Mission

To identify and more fully understand issues of social concern, both locally and beyond, to educate and equip our community to respond, to act and to positively affect the daily lives of our neighbors in Christ's name.

Before it was a chartered congregation in 1992, before we had our own church home in 2000, Saint Nicholas was known in our county and community for caring involvement in many activities. Even during our earliest years, the congregation tithed its offerings to the then newly formed body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In 1993, Saint Nicholas was a partner with Trinity Methodist and Saint Paul’s churches in founding project ECHO, the Ecumenical Council for the Homeless, providing volunteers, leadership, and financial support. Our youth attended summer work camp, helping with building and renovation projects in impoverished areas. We partner with eight area churches in the local food pantry, CCCFP, as we have for many years.

A preaching point established in the southern tip of the county began our mission outreach and was the foundation of Good Samaritan Lutheran Church, now well established in Lexington Park. Saint Nicholas and our mission congregation, Good Samaritan, are now the two fastest growing congregations in the Metropolitan Washington, DC, Synod of the ELCA.

Youth Projects

For three consecutive years, the youth of Saint Nicholas have raised approximately $3,000 each year to divide between three to four local charities. The Cupid’s Café event typically supports programs such as the food pantry, Project ECHO, Patuxent Habitat for Humanity, and Safe Harbor Abused Persons Shelter, among others. Our youth also sponsor Equal Exchange Coffee sales on the first and third Sundays of each month through Lutheran World Relief.

Relay for Life

Individual members participate and raise funds from within the congregation to support this cause.

Christian Education

Vacation Bible School offerings support a selected charity each summer, and Sunday School offerings are donated to support local causes that benefit children.

Each year, Saint Nicholas proudly meets its benevolence commitment to support programs of the ELCA and our Synod. A percentage of offerings is set aside to be donated at the discretion of the Social Concerns Ministry Team. Funds are allocated for loca, regional and world relief programs, and for hunger relief, education,s helter, natural disaster relief, and mission projects.

In addition to aforementioned programs, assistance has been rendered to Gettysburg Seminary, mission partner churches, The Literacy Council, The Eric and Cara Thorn Memorial Scholarship Fund and Lutheran World Relief.

Project ECHO is a homeless shelter and transitional housing provider serving the more than 700 homeless people in Calvert County. Project ECHO was started by a small group of Christians who saw a need that was not being filled and wanted to do something about it. It is still run by an unpaid board of directors and heavily depends on those who volunteer their time to staff the shelter and cook for the clients.

Residents at ECHO report that it is different from other shelters in that it much more like a home and not just a warehouse for the poor. Several have said that they feel the love of the volunteers and staff surrounding them like a warm blanket. ECHO is a place of safety and warmth, a loving home, often filled with the laughter of children. And it continues to operate only because of the grace of God through the many gifts of his people, people like those at Saint Nicholas.

In a county of more than 90 churches, only about 20 actively contribute anything (money, meals, volunteers, or supplies) to the shelter. Of those 20, Saint Nicholas is at the top of the list for financial contributions; last year almost 25% of the money given to ECHO by churches came from Saint Nicholas. Our church also provides monthly meals, collects furniture, supplies, and clothes when needed, and has members who work as volunteers on ECHO’s staff. Saint Nicholas certainly has taken to heart Christ’s message to his disciples that whenever you feed a hungry person or offer shelter or comfort to any of God’s children, you are offering that gift to Jesus.

Visit the Project ECHO Website...