First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis was one of seven congregations awarded a 2025 Community Engagement Grant. Their goal was to enhance collaborative partnerships around LGBTQ+ support, and they are off to a great start. So far this year, the church has:

• Supported a Queer Bible Study group and a LGBTQ+ support group;
• Created a website (www.annearundelaffirms.com) with resources and a place to connect with the Anne Arundel Affirming Alliance (A4), a network they helped create in 2021;
• Hosted “Outjoy” gathering on National Coming Out Day, welcoming queer people of faith with stories, liturgy, and music;
• Participated in a Pride Ecumenical service, pictured above.

First of Annapolis is stretching their grant to sustain these programs for three years. We applaud their success so far and look forward to more collaborative opportunities for LGBTQ+ youth.