The Messenger Social Justice Events
Catching Fire: A Concert for Inclusion and Equality Friday, October 17, 7pm Join us for a truly unique experience that will blend exceptional musicality with social justice in action. Catching Fire: A Concert for Inclusion and Equality brings together renowned artists, committed activists—and representatives from no fewer than 11 area UMC congregations—to raise critical funds for the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), our denomination’s lead organization working to bring full inclusion for all LGBTQ persons within United Methodism. (Cont. on page 3)
Tyler Rusch Homeless Walk Sunday, October 19 10am or 12:15pm
Show your support for Metropolitan House, our homeless shelter, by taking part in the annual Tyler Rusch Homeless Walk. Last year, walkers and other donors contributed over $22,000 to our shelter’s operating expenses. Start times are 10am and 12:15pm. Registration will be outside the ground floor foyer on the Newark Street side of the building. Registration fee is $25/adults and $15/children, youth, or young adults under 25. The walk route is approximately 3/4 of a mile and accessible to walkers of all ages.
October 13, 2014 Volume XXIV, No. 10 Nationalchurch.org
The Expanding Scope of Our Ministry with the Homeless
Like other churches in upper Northwest DC, Metropolitan's homeless ministry dates back to the early 1990s. With the deinstitutionalization of mental patients, difficult economic times, and the expanding Metro system, homelessness had encroached on even this most affluent part of the city. Yet at that time there were no homeless services in upper Northwest. Congregations, like St. Luke's and Metropolitan Memorial, stepped into this void, creating a network of congregation-based shelters and launching the Community Council for the Homeless. More than twenty years later, much has changed. The Community Council for the Homeless --now known as Friendship Place -- has become one of the most innovative and highly regarded homeless service providers, not just in the city but nationally. They offer an array of different programs to assist different segments of the homeless population -- the chronically homeless, veterans, families, those on the verge of becoming homeless, and more. Our congregation's homeless ministry has expanded and evolved as well. We are rightfully proud of the St. Luke's Shelter and Metropolitan House which pioneered the small shelter movement in Northwest DC. For more than twenty years, they have provided a stable, secure environment that empowers residents to move toward selfsufficiency. Since 2004, the St. Luke's campus has also hosted the only city-run hypothermia shelter for men in Northwest DC. It provides refuge for men living on the streets when actual or forecasted temperatures, including windchill, are below 32-degrees. As many as 35 homeless men can be accommodated in this hypothermia shelter when winter conditions prevail. It is literally a lifesaving ministry, as those sleeping on the streets can die of hypothermia. In 2012, the St Luke's Shelter transitioned to a new operating model with a greater emphasis on independent living and job readiness. It has proven tremendously successful in moving residents into employment and permanent housing. This summer, Metropolitan House launched a pilot program to provided transitional housing to a small group of women. For the past two years, Metropolitan has provided thousands of meals to those living on the streets of downtown DC through its Grate Patrol ministry. And last December, Metropolitan channeled its entire Christmas Eve offering to support Friendship Place's new Rapid Rehousing Program, helping it establish a track record that allowed it to qualify for public financing. Each October, our Homeless Awareness Sunday provides an opportunity for us to remind ourselves of the ongoing challenge of homelessness and to recommit ourselves to these important efforts. Please consider what you can do to support this vital work with our homeless neighbors. Blessings, Ann Michel
A Story to Share at Metropolitan and Wesley!
Our fall sermon series “A Story to Share” focuses on hearing, living, and sharing our stories. Throughtout the series, members of our church family have been and will be sharing their personal stories. To experience some of these testimonies, please turn to page 2, or listen to them on our podcast page, nationalchurch.org/Praising/Sermons_Podcasts. Mark your calendars for November 16 when we celebrate our commitments to Metropolitan Church at Metropolitan Memorial and Wesley. During each worship time, we will celebrate with breakfast and worship (in the Great Hall at Metropolitan Memorial and the Fellowship Hall at Wesley). It will be a time of sharing and celebration. Come be a part of the new story we write! On November 23, we will dedicate our commitments in all of our worship services and participate in a worship of Thanksgiving and Gratitude. Since spices are the most expensive item to purchase for our Campus Kitchen’s program, you are invited to bring a jar of spice to place on the altar as a symbol of your dedication and also to help fill the spice cupboard at our St. Luke’s Mission Center.
