Who We Are
The congregation
We are an active church and, although we are proud of our beautiful building, the church is actually the people who come together in worship, prayer and support of one another. We are a diverse congregation and welcome all who wish to visit or stay.
Introduction from Pastor Yost
Greetings, beloved people of Mount Vernon Place UMC. I am Pastor Yost, my pronouns are they/he, and I'm excited to be appointed as your Pastor. I have heard great things about this intimate community and look forward to our journey together. I have already lost count of the times I've seen the Spirit of God moving through this transition. Thus, while the details of the journey remain for us to discover, I'm excited to be working with you alongside Christ in our City.
I have taught Mathematics and advised the Board Game Club and GSA at Baltimore City College High School for over 12 years. I will continue to teach full-time there next year while serving you all part-time and finishing my Master's of Divinity at Lancaster Theological Seminary. I should graduate in May 2024 and be commissioned as a provisional elder in June to step into full-time ministry in July.
I live in Howard County with Dr. Arlene Chen (my spouse of 11 years), Trixy (our Chinese Shar-pei), Rudolfo (our orange cat), and Rosie (our grey cat). I enjoy playing various tabletop games, running, yoga, and coffee. The works of Paulo Freire, James Cone, Patrick S. Cheng, Liz Edman, James Baldwin, Shay Kerns, Wil Gafney, Gloria E. Anzaldúa, and St. Ignatius are some of the most significant influences on my Theology outside of our Methodist tradition and history.
The Building
Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church is a prime example of Victorian Gothic architecture. Conceived of as a "Cathedral of Methodism," the building was designed by Thomas Dixon and Charles L. Carson and completed on November 12, 1872 in what was then the outskirts of the city.
The church sits on the site of the mansion of Charles Howard, who was married to Elizabeth Phoebe Key. Her father, Francis Scott Key, the author of The Star Spangled Banner, died here in his daughter's home. A plaque observing his death adorns the southern outside church wall, marking the church as a highlighted location on the National Historic Register. The cost of this grand structure, including land, building, and furnishings was $400,000 in 1872 (in today's dollars it is over $8,200,000).
Learn more on our History & Architecture page.
We are a Reconciling Church
Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church is a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network. As a member, we affirm our belief that all persons are worthy of God’s love and grace.
We recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all persons without regard to sex, race, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, ethnicity, nationality, physical or mental capacity, education or economic or marital status. We pledge our responsibility to offer a safe and welcoming place of worship, dedicated to supporting all persons in their quest for spiritual self-actualization and fulfilment.
We celebrate the diversity of our church membership and the community we serve. We believe that God is love and therefore loves all persons, and that God welcomes all persons in their desire for belonging and home in a family of faith. We are dedicated to our journey to become an ever more loving and welcoming family of faith for all persons who seek to worship.
We are a Congregation Committed to Anti Racism
We commit to the practice of opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance. We are beginning this journey by raising awareness among our congregation through reading selected texts and engaging in discussions led by the members of our Anti Racism Committee. Please see the Join Us page of this website for our most recent actions and activities.