The Messenger
March 12, 2012 Volume XXII, No. 3 Nationalchurch.org
Palm Sunday to Easter… a week of mindful awareness
Palm/Passion Sunday Worship at Metropolitan Memorial 9 a.m. Procession with Eco-Palms and Children’s Choirs 11:15 a.m. Faure Requiem with Oratoria Choir 11:00 a.m. Worship at Wesley UMC 5:00 p.m. Crossroads at St. Luke’s
Maundy Thursday
7:30 p.m. Worship at Metropolitan
Good Friday Services
Noon to 3:00 p.m. at Metropolitan “Seven Last Words of Christ” 7:00 p.m. Worship at Wesley UMC 7:30 p.m. Worship at Metropolitan
Easter Sunday – April 8 Worship at Metropolitan UMC 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Choirs, bells and brass Join us for an Easter brunch following each service! 11:00 a.m. Worship at Wesley UMC 5:00 p.m. Crossroads at St. Luke’s
Join us on Palm Sunday at 9:15 a.m. when the children lead us into worship waving palms and shouting Hosannas. From the joy of that moment awaiting the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem to the sorrow and passion of the Faure Requiem at 11:15 a.m. our week of preparation has begun. Dr. Parker will preach on “Detachment” an aspect of mindfulness from the early days of the church. He states that “detachment is being so deeply grounded in an awareness of God’s presence that we can view the celebrations and the tragedies of our lives with a healthy degree of perspective, and the knowledge that none of that can separate us from the love of God.” For many Christians, Lent is a time of heightened and more purposeful engagement with the many elements of the Christian life. It has, of course, a particular focus on discipline, penitence, fasting, and reflection on the passion of Christ, but for many it is also a time to overhaul their prayer life, to read the scriptures in a more organized way, and to serve others more consciously. At Metropolitan, beginning with Ash Wednesday services we have had many opportunities outside of regular Sunday morning services to expand our relationship with our God and to mindfully explore the questions that Lent puts before us. There has been “Soup and Study” on Wednesday evenings, the “Lenten Service on Forgiveness” on Sunday evenings in the Great Hall, and opportunities to live out our faith in service by preparing soup and sandwiches for “Grate Patrol.” Holy Week allows us an even more intense opportunity to journey with our sisters and brothers in faith, and more particularly with our friends and neighbors at Metropolitan. Maundy Thursday is a contemplative service where we join Jesus at the Last Supper and experience his servanthood through a dramatic reading of scriptures, music and a foot washing portrayal. A short meditation by Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson leads us to Communion and we end our evening in silence as the cross is dragged into the garden. On Good Friday we have two opportunities to worship. From Noon to 3 p.m. we experience The Last Seven Words of Christ. We have 7 preachers including Methodists, Baptists, Catholic and United Church of Christ who each prepare a short sermon on an individual word. Scripture, hymns, music, prayers, and silence are woven through the meditations. You are free to come and go between the words or stay for the whole event. Following up on Dr. Parker’s sermon series on mindfulness you will find it is time well spent. In the evening we offer a service of readings and diminishing lights. Scripture is read, candles are extinguished and the Sanctuary is emptied. We listen to songs of sorrow and love. After a sermon by Dr. Parker, we are invited to hammer a nail into the cross symbolic of releasing our sins and/or we may light a candle in the side chapels as a reminder of the hope promised through Christ’s act of selfless love. Again, we depart in silence. We have left in darkness and silence. The weight of the world and of the suffering of Jesus are heavy on our souls. Yet we return two days later on Easter Sunday to the light and beauty of the sanctuary, filled with flowers and musicians, bells and brass, as we celebrate again that “Jesus Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!”
