March 13, 2017 Volume XXVII, No. 3 Nationalchurch.org
The Messenger
METROPOLITAN CHURCH
A MULTI-SITE UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY
Palm/Passion Sunday
Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 9am & 11am Procession with Eco-Palms and Children’s Choirs Worship at Wesley* 9:30am Breakfast & 11am Procession & Worship (5312 Conn. Ave., NW) Maundy Thursday Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 7:30pm Worship with Communion and Chancel Choir Good Friday Services Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* Noon – 3pm “Seven Last Words” Worship at Wesley* 7:30pm Tenebrae Service (5312 Conn. Ave. NW) Easter Vigil Worship at Metropolitan Memorial 7:30pm Easter Sunday– April 16 Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 9am & 11am - Festival Choirs, Brass, Timpani, and Handbells Brunch after each service Rockin’ Gospel Worship at Wesley* 11am - 5312 Conn. Ave., NW *Free Childcare Available
Where is your Desert? There is a physical desert, inhabited by a few exceptional men and women who are called to live there; but more importantly, there is an inner desert, into which each one of us must one day venture. --Frere Ivan Our journey through Lent this year begins with the sermon series, “Voices from the Desert.” “Lent always begins in the desert, as Jesus steps away to fast, pray, and prepare himself for his ministry. In a world in which we are constantly barraged by information and communication, it is increasingly important to find time and space (physical and psychological) to listen better for God’s ‘still small voice,’ as well as know our own hearts.” — Rev. Dr. Charles Parker The interconnected world we all live in is a constant reminder that we all inhabit a desert. There are the obvious geographical ones, there are newly constructed ones, i.e., food deserts, and, of course, our own personal ______ deserts (fill in the blank with what is missing in your life). Each Sunday in Lent, our sermons will focus on the teachings of the desert mothers and fathers, the Ammas and Abbas, men and women of the early church, who left their normal lives to form communities in the desert. In addition to Sunday morning sermons, we again offer the Sunday Evening Contemplative Communion worship, a service that “takes its time” and allows us to sit in the silence, reflecting on the words and wisdom of these ancient teachers. Our Lenten devotions this year are a selection of quotes from the desert mothers and fathers, offered as a starting point of prayer and reflection, helping to create our own mini-deserts, time away, be it a few minutes or hours. These quotes can be found on the church’s facebook page, blogposts, and bulletins. Michael Adler, in his book, “In Search of the Forty Days’ Road, states: “The desert affords no hiding place, no refuge. It is a place of desolation and liberation. One modern traveller speaks of the desert as an environment which humbles and exalts. Its immensity reduces ‘our tiny, struggling world to insignificance’; and yet it sets a person free ‘to think more profoundly … to examine … motivations, aims and objects in a new and surprisingly fresh light.’” The desert is not merely a place. It is a type of Christian experience. I invite you to join in this journey of self-discovery, a fasting from words and conversations, from an onslaught of media in all forms, and make room to hear that “still small voice.” - Patrisha S. House
Contemplative Worship During Lent Sundays Now - April 2, 7pm, Sanctuary Join us during Lent in the Sanctuary on Sunday evenings at 7pm for a Contemplative Communion service. The worship unfolds slowly, combining readings, prayer, music and silence and closing with Communion. Come and find the quiet center and sounds of silence and listen to the ancient voices of the desert mothers and fathers. Our Lenten Devotional can be found at nationalchurch.blogspot.com or daily on facebook at facebook.com/nationalmethodistchurch.
