What's Happening

What’s Happening @ RUC

Here are some of the highlights of life at Rockville United Church.

For a more detailed look at our activities, please click here for a link to our calendar.​​​​​

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Coffee Jam Returns!

The Coffee Jam has returned for the remaining Sundays in July and August.in the Fellowship Hall. This is the time, both for community singing and also for people to try out singing a solo! Everyone has a song in them, so come join us and let it out! Join us in Kaseman Hall at 10:00 on Sunday mornings.​

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Welcome Mia, our new Communications Coordinator!

Cha'Mia "Mia" Holloman serves as RUC's new Communications Coordinator and brings
more than 10 years of experience in strategic communications, content creation, and
storytelling. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta
University and her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from American University.
Mia enjoys using her creativity to connect people, share meaningful messages, and
support the mission of the church through thoughtful and engaging communications.

Outside of work, Mia is an avid traveler who loves to cook, discover new restaurants,
read, spend time with family and friends, and stay active. She is also the proud owner of
an energetic Boston Terrier named Gunna, who always keeps life interesting. Mia is
excited for the opportunity to serve RUC and looks forward to helping strengthen
communication within the congregation and the surrounding community.

 

Save the Date - September 11-13, 2026 at Camp Pecometh

It is time to mark your calendars for Camp Pecometh – RUC’s intergeneration camp on the Chester River. For more than 30 years, RUC members and friends have gathered for a weekend of fun, worship and time together. 

 

Accommodations include:
CABINS:  Individual, $125 per person; family of three: $375, additional family members: $50 each

 

RETREAT CENTER: 24 hotel-style rooms in the retreat center: $400 double occupancy, additional family members: $50 each  

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A 50% deposit will hold your spot(s). The deposit is due August 16. Final payments are due September 1.

Make checks payable to Rockville United Church and write “Camp Pecometh” in the memo field. Or pay online and choose “Camp Pecometh” from the drop-down menu.

 

PAY IT FORWARD: You may make an extra donation to the Camp Pecometh Scholarship Fund to enable all who want to attend Camp Pecometh by adding an extra little something to your payment, and a note it is to “Pay it Forward!”  (There is a memo line in the online donation form to do this.) Thank you!

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​Camp Pecometh Storm Relief

Camp Pecometh is recovering after a severe microburst on July 4 caused extensive tree damage across the property, blocking roads and damaging several cabins. Thankfully, no one was injured, and summer camp continues as scheduled, with campers enjoying a safe and meaningful week of faith, friendship, and fun.

Pecometh seeks support in three ways:

• Volunteers (18+) with chainsaw experience and debris removal skills.

• Loan of equipment such as commercial dump trailers, wood chippers, and other heavy-duty cleanup equipment.

• Financial contributions to help cover recovery costs not yet reimbursed by insurance.

Despite the challenges, Camp Pecometh remains committed to its ministry and continues to welcome campers and guest groups throughout the summer. To volunteer, contact Rev. Rich Walton at pastorrich@att.net. For equipment loans, contact Kevin Taylor at kevin@pecometh.org. Donations can be made through the Camp Pecometh website.

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​Thank You From Rainbow Place!

For nearly 44 years, Rainbow Place has called Rockville'sWest End home. Long before many of us who currently steward this mission arrived, a simple but powerful idea took root within the walls of Rockville Presbyterian Church: that every person deserves dignity, compassion, and a place of refuge. What began as an act of faith became a movement of service. What began as a church ministry became a lifeline for thousands of women experiencing homelessness.​

The West End has been more than a neighborhood to us. It has been a partner in our mission. Its streets have welcomed volunteers arriving after work to serve dinner. Its congregations have donated meals, blankets, and encouragement. Its residents have supported our fundraisers, advocated for our guests, and reminded us that community is not defined by geography but by the willingness to care for one another.
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Within this corner of Rockville, women who arrived carrying the weight of trauma, loss, uncertainty, and homelessness found warmth, safety, friendship, and hope. Many took the first steps toward stable housing, employment, recovery, and healing within a few hundred feet of where generations of neighbors worshiped, learned, and served.
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To Rockville Presbyterian Church, we owe a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid. Rainbow Place was born from your mission and nurtured by your faith. For more than four decades, you opened your doors and your hearts to some of the community's most vulnerable residents. You demonstrated what it means to put faith into action; not through words alone, but through sustained commitment, sacrifice, and love. Thousands of lives have been touched because your congregation chose to see possibilities where others saw need.
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As we prepare to turn the page and begin a new chapter, we do so with deep gratitude rather than sadness. Buildings may change. Addresses may change. Yet the values that gave rise to Rainbow Place remain unchanged. The spirit of compassion that was cultivated within Rockville Presbyterian Church and throughout the West End will travel with us wherever we go.

 

​Our story was written here. Our roots will always remain here.
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Thank you to the volunteers who served meals. Thank you to the donors who gave generously. Thank you to the neighbors who welcomed us. Thank you to Rockville Presbyterian Church for believing that shelter is more than a bed, it is an expression of human dignity.

​As Rainbow Place embarks on its next chapter, we carry with us the lessons, relationships, and love that have defined the last 44 years. ​The West End will always be part of who we are.

​With our deepest gratitude,
Rainbow Place Shelter

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​Grow the Circle Wide: The kitchen renovation is completed, but. . .

The electrical work for the fire suppression system has been completed, but...the unit that provides air conditioning for the kitchen has gone out. We are awaiting a decision on whether to repair or replace the unit. Our final inspections cannot be carried out without air conditioning or heating being available for the kitchen. Stay tuned for further developments. We very much look forward to a rededication and reopening! In the meantime, we can give a quick peek at our upcoming renovated kitchen.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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