Welcome to Lea Gilmore, our new Band & Congregational Song Leader!
We are thrilled to announce that starting July 8, Lea Gilmore will be joining the staff of Govans Presbyterian Church as our new Band and Congregational Song Leader. Lea will bring great energy, talent, and vision to our 9:00 a.m. worship service, our band, and our entire music program.
Lea has a long and distinguished musical career. In 2011, Lea became the Founder and Executive Director of Umoja Musica which promotes international peace through music. Partnering with Centerstage Theatre in Kilmarnock, Scotland she coordinated and led a band consisting of gospel pianist, uilleann pipes, bodhran, accordion, and tin whistle. In 2014, Lea was the Artist in Residence for the US Embassy in France which included working with primary, high school, college, and adult choirs with the goal of creating cross-cultural understanding and dialogue. In response to the Baltimore Uprising following the the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, Lea organized a series of "Community Sings" to bring communities together in the Baltimore area. Since 2002, she has worked with the Father Damien Foundation, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, leading Gospel concerts with Belgian youth, church, classical and community choirs, all performing African American Gospel music to sold out audiences at cathedrals, arenas and cultural centers. She recorded three Gospel CD's raising funds for the Damien Foundation focusing on those suffering with leprosy and tuberculosis.
Lea has received numerous honors for her music and advocacy including: The 2018 Jazz Journalist Association Baltimore Jazz Hero Award, The 2016 Creative Alliance Baltimore Formstone Award, 2005 Essence Magazine “25 Women Shaping the World”, and The 2003 Blue’s Foundation “Keep Blues Alive” Award.
When she was not making incredible music (and often while she was), Lea has worked tirelessly as an advocate and organizer for social justice with organizations such as Equality Maryland, Moving Maryland Forward Network, National Abortion Federation, and the ACLU.
Lea has been married to Pastor David Gilmore for 35 years and has two sons.
We cannot wait to get to know Lea better and follow her as she leads our First Service band and congregation in music and worship. Please join us!
The May/June issue of our newsletter, The Herald & Bellringer is here!
View the issue
Sharp Hall Stage Coming Soon
Plans are well underway for a new stage in Sharp Hall.
Learn more about the plans
Govans from Above!
Click here, here, here, and here for some recent photos taken with a drone camera. Click here for an aerial video showing our buildings, the Peace Terrace, Bio-Retention Pond and the solar panels on our Education Building! Thanks to Adam Allen for the photos and video...
Bookends Book Club
Beginning in October, an informal group of folks who enjoying reading good books will gather at 10:00 a.m. on the second Friday of the month. They call themselves The Bookends and had met for many years at Brown Memorial.
Learn more
Bible Study at Broadmead
All are invited to a Bible Study that meets on Tuesday mornings at 10 AM in the Fireplace Room at Broadmead. For more information contact Pastor Tom or Sally-Lyn Duff.
Soul Kitchen is our free community meal!
We share a meal with 40-60 guests every Sunday night. Everyone is welcome to come and eat and/or volunteer to cook, serve or clean up! We start preparing the meal at 5pm and finish cleaning up by 8:15pm. Volunteers are welcome for all or part of the time - but we often need extra hands from 7-8:15pm.
Govans Cookbook Is Still for Sale!
Learn more about the cookbook
