to Everyone
Becoming an Open and Affirming (UCC) and More Light (PCUSA) congregation in 2001 was a defining moment for RUC. The decision formally welcomed lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer members and friends into the full life of the church and committed the congregation to advocacy, education, and visible signs of welcome. A Progress Pride flag flies outside the building, representing LGBTQ+ people and also transgender individuals, people of color living with HIV/AIDS, and those who have died from the epidemic.
RUC's welcome extends to its commitment to racial justice. The congregation actively supports the Black Lives Matter movement and has published a growing collection of anti-racism resources, including articles, videos, podcasts, books, and films. Members are also involved in the annual Pride Prom for Montgomery County high school students.
The congregation has earned additional designations that reflect how it cares for its people. As a Safe Church, RUC requires background checks for everyone working with children and youth and ensures that two adults are always present with any group of children. Safe Church training is provided to all who serve. As an Earth Care congregation (PCUSA) and a Green Justice congregation (UCC), RUC has committed to environmental stewardship practices, and as a participating congregation in the Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, it works with other Mid-Atlantic congregations to protect the shared Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Mission Beyond the Walls
Outreach to the wider community is woven into the identity of Rockville United Church, beginning with its founding of Community Reach of Montgomery County in 1967. Community Reach has grown to include the Kaseman Clinic and the Rockville Emergency Assistance Program (REAP), and RUC members continue to volunteer, donate, and serve on its boards.
RUC supports a range of other local, national, and international organizations. Through financial support and volunteer time, the congregation stands behind Rainbow Place Shelter, an effort to create a shelter in Montgomery County for homeless older teens and young adults, many of whom are members of the LGBTQ+ community. The New Neighbors Interfaith Alliance provides resources for new immigrant neighbors in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. SAMU and the Living Faith Lutheran Food Pantry are also among the partners RUC lifts up.
Several church-created programs put the mission priority into practice week by week. Service Saturdays bring volunteers together once a month to prepare meals for the Rockland and Jefferson transitional houses in Rockville, blending fellowship with cooking. NOISY, the youth group, prepares meals for Rainbow Place Shelter. The Garden Ministry shares the harvest from the RUC community garden and from members' own gardens on Sundays after worship, with donations going to the Manna Food Pantry. Each Christmas, the Alternative Christmas Giving program and the Christmas Giving Tree direct member generosity to selected organizations. A Get Out the Vote writing party gathers members to write nonpartisan postcards with Reclaim Our Vote.
Several standing committees guide this work. The Church in Society Committee reviews and recommends local and international organizations for church support. The Social Justice Committee focuses on active engagement with issues of local, national, and international importance. The Earthcare Committee coordinates environmental stewardship. All committees welcome anyone who wishes to participate.
Nurturing the Spirit at Every Age
Faith formation at RUC reaches from the youngest children through adults. A Safe Church nursery offers childcare for little ones during worship and programs. Sunday School gathers children and youth each week, and a children's sermon is a regular feature of Sunday worship, often delivered by Pastor Jennifer. A long-running series of children's sermon videos, posted on Vimeo, draws on picture books such as Thank You, Omu!, And Tango Makes Three, The Rabbit Listened, We Are Water Protectors, The Kissing Hand, and Peace Train to engage young hearts with themes of welcome, justice, and care.
Adults at RUC can join a range of study groups, and the church regularly hosts retreats that bring the congregation together outside its walls. The All-Church Retreat takes place each September at Camp Pecometh on the banks of the Chester River, with a weekend of worship, canoeing, hiking, games, s'mores, and rest. The Women's Retreat gathers each spring for prayer, relationship, and learning new spiritual practices.
Music continues outside of Sunday morning as well, with the choir welcoming new members and the Director of Music offering a varied program of anthems, Psalms, and choral works drawn from many traditions.
Meditation, Small Groups, and the Rhythm of the Week
A distinctive feature of life at RUC is the presence of three weekly meditation groups, all led by RUC member Martine Palmiter, a Zen teacher. Sunday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. follow a more traditional Zen format. Mondays at 4:30 p.m. meet in the sanctuary. Tuesday afternoons offer another session from 4:45 to 6 p.m. No experience is necessary, and instruction is offered. A separate Men's Mindfulness Meditation Group gathers on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. under the facilitation of Vic Caldarola.