Life at Metropolitan Memorial Metropolitan Memorial and Wesley United Methodist Church - Merger News On July 1, 2008, Bishop John R. Schol joined Metropolitan Memorial UMC and Wesley UMC in a Cooperative Parish, an arrangement in which the churches coordinate their ministries under a shared pastoral staff. On November 10, 2011, at our joint Charge Conference, Metropolitan and Wesley UMC voted to create a Task Force made up of representatives from both congregations to explore a formal merger of the two churches. The Task Force members are: Phil Potter, Suzanne Forsyth, Jeanie Mah, and Chuck Cochran for Metropolitan, and Jim Pollock, Eric Whisenhunt, Erica Irvin, and Pam Rogers for Wesley. Members of the Task Force have met three times (November 22, 2011; December 13, 2011; and February 27, 2012), and another meeting is planned for March 19. At the last meeting the Task Force members unanimously endorsed a model for a merged, multi-site church that would be taken to
Our thoughts and prayers go out to... •
the family and friends of Paul Norian, who died on February 20.
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the family and friends of Lila McGinty, who died on February 20.
Congratulations!
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to Katie and Carlisle Campbell on the birth of their son, Henry Carlisle Campbell on Sunday, February 19.
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to Robin Newton, MD, FACP, wife of Larry Jenkins, who received the 2012 Parker J. Palmer, Courage to Lead Award. This top national award is judged by the “knights of the round table” who govern the affairs and regulations of those who manage the teaching of resident physicians in teaching hospitals. Ms. Newton is the Associate Vice President of Clinical Affairs & Quality and Designated Institutional Official at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Prayer Shawl Ministry Sunday, March 18, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, 1:30 p.m.
Join us in the conference room for a time of knitting, crocheting, fellowship, ministry and fun! Questions? Contact Annette Fletchall at 301.216.5470.
March AARP Meeting Monday, March 19, 12:30 p.m., Vestry
Please join us on Monday, March 19 in the Vestry as we kick off our spring programs. Mary Cheh, DC Councilmember for Ward 3, will be our speaker. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
both congregations for consideration. The model is described in the document, “Metropolitan/Urban Multisite Mergers: A New Model for Extending Our Reach in the Community, Expanding our Ministries, and Growing our Congregation(s).” This document is posted on the church’s Website nationalchurch.org/Uploads/file/About/Mergerdoc2012.pdf or you can obtain a copy in the church office. To further explore this proposal, Dr. Parker will lead discussions on March 25 at 10:10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (with a light lunch at the 12:30 session) in the Great Hall, so that we will have opportunities as a church family to raise any questions and make comments about the proposed merger. We encourage all of you to review the document and come and join the discussions of this new possibility on March 25. If you cannot come to either session, you are invited to send your thoughts to Dr. Parker at cparker@nationalchurch.org.
Monday Night Book Club Monday, March 19, 7:30 p.m., Library
Join us for our next book club meeting when Pat House leads our discussion of the heartwarming novel, Room, by Emma Donoghue. All are welcome for a night of engaging discussion. Questions? Contact Suzanne Clewell, READER1021@aol. com or Joan Topalian, jtopa62045@aol.com.
Jazz@Wesley Saturday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. Wesley UMC (5312 Conn. Ave. NW)
Jazz@Wesley presents Luci Murphy and Richard Miller in concert. Ms. Murphy, a native of D.C. is a vocalist who sings in several languages and draws on the folkloric traditions and musical idioms of varying cultures, as well as her own roots in Spirituals, Blues and Jazz. Richard Miller, born in Rio de Janeiro, is well known for his performances of classical guitar and popular Brazilian and Latin-American music. Tickets: $10/person; $7/seniors; 12 and under free! $2 discount for advance tickets. Bring a can of food or a lightly used coat to jazz up someone's life. Questions? Go to wesleydc.org.
Fellowship Circle for Young Professional Women “Toward A Greener Church” Sunday, March 25, 12:30 p.m., Parlor
Join the United Methodist Women’s fellowship circle for 20s/30s women as Courtney Leatherman leads a conversation around issues of environmental sustainability for the congregation. All are welcome. Questions? Contact Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu.
Metropolitan Men’s Group Thursday, April 12, 7 p.m. at Bourbon (2348 Wisc. Ave., NW)
All men of the church are invited to join us at Bourbon for dinner (we will split the check afterwards) and time to hang out. Feel free to bring friends who are not Metropolitan members. Questions? Contact Andy Hershey, andyhershey@yahoo.com.