Serving at the Metropolitan Church Raise the Dough 2017 Fundraiser Results Hello Friends! Thank you so much for all of your support of Campus Kitchen at Washington, D.C. — with your help we were able to raise $9,025 for the Raise the Dough Fundraiser! We came in at $8,000 by the 11:59 p.m. deadline and tied for 1st place with Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg College. Below is a link to the Campus Kitchens website which gives a detailed recap of the Raise the Dough 2017 Fundraiser. Thank you for your contributions and support! Learn more about the contest results at campuskitchens.org/2017/03/raisethe-dough-2017! Blessings, Stephanie J. Quammen Serving Pillar Coordinator
Gun Violence and Our Communities: What We’ve Learned Since our Concert Across America to Prevent Gun Violence last September, Metropolitan Church members have been increasingly involved in gun violence prevention activities. Some of these activities have focused on policy initiatives, like universal background checks for all gun purchases. Others have focused on community-based endeavors to address issues that predispose community members to turn to gun violence, like under-functioning schools and lack of meaningful job opportunities. During the month of February, the Gun Violence Prevention group sponsored a multisession Food for Thought series on Gun Violence and Our Communities that explored different aspects of gun violence prevention. The first session was titled “Awareness.” Kathleen Krepps, the spokesperson for the DC chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, came to speak. In the session, we learned while there are many things a community can do to stay aware of and combat gun violence, there are a few simple ways to start. One way to begin is regularly attending events focused on educating people about gun violence like those found at the Moms Demand website, momsdemandaction.org. Kathleen also made us aware of changes to the political landscape in relation to gun policy since the last election. In particular, she raised our awareness around newly introduced legislation that would force each state to recognize the concealed carry permits issued by every other state. The result of such legislation would be to make the laws of the state with the weakest concealed carry standards to become the ruling law for all states. The second session was titled “Our Communities.” Ryane B. Nickens, Lay Servant and Active Leader at Brighter Day UMC, came to speak. In the session, we heard Ryane’s family’s heart-wrenching personal experiences with gun violence. Through Ryane’s story, we gained a greater awareness of the extent of gun violence in the DC area. We also learned that helping people in the community through activities, such as pre-school, afterschool and summer camp programs, can keep kids from becoming wrapped up in a cycle of gun violence. Learn more at bdadc.org. The final session was titled “Suicide.” Eileen Zeller the Lead Public Health Advisor, Suicide Prevention Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, came to speak. In the session, we learned almost 2/3 of gun deaths each year are suicides. This is an area in which some of the solutions are readily attainable: whatever puts time and distance between a person contemplating suicide and the availability of a gun. It was heartening to hear that some gun shop owners are paying attention to those who seem in distress when they come into their stores. All of us can be part of that process by reaching out to those we think may be contemplating suicide and asking them if they have access to a firearm, and referring them to a crisis hotline. These are just a few takeaways from the February events. For March events please visit nationalchurch.org/Serving/ Gun_Violence_Prevention. If you have any questions about the sessions or the Gun Violence Prevention group or would like to get involved in our efforts please contact Stephanie Quammen, squammen@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 111.
Grate Patrol - Opportunities to Serve! March 26, 10:15am, Vestry March 27, 6:45pm, St. Luke’s Mission Center* On Sunday, help make sandwiches and prepare meal bags at Metropolitan Memorial. On Monday, volunteers are needed at the St. Luke’s Mission Center to load additional meals prepared by Campus Kitchen into the Salvation Army van and distribute them throughout downtown DC. To volunteer to put together meal bags on Sunday, come to the Vestry or, if a group, contact Anita Seline, amseline@ aol.com. If you can go out on the van Monday night, sign up at nationalchurch.org/servenow. *3655 Calvert St., NW.
April 2, 6pm, St. Luke’s Mission Center* Help assemble meals (provided by our Campus Kitchen Program) in to-go containers, load meals into the Salvation Army van and distribute them throughout the city. You can volunteer for one or all opportunities. No experience necessary. Volunteer at nationalchurch.org/volunteerhub! *3655 Calvert St., NW
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The Arts at the Metropolitan Church IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE! Art Exhibition Different Angles Watercolors by Karen Norman On Sunday, we enjoyed the opening of the exhibit “Different Angles” along with a concert by Millicent Scarlett, our favorite soprano! If you missed the exhibition opening, you can still catch it! There are a variety of subjects including a lakescape, a rustic cabin in the woods, and still lifes that are seen from different angles...several set up to be viewed from above. Sort of the way that God would see from Heaven! The show is here until after Easter so you can see it several times!
Sermon Podcasts Were you unable to attend worship on Sunday? If you miss any of the sermons in our sermon series, you can listen to the audio version of the sermons on our website at nationalchurch.org/ Praising/Sermons_Podcasts.
Overflow parking is available on Sundays in the School of International Studies (SIS) parking garage across the street at American University or in the Mann School parking lot.
Musicians Wanted! Do you play an instrument? The Dayspring service invites you to join our pick-up orchestra to lead the hymns and service music on the first Sunday of each month. Our next rehearsal will be Sunday, April 2 at 8am. Music can be acquired in advance by e-mailing Melissa, Dayspring Choir Director and 9am Worship Leader, mchavez@ nationalchurch.org. Ring A Bell? You’re invited to join a fun and forgiving group of dedicated ringers (high school age through retirement) who rehearse Sunday evenings and ring once a month in Sunday morning services. For more information, contact Susan Staines, staines@rcn.com. Sing with the Dayspring Choir! If you want to join in the fun of singing and serving together, Dayspring is open to all, regardless of ability or prior experience. Contact Melissa Chavez, Dayspring Choir Director, mchavez@nationalchurch.org for more information.
