where we've been

---

On Sunday, September 18, 1977, Faith Lutheran Church held its first worship service in the South Carroll Senior Center, located on Bartholow Road in Eldersburg, Maryland. Forty-one people were in attendance. Shortly after that, Rev. Raymond C. Hohenstein, Mission Developer with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, was brought in to shepherd the small congregation and to assist and guide Faith’s development.

By July 1978 it was apparent that Faith was growing rapidly and in need of a full time pastor. Faith extended a call to Pastor Albert E. Bielenberg, who accepted the call and was installed as Faith’s first pastor on September 17, 1978, our first anniversary. Pastor Bielenberg resigned in July 1979. Area pastors, principals and teachers from Baltimore Lutheran High School filled the vacancy until March 1980, when a call was extended to and accepted by Rev. Godfrey (Bo) Jarabak.

Faith’s first community outreach programs were Vacation Bible School in the summer of 1978, the Live Nativity program held on the church property in December 1982, and the opening of a snowball stand in the early 1980’s.

In June 1989, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Faith’s property, located at Liberty and Bonnie Brae Roads. Less than a year later, we moved into our present church home. On May 20, 1990, we held a closing service at the South Carroll Senior Center then, carrying banners and singing, marched up Liberty Road to our new home where our cornerstone was dedicated and our first service was held. The actual Dedication Service for the new Sanctuary was held on the 12th anniversary of Faith Lutheran Church, September 23, 1990.

In August 1991, Pastor Jarabak left Faith to accept a call to a church in Virginia. On October 4,1992, Rev. James G. Stoltenberg was installed as our third pastor. He served until September 2005, when he accepted a a call to another congregation. The vacancy was filled by an intentional interim pastor, Rev. James Bloker, who served from January 2006 until May 2008. On February 8, 2009, Faith Lutheran Church installed its fourth pastor, Rev. James M. Krach. On August 26, 2012 Pastor left our church to answer a call to shepherd a church family in his home state of Michigan.

August 18, 2013 saw the installation of Faith's fifth Pastor, Pastor Christopher N. Sperb. The church feels blessed to have Pastor Sperb as their Pastor, leading them as they strive to fulfill their central mission, "Invite Others to Know Jesus."