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The Arts Art Show Concert and Exhibition Sunday, March 18 The Arts Council of Metropolitan invites you for an evening of culture. Beginning at 4 p.m., join us in the Sanctuary for a piano recital by James Litzelman. Dr. Litzelman is director of the graduate program in piano pedagogy at the Catholic University of America, from which he received a D.M.A. He is active as a soloist, collaborative artist, teacher, and lecturer. His program will include four mazurkas and a polonaise by Chopin, a sonata by Schubert, and a prelude and fugue by Franck. Following the recital, we will move to the Great Hall for an art exhibition titled, "A Closer Look: The Watercolor Paintings of Rachel Collins” at 5 p.m. We are pleased to host Rachel Collins, a juried member of the Torpedo Factory Artists Association, for this year’s Lenten/Easter exhibit. Rachel maintains a studio in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA and teaches classes in watercolor at The Art League School in Alexandria, weekend workshops at the Yellow Barn Studio in Glen Echo, MD, and longer workshops elsewhere in the United States and abroad. Rachel considers herself a realistic painter of nature’s abstract form. Many of her works are details of natural objects, viewed closely. This strong interplay between the recognizable and the abstract gives the work an inherently fascinating quality. Ms. Collins uses the idea that “God is the most subtle of designers” to bring the excitement of the design and form in the natural world to the attention of her viewers, thus changing their vision of even the mundane. Ms. Collins uses the medium of transparent watercolor because of the challenges inherent in the medium: its versatility, its relative unpredictability, and its limited latitude for correction. Each painting presents a new problem which in-
volves an active process of testing to find new approaches, acceptance of what actually happens on the paper, problemsolving, and growth. Ms. Collins came to the serious study of art in her mid-thirties. Although she grew up in a home in New York State where her mother taught oil painting, design, and composition, she did not pursue art on her own until she reached her mid-thirties. By then she had graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in French, obtained a masters degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin, and worked for several years as librarian, archivist and museum curator at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. When Ms. Collins returned to the States in 1990, her interest in natural science illustration led her to an internship in the Department of Entomology at the Museum of Natural History. Eventually watercolor, originally taken up as a oncea-week hobby in Israel, became her primary medium. Her interest in natural science subjects has continued, but with a fine arts focus. Ms. Collins’s work has hung and taken awards in a variety of nationally competitive watercolor exhibits. She has also had solo shows in galleries at art centers, colleges and universities, and other institutions in the Washington, DC, area. She has been awarded signature membership in the National Watercolor Society, the Watercolor USA Honor Society, and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, among others. To learn more about this fascinating artist and her work, join us at 10:10 a.m. in the Great Hall for Ms. Collins’s talk “Artful Practice, Spiritual Practice.” Ms. Collins “will explore the connections between what goes on in the making of art and what happens as we seek to realize our potential as spiritual beings, drawing on my own spiritual tradition, the Baha'i Faith.” Images of her work can be found at rachelcollinsart. com.
Remembering Others at Easter
Remember family and friends this Easter by donating altar flowers in memory or honor of loved ones. Our altar will be decorated this year with flowers given in celebration of someone known and loved by a member of the church. I wish to donate (#) _____ Easter Lilies ($30 each)
I wish to donate $ __________
In Memory of: __________________________________________________________________ In Honor of: ____________________________________________________________________ __I will pick up the flowers after the 11:15 a.m. service __ I will donate the flowers to Visitor Corp to give to church members ALL DONATIONS WILL BE LISTED IN THE EASTER SUNDAY BULLETIN The deadline for listing in the Bulletin is Monday, April 2, 2012. Please drop off or mail your form and payment to the church office. Orders cannot be taken by phone. My Name: ______________________________________
Phone #: ______________________
Address: ___________________________________________
Amount Enclosed: $__________
Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016
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Caring and Learning Lenten Contemplative Communion Services Sundays, Now - April 1, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Great Hall
Join us for a series of Contemplative Communion Services during Lent in partnership with Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. The liturgy illuminates the theme of forgiveness as a gift of God. Drema McAllister-Wilson, our Minister for Congregational Care, and Carole Crumley, an Episcopal priest and Shalem’s Senior Program Director, lead this worship of music, scriptural reflection, silent contemplation and the Sacrament of Bread and Wine.
