| 1988 |
A small group of Lutherans who first met while worshiping with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Prince Frederick envisioned establishing an ELCA congregation in Calvert County. |
| Summer 1989 |
A steering committee was formed with the assistance of retired Lutheran pastor, the Rev. William Stremel. The name of Saint Nicholas was chosen. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Riverdale, MD, sponsored our fledgling group as a “preaching point” of their ministry, with pulpit exchanges and financial support. |
| September 10, 1989 |
The first Saint Nicholas Lutheran Church service was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, with 45 people attending. |
| Summer 1990 |
ELCA became convinced of the need for a Mission Developer in Calvert County. The Rev. Dr. Jerrett Hansen, Regional Director of Mission Development and Outreach, began meeting with the steering committee, and during Rev. Stremel's absence served as one of several supply pastors until summer of 1991. |
| September 1991 |
The Rev. Nicki Parrish was installed as Mission Developer. Sunday school classes were begun using St. Paul's historic property, Linden House, for classrooms and our church office. |
| October 1992 |
Worship and Sunday school were moved to Plum Point Middle School, and the church office was moved to the nearby Parrish residence on Old Plum Point Road. Officers were elected and the church constitution ratified. John Hofmann became the Building and Property chair. |
| December 6, 1992 |
Saint Nicholas Day -- Bishop E. Harold Jansen chartered Saint Nicholas as an official organized congregation in the Metropolitan Washington DC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. |
| 1993 |
Rev. Parrish was called to be pastor. Outreach expanded with missions in Christian education, youth activities, social concerns (including founding Project ECHO in partnership with Trinity Methodist and St. Paul's Episcopal Churches), and the beginnings of Good Smaritan Lutheran Church, now well established in Lexington Park. A building fund was started. Significant support from local Lutheran churches, the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod, and the ELCA continued to help us grow. |
| 1994 |
A contemporary worship service was inaugurated. Saint Nicholas Lutheran Church undertook the first "Christmas in April" home repair project and conducted our first Vacation Bible School. |
| February 1995 |
Saint Nicholas partnered with the ELCA to purchase the land on Plum Point Road across the road from the middle school. Later in the year, the first Easter Sunrise Service and outdoor Vacation Bible School were held on our property. |
| 1996 |
St. Paul's Episcopal Church allowed us to construct a two-room church office in the basement of their new parish hall, and our church office moved to that location. |
| 1997 |
A capital campaign for our own church building began, raising $70,000 in pledges. |
| 1998 |
The ELCA agreed to finance a 7,000 square foot building at a cost of $800,000. In the spring, we selected Lawrence Cook and Associates of Falls Church, Virginia, as architect. In the fall, we contracted with J.A. Scheibel of Huntingtown to be our builder. In December, Bishop Theodore F. Schneider joined us for the joyful ground-breaking ceremony for our new church. |
| November 1999 |
Pastor Parrish announced her decision to resign but agreed to remain with us through the Advent and Christmas Season. A service and luncheon honoring her years of dedicated service to our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Saint Nicholas congregation was held in January, 2000. |
| February, 2000 |
Construction began on our original building. |
| June, 2000 |
We issued a call to the Rev. Randall Casto, who began his service as our pastor in August, 2000. |
| November 12, 2000 |
The first worship service was held in the new Saint Nicholas Lutheran Church building. Less than two weeks later we hosted a joint Thanksgiving service with our old friends from All Saints and St. Paul's Episcopal churches who had done so much to help us reach this point. |
| April 22, 2001 |
Bishop Schneider, Rev. Hansen, Rev. Stremel, and Rev. Parrish joined us for a service of dedication of the Saint Nicholas Lutheran Church Building. |
| Spring, 2002 |
Two modular classrooms were positioned on the church grounds to add temporary space for Sunday School and adult education programs. In September, 2003, two additional modular units were obtained. |
| 2002 |