Life at the Metropolitan Church A Story to Share - Personal Stories from family members at the Metropolitan Church Sarah Ousley. When I first came to Wesley, I was at a very difficult point in my life. I had a couple of experiences that made me feel unsafe in any church setting, and really shook my faith with God. I was really struggling.
tantly, our bonds are tightened by the shared experience of rolling up our sleeves, sharpening our pencils, and working to better the lives of our sisters and their children around the world.
I was invited to come to Wesley by Danielle. Before I even visited for the first time, Pam asked if I wanted to join the choir. My first visit, I was sitting in the choir singing with some wonderful people. A few visits later, I brought my horn with me and started playing with the choir.
I think this is the ingeniousness of the UMW. Yes, it’s a place where women within our church connect with other women. But it is also an avenue to spread God’s love and do God’s work in our greater community. Personal connections and shared experiences, the two pillars that support our church family. Thanks UMW!
It took awhile for me to really feel that I could call Wesley "Home." But with help from people like Pastor Kate and Pam, and through some faith works, I finally was able to do that. To finally have a definite church home and feel safe in one was great and empowering for me. Five years and counting, of being part of the Wesley family and community, has brought me to a new place in my faith. I have been strengthened and I am a different person, a different woman, than I was when I first stepped through those big red doors. Now that I have found my power and place, I’m helping empower Wesley through the music intern program. Working with Pam, Kate, Helene and Mike I’m learning to lead the congregation in songs and hymns written in different languages,and coming from different cultures. I help Pam pick songs for some of the services as well. I am also thinking of pursuing music ministry further. Thank you Wesley for helping me find my safe space for faith. Anita Seline. When I first moved with my husband Mike to Washington DC 20 years ago, I was pregnant with Marisa. We were living in a one-bedroom apartment in Cleveland Park. Shortly after arriving, I wanted to find a church to attend. So I did something that today would be considered quite old fashioned. I looked in a phone book. There I found the closest Methodist church to where we lived. And that’s how I landed at Metropolitan. So, I had found a church. But how to make it my church HOME? The answer soon came in an invitation to join the United Methodist Women and one of its circles. With Circle 10, I met women who would become and remain dear friends, Martha Mizroch, Pat House, Caralee Adams, Ann Michel and others. I looked forward to my Circle 10 gatherings as a place where I could find new moms such as myself who had experienced the same things I was going through with motherhood, the joys and the pain. Our circle also stretched beyond its inner workings. Through our service at the bazaar and other projects, we learned and worked together for the causes supported by the global UMW such as domestic violence, hunger and homelessness, human trafficking. A few times I even had an opportunity to attend the UMW’s quadrennial Assembly, a gathering of UMW women from all over the world, the aim of which is to educate and train women on those same issues. There have been so many times when I have relied personally on my UMW sisters, such as when I broke my shoulder when I was pregnant with Elena. It was the members of Circle 10 who delivered a nightly meal to my home for a week. It is the same women I talk with today about being sandwiched between our kids and our aging parents. But, more impor-