Soup and Study Wednesday, March 14, 6 p.m., Vestry
Join us for a light dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the fellowship and learning opportunities listed below at 7 p.m. Bible Study with Rev. Dr. Charles Parker: Come and explore the sermon scriptures for Sunday, March 18 (Numbers 21:49; Ephesians 2:1-10). (Room 203) Caregiver’s Support Group “Personal Stories”: Caring for a family member or friend? Join us as we support one another and share our experiences together. Need someone to stay with your family member during this time? Contact Rev. Barbara Green, bgreen@nationalchurch.org or Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org. (Great Hall) Faith and Film: Join us for the film “Whale Rider.” Selected in honor of Women’s History Month, a contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. With Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, and Vicky Drama | 101 minutes. (Vestry) Childcare is available. Questions? Contact Rev. Barbara Green, bgreen@nationalchurch.org or Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org.
Silent Retreat at Loyola April 27-29 Register by April 8!
Have you considered a weekend retreat as part of your spiritual journey? The Christian church from its beginnings has encouraged quiet sojourns “in the desert” as a means of deepening one’s connection to God. A small group from Metropolitan will be spending the weekend (Friday evening through Sunday noon) at the Jesuits’ Loyola Retreat house in Charles County, MD. We will participate in the scheduled activities, which include short introductions to Ignatian prayer by the retreat leader and ample time for personal prayer, reflection, and walking in Loyola’s beautiful 1200 acres of forest, meadow, and riverfront land. Silence will be observed throughout. For more information or to express your interest, please contact Chris Brown, 202.333.0947 or chrisbrown@starpower.org.
Other Quiet Days of Retreat Saturday, April 28, June 30 and August 18 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
You’re invited to “A Day Apart” for prayerful reflection at Priest Field Pastoral Center (4030 Middleway Pike, Kearneysville, WV 25430...only 90 minutes from the church). Cost is $30 and includes lunch. To register, call 304-7251435 or email priestfieldpc@aol.com.
Lunch and More Wednesday, April 25, Noon
You are invited to come to lunch in the Great Hall on Wednesday, April 25. After eating together we will plan future activities which might include watching movies, study, bridge, and/or book discussions every 4th Wednesday. Mark your calendar! Questions or input, talk with Drema McAllister-Wilson, dwilson@nationalchurch.org or 202.363.4900, ext 19.
Are you or someone you know concerned about memory loss?
Iona and the Alzheimer's Association's National Capital Area Chapter are partnering to provide an informational series about memory loss. Please join us for one or all of the following sessions, led by experienced members of the Alzheimer's Association speakers bureau. If you need, care will be provided for your loved one by the professional staff of Iona's Wellness & Arts Center. Please let us know if you will need care services when you register, and donations will be accepted for this service.
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Thursday, March 15 - Know the 10 Signs of Alzheimer's Disease - Early Detection Matters Thursday, April 19 - The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Thursday, May 17 - Legal Planning for Alzheimer's Thursday, June 21 - Financial Planning for Alzheimer's
All sessions are free; contributions for care services are gratefully accepted. Refreshments served at 6:30 pm; presentation from 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. To register for any or all of these sessions, please call Iona's Questions and Answers Helpline at 202- 895-9448 [select option 4].
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Caring and Learning (Cont.) Lenten Sermon Series: Cultivating Mindfulness
Want to go deeper into our Lenten Sermon Series? Get your copy of The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. Available on amazon.com (Free on kindle!)
