About St. Philip's

Wondering if your life has value or real meaning? Wondering where you can find love and acceptance, no matter where you are in your journey of life? Wondering how you can instill deep ethical and spiritual values in your children?

St. Philip's is a community of faith that welcomes all people. Yes. ALL people. We are an inclusive, diverse group of Christians. White, black, brown. Married, single, divorced, widowed. Straight & LGBTQ. Rich, poor & in between. All kinds of family configurations. People from both sides of the political aisle, all of whom stand for social justice. We do lots of community outreach, so you get a chance to put real muscle behind your desire to make the world a better place.

Oh, and by the way, we welcome you, no matter what you're wearing. Really. Casual is good. God doesn't care, so we don't either. Hot coffee, refreshments and good conversation at Coffee Hour after both services is a bonus!

St. Philip’s Parish Collect

Oh God, you call us to move beyond the familiar into a Promised Land of transformation and new possibilities. Grant us courage to journey together through challenges, the power of our support for each other, and the joy of welcome and inclusion for those who come to us. Teach us how to be more than citizens of your kingdom–to be your disciples and to make new disciples in your name. In all we do, we follow you alone, our God and Creator. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

St. Philip’s Vision

Every day Saint Philip’s proclaims Christ’s love by nurturing our church family, young and old, and actively reaching out to our community. Through our words and deeds we inspire, welcome and encourage others to journey together in Christian faith and growth.

St Philip’s History

St Philip’s Episcopal is 175 years old. It was established in 1848 through the efforts of Louisa Snowden Capron with her own money. St. Philip’s is probably one of the first churches in Laurel designed by a professional architect. It houses a bell from St. Paul's Church in Baltimore that rang to warn the approaching British in 1814 at Ft McHenry. It is also one of the first churches in the region to have an interracial cemetery when it was founded, to have female priests starting in the 1980s, and one of the comparatively earlier churches blessing same-sex marriages in 2013.

Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, which serves local low-income and homeless people, was founded by members of the parish, and Elizabeth House (similar to a modern-day soup kitchen, which feeds the homeless and working poor in the Laurel area) was also founded by a church member. In the 1990’s St Philip’s began hosting free Thanksgiving Dinner for all.

The Laurel Historical Society in partnership with the the City of Laurel has declared St Philip’s an historical building and erected a marker (site 18) as part of the city historic walking tour.

Streetcar Suburbs Publishing HMdb.org

A church and its village : St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Laurel, Maryland by Sally Mitchell Bucklee