The Messenger by National United Methodist Church

The Messenger

September 10, 2012 Volume XXII, No. 9 Nationalchurch.org

Catching Fire The theme of our Stewardship campaign this year is Catching Fire. That phrase brings to mind the passion and energy of our life together here at Metropolitan. Over the past year, existing ministries have been thriving and growing, and exciting new ministries have been created across all three campuses of our Cooperative Parish. Remarkable things are happening in our five Pillars of praising, caring, learning, sharing, and serving. A flame has been ignited in our midst, a Biblical metaphor for the presence and movement of God’s spirit among us. Our annual Stewardship campaign will run through the month of October, and I will be focusing on the book of James as a foundation for the sermons. James, which may have been written by the brother of Jesus, is one of the more controversial books of the New Testament. The book focuses on how we live out the faith that we profess with our lips. I will also be leading a Bible study of James on the evenings of our Soup and Study Wednesdays, so that we will have an opportunity to explore this intriguing book of the Bible in more depth. The title for the sermon series during our Stewardship campaign is Doers of the Word. This is a good theme for stewardship in general, but James also speaks very directly to how our financial giving deepens our faith practice. On October 7, we will launch the series with a very busy Sunday that includes World Communion Sunday and a celebration of our Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team. The Scriptural text of the morning will be James 1:1-11, 21-27, and with the witnesses from our VIM folks, it should be a joyful, high-energy way to kick off the stewardship effort. On October 14, the sermon title is Breathing Life into Faith, with the Scriptural texts coming from James 2:1-7, 14-26. The heart of James’ message is that “faith without works is dead.” In other words, simply believing something is true is

a fairly meaningless exercise, unless that belief causes us to act differently. This passage concerned the great reformer Martin Luther, because he feared that people would think that their good works would “earn” them God’s love. God’s love, he wanted us to understand, is a free gift, which we claim through faith. But James’ counterpoint is that if our faith does not work itself out in action, then to what extent do we believe it at all? On October 21, the sermon title is Giving Peace a Chance, with the Scriptural texts coming from James 4:1-10. James is very clear that one of the primary sources of conflict among people and nations is our acquisitiveness and our covetousness. Our ability to live in harmony with those in our community, with the world community, and with the earth itself grows out of our keeping control over our mindless desire to acquire. That struggle is made more difficult by living in a culture that teaches us that our happiness is inextricably linked to the things that we own. Peace grows out of our willingness to be satisfied with what we have. We will close out our Stewardship celebration on Commitment Sunday on October 28, with the sermon title of In What is Your Hope? and the Scriptural texts will come from James 4:13-5:6. We will explore together how, through our planning and our accumulation of wealth, we seek to avoid the vagaries of life. In so doing, we cut ourselves off from the true source our life and hope, which is in God. Our financial giving is one of the most powerful tools that God gives us for keeping a healthy perspective on the gift of our possessions and their place in our lives. I hope that you will plan to join us in October as we celebrate all the ways that God is moving through our community of faith as we are Catching Fire, and we explore together the ways in which the ancient texts from James speak to us and inform our ministries and lives today.

Congregation-wide Merger Meetings Join us at any of the following congregation-wide meetings where you can find out more information and share your concerns about the proposed merger with Wesley UMC. • • • •

September 18 at 7 p.m. (cookies and tea) September 19 at 1 p.m. (cookies and tea) September 23 at 10:10 a.m. September 23 at 12:30 p.m. (cookies and tea)

Life at Metropolitan Memorial

Welcome!

We welcome our new members Andy Millman and Kathleen Kimball who joined Metropolitan on August 26.

Our prayers go out to... •

the family and friends of Tom Dougherty, who died on August 20.

•

the family and friends of Nancy Smyrnas, who died on August 16.

Campus Kitchen Project @St. Luke’s Mission Center Saturday, September 15, 3 p.m.

The Campus Kitchen Project empowers thousands of students each year to recycle food from their cafeterias into nourishing meals that are then delivered to those in need. How can you get involved? Join us from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. at St. Luke’s Mission Center to prepare the food or join us at Regency House (5201 Connecticut Ave., NW) from 6 p.m. 9 p.m. to serve. To volunteer, sign up at our SERVE NOW! website lotsahelpinghands.com/c/622058/login or contact Rev. Kate Murphey, kmurphey@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900.

