Breath of God Lutheran Church is a young, multi-cultural, progressive Christian community in Southeast Baltimore. We see the Holy Spirit doing great things in these neighborhoods: working to bring love, justice, hope, transformation, and new life. Our hope, prayer, and goal are to be a key part of that holy work among our neighbors of all faiths and backgrounds.
We welcome you to our website, and invite you to look around. If you have questions, comments, thoughts, or prayer requests, we would love to hear from you.
Soplo de Dios Iglesia Luterana es una comunidad Cristiana joven y progresiva en el sureste de Baltimore. Veimos el Espíritu Santo haciendo grandes cosas en nuestros barrios: trabajando de crear amor, justicia, esperanza, transformación, y nueva vida. Nuestra esperanza, nuestra oración, y nuestra meta son participar completamente en este trabajo santo con nuestros vecinos diversos.
Bienvenidos a nuestro sitio, y gracias por su interés. Si tiene preguntas, pensamientos, o necesidades, no falta de enviar un mensaje o llamar a los pastores.
Who we are:
We are, well, YOU. Seriously. This is a young church (2009, but with roots to 1900), growing up in this neighborhood and filled with people like you from this community. Fully 90% of our active participants live in the communities around Patterson Park. There are no life-long members. There are no outsiders. There are no entrance requirements. There is this: a diverse and growing community of neighbors and friends, gathered together by God to worship, to serve their neighbors, to support each other, and to grow in faith. This church has been created especially for YOU. So come and check it out—God might surprise you.
Our Mission & Vision:
Mission: We are a neighborhood congregation, a group of disciples of Jesus who are committed to being the hands, feet, and voice of Christ in our immediate community. We do this through our focus on worship, education, service, and community building. Inasmuch as our neighborhood is filled with people of diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences, we aim to respect, incorporate, and embody that diversity as consistent with our understanding of a fully inclusive Kingdom of God, and aim to break down barriers that exist between peoples' connection with one another and with God.
Vision: To foster Christian discipleship and community transformation through worship, community-building, education, and service.
We are disciples of Jesus, firmly rooted in Lutheran commitments, and members of the ELCA.
The ELCA is the largest Lutheran Christian community in North America. Please learn more about our shared ministry and Christian witness! We are part of the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA, a group of about 165 congregations who work collaboratively to serve our neighbors, to proclaim the good news of God's love in Jesus Christ, and to work toward justice and peace.
Leadership
Congregational Council
Our congregation council members serve two year terms. Elections take place in June. New terms begin on September 1st. Council meetings take place the third Tuesday of every month at 7pm--all are welcome to attend, in person or online.
The council members for this year include Mary Miller (president), *vacant* (vice president), Corey Brewer (treasurer), *vacant* (financial secretary), Pat Youells (secretary) Joe Burk, Jenn Smith, Jenna Fisher, Kit Roper, Pastor Madeline Tallman, and Pastor Mark Parker.
Lead Pastor Madeline Tallman
Pastor Madeline Tallman (she/her/hers) has served as lead pastor of our congregation since October 2024. (She goes by Pastor Madeline or Pastor Maddie). Prior to Breath of God, she served as the pastor of Rejoice Fellowship (Lutheran) in Glen Burnie. Pastor Madeline graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 2020 with a Masters of Divinity and Hispanic Ministry Emphasis.
Originally from Frederick, she moved to Baltimore after graduating seminary to begin her first call at Rejoice. Her spouse, Pastor Corey Bergman, just began a new call at Salem Lutheran Church in South Baltimore. During seminary, Pastor Madeline worked in and with bilingual and Spanish language churches in Washington, D.C. and Chicago.
Before seminary, Pastor Madeline worked in the office of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod., assisting with pastoral transitions and the candidacy process. And before that, she was a volunteer through the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program, spending a full year in Villa Ballester, Argentina, just outside of Buenos Aires, where she helped out at a community for adults with disabilities.
She has a bachelors of arts in journalism from the University of Maryland, and she enjoys cooking, bicycling, spending valuable time with friends, and watching the Orioles.
Support Pastor Mark Parker
Pastor Mark grew up in Otterbein (South Baltimore) with his twin brother Andrew and his awesome parents. He was baptized at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, and raised in the faith by the community at Christ Lutheran Church. He graduated from St. Paul’s School, the University of Maryland, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (2007). He received a Master of Nonprofit Management degree from the University of Baltimore (2022). He absolutely loves his home city and has explored all different parts of it for work, school, community service, and fun. Around town, Mark has worked for the City of Baltimore, the Downtown Sailing Center, and Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland hospitals. He loves to sail, hike, sing, read, bike, play guitar, watch the Terps, and meet new people. Mark and his wife Christine (also a pastor, serving as lead pastor at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Baltimore) have one son and one daughter (students at Patterson Park Public Charter School and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute), an Amazon parrot, and two cats (sisters).
Mark has served as a pastor with Breath of God Lutheran Church since 2009. In December 2024, Mark began service as the City Councilperson for the 1st District of Baltimore City (including Fells Point, Canton, Butchers Hill, Greektown, Brewers Hill, Highlandtown, Ellwood Park, O'Donnell Heights, Graceland Park, and St. Helena). He will serve through 2028.
Mark is here in this neighborhood for you—even if you’ve never set foot in a church in your life, and don’t intend to do so. Maybe one day you have a question about God, or need someone to talk to, or wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly realize that you desperately need a pastor… then give him a call. In the morning.
