There’s always something happening at Glen Mar.
SPOTLIGHT MINISTRIES
- Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society – Glen Mar’s Angels for a Cure team will hold a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in the Gathering Place today. It will collect donations and sell luminaria and angels. The team will participate in Relay For Life of Baltimore and Howard County on Saturday, May 16 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Howard Community College’s Athletic and Fitness Center, 5500 Dragon Place, Columbia. For more information, stop by our Gathering Place table or email the Angels for a Cure Team.
- Sleep in Heavenly Peace – The Howard County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace will be holding a twin bedding drive at Gen Mar Church from today, April 19 through Sunday, May 31. Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) will deliver this year approximately 200 beds to children ages 3-17 yrs old in Howard County that don’t have a bed of their own. Donations can be left in the Gathering Place. New twin bedding only. Thank You!
- VBS is looking for volunteers to serve during the program. Help children explore the true nature of God and show kids what it means to be rooted in a relationship with God. Stop by the table in the Gathering Place to check out available jobs and to sign up to help. You can volunteer for the full week or just a few days!
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:
- Day Resource Center – Saturday, April 25. 8-10 adult volunteers are needed to prepare one or more dishes, half of whom will stay to serve lunch on site or do other jobs (e.g., greeter, shower/laundry monitor, pantry). Sign up here.
- Grassroots Meals Ministry – Tuesday, April 28. Sign up today to purchase and bring to Glen Mar 2 frozen Stouffer’s Family-sized meatloaves or 5 gallons of milk for the Grassroots Emergency Shelter. Drop off frozen meatloaves in the Glen Mar freezer and milk in the refrigerator any time before Sunday, April 26. Sign up here. Questions? Contact Linda Hunt.
- Looking for service hours? – Saturday, May 2, 9:00 am-3:00 pm. Stay for an hour or for the day! The Family Survivor Network (FSN) needs many hands to help clean their space! Donations like Dawn, Soft Scrub, cleaning sprays, Magic Erasers, hand-soap, paper towels, toilet paper, sponges, cleaning cloths, wipes, Windex are greatly appreciated! Contact Adrienne Taylor to learn more!
- Christ Church’s Interfaith Refugee Ministry Needs You – This interfaith coalition helps primarily Afghan refugee families in Howard County. For more info and to connect with them, email the Social Justice Team.
- VBS Donations – VBS is looking for your trash so we can turn it into treasure! Visit the VBS table to pick up a list of items, both new and used, that we need for VBS!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Praise Band Open Jam Session – Sunday, April 19, 12:15 pm. Contact Max if you are interested!
- Lunch Bunch – Tuesday, April 21, 11:30 am. Lunch Bunch is a group of “seasoned citizens” who meet the third Tuesday of each month from September through June for fellowship, fun, and of course, lunch! This month, bring a sandwich!
- Glen Mar’s Speaker Series Presents – Stay on Your Feet: Chair-Based Fitness and Fall Prevention Tips for Older Adults. Tuesday, April 21, 1:00 pm. As part of our continuing speaker series for older adults, Glen Mar’s own Jeff Adams will provide tips and training for using chair yoga and other exercises to improve fitness and reduce the chance of injury from a fall. Register here!
- Alphabet Soup – Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 pm. Looking for a safe space where you can be yourself? Alphabet Soup is a reconciling community, celebrating diversity and inclusiveness, and welcoming and affirming ALL people. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month in Room 124. Learn more here or email.
- Family Matters Pot Luck Dinner – Saturday, May 2, 6:00–7:30 pm. Do you have kids in preschool through middle school? We are a small group that typically meets every 1st Saturday of the month. This is a great opportunity to make friends with other families with kids at Glen Mar! Bring the whole family, an entrée or side dish and join us in the Glen Mar Youth Lounge.
- Support Glen Mar’s Bike MS Team – Monday, May 4 (all day). Eat in or take out a delicious meal from Tino’s Italian Bistro located at 8775 Centre Park Drive in Columbia. A percentage of all sales will go toward our team’s fundraising efforts in support of the MS Society.
SAVE THE DATE!
- Glen Mar’s 2026 Summer Concert Series:
- Friday, June 26 – Patagonia Winds,
- Friday, July 24 – Radio King Orchestra
- Friday, August 14 – Air Force Blue Aces
- Christian Summer Camps – The Baltimore Washington Conference offers sleep-away summer camps for 3rd through 12th graders at several nearby camps. Many Glen Mar kids and youth have enjoyed these camps over the years. Learn more here.
- VBS 2026 Rainforest Falls – Join us July 13-17th for a week of adventure exploring what it means to be rooted in a relationship with God! An extended option is also available for kids who need a full-day program. Register NOW! Space is limited! Contact Julie Metakes or visit the website for more information.
YOUTH NEWS:
- Youth Worship! – Tonight, 5:30-7:00 pm. All 6th-12th grade youth should join us tonight from in Youth Lounge! We’ll have recreation, dinner, and a special youth-lead worship service! Bring $5 for dinner.
- Next Week – The Gospel According to Taylor Swift 5:30-7:00 pm.
- Graduating Seniors – All graduating high school seniors (or their parents) are asked to submit a senior picture to D.C. for Graduating Senior Sunday on May 10. Please include the full name of the student and the high school from which they are graduating. Pictures must be turned in by May 3.
- Summer Mission Trips – We are offering two mission trips this summer. Home repairs with Carolina Rebuilding Ministry, June 21-27, for youth and adults currently in 8th grade and older. $300/person with discounts for women, confirmands, and 3rd or more family members. Urban ministry during Baltimore Mission Week July 20-24, for youth and adults currently in 6th grade and older. $125/person with discounts for adults and confirmands. Scholarships are available. See D.C. Veale with any questions.
MUSIC MINISTRY:
- Music groups for adults, youth, and kids: For more information, visit our Glen Mar Music Ministry blog. Sundays: Children’s Choir at 10:45 am, Voices of Praise Youth Choir at 10:45 am, and Youth Bell Choir at 11:30 am.
STEPHEN MINISTRY:
- Lonely? Experiencing a Difficult Time? Don’t suffer alone. Our Stephen Ministers are trained caregivers, ready to listen, care for and encourage you, pray with and for you, and help you through a crisis or challenging season of your life. Talk to one of the pastors or email the Stephen Ministry Team.
EARLY LEARNING CENTER:
- Glen Mar’s Early Learning Center – serves children from infants through preschool, and we are currently welcoming families for the 2026–2027 school year! If you know a family who may be looking for care, spread the word!
IN OTHER NEWS…
- Good Trouble – Sign up for the Social Justice Mailing List to receive email notifications about local opportunities to stand up against injustice. Learn about protests, letter writing campaigns, vigils, educational gatherings, and more. Email the Social Justice Team to join the list.