Kristin Pagent. “Major Incident, Go Home.” It was eerie. Surreal. So sad it was impossible to grasp. I know that God kept me safe on that day. 12 years and 5 days after 9/11, I was in the rehearsal spaces in the Band building for a protocol rehearsal coming up for the Chairmen Joint Chief of Staff. I remember a coworker getting a phone call saying, “There has been a shooting here on the Yard.” It took a minute to process what he had said. We could hear the helicopters and mayhem outside of our building. I had a friend’s text, telling me to get whatever I could as a weapon, and hide, and stay away from the windows. I was so scared, but I ended up hiding in this little closet attached to the Sea Chanter room with one other girl. We heard people burst into our building, yelling at us to get onto the floor with our hands out in front of us. When they came into the Sea Chanter room, they yelled for anyone who was hiding to come out immediately. When Sarah and I came out of the little space, they held those giant guns directly at us, with their fingers on the trigger. I have never felt a closer brush with death. All I could think about was my family, and what the hell was it going to be like for them if I died today. Thankfully, it was the police, looking for the shooter, and they had come to escort all of the people stuck in our building to a safer place while the base was on lock down. I don’t remember everyone who was there, but I do remember that Adam, Casey, Bill, Beth, Caroline, and I were all there. All the people from this church. God. I remember that Caroline thought to grab a roll of toilet paper so that we all had some if they ran out. I remember Casey sitting so calmly, and feeling like her peace was coming from God, and, for the first time, I felt like this was just a waiting game, and I was going to be okay. When we were able to leave, almost 8 hours later, I got a ride with Beth to her place, where my husband met me. He hugged me so tight and so long. He said he had felt so helpless, just knowing there was a crazy man there and he couldn’t save me. That day affected all of us differently. I still wake up some nights, feeling like I can’t breath, terrified, like nothing is in control. It was all I could do to not cry hysterically that next weekend when the Sea Chanters sang in the memorial service for the victims and their families. Through all that craziness, when I think back to that blurry, horrifying day, I remember feeling a bubble around us Metropolitan Folks. I could feel the prayer cover from our friends and family. I was acutely aware that God was holding me that day. I don’t always feel God’s presence as strongly as I did that day, but I know it’s always there, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
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Life at the Metropolitan Church
Catching Fire: A Concert for Inclusion and Equality Friday, October 17, 8pm, Sanctuary I Pre-Concert Reception*, 6:30pm, Great Hall
(Cont. from page 1) The concert is sponsored by the Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling United Methodists (BWARM). Tickets are still available on the RMN website: rmnetwork.org/catchingfire. In addition, our special guest on Friday evening will be the Rev. Frank Schaefer, who over the past 18 months has endured a difficult and controversial church trial, conviction and reinstatement. The concert comes at a critical juncture, as the Judicial Council (the denomination’s highest court) is now scheduled on October 22 to hear an appeal to Rev. Schaefer’s reinstatement. The RMN has played a crucial role in supporting Rev. Schaefer’s defense throughout his long ordeal. Funds raised by the concert will not only support these efforts but also a new initiative to promote better communication and reconciliation on this issue to UMC congregations in the southern US. Rev. Schaefer will be on hand to sign copies of his new book, Defrocked: How a Father’s Act of Love Shook the United Methodist Church, at an elegant pre-concert reception starting at 6:30pm in the Great Hall. Tickets for the reception are $10 and may only be purchased at the door. For more information on the program details visit rmnetwork.org/catchingfire. Rarely has it been so easy to engage in meaningful action on behalf of social justice: simply purchase a ticket, gather in a lovely sacred space, and let joyous music uplift and transport you. We hope to see you Friday!