Rev. Dr. Holmes Releases New Book
Rev. Dr. William A. Holmes has released his new book, The God Mask: A Journey into Risk, Danger and an Extraordinary Discovery. Written as a companion volume to his 2010 book, Mature Christianity that expanded on the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Paul Tillich, this second volume personalizes all the more what it means to encounter God in “down to earth,” “real life” and often controversial situations. Following a fascinating discussion on the role of masks, Holmes invites the reader to join him on a quest to discover what lies behind the “Ultimate Mask” – the “Mystery” symbolized traditionally as “God.” The chapters unfold as a hazardous adventure employing the metaphor of a safari and drawing on the wisdom of certain “guides” along the way. In the evenings, around a campfire we share the day’s discoveries and hear from an assortment of characters: Mother Teresa, Trudy, the “Bag Lady,” David Hume, Joseph Wesley Mathews, Jesus Seminar Scholars, etc. Each day, the safari moves further and further away from the safety of generalizations and theological abstractions. Increasingly, we find ourselves in specific social, political and economic “jungles” where radical caring is required and where “life in Christ” means “being God’s love in the world.” And not incidentally, the further we go into these “jungles,” and the more we risk ourselves in human encounters with love and justice, the more the “Mystery” of the “God Mask” is revealed. Copies of his book can be purchased at Amazon.com or by contacting Dr. E. Maynard Moore, email emaynard8@yahoo.com or 443-812-2699.
Occupy DC – Teach-In Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m., Mt. Vernon Place UMC
The Local Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, joined by the Board of Church and Society of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, has scheduled a Teach-IN on Occupy DC for Saturday, March 31 at Mount Vernon Place UMC (900 Massachusetts Ave NW, D.C.). This non-partisan event will allow members of the churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference to learn about the Occupy movement, to hear first-hand testimony of those who have been involved, and to think creatively about ways in which we can join together to support this movement. Opportunity will be provided for a discussion and Q&A session. This event is part of a series of occasions during Holy Week when members of the churches will be seeking out ways to make their faith commitments a living reality. Questions? Contact Dr. Maynard Moore, emaynard8@yahoo.com or Rev. Kenneth Hawes, pastor@hughesumc.org.
Evolution Sunday
On February 12, in celebration of Evolution Sunday, 45 people gathered at Metropolitan to hear about the private specimen collection of Alfred Russel Wallace. The collection was discovered thirty years ago by Robert Heggestad, then a young lawyer, when he purchased a chest of drawers in 1979 for $600 at an antique shop in Arlington, VA. The collection has been authenticated and now is in the possession of the Smithsonian. Wallace, while in the field in Malaysia, sent his letter to Darwin outlining the theory of evolution by natural selection, which was presented to the Linnaean Society in London in 1858 along with Darwin’s paper – and the rest is history. Heggestad provided poster-size photographs of many of the beetles, butterflies, spiders and shells found in this priceless collection. You can get a sense of the collection by viewing the video produced by the National Science Foundation called "Cabinet of Wonders: Personal Collection of Alfred Russel Wallace” at livescience.com/18115-alfred-russel-wallacecollection-nsf-ria.html.
Baltimore-Washington Conference College Scholarships
The Baltimore-Washington Conference announces the opening of the online scholarship application process for 2012. The Scholarship Program provides funds to help students supplement their financial needs. Scholarships are for undergraduate students enrolled fulltime in an accredited college or university in the United States. Scholarship applications and supporting materials including the pastor’s statement will be accepted online only March 1 – May 30, 2012. Awards will be determined based upon the application being completed and submitted by May 30, including required supporting documentation such as official transcripts, letter of recommendation from pastor, student essay or other supporting materials. The scholarship award letters will be sent out between July 30 and August 30. Only applications submitted through the online process at bwcumc.org/finance/college-scholarships will be accepted.
-The Baltimore-Washington Conference Joint Scholarship Task Force
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Service and Advocacy Great Hall Briefing Supportive Housing Proposed for Methodist Church Sites in D.C. Sunday, April 15, 10:10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Redevelopment projects on the drawing board for two United Methodist church properties in the District of Columbia would provide a significant number of new units of permanent supportive housing for the homeless. •
Emory United Methodist Church on upper Georgia Avenue plans a major redevelopment of its church building and the surrounding property that will include 32 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans, 17 units of transitional housing for homeless men, 15 units of transitional housing for families, as well as 45 units of affordable housing.
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A major redevelopment of the Calvary/Casa del Pueblo UMC building located on Columbia Road NW has also been proposed. Since the discontinuance of the ministry of that church, the Conference has established a non-profit organization called Be The Change, Inc. to fund and oversee the redevelopment of this and other church-related property.
