Kiki White, visiting the Garden Community for the first time, was impressed.
"I'm excited to know that things like this are happening," said the 22-year-old single mother, a certified nursing assistant looking for work. "I can see me getting more involved."
The men and women who formed the new congregation described a variety of church backgrounds, from those who had grown up without faith to those who were lifelong churchgoers. Laura Arvizu was raised Catholic in her native Mexico. She has been coming to the Garden Community for six months.
"One of the things that I like is that they don't only worship God," the 38-year-old homemaker said. "They're hands-on. That to me is very real."
Bob Mackey, the executive director of Embrace Baltimore, described it as "demonstrating the compassion of Christ in real time."
"When I talk about representing Christ in practical ways, it certainly includes sharing the message of Christ and his story of forgiveness," he said. "But in the long run, credibility to tell that story is typically earned, not given. And we're OK with that.
"The people who live in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, should they ever bump up against one of these churches, we hope it's a positive experience and they'll wonder about, you know, maybe there is something to this Jesus. Maybe he can make a difference.
"And then it's their choice."