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Caring Ministries The Metropolitan Green Team has become the Creation Caretakers! We have renewed our commitment to creation caring after a short hiatus. Bill Potts, as the “one person Green Team,” continued to work his magic with energy efficient upgrades of our 3 campuses and parsonage. With thanks for his efforts we awarded Bill our inaugural “GREEN CHAMPION” award on Sunday, March 5. In consideration of the interconnectedness of “Caring for each other and the least among us” and “Caring for Creation,” we have renamed our team the Creation Caretakers and have relocated to the Caring Pillar. Our theme is - “Take care of the earth as if your life depended on it- which it does!” Initial projects include: 1. Sharing the 2017 Lenten Carbon Fast Calendar. Created by Interfaith Power and Light of DC/MD/VA, see how creation caring can be fun, while also rooted in faith traditions. Available at ipldmv.org. Printed copies are available in the business office lobby at Metropolitan Memorial. 2. 2017 Challenge. Our challenge for this year is for 20 individuals or households within our community to join the Union of Concerned Scientist’s (UCS) challenge to cut our carbon footprint by 20% over the coming year. We will be using the UCS “Cooler/Smarter” book as our guide and become better Creation Caretakers as a team. A few copies of the book are available from Jane Ward. Copies can also be obtained from UCS when joining ($35 to join) or downloaded from their website, ucsusa.org. If you are interested in joining our team or in receiving notices of local events relating to environmental stewardship, please contact either Jane Ward, jane@rideforsaferoutes.com or Nancy Cherney, nancy@nutritionmattersnow.com. Please let us know if you have specific topics or questions you would like addressed by our Creation Caretakers and we’ll find answers or build an appropriate program.
Lunch and More Thursday, March 16 Noon, Great Hall Join us for Lunch and More! After eating together, we will have the opportunity for playing a game (like Banana-grams, Trivial Pursuits or bring your favorite!), bridge, or watch a movie. This month’s movie is “A Man Called Ove.” Stepping from the pages of Fredik Backman’s international best-selling novel, Ove is the quintessential angry old man next door. An isolated retiree with strict principles and a short fuse, who spends his days enforcing block association rules that only he cares about, and visiting his wife’s grave, Ove has given up on life. Enter a boisterous young family next door who accidentally flattens Ove’s mailbox while moving in and earning his special brand of ire. Yet from this inauspicious beginning an unlikely friendship forms and we come to understand Ove’s past happiness and heartbreaks. What emerges is a heartwarming tale of unreliable first impressions and the gentle reminder that life is sweeter when it’s shared. Come and enjoy friends and good food! If you committed to bringing a game, please don’t forget. Contacts: Phyllis Kokus, pkokus@aol. com and Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net.
Congratulations Prayers of Celebration: to Drema and David McAllister-Wilson on the birth of their granddaughter Annie Barbara Wilson Moore, on March 6th. Parents are Ashley and David Moore
Prayer Shawl Ministry Sunday, March 19, 12:15am, Parlor Come and enjoy a time of fellowship, ministry and fun! If you are interested in joining, contact Barbara Tate, Bdtate@verizon.net. March AARP Meeting Monday, March 20, 12:30pm, Vestry Please join us as Shannon Redd, Associate State Director, Advocacy and Outreach for DC AARP, updates us on the many programs and services provided by AARP and the DC state office. Come hear about Staying Sharp for brain health, the Fraud Watch Network, webinars, discounts, and more. Find out how you can have your say for senior services in DC. Social time is at 12:30pm, and the meeting starts at 1pm. Refreshments will be served.
Weekly Meditation Practice Wednesdays, 9am, Sanctuary New comers welcome! Nurture a sense of inner peace, calm and balance with guided and walking meditation. Contact: Mary Jo Marchant, mjmarchant@verizon.net. Gentle Yoga with Cathryn Ellen Pethick Thursdays 4pm, Great Hall Join our yoga practice of standing, seated and reclining yoga poses, breath awareness exercises, and meditative relaxation. Contact: Cathryn, cathryn@yogawell-being. com or 301-946-7045/301-642-3889. Sponsored by the Congregational Care Committee. 4
Life at the Metropolitan Church Metropolitan Book Club Monday, March 20 7:30pm, Parlor All readers are invited to our book club discussion of Amor Towles espionage novel, A Gentleman in Moscow. For questions, contact Suzanne Clewell, reader1021@aol.com or Joan Topalian, topajoan62045@gmail.com.
Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers by Ann Michel Ann Michel has written a new book that is now available on Amazon. In the book, Ann “presents a more inclusive, collaborative understanding of ministry, which affirms the gifts and calling of both clergy and lay servants.” Ann is a long time active member of Metropolitan Memorial and the Associate Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Pick up your copy today!
Food for Thought Wednesdays 6pm - Dinner* I 7pm - Class Every Wednesday evening in March, you're invited to a community dinner in the Vestry between 6pm and 7pm. After you feed your body, feed your mind and soul with a midweek study. For more information, contact Rev. Janet Craswell, Director of Christian Education. *$8/person. College students pay what you can. Classes include: •
Topical Study: Immigration, Refugees, and Sanctuary. Join us as we look at the current shape of immigration/refugee law; the immigrant experience; the new Sanctuary Movement; and Refugee Resettlement. View our upcoming topics and speakers at nationalchurch.org/ foodforthought.
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Bible Study: The Parables of Jesus. Jesus taught by telling stories called parables. Join us for an in-depth study of the parables – our old favorites and some of the less familiar ones. Led by Rev. Dr. Charlie Parker and Bob Olson.
Remembering Others at Easter
Remember family and friends this Easter by donating Altar flowers! I wish to donate: #___Easter Lillies ($25 each) #___Hydrangeas ($25 each) In Memory of:________________________________________ In Honor of:__________________________________________ oI will pick up these flowers following 11am worship oI wish to donate these flowers for distribution to church members by the Visitor Corp All donations will be listed in the Easter Sunday Bulletin. The deadline for gifts is Monday, April 10. Please drop off or mail your form and payment to the church office. Orders cannot be taken by phone. My Name: _____________________________
Phone: ______________
Address: ______________________________
Total Enclosed: $___________
Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016
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The United Methodist Women UMW Great Day of Service Saturday, April 1 8:30am, St. Luke’s Mission Center The United Methodist Women invite you to a Great Day of Service at our St. Luke's Mission Center. Volunteers will assemble UMCOR health kits, volunteer in Campus Kitchen, and work at the DC Diaper Bank warehouse in Silver Spring. High school and middle school students are invited to join us to earn service hours. Kids are invited to join us, heck, guys can come too! You do NOT need to be a member of the United Methodist Women to participate in the Great Day of Service. All are welcome! At last year’s Great Day of Service, UMW The day starts at 8:30am when we will enjoy breakfast prepared by Chef members dressed up 60 teddy bears for Anthony. Pyper Imperial, executive director of Educare, a preschool program the Wendt Center on Loss and Healing's for DC kids living in poverty, will speak and then we will get to work. summer camp for grieving children.
Sign up (and for the breakfast headcount) for the Great Day of Service at signupgenius.com/go/70a0e4da8a6238-great1. Participants are asked to bring feminine protection products, pads preferred, for the DC Diaper Bank's "The Monthly" Project that provides pads and tampons to women living in need. Also, please bring eyeglasses you no longer need to donate to the Recycle for Sight program run by the Lions Club.
UMW Book Sale Success The recent Book & Bake Sale was our most successful to date, as the United Methodist Women raised more than $9,000 through donations of books and other media. Proceeds will benefit Educare, a pre-school program serving DC kids living in poverty and American University Methodists traveling to West Virginia this month to work on homes to make them warmer, safer, and drier. Many heartfelt thanks to all who helped with an aspect of the sale. We had so many volunteers who posted flyers, contacted list serves, baked brownies, donated books, moved boxes, unpacked boxes, categorized books, packed up boxes, and moved them again. It was a true inspirational team effort. Bazaar donation collections will begin in June. In the meantime, Keep Reading! Keep Recycling!
Campus Ministries Faithful, Faithless, and Everyone in Between – Faith on Campus “The Value of Invitation” by Alex Gamscik Being a devoted United Methodist on a college campus is not typical, but it is greatly rewarding. At first I approached the United Methodists at American University with a sense of trepidation. But during Sunday worship services, a particular upperclassman always went out of her way to greet me. She didn’t just make me feel welcome by saying hi to me, she made me feel valuable with compliments; and by assigning me small tasks to help out with service. She never stopped inviting me to Interfaith Council meetings, to a friend’s birthday, or other fun events. At some point, I dedicated myself to becoming more involved in church life.
Alex Gamcsik American University BAPS ’17/MPP ‘18
Four years later, I became President of the Methodist student club, a member of Metropolitan Memorial, and a known presence throughout Kay Spiritual Life Center. It has been an amazing journey from someone who had no faith to a person who now flourishes in God’s grace. I embraced Christianity on campus because I felt valued in that community.