Metropolitan’s WIN team has arranged a briefing on these projects to be held in the Great Hall on Sunday April 15. Representatives of the two projects will be on hand to describe their plans. WIN organizer Amy Vruno will also be present to explain efforts to secure funding for these and other supportive and affordable housing efforts. Please come and learn more about how Metropolitan can support our sister churches in their efforts to provide more housing for the homeless. Questions? Contact Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu or Linda Davenport, lindadavenport@comcast.net.
A New Direction for the St. Luke’s Shelter
Earlier this month, the St. Luke’s Shelter transitioned to a new operating model which involves a closer partnership with Friendship Place (formerly known as the Community Council for the Homeless.) Since Metropolitan’s merger with St Luke’s in 2008, the St. Luke’s Shelter has become a ministry of our Cooperative Parish, supported by St. Luke’s long-standing Community Advisory Council and by leaders from our Parish’s Service Ministry Team. Going forward, Friendship Place will assume responsibility for staffing the shelter, overseeing its day-to-day operation, and supervising and counseling residents. However, the St. Luke’s Shelter will continue to rely on its broad network of neighborhood and community supporters to provide meals, volunteers, and funding. This new arrangement builds on the already-strong partnership between St. Luke’s Shelter and Friendship Place, the leading nonprofit homeless service provider in Upper Northwest DC. Last year, Friendship Place moved its executive offices to the St. Luke’s Mission Center. With many of its key staff already on site, a closer working relationship was a logical next step. The new operating model has been designed to allow the St. Luke’s Shelter to better serve a growing segment of the homeless population – those who are employed or moving toward employment – in the following ways: •
The shelter’s operating hours will be expanded, with residents having more liberal access to the shelter during daytime hours, making it easier for them to work nights or jobs with odd hours.
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The program will have a vocational rehabilitation emphasis, with case workers and job training available onsite every day.
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There will be more autonomy and flexibility for residents to encourage the development of independent living skills.
One additional advantage of this new operating model is that it promises to be more efficient, allowing the shelter to operate at a higher rate of occupancy with lower operating expenditures. There will be a briefing on Wednesday, March 29 at 6:30 pm at St. Luke’s for anyone interested in learning about the shelter or to get involved. If you have questions or are interested in becoming more involved with the work at St. Luke’s, contact Leigh Rollins, leighsbeads@hotmail.com or Ann Michel, amichel@wesleyseminary.edu.
Save the Date
VIM Interest Meeting Tuesday, March 27 6 p.m., Great Hall
Interested in mission work in Nicaragua this summer? Join us in the Great Hall to begin organizing for our Volunteer in Mission trip to Nicaragua, August 1-11. We’ll review a draft itinerary and answer any questions you have about the trip! Our goal is a team of 10-12 people. Interested, but cannot make the meeting? Contact Rev. Kate Murphey, kmurphey@ nationalchurch.org.
Campus Kitchen Project @ St. Luke’s Mission Center! Saturday, March 17
The Campus Kitchen Project is an emerging leader in community service for students and resourceful anti-hunger programs for communities around the country. They empower thousands of students each year to recycle food from their cafeterias, turn these donations into nourishing meals, and deliver those meals to those who need them most. How can you get involved? Join us and help feed the hungry. For more information, contact Rev. Kate Murphey, kmurphey@ nationalchurch.org or 202.363.4900, ext. 21.
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Youth Ministries ASP Youth in Mission Auction Thank You!
Thank you to the donors, diners, donut eaters, and bidders who helped make the recent ASP Youth in Mission Auction a success. We raised nearly $14,000 in the effort! If you bid on an item but left the auction before the event concluded, you should have received an email following up on how to pay for your item. Special thanks to Beth Sanford and Tim & Marina Rousset who spearheaded the kitchen effort, to Pam Settlage and Helen Simon who ran our check out, Craig Gildner, who worked the crowd as our auctioneer, Ohemaa Nyanin, who helped in all areas of set-up, check-out, and more, and to Caitlin Barr, who will head up the Appalachia Service Project trip this summer and who was instrumental in writing the auction catalog, creating the power point, and more behind-the-scenes work. If you have a teen interested in working on the ASP team this summer, July 21 to 28, please contact Anita Seline at aseline@nationalchurch.org.