UMW BAZAAR IS COMING! Saturday, November 1, 8am - 3pm Additional dates, for church members only, not advertised to the public: Sunday, October 26 - Jewelry pre-sale, Christie Room, Between services Sunday, November 2, 10am - 1pm - Post-bazaar sale Yes, the UMW annual bazaar is coming soon, and lots of help is needed! Every year, thanks to the work of many, this event raises between $16,000 - $20,000 for the benefit of projects aiding the welfare of women and children locally, nationally, and around the world. Ministries supported by past bazaars have included: Bread for the City (provides food, clothing, medical care, and other support to local low-income individuals), Bright Beginnings (a child-care center for local homeless families), Courtney’s House (helping local girls and boys, age 12 - 18, who are survivors of sex trafficking), Fairfield Orphanage and Sponsorship Association (helps address the needs of orphaned children in the area surrounding the Old Mutare Mission in southeastern Zimbabwe, near Methodist-founded Africa University), Health in Harmony (provides affordable healthcare and advocates for responsible care of the environment in Indonesia), Just Neighbors (provides immigration services to local low-income immigrants and refugees of all faiths), High Tea Society (promotes civility and the development of social skills for girls from economically disadvantaged areas through educational and cultural enrichment activities, alternative lifestyles, etiquette and other social skills at afternoon tea), Mabel Jones School (founded by the mother of our own Eunice Mathews, helps to educate poor children in the region of Sitapur, India), The Ballet Studio (provides access to academy-quality dance instruction and literacy through movement activities to local low-income children), The Methodist Home (a retirement home and health care facility for the elderly in NW Washington), and Wesley Scholarship Fund (supports a seminary student at the Wesley Theological Seminary). Never experienced our bazaar? You're in for a treat! It's a church-wide event, and beyond. Men, women, children, teens, church members, neighbors, antique dealers, bargain hunters, and folks from near and far come to browse and to
buy. From set-up week through final clean-up, it's a time of fellowship for our community, in the broadest sense of the word. Women and men, boys and girls, teens and pre-teens, all pitch in to make it happen. Even those who have moved away return to experience the bazaar. What’s for sale at the bazaar? All manner of gently-used items, such as: Things for the kitchen, China and other collectibles, CDs/DVDs/tapes/records, Puzzles and games, “Attic Treasures,” Christmas decorations, Jewelry, Scarves, Accessories, Handbags, Boutique jackets, Hand-made crafts, New and like-new items for gift-giving, Alternative gifts, Bake sale and meals-to-go, Lunch on site featuring our renowned Harvest Soup and more. You can be a part of this wonderful effort and time of fellowship in any number of ways: • There is still time to donate your gently-used items for sale at the bazaar. Final drop off deadline near the UMW closet is Tuesday, October 21 by 10am. • Work with the sorting and pricing team on Tuesdays between 10am and noon. Just drop by – all are welcome! Help with set-up during the week before the bazaar, or with clean-up on November 1 and 2. Help on bazaar day with anything from staffing a table for a couple of hours to managing clean-up. • Shop at the jewelry pre-bazaar sale between services on Sunday, October 26. • Shop on bazaar day, Saturday, November 1. Have lunch at the bazaar. Tell your friends and co-workers about the bazaar. Pick up an extra flyer at church and post it somewhere. We’re looking forward to seeing many old friends, and new! Questions or ideas? Contact bazaar coordinator Barbara Gaskill, Barbara@bgaskill.com or 202-244-3512.
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Life at the Metropolitan Church Metropolitan Book Club Monday, October 20, 7:30pm, Parlor
Join us as we discuss Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton. The November’s book is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Contacts: Suzanne Clewell, reader1021@aol. com or Joan Topalian, jtopa62045@gmail.com.
Annual Charge Conference Wednesday, November 5, 7pm, Great Hall
Metropolitan will hold its annual Charge Conference led by Rev. Dr. Joe Daniels, Superintendent, Greater Washington District, on Wednesday, November 5 at 7pm in the Great Hall at Metropolitan. This will be held as a “Charge/Church Conference,” meaning that all are invited to attend, and all church members can vote.
Pumpkin Night Sunday, October 26 5pm- 7pm, Great Hall
Children of all ages and their families are invited to Pumpkin Night, a non-scary celebration of our favorite Halloween vegetable! Wear a (nonscary) costume and bring a can of food for the shelter. B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Pumpkin). For more information, contact Janet Craswell, Director of Christian Education, jcraswell@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 115.
Staff-Parish Relations Committee Congregational Feedback
Each fall, as required by our Conference, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) evaluates the performance of the senior and associate pastors and makes a recommendation to the Bishop as to whether each pastor should be reappointed. The Bishop considers this recommendation, along with other factors, in deciding whether to reappoint a pastor.