Serve Now!

It is easier than ever for you to get connected and sign up for our many ongoing parish service activities. Get connected and sign up to serve with our new on-line volunteer scheduling system lotsahelpinghands.com/c/622058/login.

Prayer Shawl Ministry Sunday, September 16, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 18, 1:30 p.m.

Join us in the conference room for a time of knitting, crocheting, fellowship, ministry and fun! Interested in joining? Contact Barbara Tate, Bdtate@verizon.net or 202-363-5950.

Monday Evening Book Club Monday, September 17 7:30 p.m., Library

Join us as Sharon Smith leads the book club in a discussion of “The Newlyweds” by Nell Freudenberger. This marks our second season and we invite anyone who loves to read to join us. Please contact either Joan Topalian, jtopa62045@gmail.com or Suzanne Clewell, reader1021@aol.com. For our first-timers, please bring the name of a book you think we would be interested in reading and tell us why.

Staats Memorial Fund Accepting Grant Proposals

The Margaret Rich Staats Memorial Fund is accepting proposals to be reviewed at our fall meeting, for funding in early 2013. The Staats Fund is a committee of the United Methodist Women that funds programs and projects that help others, particularly children. Priority is given to organizations in the greater DC area and to organizations where Metropolitan members are actively engaged (as volunteers, supporters, etc.). Send proposals by October 31st to Eliza Hamner-Koenig, eliza_hamner@yahoo.com.

Andy is beginning his third year as a student at Wesley Theological Seminary working on a Masters of Divinity. He is an avid rock climber and backpacker, and had the opportunity to spend some time in Yosemite, CA as a guide for young people who wanted to experience the beauty of God’s Creation. As a Metropolitan pastoral intern, the parish has become his “home away from home.” As a part of his internship, Andy works with the 20/30’s group on Sunday mornings, Campus Kitchen Project at St. Luke’s, and the Crossroads Community that meets on Sunday nights. Andy is transferring his membership from Virginia Beach United Methodist Church. Welcome, Andy! Kathleen Kimball was born and raised in the East Bay of California and studied Biology and Spanish at American University. Since graduating, she works in DC managing a research aviary at AU and serving as a veterinary technician at Friendship Hospital for Animals. She is a passionate student of science and its intersection with faith. She writes, “I find that the more I study the principles of the universe, its life, and its properties, the more I see God’s hand in it all.” Kathleen is transferring her membership from the United Methodist Protestant Community at American University. Welcome, Kathleen!

Service of Welcome and Celebration Saturday, September 22 4 p.m., Sanctuary

Bishop Marcus Matthews has been appointed to the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Join us for a service of welcome and celebration followed by a reception on September 22, 2012 from 4 to 7 p.m. to welcome and meet our new Bishop.

Jazz@Wesley Presents Bobby Felder and the Blue Notes Saturday, September 29, 6:30 p.m. Wesley UMC (5312 Conn. Ave. NW)

Bring your friends and family for an evening of jazz. Tickets are $10/General, $7/Seniors and 12 & under free and available at Instantseats.com. Bring a nonperishable food item to jazz up someone else’s life.

Save the Date - Charge Conference Saturday, October 20, 2 p.m., Great Hall

Metropolitan and Wesley United Methodist Churchs will hold their annual Charge Conferences led by Rev. Cynthia Moore, Superintendent, Greater Washington District on Saturday, October 20 at Metropolitan. This will be held as a “Church Conference,” meaning that all are invited to attend and all church members can vote.

The Arts at Metropolitan Memorial MMUMC Art and Music Season Opens Sunday, September 30

