Today, Fairhaven United Methodist Church is an active and diverse congregation, but our journey began in the 1960's with 3 small Methodist churches located within 5 miles of each other in the rural Quince Orchard area of Gaithersburg. In 1965, McDonald Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, a white Southern church, and Hunting Hill Methodist Church, a white Northern church, which had previously been on the same charge, merged and became Fairhaven United Methodist Church. Although the possibility of merging the 2 white churches and Pleasant View Methodist Episcopal Church, a black church, was mentioned as early as 1960, it wasn't until 1968 that the unification of Fairhaven and Pleasant View was accomplished by transferring the memberships of most of the Pleasant View congregation to Fairhaven.

The name Fairhaven, referring to Paul's stopping at the port of Fair Havens (Acts 27:8-19 for repairs to his boat before continuing on to Rome with the Good News of Jesus Christ, was suggested by Rev. Kenneth Carder, the pastor in 1965, and chosen by congregational vote. Because none of the 3 churches had enough land on which to build a new, larger building, the present site was purchased in 1968, and in 1970 this building was dedicated. A new education wing, with the current kitchen and fellowship hall, was added in 1990.

Looking toward the future, Fairhaven continues to minister to a community that is rapidly expanding and changing. We have been nurtured by and have drawn strength from the diversity of the worship traditions of our members. Fairhaven United Methodist Church strives to be an inclusive church, welcoming everyone into our fellowship as followers of Jesus Christ.