SPRC encourages members of the congregation to provide feedback directly to our pastors throughout the year, and it also welcomes congregational input as part of this evaluation process. Members of the congregation may write the Chair of SPRC, in care of Metropolitan Memorial (there is
a separate SPRC “box” in the church office mail room), or they may write to or talk with any member of the SPRC with feedback concerning Rev. Dr. Charles Parker, Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, Rev. Kate Payton, and Rev. Dottie Yunger. While the SPRC will not consider any unsigned letters, it will respect and agree to requests for confidentiality. Please contact the SPRC by Monday, October 21, if you wish to have your feedback concerning any clergy considered as part of this year’s evaluation process. Members of the SPRC include: Cathy Anderson (Chair), Joan Topalian, Chris Brown, Julian Blair, Eric Lundell, Josh Fowkes, Beth Peters, Suzanne Vieth, and Helene Lilly.
The Arts at the Metropolitan Church Jazz@Wesley Presents The Craig Gildner Trio Saturday, October 25, 6:30pm, Wesley*
The Craig Gildner Trio V2 pays tribute to famous classic jazz guitarists of the 40's, 50's and 60's — Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Herb Ellis, and Tal Farlow. Featuring Naval Academy bassist James Fowler and young DC lion Anders Eliasson on drums, the trio pulls standards from the classic jazz repertoire. Always swinging, always finger poppin'. Tickets: $10 entry l $7 Senior l 12 and under free. Purchase tickets at instantseats.com. Bring a nonperishable food item or a lightly used coat to jazz up someone else’s life. For more information, call the Jazz@ Wesley Information line, 202-966-5144 x-325 or email Wesleyinfo@nationalchurch.org. *5312 Connecticut Ave., NW.
Crèche exhibit
Remember 2 years ago at Christmas, when the Arts Council asked you to pack your decorations away so that, in two years, you could pull out your creche? Good. Now--can you find your creche? Please plan to leave it (or them) at the Great Hall on Saturday, December 6. Then on Sunday, December 7, from 10am to 1pm, creches of all sorts and sizes, from many different countries, will be on display for just that one day.
Save the Date - November 14-16 Metro Players 30th Anniversary Season "A Civil War Christmas" by Paula Vogel - Directed by Bob Benn
It’s 1864, and Washington, DC is settling down to the coldest Christmas Eve in years. In the White House, President and Mrs. Lincoln plot their gift-giving. On the banks of the Potomac, a young rebel challenges a Union blacksmith’s mercy. In the alleys downtown, an escaped slave loses her daughter just before finding freedom. This play by Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel intertwines many lives, showing us that the gladness of one’s heart is the best gift of all. The cast includes: Carol Bartlett, Eliora Brown-Egue,Kenneth Camphor, Roscoe Dellums, John Long, Trish Long, Joan McKinon-Reeves, Pat Nicolette, Randy Oberdick, Yvonne Paretzky, Austin Patterson, Phil Potter, Kathy Rawlings, Sam Rawlings, Kevin Settlage, Turner Sommerville, and Dottie Yunger. Patrick Landau will be accompanying the ensemble on his violin.
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Caring Ministries Prayer Shawl Ministry Sunday, October 19, 12:30pm, Parlor Tuesday, October 21, 1:30pm, Parlor
Enjoy a time of knitting, crocheting, ministry and fun! Members are encouraged to join the Tyler Rusch Homeless Walk at 10am. Contact: Barbara Tate, Bdtate@verizon.net.
October AARP Meeting Monday, October 20, 1pm, Vestry
Enjoy a performance by Brazilian classical guitarist, Joao Figureiroa. Following the concert, Joao and Tim Healy, Founder and President of the International Conservatory of Music, will discuss their efforts in area schools.