Assisted by a grant from Thrivent, Saint Nicholas developed several acres of it's wooded land to create The Outdoor Center as an evangelism outreach project. Saint Nicholas Outdoor Reading Kamp (SNORK) holds its first summer session. Each succeeding summer achieves increasing attendance and use of the Center. |
| 2002 |
A ministry structure with seven areas, each with a sponsor supported by teams to carry forth God's work, is put into place. |
| 2002-2003 |
Responding to a period of tremendous growth approaching 400 members, a third service is added on Sunday mornings to accommodate approximately 250 worshippers each week. Saint Nicholas becomes a teaching congregation in the seminary vicar program, instructing four consecutive seminarians. Church membership requires addition of a Director of Christian Education, a Coordinator of Volunteer Ministry, and a Chancel Choir Director. |
| January, 2004 |
The congregation approved a capital campaign to build a North Wing to provide permanent additional space for the mission of the congregation. |
| Spring, 2004 |
A youth leader is hired to develop programs for a growing youth membership in the Middle School and Senior High School age groups. |
| Summer, 2004 |
Successful Building on Faith capital campaign has 90% congregational participation and raises pledges of $516,696. |
| July 14, 2004 |
Initial chuch web site replaced by a new full-featured web presence at www.saintnicholaslutheran.org. |
| September, 2004 |
Congregation's membership tops 600, with largest Sunday School and Confirmation class enrollment in our history. Successful capital campaign, Building on Faith, earns ELCA Mission Investment Fund approval to proceed with design for North Wing. |
| Spring, 2005 |
Continued growth indicates that the original size projected for the future North Wing will not be sufficient for needs. An additional campaign is launched, Reaching for the Top Together, which increases our total pledges to over $900,000. Call Committee is formed to begin search for associate pastor with concentration in youth ministry. |
| May, 2005 |
Pastor Casto announces that he will leave the pastorate in September in order to spend more time with family. |
| June, 2005 |
The Rev. Dr. Gregory Gaertner is identified by Bishop Schneider as a possible match to our congregation; call process begins. Congregation votes to call Pastor Gaertner on June 12, and the call was accepted. |
| September, 2005 |
Pastor Greg was installed on Sept. 18. Call process continues for associate pastor. Stephen Ministry leaders are trained; first Stephen ministers class is held to equip lay volunteers to assist with congregational care. |
| December, 2005 |
Building planning continues, with approval to move forward from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund. Permitting and design process in final stages, with ground breaking expected in spring, 2006. |
| February, 2006 |
Saint Nicholas's first Stephen Leaders and Ministers are commissioned. Pastor Greg conducts a series of small "Cottage Meetings" at members homes to get input on the congregation's priorities. |
| June 11, 2006 |
Congregation holds "Stake Out" event for members to hammer signed construction stakes into the footprint of the planned North Wing as a sign of commitment to expanding ministries envisioned possible by this construction. Congregation votes to officially extend a call to the Rev. Seminarian Wendy Deeben to be our Associate Pastor. |
| July 2006 |
The Saint Nicholas Lutheran Church website wins an Honorable Mention in the "Best Design & Navigation" category of The Lutheran magazine's "10 Best ELCA congregation Web sites" contest. |
| July 29, 2006 |
Pastor Wendy Deeben was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on July 29. |
| Aug -Sept, 2006 |
Pastor Wendy Deeben's first day at Saint Nicholas was August 14, and she was officially inatalled as Associate Pastor at Saint Nicholas on September 24. |
| October, 2006 |
Saint Nicholas launches it's first children’s choir for ages first through fifth grade. |
| November, 2006 |
A local Eagle Scout constructs a picnic pavilion in our Outdoor Center as his Eagle Scout project. |
| Nov 11, 2006 |
Saint Nicholas leads CalvertCountyCares community effort to gather a truckload of food and supplies and deliver it to Hurricane Katrina victims via the Camp Victor Disaster Response Distribution Center in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The stimulus for the project was a desperate plea from the distribution center for goods. |
| June, 2007 |
Saint Nicholas decides not to continue it's Outdoor Center Ministry including the SNORK program. |
| November, 2007 |
A building committee is formed to take the place of our principal building planner who stepped down for health reasons. |