Two long-standing breakfast groups anchor the social calendar. The Women's Breakfast meets at 8:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month at The Silver Diner on Rockville Pike. The Men's Breakfast gathers at 8:15 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month at the Brooklyn Deli on Seven Locks Road. Together, these rhythms (worship on Sunday, meditation several times a week, retreats in fall and spring, and the shared tables of monthly breakfasts) form the connective tissue of life at RUC.
Pastors, Staff, and the Life of the Congregation
The Rev. Jennifer Knutsen serves as Pastor of Rockville United Church. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, she is a graduate of Carleton College and Yale Divinity School. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, she has served ecumenically in a variety of settings, including Plymouth Congregational Church in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Foundry United Methodist Church in downtown Washington, D.C. She has also worked with children and families at Washington National Cathedral and as the director of a homeless outreach program at St. Columba's Episcopal Church. She and her husband Karl have two daughters.
The Rev. Guy S. Johnson serves as Associate Pastor. A graduate of Lancaster Theological Seminary and Dominican University, he was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2017 at Grace Reformed UCC in Frederick, Maryland, and has also served UCC congregations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio. He describes himself as a singer, activist, writer, foodie, and pastor, and lives with his husband Robert Davis and their dog Poppins.
Jim Levy directs the music ministry. Dalia Marciano serves as Administrative Coordinator, handling finances, payroll, human resources, and building operations. Cha'Mia "Mia" Holloman serves as Communications Coordinator, bringing experience in strategic communications, content creation, and storytelling from her work in mass media and strategic communication.
Governance rests with a Council elected by the congregation, with members referred to as Elders in the Presbyterian tradition. The Council includes committees for Administration and Personnel, Building, Church in Society, Church Life, Communications and Technology, Congregational Care, Earthcare, Faith Formation, Finance, Membership, Social Justice, Stewardship, and Worship and Music. All RUC members are welcome to join any committee.
Building a Future Together
In 2020-2021, RUC undertook a visioning and strategic planning process that produced a roadmap for the years ahead. The Strategic Plan (2021-2026) sets out four Mission Priorities: Care of the RUC Family, Care of Our Neighbors, Commitment to Social Justice, and Care of the Earth. Within those priorities are concrete goals, from continuing and enhancing virtual and remote worship technology, to deepening the relationship with Community Reach, to strengthening connections with other social justice groups, to making the building itself a more flexible and accessible space.
The Grow the Circle Wide Capital Campaign, organized in 2022 and active in 2023, raised more than $1,000,000 in pledges to fund four projects: paying off the construction loan and growing the reserve fund; contributing 10 percent of collected campaign funds to LGBTQ+ mission projects, fulfilled through a multi-year gift to Rainbow Place; planning for an outdoor worship space and playground; and renovating the kitchen. The kitchen renovation began in August 2025 and is now awaiting final inspections, and the outdoor projects continue to move forward.
Visiting Rockville United Church
Rockville United Church is located at 355 Linthicum Street in Rockville, Maryland. Detailed driving directions are provided from Frederick, Washington, D.C., Annapolis, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore. The church offers ample on-site parking, with accessible parking close to the main entrance and a ramp from the parking lot to the front doors. The bathrooms on the entry level are accessible, and all bathrooms have baby-changing tables.
Fellowship begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, with worship at 10:45 a.m. The service includes music, prayer, a children's sermon, and a sermon, and is followed by a time for conversation. Communion is served with non-alcoholic grape juice and both regular and gluten-free bread. Wheelchairs can be accommodated in the sanctuary, large print bulletins are available, and hearing assistance devices are offered.
Those exploring membership are invited to a Prospective Members gathering held after Sunday worship, with lunch included. The gathering is a single session and carries no obligation to join. Those who wish to become members are paired with a sponsor and welcomed into the congregation during a Sunday worship service. For those who want to learn more about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ, the church has compiled a page on its denominational history.
The church building is also available for weddings and receptions, meetings and conferences, birthday and anniversary parties, community events, recitals and concerts, classes, workshops, seminars, and memorial services. The sanctuary seats up to 260 in flexible arrangements, and the Kaseman Fellowship Hall accommodates 237 in chairs or up to 110 at tables and chairs. Several smaller meeting rooms range from 255 to 756 square feet. Online giving is available through the church's Realm portal, and the building is supported by the gifts of members and friends.