Join Us in Worship

Sundays at 11 a.m.
Christmas Eve at 7:30 p.m.
Christmas Day at 11 a.m.

Potluck dinner and chat every first Sunday in the month. Bring a dish to share and join us for fellowship.

Important Links

Church hall is available for rent. For more information, please call
301-464-1831.

Learn more about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Pastor Biographical Sketch

Rev. Thomas M. O’Brien, Jr.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Church
Lanham, Maryland

Rev. Thomas O’Brien was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, the oldest of eight children. Studied electronics before entering the United States Navy where he served for four years aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence from 1968 through 1972. After receiving an honorable discharge, he entered college in the evening and began his career in management with Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSEG). He graduated from the College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Management. He retired from PSEG in 2003 after 31 years of service.

During the years 1976 through 1980 he was involved in an organization to promote intramural sports for children, coaching basketball and president of the baseball program. From 1982 through 2004, he served as an Assistant Scout Master in Boy Scout Troop 111. Rev. O’Brien served as PTA President and was involved with an organization (Our Place) that reached out to people affected by the Aids virus. He worked for Catholic Charities teaching classes on spirituality at halfway houses for men and women being released from jails and prisons. In addition, he served as trustee for 25 years at a non-profit organization that helped addicts and alcoholics in recovery.

In September 2000, Rev. O’Brien started taking evening classes towards his Master Degree in Divinity at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (LTSP), and graduated in May 2005. Rev. O’Brien received his first call to Good Samaritan Lutheran Church, Lanham, Maryland on February 19, 2006. He continues his education at LTSP towards a Masters in Systematic Theology focusing on biblical interpretation. Rev. O’Brien is an active member of the Greenbelt Interfaith Association (GILA), is on the executive Board of the Lutheran Lay fellowship (LLF), A Corporate member of Fellowship Square Foundation and is involved in several civic and social organizations.

His wife of 37 years, Dolores, is a native of Great Britain. Her favorite hobby is making and giving away prayer shawls. They have two adult sons, and one grandson.