Today we’d like to introduce you to Norm Gordon.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was an Associate Pastor at a larger suburban Presbyterian Church in Gaithersburg. I read about the rise of the religious ‘nones’ – those who claim the Christian faith but want nothing to do with organized religion – and began to bump into them in the community. I thought: “if they aren’t coming to church, who is pastoring them?” So I stepped down from my position in 2025 and started to pastor in the community – no worship services, no prayer meetings, no Bible studies. Just being available to folks, inviting them into our home, serving the neighborhood together, and having conversations. I have learned a lot. Ten years later, we now have a 501c3, a tradition of social events through the year, a tutoring program for 2nd graders, and a wonderful network of community-minded residents seeking to bless the community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was unnerving not to talk about my faith. I expected people to bring it up, knowing that I was a pastor. They rarely did. Maybe they thought I would talk over their heads. Maybe they thought I would unload theology on them. Maybe they were right. So I learned to live like Jesus and keep my mouth shut. Meanwhile, I found roundabout ways to articulate my faith journey and perceptions about life, culture, and faith that emerged. St. Francis said: “Preach the gospel – use words if necessary.” I use to take this maxim with a grain of salt. Now, it’s a daily calling.
We’ve been impressed with Germantown Global Connection Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a community service group. Our purpose is to create “spaces to gather, opportunities to serve, and avenues for spiritual growth.” At first, we were known for our Game Nights: bring a potluck dish to share, a board game to play, and your kids. Great, healthy fun – no gimmicks. They became very popular. Then COVID came and we couldn’t gather. We started to learn who was serving the underclass of food-insecure families. Then we found out about the dire illiteracy rate among early elementary children in ‘wealthy’ Montgomery County. Long story short, our Let’s Read! Literacy Tutoring Program now has 109 adult volunteers that spend one hour a week tutoring a 2nd grader in literacy in one of our community centers across the county. It’s in-person, it’s one-on-one, and the impact is transformational. These are the kids whose parents, for whatever reason, didn’t have the resources or know-how to reinforce reading at home. Our tutors are the surrogate parents. They do what our county has relied on parents with means to do for decades with respect to teaching reading: finish the job at home! Without that reinforcement, most of these kids will never learn to read. If you can’t read by 3rd grade, your chances of dropping out of high school quadruple.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Our city has resources – 90,000 residents, commited parents who moved here to raise families, and, according to WalletHub, THE most diverse city in the nation (2026). However, it lacks community. Unlike next-door Gaithersburg, it is not incorporated and does not have a steady stream of programs, recreation, activities, concerts, etc. flowing out of its center; it’s just a bedroom community. Fortunately, there are concerned citizens who are working on creating a vibrant center and sense of identity as a community.
Pricing:
- We don’t sell merchandise or services.
- We offer opportunities.
- And people either serve . . .
- or give!
- www.germantowngc.org/donate
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.germantowngc.org
- Instagram: germantownglobal
- Facebook: Germantown Global Connection