It has not been easy in the leadership of a mainline Christian group. Seemingly for most people, college is about studying during the week and partying on the weekends. There is hardly room for religious life, so our gatherings and events are not inherently popular. However, through hard work we have brought in new people, including some who would not normally attend a religious event. My favorite part of college was being a warming presence to others in the same way that the upperclassman made me feel valuable four years ago. By living out the motto, “Open hearts, open minds, and open doors,” United Methodists have an important place in the life of a college campus. By expanding that motto with, “Love God, Serve Others, and Welcome All,” the American University Methodist-Protestant Community will always hold a special place in my heart. If you are interested in finding ways to connect with our AU Campus Ministry contact Rick, Associate Chaplain, (rick@ aumethodists.org).
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Youth Ministries Save the Date! ASP Auction Sunday, April 23, 12:30pm, Vestry Please note the Date Change! Help us celebrate 43 years of service in Appalachia through ASP! Join us for our annual Youth in Mission Auction. We will have lunch (including both a gluten free and vegetarian option), an auction, and a talent show featuring our youth choir. This year, we will be taking 30 youth with us to rural Appalachia. Funds Our 2015 ASP Team in Tennessee raised at the ASP auction will go to support our high school students on ASP and our middle school students on Youth 4 DC. Your generous support allows us to offer these experiences for no cost to our tweens and teens. This is an auction and silent auction, and we welcome your donations. In the past, we have had restaurant gift cards, weekend stays at vacation homes, landscaping, dinners, physical trainers, and other services. To donate items, please contact Patrick Landau at plandau@nationalchurch.org or stop by the church office.
Youth Choir Sundays, 11am, Choir Room All Middle School and High School students are invited to join our Youth Choir. We’ll learn and perform music with a variety of styles and topics, traditional and current alike. All are encouraged to attend, and we welcome instrumentalists as well! Rehearsals are from 11am – 11:45am on Sundays. Music is provided. For more information, contact Melissa Chavez, mchavez@nationalchurch.org.
Youth Blog Read up on what’s happening with our youth and our many activities at youthmetropolitan.wordpress.com.
Children’s Ministries Vacation Bible School 2017 - Register Now! July 10-14, 9am – 12pm Join us for an epic adventure alongside Biblical heroes and discover the qualities that make them truly heroes in God. Hero Central VBS uses music, science, crafts, games and Bible stories to help kids discover their strength in God! Metropolitan’s VBS is geared toward kids age 4 to rising 5th graders. Middle schoolers may serve as junior counselors. The program runs from 9am till Noon and costs $60 per child. Register at Nationalchurch.org/vbs! Children & Youth Sunday School Sundays at 10:05am Children and youth Sunday school classes are held at Metropolitan Memorial, and are timed so that kids may participate and still worship at either of the Metropolitan Memorial services (9am or 11am) or the Wesley service (musical prelude 11am, Worship at 11:15am). Children’s Ministry: Children ages 3 through 4th grade learn through Godly Play, a Montesorri-based technique emphasizing Bible stories, wonder, questions, and creative play. Contact: Rev. Janet Craswell, jcraswell@ nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 115. Youth Ministry: Our Middle School youth follow the Bible-in-Life curriculum, walking them through important Biblical stories. Our High School youth participate in regular discussions shaped by their lives and current events. Contact: Patrick Landau, plandau@nationalchurch.org or 202-363-4900, ext. 112.
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Our Mission: Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites all into a deepening relationship with God and challenges all of us to grow as disciples, seeking justice and joy 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. 108, cparker@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 Bruce Caviness — 11a.m. Organist-Choirmaster, ext. 152, bcaviness@nationalchurch.org Melissa Chavez — Dayspring Choir Director/9am Worship Leader/Youth Choir Director, ext. 151, mchavez@nationalchurch.org Jeff Clouser — Director of IT and Communications, ext. 113, jclouser@nationalchurch.org Dona Collary — Pastoral Care Assistant/Wedding and Funeral Coordinator, ext. 106, dcollary@nationalchurch.org Patrisha House — Director of Worship, Music and Arts, ext. 114, phouse@nationalchurch.org Patrick Landau — Director of Youth Ministries/Sharing Pillar Coordinator, ext. 112, plandau@nationalchurch.org Pam Murdoch –– Finance Coordinator, ext. 103, finance@nationalchurch.org Stephanie Quammen — Serving Pillar Coordinator, ext. 111, squammen@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 Non-Staff Ministry Partners Rick Sullivan — AU Associate Chaplain for Community Engagement, rick@aumethodists.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: April 10, 2017
NEXT DEADLINE: Noon on April 4, 2017