Welcome to Germantown Global Connection
Overview
The GGC connects families in the Germantown MD area to community, service, and growth in ways that make sense to parents and kids alike. Through safe space for families to be nurtured, opportunities for old and young to give back to the community, and pathways toward spiritual growth and maturity, we build thriving, healthy families that influence others to be the same.
Mission: To make good, healthy, spiritual community accessible to all.
As our culture becomes more embracing of diversity, ideology more often excludes than embraces; religious traditions, institutional prerequisites, and doctrinal stances can prevent ordinary families from experiencing what society needs most from religion: trustworthy community, opportunities to serve their neighbor, and avenues for spiritual growth. We foster these things not by dumbing down faith traditions but channeling them correctly, using the best practices of our denominations to offer what is most useful to families without burdening them with undue allegiances and hurdles.
Vision: create a movement of trained leaders who are equipped to nurture healthy community within their context.
Too many God-fearing people are being excluded from a community of faith that could build up and nurture their families simply because they don’t have the patience or the trust to wade through the morass of hoops required: weekly attendance at a highly ritualized difficult to understand worship service, doctrinal statements they may not agree with, organizational bureaucracy that makes no sense, difficulty getting to the good stuff.
We Gather
Most families know the importance of spending time together but rarely have a chance to do so. Our Game Nights foster intergenerational fun through inclusive potluck dinners, open board games, and informal interaction in safe, relaxed settings. Families don’t have to split up to go out on the town!
We Serve
GGC looks for ways to help out that are direct, local, and immediate. We realize that a healthy community needs many resources to help families thrive but our particular niche is the personal, family-to-family help that builds relationships across barriers, bridges economic boundaries, and discloses our own humanity regardless of background.
We Grow
A healthy family is an attitude as well as a lifestyle. We believe that being a positive force for good in society is an intentional choice made possible only in the context of groups of families who actively share their values and faith to build each other up. Overcoming bigotry, hatred, racism, and cynicism with love, generosity, kindness, and inclusivity takes practice, patience, and a lot of grace.
Norm Gordon
Chief Catalyst
Born in Washington Grove, MD, and a graduate of Gaithersburg High School (class of 1981), Norm’s roots run deep in Montgomery County. But much of his life was spent around the world: four years in North Carolina getting his Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Davidson College, two years in Nan, Thailand, teaching English as a Second Language, 16 years in Los Angeles finding his best friend and life partner, Elsie, and completing a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and 3 years in Northeast Louisiana learning a whole new culture in the deep South. In 2007, Norm returned to Gaithersburg and was blessed with 8 years of wonderful ministry as an Associate Pastor at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, followed by 4 1/2 years with the wonderful folks at Idylwood Pres. in Falls Church, VA. In 2020, feeling the need to connect with a very diverse population outside the church walls, he stepped down and has been building community ever since out of their home in Germantown. He is humbled to be called the father of Alicia, Abby, and A.J. In his spare time, he runs, plays guitar, studies local history (just ask him!), and enjoys his daily 16 oz. cup of dark roast coffee.