No matter how gloomy Sunday afternoon, September 30, might turn out to be, it will be a bright time at Metropolitan. First comes the music: at 3 p.m. the bright, brassy sounds of the Navy Band Brass Quartet will fill the sanctuary. The players will perform a diverse program of classical, jazz, and patriotic/folkloric American music. Among the composers represented will be Prokofiev, Hindemith, Coltrane, and Ellington. Established in 1999, the U.S. Navy Band Brass Quartet, which includes two trumpets, a euphonium, and a tuba, has reached thousands of listeners in its appearances in the Washington area and has also performed in live broadcasts from the Kennedy Center and on "Meet the Press." In addition to its public performances, the quartet provides musical support for official ceremonies at the Pentagon, the Navy Memorial, the Naval Observatory, and other sites. Metropolitan, where the Sea Chanters have appeared several times, is delighted to host another Navy musical ensemble. Then at 4:30 p.m., concertgoers will join other art-lovers in the Great Hall for a reception and the opening of an exhibition of Karen Schulz's fiber art, whose bright, beautiful colors are sure to delight all viewers. Ms. Schulz began working with fabric when she was nine, making some of her own clothes. From “wearable art,” she moved into creating one-of-a- kind quilts both for bed coverings and for wall hangings. Adapting this traditional needlework style to her own “SPP9” from the Screen Porch Peaches Series work has been her focus for the last 30 years. During that time, as Ms. Schulz has worked to develop the aesthetics of her art, she has also adapted traditional quilting methods to suit her own method of working. First, she dyes the fabric and then cuts it to fit the idea she has in mind. Once satisfied with the design of the pieces of cloth, she begins the traditional three-layer quilting process on her machine. The artist works in both abstract and realistic styles. Abstract work is particularly appealing to her, she says, because it provides an endless opportunity for disciplined consideration of line, shape, color, and texture. But the show also includes works from her very realistic “Screen Porch Peach” series, inspired by a thirty-year ritual of vacationing on Ocracoke Island; on her way to the island she buys peaches that she lines up on the porch to ripen. Music, art, food, fellowship: there will be few better places to spend a Sunday afternoon in late September. Plan to be there!

BWARM Presents Jennifer Knapp in Concert Friday, October 5, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary

Highly recognized as a premier artist in the Christian Contemporary Music genre, Jennifer Knapp chose to confront long-held speculation with a very public “coming out” in 2010. Under heavy scrutiny, Jennifer has unashamedly claimed her faith and her sexual orientation with astonishing straightforwardness and honesty. Her candor and compassion have led to overwhelming appeals for her to engage the challenging issue of LGBT inclusion and affirmation in religious communities. In an effort to continue to create a positive and constructive dialogue on behalf of LGBT people of faith Jennifer is now presenting Inside Out Faith. Having experienced, first hand, the devastating effects of rejection and judgment, Jennifer knows full well the challenges of being “out” in certain faith communities. However, it is in the sharing of her journey through story, music and conversation that she has discovered the healing that comes from breaking the silence. Join us for this powerful concert.

Metro Players Fall Potluck All are welcome! Saturday, September 29 6 p.m., Vestry

Are you a long-time member of Metro Players or do you love theater and have always wanted to try your hand in the theater (acting, backstage, costumes, set-building, make-up and more)? Join us as we gather for a potluck dinner! This will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and welcome new friends into our midst. Bob Benn, our director, will share plans for the fall and beyond. We have lots of new and interesting opportunities on the horizon. There will be sign-up sheets for those who would like to work on set construction for our December musical “A 1940’s Radio Christmas Carol” the weekend of December 7, 8, and 9. We will also be recruiting volunteers for behind the scenes jobs, including publicity, ticket sales, hospitality and more. Bring a dish (based on your last name/enough to serve 6) and a beverage to share A-G (Main Course) M-Q (Appetizers)

H-L (Salad/Veggie) R-Z (Dessert)

Service and Advocacy Reflections from VIM Our Volunteers in Mission team recently returned from their mission trip to Nicaragua, where they worked in Matagalpa to provide safe sanitation to 36 families by building latrines. Below are excerpts from the reflections of the team members. To read the full reflections go to nationalchurch. blogspot.com/2012/08/reflections-from-vim.html. Nicki Allen. In planning the trip to Nicaragua, I had no idea what to expect. I'd never been to the country, or even this part of the world. My friends and colleagues had mixed reactions. Some didn't understand why I wanted to go, while others were very supportive. Needless to say, I'm so happy I went, and wouldn't trade this experience for anything. Anna Chamiec-pauneto. Not only was it a true honor and pleasure to work with and serve with the other 9 VIM members, but it was a truly empowering and joyous experience serving and working with the Nicaraguan families on the land banks. I do not have enough words to express the beauty of the Nicaraguan people. Everyone we encountered was very hospitable and really made you feel comfortable because they wanted their home to feel like it was your home...It was a true blessing that our group had this opportunity to build these relationships and connections with the families on the El Progreso land bank. We had the privilege of being in community together, sharing our life experiences with each other and connecting with one another. David Hosey. Too often mission is conceived of as giving something to a community without. The missionary or mission trip brings God or money or language skills to a community lacking these things and passes the resources over. However, again and again our experience in Nicaragua showed us quite the opposite. God was at work long before we arrived in Nicaragua, and remains at work now that we are at home...Throughout our time in Nicaragua we saw God at work, and places where economic violence was at work trying to inhibit this work of God. Now it’s time to witness to the working of God, and to understand what role we as individuals and congregations can play in striving for justice and right relationship.

