A tent was erected at the corner of Bonifant and Layhill Roads in October of 1897. Evangelist A. G. Miller preached the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and a number of people responded and experienced peace. Thus began Layhill Church.

The early members met at Layhill Hall (owned by the Van Horn family) for about 20 years, until it was demolished. Following the death of her husband, Christina Parsley donated an acre of land between the existing parsonage and church, and the members began construction of a church building, which was dedicated in 1916 by Bishop William Pearce.

Wonderful things happened in the congregation, which gathered in the little white church. Many people experienced the joy of salvation in Jesus just as the founders of Methodism had 200 years earlier. Layhill was part of a circuit sharing a pastor with either Rockville or Spencerville in the Washington District of the New York Conference, and for years services were held on Sunday afternoons. Then in 1939, the year in which the Maryland-Virginia Conference was formed, Rev. Forest F. Shoup was appointed as pastor and began regular Sunday morning services which have continued to the present day. In 1958, a revival meeting resulted in the Shorb brothers forming a vocal trio which traveled throughout the United States for almost 24 years ministering in song. Tim Shumaker also felt the call to the ministry and served as a missionary in South Africa, America, Mexico and pastored churches in Ohio.

Thirty years ago Montgomery County started planning to widen Bonifant Road, and since the old church building was so close to the road it had to be moved. When the annex was constructed for Christian education, it was built to serve as the basement on which the church would one day rest. But as the widening of the road approached in the mid 1980s, county codes would not approve the annex as being strong enough to carry the weight of the old building, so in June 1986, it was demolished.

Current Church Building

Construction began in 1985 on the present sanctuary. Lon Doan, who had spent two years with "Volunteers in Service Abroad" in Zaire building the Nundu Hospital, had worked with Wendell Beckwith, a Free Methodist architect from Seattle, Washington. Lon stepped forward to direct the building of Layhill's new sanctuary with the help of volunteers. The hand of the Lord was evident in that project, with things happening on a weekly basis which could only be attributed to a miracle-working God. Chuck Ryan led the way in spiritual growth through small groups being formed for prayer and fellowship called "flock groups."

Looking ahead is exciting. Layhill Community, once a rural area, has become part of the Greater Washington Metropolitan area. Layhill shopping center, one block away has about 20 businesses, while the Plaza del Mercardo two blocks from the church building has about 30. Apartment communities such as Layhill Village, Layhill Square, Beacon Place, Stonegate, Autumn Walk, Bel Pre Square, Argyle Hills, Strathmore, and Audubon, have been built on what was previously farmland, and the population explosion has given Layhill Community Church a potential of thousands of new members. We believe that as a congregation of sinners who have been forgiven by Jesus Christ and who are forgiving toward all people, we will become a haven of rest for troubled lives and will continue to send forth ministering servants to all the world.