Children’s Ministries Young Disciples Visit Grand Oaks By Grace Schutte Lundell
On Sunday, February 12, the Young Disciples class, made up of the fifth-graders of Metropolitan, visited the Grand Oaks Assisted Living Facility to conduct the worship service for the people who live there. The trip to Grand Oaks was something our class had discussed earlier in the year and we were all very excited, but also nervous, to lead the serAva and Brian serve communion and share a smile with a Grand Oaks vice. Luckily we were somewhat prepared for the event. resident. The 5th Grade Sunday School Class spent two weeks preparing for the service. After looking at many passages in the Bible, our class collectively came to the idea that the focus of our service should be about the light; the light of God which is the light of the world. As a class, we sorted out our roles and responsibilities and discussed what everyone was going to say. After we all chose our roles and decided on the format of the service and the focus of our sermons, we chose songs that matched the theme of the service, including Light a Candle and This Little Light of Mine. On the day of our trip to Grand Oaks, we rehearsed the whole service with our class teachers before we left church. When we arrived at Grand Oaks, the Activities Director brought us to the multi-purpose room, which had been set-up to look like a church. Our teachers helped us get situated, and soon many people began to file into the room. Each of us had a very important role to play in the service; whether it was as piano player, communion assistant, reader or the person delivering the homily.
Announcements Children’s Choirs and Sunday School
The Children’s Choir will be singing “Let It Be” on Sunday March 18 at both worship services. They are also slated to sing Palm Sunday, April 1 and Easter Sunday, April 8. Please tell Betsy White, the director of the children’s choirs, that your child will be participating, at betsy2289@gmail.com. Remember that there will be NO Sunday School on Easter Sunday so that families may enjoy the Easter brunch together in the Great Hall in between worship services.
After the service was over, our class walked around the room and talked to the people who had attended the service. Each person we talked to was extremely courteous and kind to us, which made our time all the more worthwhile. This was a great opportunity for all of us to work together to help other people. It was a great experience and I believe everyone would sincerely enjoy doing it again. Elise plays the prelude, Trumpet Voluntary,” on clarinet.
Brian reads the Call the Worship at the start of the worship service.
The Young Disciples class sing the opening hymn, “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light.”
George breaks the bread for communion.
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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.
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. 11, cparker@nationalchurch.org Rev. Drema McAllister-Wilson — Minister of Congregational Care, ext. 19, dwilson@nationalchurch.org Rev. Barbara Green – Director of Learning, ext. 25, bgreen @nationalchurch.org Rev. Jimmy Sherrod — Associate Pastor, ext. 24, jsherrod@nationalchurch.org Rev. Kate Murphey — Associate Pastor, ext. 21, kmurphey@nationalchurch.org Bruce Caviness — 11a.m. Organist-Choirmaster, ext. 15, bcaviness@nationalchurch.org Jeff Clouser — Director of Communications and Outreach, ext. 23, jclouser@nationalchurch.org Dona Collary — Director of Finance, ext. 18, dcollary@nationalchurch.org Casey Elliott — Dayspring Choir Director and 9 a.m. Worship Leader, ext. 12, celliott@nationalchurch.org Caleb Frazier — Campus Ministry Coordinator, ext. 14, campusministry@nationalchurch.org David Hosey — Campus Ministry Coordinator, ext. 14, campusministry@nationalchurch.org Patrisha House — Director of Worship, Music and Arts, ext. 28, phouse@nationalchurch.org Ohemaa Nyanin — Interim Associate Director of Youth Ministries, youthministry@nationalchurch.org Bill Potts –– Executive Director of Operations, ext. 17, wpotts@nationalchurch.org Rafael Reyes — Director of Building and Grounds, ext. 20, rreyes@nationalchurch.org Anita Seline — Director of Children’s Ministries, ext. 22, aseline@nationalchurch.org Helen Simon - Executive Assistant to Dr. Parker, ext. 10, hsimon@nationalchurch.org Linda Smith — Director of Nursery School, 202.362.8746, lsmith@nationalchurch.org
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: April 16, 2012 NEXT DEADLINE: Noon on April 10, 2012