Andrew Millman. "So, how was it?” How do you even respond to a question like that? Now that I’m back in DC, the main question that I’ve been asked by friends, coworkers, and family has been a simple one…how was it? Interestingly enough, even though I’ve been asked the same question over and over again, I still can’t seem to come up with a satisfactory answer. Challenging? Eye-opening? Life-giving? Transformative? Sure, all of these answers are true, but they don’t even come close to fully encapsulating my experiences in Nicaragua. I met urban communities that are still feeling the destructive effects of colonialism and hegemony, and I met rural impoverished communities that are banding together to better the lives of the greater community. I met women fighting family violence and sexual abuse, and I met young people who are willing to put everything on the line in order to educate and empower their peers. I honestly can’t tell you “how it was” because I am still processing through it all, but what I can say is that I will keep the relationships and memories that I made in Nicaragua with me for the rest of my life. Veronica Rutherford. My experience in Nicaragua was life changing. I learned so much from AMC while doing relief and rehabilitation work at the land banks in Matagalpa. It's amazing how much money we spend on retail items while those making the products hardly get a fair cut, like Concepcion selling his coffee beans for $1 per pound and hearing we buy coffee at about $12 a pound. A little time and a little money is much appreciated and can sprout meaningful relationships beyond language barriers. The other organizations we spoke with are doing so much good for the community, and the young people dedicating their lives to the causes are nothing less of inspiring. Debora’s dental clinic reaches communities previously without dental care, and her young patients wear their nicest clothes to the appointment. Women in Community continues to serve battered women and make reform changes despite the name-calling and backlash from spreading awareness on taboo topics. It was a privilege to meet these leaders and hear about their work. I hope I can spread God's love through our communities like they do.

Karen Howard. It was a great experience to go to Nicaragua. We went to the September 14th Baseball Academy to watch the boys play baseball. On a more serious note, we went to Debora’s dental clinic and Christian Medical Action. These groups have helped many of the Nicaraguan people with health and other support. We then traveled five hours out of the city to Matagalpa a remote area in the mountains to build 5 latrines for the families and saw the results of our work that we did last year refurbishing desks for the children in the school. It rained every day. It was fun being with the people and playing with the children. On the fun side of our trip we danced again and went swimming in a lake warmed by a volcano. The people appreciated us as we worked together. Each time I go on a VIM trip I learn a lot from my team members and the Nicaraguan people. It was an awesome experience for me.

Caring and Learning Prayer Shawl Ministry Celebrates Six Years of Caring

The Prayer Shawl Ministry combines knitting and crocheting with prayer and has been practiced in many denominations since its inception in the late 1990’s. In the summer of 2006 Metropolitan began our ministry, organized and led by Annette Fletchall, who was our guiding light and remains our fiercest advocate. We are an active group of all ages including a gentleman. Our meetings include prayers for the shawl recipients known and unknown, and blessings of the shawls for members and their families, neighbors or co-workers who are: • In need of comfort after a loss • Making a life style change • Undergoing medical procedures • Needing to be remembered of God’s love • Caring for a family member or friend Our prayers are that each shawl will carry our strength, love and energy to each who receive one and that they be reminded of God’s love as the shawl is wrapped around their shoulders. To date, we have given approximately 361 shawls to friends locally, and mailed to many states including Hawaii in addition to Palestine and Belgium. Others who have been touched by this ministry include Katrina flood victims, students at Virginia Tech, our ministers moving to other appointments, our shelter members, ASP families, the world-wide programs of the United Methodist Women through donations at General Assembly and a local project The Ignatian Spirituality Project sponsored by Holy Trinity Church. The Prayer Shawl Ministry also participated in creating a stole to be part of the Reconciling Church Project that circulates around the country in support of the Reconciling Ministry. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together with love. The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets the third Sunday and third Tuesday of each month and welcomes all ages, experienced or beginners. Members are always willing and happy to help anyone get started. Our joy is in sharing the talents that we have been given enriching the giver as well as the receiver. Two years ago we added the gift of baby blankets to our ministry. Our blankets are presented at baptism. If there is someone in your life who needs to be enveloped in the loving care of a prayer shawl, please contact Metropolitan’s Minister of Congregational Care, Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 19.