Resilience: Rebounding after Loss Featuring Dr. George Bonanno, Ph.D. Tuesday, October 21, 10am, 4H Conf. Center*
Join Dr. George Bonanno, a pioneer researcher in the bereavement and trauma field, to hear how the latest neuroscience of the brain reveals that our natural capacity for resilience after the loss of a loved one also applies to any kind of major loss, including the trauma of losing a job, losing mobility or a body part to cancer, overcoming sexual abuse—and coping with many other major losses. Luncheon to follow with time for Q&A. Cost: $35 (includes lunch). Pre-registration required. Register by October 17 at sibley.org/community/events. *7100 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD.
Grieving Mindfully: A Conversation about Loss and Hope Featuring Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson Tuesday, October 28, 7:30pm, National Cathedral*
What does grief look like? Feel like? How can it transform us? Through presentation, sharing, storytelling and contemplative practice we will enter into a conversation about the journey of grief and hope. *3101 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
Our prayers go out to...
The family and friends of John Byam, who died on October 2. A Celebration of Life will be held at Metropolitan on October 18 at 4pm lThe family and friends of Paul McClenon. A memorial service will be held at Wesley Church on October 18 at 2pm lThe family and friends of Annette Fletchall, who died on September 28. A memorial service was held at Asbury Village on October 3 l
All Saints Sunday Sunday, November 2, 2014
All Saints Day is a universal festival of the church that calls attention to the richness of Christian history through the faith and lives of the saints. On this day, we celebrate not only the martyrs and saints, but all the people of God, living and dead, who together form the Body of Christ. During the 9am and 11:15 am services, the names of Metropolitan members who have died since the last All Saints Day will be read, remembered, and lifted in prayer and thanksgiving. Also, the “Book of the Departed Saints” (located in the Phillips Chapel) will be placed on the altar and those names will be symbolically lifted to God as well. You are welcome to write in names of persons you knew who have died, so they can be remembered. Candles will also be available to light in the Phillips Chapel in memory of loved ones. If you wish to remember a loved one who has passed away since November 3, 2013, please provide the full name and date of death by Wednesday, October 30 to Jeff Clouser, jclouser@nationalchurch.org or 202.363.4900.
Volunteer Drivers Needed
Transportation is needed for a Grand Oaks resident (beside Sibley Hospital) for the 11:15am Worship service. If you can be a part of the transportation team, please contact Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org, 202.363.4900 ext. 104.
Adult Study
Mondays at the Parsonage Monday, October 20, 6:30pm, Parsonage*
Come to the parsonage for a potluck dinner and reflection on how we make space for God. We will use Don Postema’s Space for God as a guide to deepen our practice of spirituality and prayer. Be ready to share your stories about connecting with God! Contact: Rev. Kate Payton, kpayton@ nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, 110. *3311 Nebraska Ave., NW.
Food for Thought Wednesdays, 6pm - Dinner, 7pm - Study
Feed your body, mind, and soul with dinner and study. RSVP at nationalchurch.org/foodforthought. Contact: Rev. Janet Craswell, jcraswell@nationalchurch.org. Classes include: Bible study: 1st Samuel. Study one of the most engaging books of the Bible. Led by Rev. Charlie Parker and Bob Olson; A Theology of Creation Care. The Bible actually teaches humankind’s relationship to creation and responsibility to care for it. Come and explore the Green Bible, greenbible. com. Led by the Metropolitan Green Team.
College Bible Study The spiritual practice of friendship Wednesdays, 7pm, AU Lounge
Discover the importance of friendship for our lives of faith, using passages from the gospel of John and discussing their intersections with spirituality, friendship, and culture. Join us at 6pm for dinner (see previous article).
Book Study The Myth of Certainty Thursdays, 7pm, Wesley Library*
Join us as we discuss Daniel Taylor’s, The Myth of Certainty. Paralleling our sermon series on hearing, living, and sharing stories, we’ll look at how we relate with others, particularly as Christians with people of other faiths and nonfaith traditions. For more information, contact Rev. Kate Payton, kpayton@ nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 110. *5312 Connecticut Ave., NW.
