News and Views

By Rev. Dr. Leo Yates, Jr.

Hands were waving in celebration on May 3 when Magothy Deaf Church in Pasadena, MD, celebrated its 50th anniversary. The day’s events commemorated the anniversary with special guests that included Bishop Peggy Johnson; Kelby Brick from the National Association of the Deaf; and former pastors, Rev. Joo Kang, Rev. Dr. Kirk VanGilder, and Rev. Emily Hart. The church’s current pastor, Rev. Dr. Leo Yates, welcomed the attendees, who also included Delegate Latoya Nkongolo, who presented a citation from the Maryland General Assembly.

The founding group began gathering at Magothy United Methodist Church in 1975 when the Rev. Earl Grose, who was on staff at Christ Church of the Deaf in Baltimore, met with Deaf couples, Ed and Flo Johnson and Jim and Jackie Stover. The group grew in size and began various ministries such as a Deaf choir, a Bible study, and fellowship.

The congregation is an official United Methodist church, one of a few official churches made up primarily of Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and DeafBlind in the denomination. The then Rev. Susan Morrison (now Bishop Susan Morrison) worked with the BWC bishop at the time to charter the missional congregation to become an official UMC church in 1982. The bishop appointed Rev. Dr. Kathy Black as the church’s founding pastor.

The church’s impact in the Deaf community includes prison ministry at the Maryland Correctional Institute in Jessup, outreach initiatives at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC, support to the Deaf residential program at Arundel Lodge, Inc. in Annapolis, a Deaf choir, a Deaf Seniors Program, the church’s food pantry (DoorStep Mission), sign language classes in the community, a clown ministry, advocacy, and Deaf Certified Lay Servant trainings, and among others.

Rev. Sarah Schlieckert, the District Superintendent, joined the church’s banquet, sharing remarks on behalf of Bishop LaTrelle Easterling.

The Deaf church’s presence in the Deaf community and the wider community is felt as their ministry and mission continue as they live out the United Methodist vision to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.