Lunch and More Thursday, September 20, Noon - 2 p.m., Great Hall

Beginning in September, join us every third Thursday of the month (October 18, November 15, December 20) for “Lunch and More!” After eating together (sandwiches will be provided) we will plan future activities which might include movie watching, study, games, and/or book discussions. Mark your calendar! This will be a time of feasting, fellowship, and fun! Questions or input, contact Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org or 202.363.4900, ext. 19.

Club Memory

MMUMC’s Caring Ministry is partnering with Sibley Senior Association to provide hope and resources for people living with early memory loss. Club Memory is an informal social organization for people with memory impairments and their caregivers. The Club is an “open house” model with independent activities for those seeking information, resources, and fellowship. We meet every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, beginning in October (10th and 24th) from 1.30 pm – 3pm in the Great Hall. Several Metropolitan volunteers are needed to serve as greeters and hosts. If you are interested, contact Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@ nationalchurch.org or 202.363.4900, ext. 19.

September AARP Meeting Monday, September 24, 12:30 p.m., Vestry

Please join us on Monday, September 24 as Marti Bailey, Director of the Sibley Senior Association, informs us what the Association has to offer and what the hospital itself does for seniors. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

"Soup and Study" Returns in September!

"Soup and Study," Metropolitan's Wednesday evening study program returns on September 12. Supper of soup, bread, salad and dessert will be served in the Vestry at 6 p.m. with classes beginning at 7 p.m. In addition to Bible Study, led by Charlie Parker, there are several new offerings this fall including: • 2nd Wednesdays - "Enriching the Soul through Leadership Development" • 4th Wednesdays - "Cloud of Witnesses: Christian Writers" • 2nd & 4th Wednesdays - "Living and Dying Well," with Drema McAllister-Wilson (Fall semester only) • Every Wednesday - Disciple I, with Barbara Gaskill (32 weeks) Questions? Contact Barbara Green, bgreen@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 25.

United Methodist Women

September 16 is UMW Sunday Come Celebrate with Us! th

On Sunday, September 16, the United Methodist Women will be highlighted at both worship services with Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson preaching. After the worship services, join us for the annual UMW welcome back luncheon in the Vestry at 12:30 p.m. Our featured speaker is Tina Frundt, founder and Executive Director, Courtney’s House. Courtney’s House provides essential services to youth ages 12-18 who are victims of domestic sex trafficking – offering a caring environment to address the trauma inflicted on these young survivors. Cost: $8 per person for UMW members; Guests are complimentary.

UMW Craft Day Saturday, September 29 9 a.m. - noon, Great Hall

Get your craft on and join UMW pals to bead, knit, sew, découpage, glue, whatever. Brush up on an old pastime or try something new – no experience required. You can donate your creation to be sold at the November bazaar, or take it with you. Breakfast goodies provided. For questions and to RSVP, contact Mary Townsend, craft-day coordinator at maryleekt@gmail.com or 202-534-2022 or Suzanne Vieth at msvieth@verizon.net or 202-237-6744.

Bazaar Preparations - Your Donations Are Needed

The UMW is now accepting gently-used items for the bazaar. Your donations may be left at any time beside the UMW closet. We take kitchen things, china and other collectibles, books/CDs/DVDs/tapes/ records, puzzles and games, "attic treasures," Christmas decorations, unused nicer items for the Gifts boutique, and accessories such as scarves and belts and handbags. Please note that we do not accept clothing, furniture, used electronics, magazines or textbooks. Questions? Contact Barbara Gaskill, Barbara@bgaskill.com or 202-244-3512. • • • •

Deliver donated jewelry to the church office. Want to help with the jewelry? Contact Eugenia Evans, setevans@comcast.net or 301-320-4036 or Kelly D’Angelo, kellysclothes@aol.com. Deliver boutique-quality jackets for the “Jacket Mania” section directly to Connie McWorkman on Sunday mornings. Call her ahead of time to be sure you can connect on a specific Sunday: 301-320-4242. Sorting and pricing of donated items is ongoing between now and the bazaar, every Tuesday, 10 a.m. - noon. Bazaar date is Saturday, November 3.