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Service and Advocacy “Get Out the Vote” in SE DC Saturday, October 18, 8:30am Metropolitan Parking Lot
Encourage voters to participate in the mayoral election! This effort, supported by the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), will keep pressure on elected officials regarding the renovation of the Parkway Overlook complex -- an abandoned, city-owned complex of 266 family-sized apartment units near Brighter Day’s A.P. Shaw campus. Our ongoing support is vital! To volunteer (brief training provided), contact Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu.
Grate Patrol- 2 Locations to Serve! October 26, 10:10am, Vestry Kitchen
Help make the meals that are distributed to those in need in our area. Contact: Maura Porcelli, maura.porcelli@gmail. com or volunteer at nationalchurch.org/servenow!
Sunday, November 2, 5:30pm St. Luke’s Mission Center*
Help assemble meals (provided by our Campus Kitchen Program) and/or deliver meals (4-6 people needed to ride in the van from approximately 6:45pm - 8pm). Volunteers may also gather to receive communion and say a prayer (Sanctuary). Contact: Rev. Dottie Yunger, dyunger@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 111. *3655 Calvert St., NW.
Serve Now!
Sign up now for our many ongoing service activities with our online volunteer scheduling system at nationalchurch. org/servenow.
Interested in going to India? May 2015 (proposed)
Are you interested in a five day Christian Ashram experience at Sat Tal in the foothills of the Himalayas sponsored by the E. Stanley Jones Foundation? If so, please let us know of your interest by e-mailing Anne Mathews-Younes, anne@ estanleyjonesfoundation.com. Our group will be approximately 25 persons who enjoy group living, adventure and are interested in an experience of a Christian Ashram in an Indian setting, sattalchristianashram.net In addition to participating in the Christian Ashram, the trip will include a visit to India’s capital city, New Delhi; a glimpse of historic Lucknow and other E. Stanley Jones legacy sites; the unequaled beauty of the Taj Mahal in Agra; and an experience of the once-majestic wonders of Princely India in Rajasthan and much, much more! India is a land of enormous variety, contrast, color and movement. Ours will be an opportunity to see the world’s largest democracy at work and to observe some of the country’s needs and challenges as well. In a word, a great experience awaits you. You will probably never be quite the same again. We invite you to consider this opportunity and spiritual adventure.
Campus Kitchen: New Volunteer Shifts
The Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) is a national leader in community service for students and is the future of hunger relief. CKP is empowering the next generation of leaders to implement innovative models for combating hunger, developing food systems and helping communities help themselves. Each year Campus Kitchen National publishes graphic information for each Campus Kitchen site. Below, is our graph which reflects all the hard work and dedication our volunteers put into Campus Kitchen. We now offer several shift days and times to choose from. Come and help out at one or all three options: Wednesdays: 3:30pm - 7m; Fridays: 2pm - 6pm; and Saturdays: 11:30am - 3:30pm. To volunteer, go to our new Campus Kitchen online resource, nationalchurch.org/volunteerhub.
delivered to:
student volunteers dedicated
which serve:
nutritous meals Volunteer hours
community partner organizations
clients
In economic adding: value from meals and extra food provided
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Youth Ministry Youth Hangout Wednesdays, 3:30pm Youth Room
Fall Retreat at Manidokan
Join us for YOUTH HANGOUT every Wednesday from 3:30pm - 6pm in the youth room. This is time to have fun and relax around friends. Sometimes we do homework, play Killer Bunnies, play Super Smash Bros., drink coffee, or just talk. All youth 6th grade through 12th grade are welcome to attend.
All youth are invited to our annual Fall Retreat at Manidokan November 7-9. This is a wonderful opportunity to get away from the busy, hectic school year and relieve stress. The weekend is for all youth 6th grade through 12th grade and will begin Friday evening and end Sunday morning. For more details about this exciting weekend, contact Patrick Landau at plandau@nationalchurch.org.