Joanne Eure, Office Secretary
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed sollicitudin quam et dapibus tristique. Cras eu dolor scelerisque, sodales nibh sed, dictum velit. Cras fermentum libero sit amet bibendum auctor. Nullam eget volutpat est. Duis eu mollis risus. Nunc eu massa pharetra, sodales mi ac, lobortis ipsum. Fusce convallis sit amet lorem quis vulputate. In eget magna ut nulla consequat molestie. Pellentesque mollis imperdiet augue, non egestas enim sollicitudin vel. Praesent placerat congue sem, ac imperdiet diam.
Duis eu mollis risus. Nunc eu massa pharetra, sodales mi ac, lobortis ipsum. Fusce convallis sit amet lorem quis vulputate. In eget magna ut nulla consequat molestie. Pellentesque mollis imperdiet augue, non egestas enim sollicitudin vel. Praesent placerat congue sem, ac imperdiet diam.
Michael Halamka, Minister of Music
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed sollicitudin quam et dapibus tristique. Cras eu dolor scelerisque, sodales nibh sed, dictum velit. Cras fermentum libero sit amet bibendum auctor. Nullam eget volutpat est. Duis eu mollis risus. Nunc eu massa pharetra, sodales mi ac, lobortis ipsum. Fusce convallis sit amet lorem quis vulputate. In eget magna ut nulla consequat molestie. Pellentesque mollis imperdiet augue, non egestas enim sollicitudin vel. Praesent placerat congue sem, ac imperdiet diam.
Annie Merrick, Preschool Director
Annie Merrick has been working in the early childhood field for 21 years. She has worked in every position, starting with afternoon assistant and ending with director. She earned her BA in Sociology from the University of North Carolina--Wilmington, and earned her 90 hour and 45 hour certificates.
She is married to her husband Chris. She lives in Canton with him, her very favorite dog, George, and their two daughters! She loves cooking, watching soccer (go Liverpool!) and home projects. She loves working with all of the families and children here at the Highlandtown Preschool.
How We Believe
God's All-Consuming, Liberating, and Reconciling Grace
The Good News is that God loves each of us and all of Creation with an overwhelming, reckless, all-consuming, liberating, and transformative love. That love is particularly manifest in the birth, life, ministry, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God's grace in Jesus Christ is given to us and the entire world as a gift. God's gracious love is the fundamental, undeniable, and unchangable foundation for all that we are, all that we do, and all that we believe.
God loves us, has saved us, has forgiven us, and has given us eternal life with God. This is most certaintly true. We didn't ask for it, or earn it, or choose it. We are not saved by correct choices or correct actions or correct beliefs. But it is God's choice to love us, it is God's purpose to reconcile all of Creation, it is God's action in Jesus Christ which has done everything.Through the Lens of Jesus Christ
The birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the center of God's relationship with human beings and with all of Creation. There is no clearer or greater revelation of divine love and purpose than Jesus. As such, we interpret the entirety of scripture through the lens of Jesus. We approach matters of public justice through the lens of Jesus. We understand compassion and care for our neighbors through the lens of Jesus. And we center Jesus in our preaching, teaching, and communal life.
For the Good of Our Beloved Neighbors
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent in risus magna. Aenean at elit finibus, laoreet tortor at, suscipit nibh. Morbi gravida elit nec metus pretium, eu accumsan mauris tincidunt. Cras nec venenatis nibh. Aliquam id turpis at nisi bibendum hendrerit.
In a Community of Disciples
Nulla elementum, dolor a tristique condimentum, orci ante pellentesque tortor, at consectetur turpis justo sit amet velit. Vivamus at urna at turpis dapibus faucibus. Maecenas a gravida libero. Donec maximus pellentesque est, at dictum dolor eleifend a. Aliquam erat volutpat. In eu aliquet orci. Vestibulum laoreet dignissim hendrerit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
By Way of the Cross
Enter description text here.
With an Abundance of Freedom
Enter description text here.
This Stuff Matters
Enter description text here.
God's All-Consuming, Liberating, and Reconciling Grace
The Good News is that God loves each of us and all of Creation with an overwhelming, reckless, all-consuming, liberating, and transformative love. That love is particularly manifest in the birth, life, ministry, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God's grace in Jesus Christ is given to us and the entire world as a gift. God's gracious love is the fundamental, undeniable, and unchangable foundation for all that we are, all that we do, and all that we believe.
God loves us, has saved us, has forgiven us, and has given us eternal life with God. This is most certaintly true. We didn't ask for it, or earn it, or choose it. We are not saved by correct choices or correct actions or correct beliefs. But it is God's choice to love us, it is God's purpose to reconcile all of Creation, it is God's action in Jesus Christ which has done everything.Through the Lens of Jesus Christ
The birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the center of God's relationship with human beings and with all of Creation. There is no clearer or greater revelation of divine love and purpose than Jesus. As such, we interpret the entirety of scripture through the lens of Jesus. We approach matters of public justice through the lens of Jesus. We understand compassion and care for our neighbors through the lens of Jesus. And we center Jesus in our preaching, teaching, and communal life.
For the Good of Our Beloved Neighbors
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent in risus magna. Aenean at elit finibus, laoreet tortor at, suscipit nibh. Morbi gravida elit nec metus pretium, eu accumsan mauris tincidunt. Cras nec venenatis nibh. Aliquam id turpis at nisi bibendum hendrerit.
In a Community of Disciples
Nulla elementum, dolor a tristique condimentum, orci ante pellentesque tortor, at consectetur turpis justo sit amet velit. Vivamus at urna at turpis dapibus faucibus. Maecenas a gravida libero. Donec maximus pellentesque est, at dictum dolor eleifend a. Aliquam erat volutpat. In eu aliquet orci. Vestibulum laoreet dignissim hendrerit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
By Way of the Cross
We practice a cruciform faith.
With an Abundance of Freedom
Enter description text here.
This Stuff Matters
Enter description text here.