Children’s Ministries Godly Play

Metropolitan Memorial offers four Godly Play class rooms for children ages 3 to 4th grade. Those new to Metropolitan may ask, what is Godly Play? Godly Play is a Montessori-based curriculum that attempts to create a sacred space for children to build a community, work in that community and to learn religious language. Each classroom has a greeter and a storyteller. The greeter helps the children get settled each session and keeps order in the classroom. The storyteller each week tells a different story from the Old and the New Testament, accompanied with objects to illustrate the story. Following the story, there is a short time period of open ended questions, posed by the storyteller and discussion by the children gathered in the story circle. Next, children are invited to respond to the story through art, writing, silence, or playing with the story. Each Sunday School hour concludes with a "feast" of Goldfish crackers and water. Because we are aiming to build community and a sacred space in each classroom, it is imperative that children arrive to the classroom on time. Late arrivals disrupt the class and break the mood of the classroom that our teacher volunteers are trying so hard to create. Children start to gather in classrooms at 10 am so please be on time. Parents not familiar with Godly Play are encouraged to observe their child's class. Classroom assignments have shifted slightly this year. • Little Wonders, 3 and 4 year olds, Room 101 • Bible Explorers, 3rd and 4th graders, Room 203 (new) • Godly Players, Pre K and Kindergarteners, Room 200 • Young Disciples, 5th and 6th graders, Room 201 (new) • Joyful Spirits, 1st and 2nd graders, room 202 For those not familiar with Godly Play, two useful websites are godlyplayfoundation.org and godlyplay.org.uk. To enroll your child in Sunday School, please visit nationalchurch.org/Learning/Sunday_School#Enroll. For questions, please contact Anita Seline, Director of Children's Ministries, aseline@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 22.

The Children’s Library Gets a Makeover

Wander into the library when you have a few moments on Sunday and you will notice some pleasant changes. The Nursery School staff spruced up the children’s section of the library with fresh paint and a new book arrangement. There are special sections for Sunday school and holiday books on the shelves to your left when you face the beautiful stained glass windows. On the lower shelves below the windows are board-books for younger readers. The remaining school books are organized alphabetically by author. Parishioners may read and enjoy books in the library, but the books must remain there for Nursery School teachers and students to use on school days. Please return books to the basket provided. Nursery School staff and volunteers will take care of re-shelving them so that our lovely library will remain orderly and beautiful for years to come.

Youth Ministries ASP 2012

This summer our youth went on their annual Appalachia Service Project trip, a service mission that Metropolitan has participated in for more than 40 years. While in Washington County, Virginia our group renovated and repaired the homes of people living in poverty. Below are some reflections from the trip! Mike Long. At the end of each week on ASP trips, everyone is asked to share their favorite ASP moment, whether it be a God moment or simply something they enjoyed most. Over the years I have done this, the same thing continues to amaze me—how appreciative these families are. They are not embarrassed or ashamed of having to ask for help. I was lucky enough to get to know Miss Vickie this year. Miss Vickie’s home was condemned after a fire almost three years ago. She had been told over and over that she would not be able to move back in and could not afford to do anything about it. ASP changed that for her. Something she had been told was impossible changed over a 7 week period. We were the final group to work with Miss Vickie and were able to see the look on her face when we finally pulled the paper off the floor and the tape off the walls. It was obvious to us that the impact was more than getting her house back. It meant getting her family back for holidays, finally being able to go home. I found that participating this year as a leader was entirely different than the years that I attended as a high schooler. Being able to work side by side with the current youth, and watch them go through the same emotions and experiences is what ASP is about. Those are the things that made me glad I was able to come back and be a part of something as special as ASP. I hope I am able to go next year and bring a friend or two. Leslie Crockett. ASP was definitely an eye opening experience. I have always lived in a flawlessly constructed and maintained house with more than enough food to eat and anything I wanted handed to me on a silver platter, well, metaphorically. So leaving the comfort of my home to rough it in the middle of Appalachia, rebuilding houses caused a bit of a culture shock. It made me stop and think a bit and realize just how lucky I am to have a roof above my head, food on my plate and a family that loves me. After the chicken-coop sized house I worked in last year I didn’t think I would see much worse. Well that house met its match. This year I worked on a house that was about 100 years old. Initially it had been well built but time had taken its toll; the outside of the house had begun to rot away leaving a leaky roof and a slight tilt to the house. Washington County Virginia’s very own leaning Tower of Pisa. The inside of the house was worse. Pieces of plywood and OSB had been plastered on the walls in a vain attempt to fight the elements, the windows were broken and ill fitted, some didn’t even have glass. The tiling in the living room was sporadic at best and dust and cobwebs covered every inch of the house. And this was after six weeks of hard work by other ASP teams. A new addition had been put on the house for a bathroom and the kitchen had been completely redone. We still had our work cut out for us though.

