“I am making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:19
We’re Good Trouble Church!
Founded in early 2020, Good Trouble Church is a grassroots congregation in central Baltimore of leaders who are changing the world. A fellowship of those who have been made most vulnerable through systemic oppression and the racist war on drugs, including those experiencing homelessness, people who are food and housing insecure, people who use drugs and people in recovery, people who work in street economies, and those living with disability or mental illness, GTC centers the leadership and follows the visions of those most directly impacted by structural racism and unjust systems.
Through the devoted acts of mutual aid and sacred ceremony, we facilitate healing and work toward liberation in our neighborhood. There is the twice monthly free market, where we feed and clothe our community; Red Shed Village, where we house 3 people who transition from street homelessness to housing; a drop-in center with social work, laundry, and showers; an outreach and chill zone at a popular corner where the most vulnerable can find belonging and support; the Good Trouble Guardians, who walk the streets helping to keep our community safer without police involvement; a Leadership and liberation school, and more– all of it dreamed and led by our community.
At the locus and origin of it all: is our weekly worship of word and sacrament in an outdoor lot, when we hear from and respond to the God of liberation in our midst. In that lot, we gather to bless each other before God, and in so many ways, to give voice to the hope that is within us.
From the beginning, GTC has been about a holy protest. Embracing each other as kin, as people whom the world might despise, but who are beloved by God. Like Jesus, we are outcasts who embrace each other in solidarity, and have found the great power of being for one another. Without permits or permission, we made each other the priority.
At Good Trouble Church we’re working to turn the world upside down so that its right side up. Together, we create a sacred space where we can heal as a people. As we do so, we find the world around us transforming. A powerful example of resilience-based organizing, GTC has built a track record of trust and impactful work. As we as individuals self-actualize, our community is in a parallel process of actualization.
Good Trouble Church is a ministry of the Delaware-Maryland Synod ELCA.
Our story
Good Trouble Church was founded by a group of unhoused and formerly unhoused folks who live or hang out around the YNot Lot in early 2020. Elazar Zavaletta (he/they), who is transgender, mestizo, and has lived experience of life-threatening addiction, began spending time there when their Bishop called them to be a street minister along North Avenue. A community quickly formed. Anneke “PeeWee” Corbitt (R.I.P.) and Nine Trillion, Sharonda Nutt and Black Face were important founding members. As the mission developer, Elazar’s role was to nurture and gather the community of leaders who live in our neighborhood, help bring form and structure to the visions that they have, and figure out how to support everything -- with funding and with people.
At GTC, we center the leadership and the visions of those most impacted by systemic oppression. At the center of our community is Family Life, a spiritual gathering. We've also worked together with other partners to create Farm to Stoop Free Market Wednesdays at 3pm. Little by little, GTC began to attract friends who come from more stability, who felt called to walk alongside, support, uplift, pray with, worship with, and get behind this community.
The Red Shed Village was a vision of those first GTC core leaders. Red Shed was founded by unhoused and formerly unhoused folks, working together with Pastor Elazar, and so many others who came together around that vision, like all the members of the Care team and other volunteers. Shepherd Sharonda Nutt, Guardian “Diddy” Dozier, Deacon “Blackface” Dubose, Runaway Kenny and Brenda Gibson are the founders of Red Shed Village, along with Guardian Nine and Shepherd PeeWee.
From these first dreams, so much more has sprung to life. Everyday we are grateful, and we continue to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our midst as She emerges and flows with us.
CreativeStrong
HolyHumorous
AudaciousHopeful
BeautifulBeloved
LGBTQ+Straight
EldersYoungers
AdvocatesLeaders
Evangelists
Intercessors
JusticeSeekers
ChildrenofGod
Our Values
LGBTQ+ Affirming
Full stop.
Racial Justice
We celebrate and center Blackness and indigeneity, recovering our people’s wisdom and practices, to rise and resist the forces of white supremacy and colonization. Longing for and living into a way of practicing our faith that does not mimic empire but resists it.
Harm Reduction
We aim to meet each other where we are, avoiding judgment and acknowledging the significance of every positive change; we aim to be trauma-informed.
Turn the world upside down
We lift up the wisdom, creativity, and leadership of those most impacted by systemic oppression. The world is upside down. When we are together, we work to turn it right side up.
Collaborative and non-hierarchical
We are committed to dismantling patriarchy.
Theology is communal
Reminded by Rev. Dr. James Cone that theology is contextual and springs from God’s people, we are always prepared—and actively preparing—to give an account of the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3). We do this by taking turns in preaching, shaping and participating in liturgy and ceremony, reflecting on holy moments together.
Love and Grace
God is always reaching for us, and we reach for each other.
Mutual Aid
We join in the acknowledgment that people are in crisis, people are suffering, due to unjust systems (Dean Spade). We invite, facilitate, and participate in multiple forms of community taking care of community.
Belovedness
The world can have its opinions. But we know who we are. We are children of God.
Transformative Justice
We are committed to learning practices, building skills, creating capacities that prevent, intervene, and reduce harm; transforming the spaces we inhabit to be equitable and just.
Faith Expansive
We have different experiences of God; faith, no faith, different faith. We are all family.
GTC Leaders
Anneke “PeeWee” Corbitt R.I.P.
Shepherd
Brian “Black” Chapman
Evangelist
Black Face Dubose R.I.P.
Deacon
Ms. Bridgette Dorsey
Deacon
Ms. Candy Manning R.I.P.
Evangelist
Ms. Carrie McLean
Evangelist
Ms. Daphne Green
Elder
Ronald Bailey
Elder
Frances Hunter
Evangelist
Alex Lanphear
Deacon
Sierra Cook
Shepherd
Diddy Dozier
Guardian
Hakeem Bailey
Deacon
Pooda
Guardian
Myke Richardson, Sr.
Shepherd
Geneva Parrish
Deacon
Minister Johnetta Jackson
Evangelist
Verna Marquez
Deacon
Doug Koerber
Strong Support
Sis Bishop
Shepherd
Nikia Allen R.I.P.
Shepherd
Nine Trillion
Counselor
Earl
Guardian
Cuz
Guardian
Nard
Guardian
Rayshawn Allen
Evangelist
Shay Jackson
Deacon
Keisha Bethea
Evangelist
Sharonda Nutt
Shepherd
Sonya Williams
Guardian
Ms. Vivian Dunbar
Evangelist
Ma Dee
Guardian
Photography by Ashley Esposito, Jessica Gallagher, & Philip Muriel
We are blessed with amazing partners!
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Dreams and Visions, Divinity Lutheran Church, Baltimore Community Mediation Center, Community Law Center, Bluewater Baltimore, Baltimore Peace Movement, Zion Lutheran Church, Samaritan Kitchen, Church of the Redeemer Episcopal Church, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Catonsville, St John's Lutheran Church in Sweet Air, We Keep Us Safe Collective, Joys Free Store, 4mycity, MOM’s Organic, First Lutheran Ellicott City, Ascension Lutheran Church in Towson, Bmore Power, B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Coalition, Sisters Together and Reaching (S.T.A.R.), and every community member who has volunteered or donated or prayed for us!