Lakeside Church traces its roots to 1988 when a small mission church began meeting in the cafeteria of Jenifer Elementary School. With the appointment of its first pastor, Rev. Ruth Ann Miller, the new congregation chose the name Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church, in honor of the mother of John and Charles Wesley, the founders of Methodism.

In July 1990, the congregation welcomed its second pastor, Rev. Bruce Jones, who helped “reinvent” the church. In October 1990, Susanna Wesley was re-introduced to the community as Lakeside Church. One year later, Lakeside was officially chartered as a full-fledged United Methodist congregation. By this time the rapidly growing church had moved to a small storefront in Tower Shopping Plaza, just south of Waldorf.

Lakeside’s third pastor, Rev. Chris Wood, arrived in 1993. He challenged the congregation to “dream new dreams” of what we could become and to take the gospel message to the streets and homes of Charles County and beyond.

Lakeside realized one of its dreams by building a permanent church home on the corner of Smallwood Drive and Middletown Road. The first worship service in this new building took place on Easter Sunday 1998. The church’s continuing growth led to the appointment of an associate pastor, Rev. Malcolm Stranathan, in July 1998.

Two years later, Lakeside’s fourth senior pastor, Rev. Sandra S. W. Taylor, arrived to continue charting a course for the church. Pastor Sandy brought with her a strong faith and burning desire to spread God’s word to the “un-churched”—those who are not already part of a faith community.

In summer 2003, lakeside welcomed Rev. Ken McDonald as its senior pastor. Pastor Ken was previously senior pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Catonsville, Maryland.

Throughout its history, Lakeside Church has met the needs of the community with celebratory worship services, innovative outreach and lay-driven ministries. All these things contribute to the fulfillment of our Biblical commission to “learn, live and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”