We painted the kitchen and the stairs, put in and painted baseboards, finished tiling, put in shelves in the bathroom, replaced some of the windows and put siding and facing on the addition. But even after stepping back and seeing what we’d done on the last day I still didn’t feel complete, compared to my house this place was still a wreck. I wanted to do more, I felt like I had disappointed Darlene, the woman who lived there. That was until I saw her reaction. At 6:30 on Friday night we told her we’d finished and her face lit up. She began bustling about, putting everything back in order. The food in the cabinet, the table in the kitchen, the decorations on the walls. I didn’t quite understand how much we had really done till I saw it through her eyes. She now had a washer and dryer and a working bathroom, she would be able to keep warm in the winter with the new insulation and windows, and best of all, she had a home. It was then that I gained a new understanding of the saying “home is where the heart is”. Even if your house isn’t a work of art, it’s your home. It holds your fondest memories,it’s your refuge from the harsh outside world, it’s a comfort when you’re sad. Your home means so much to you, and now Darlene could keep hers. I learned so much from this kind woman and the rest of my crew not just on how to build houses but how to live and that is why I go on ASP. Ned Bachman. For approximately 40 years, Metropolitan Memorial has been sending teams of adults and youth volunteers to participate in ASP. ASP describes itself as a relational ministry with construction on the side. What that means is that, although ASP teams spend a week repairing and renovating homes, primary emphasis is put on each team developing a relationship with the families on whose homes they work. Participating on ASP requires sacrificing many of the comforts enjoyed at home. ASP uses schools in each county as the center of its activity. Participants can expect to sleep in a classroom or a gymnasium on the floor, or an inflatable mattress, or a cot. Often, the sleeping area is without air conditioning and showers are jerry-rigged somewhere outside the building. Nevertheless, almost everyone who has gone on ASP loves and treasures the experience. This year Metropolitan sent four teams to Washington County, Virginia, in the southwestern part of the state. Two of the teams jointly worked to completely repair and paint the inside of a house. One team had a similar job on the inside of another house. The fourth team spent the week constructing a deck and a wheelchair ramp. The Metropolitan week was the final week that the center was open and all the work had to be completed by the end of the workday on Friday. With a lot of hard work, each team was successful in completing what had to be done. The Metropolitan congregation can be proud of its youth for what they accomplished. Each member of this year’s ASP teams wishes to express its appreciation to the Metropolitan congregation for providing the support that made the trip possible. You not only helped some Appalachian families have more livable and safe homes, but you provided each member of the team with a memorable and inspiring experience.

Our Mission Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites others into a deepening relationship with God and challenges them to grow as disciples for the transformation of the world. Our Vision Extending radical hospitality, transforming lives, and pursuing justice. Reconciling Statement Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church affirms that all individuals are of sacred worth without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, education, marital circumstances, economic status, physical and mental condition, or criminal history. We declare ourselves in support of the reconciling movement and welcome the full participation in the church of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered persons and their families, as a reflection of God’s unconditional love. At the same time, we recognize differences of opinion on issues of sexuality and seek to journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect.

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The Messenger is published by: The Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish Metropolitan Memorial - 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20016 Tel: 202.363.4900 Fax: 202.686.2056 E-Mail: jclouser@nationalchurch.org website: nationalchurch.org St. Luke’s Campus - 3655 Calvert Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20007 Wesley United Methodist Church - 5312 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20015 NEXT ISSUE: October 15, 2012 NEXT DEADLINE: Noon on October 9, 2012