Check our our youth blog at youthmetropolitan.wordpress.com.
Children’s Ministry Bible Sunday - September 21
Do you remember your first Bible? On September 21, we presented our 3rd graders with their own Bibles continuing a beautiful tradition that recognizes that as our children grow, they grow ever more able to read and interpret scripture for themselves. Recipients included: Violet Elizabeth Burks Alexandra Crimy Graham Louis Gildner Canela-Jayne M. Lordos Asher Elliot Nichols Joshua Elliot Parker Devon Ray Piret Matthew Alexander Revell Juliet Anne Rudzki Lydia Hope Varney Carolyne Alice Willis
2014 - 15 Admissions Open House Dates
Metropolitan Nursery School invites you to join us for an Open House. During the Open House our school’s program, curriculum, and admission procedures are discussed in detail. The Director is available to answer any questions you may have about the nursery school. You will also have the opportunity to see our lively classrooms in action. In order to truly appreciate our program we encourage you to attend any one of the scheduled dates: • Thursday, October 23, 9:30am - 10:30am, Great Hall • Thursday, November 13, 9:30am - 10:30am, Great Hall • Thursday, December 11, 9:30am - 10:30am, Great Hall • Thursday, January 22, 9:30am - 10:30am, Great Hall
Our Mission
Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites all into a deepening challenges all of us to grow as disciples, seeking justice and joy for the transformation of the world.
relationship
with
God
and
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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Pastoral and Administrative Staff - 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW, DC - 202.363.4900 www.nationalchurch.org - Pastoral Emergency Number - 202.510.8555 Rev. Dr. Charles Parker –– Senior Pastor, ext. 108, cparker@nationalchurch.org Rev. Kate Payton — Associate Pastor, Sharing, Lead Pastor at Wesley UMC, ext. 110, kpayton@nationalchurch.org Rev. Dottie Yunger –– Associate Pastor, Service/Advocacy, ext. 111, dyunger@nationalchurch.org Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson — Minister of Congregational Care, ext. 104, dwilson@nationalchurch.org Rev. Janet Craswell—Director of Christian Education, ext. 115, jcraswell@nationalchurch.org Rev. Barbara Green – Minister of Life Transitions, bgreen@nationalchurch.org, ext. 105 David Hosey - Campus Ministry Coordinator, dhosey@nationalchurch.org Princess Bethea — Office Coordinator, ext. 102, pbethea@nationalchurch.org Bruce Caviness — 11a.m. Organist-Choirmaster, ext. 152, bcaviness@nationalchurch.org Jeff Clouser — Director of Communications and Outreach, ext. 113, jclouser@nationalchurch.org Dona Collary — Pastoral Care Assistant/Wedding and Funeral Coordinator, ext. 106, dcollary@nationalchurch.org Casey Elliott — Dayspring Choir Director/9am Worship Leader/Youth Choir Director, ext. 151, celliott@nationalchurch.org Patrisha House — Director of Worship, Music and Arts, ext. 114, phouse@nationalchurch.org Patrick Landau — Director of Youth Ministries, ext. 112, plandau@nationalchurch.org Bill Potts –– Executive Director of Operations, ext. 101, wpotts@nationalchurch.org Rafael Reyes — Director of Building and Grounds, ext. 116, rreyes@nationalchurch.org Helen Simon — Executive Assistant to Dr. Parker, ext. 109, hsimon@nationalchurch.org Linda Smith — Director of Nursery School, 202.362.8746, lsmith@nationalchurch.org
The Messenger is published by The Metropolitan Church - A Multi-site United Methodist Community Metropolitan Memorial - 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20016 Tel: 202.363.4900 St. Luke’s Mission Center (3655 Calvert St., NW)/Wesley UMC (5312 Conn. Ave., NW) Fax: 202.686.2056 E-Mail: jclouser@nationalchurch.org website: nationalchurch.org NEXT ISSUE: November 10, 2014 NEXT DEADLINE: Noon on November 4, 2014