THE MESSENGER
For the congregation of the Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish
September 3, 2010 Volume XX, No. 10 www.nationalchurch.org
Metropolitan Memorial, St. Luke’s, and Wesley United Methodist Churches
Soul Sisters I have always been fascinated with the subject of Women in Bible, in part because the matriarchs of our faith are the most unlikely of heroines. There’s Eve who defies God’s command by eating the forbidden fruit. There’s Sarah, who doubts God’s promise that she will bear a son, has her husband Abraham sleep with a slave women, and then jealously casts Hagar and Ishmael out to an almost certain death. There’s Rebekah who tricks the aged and blinding Isaac into bestowing his birthright on her favorite son Jacob. There’s Tamar who disguises herself as a prostitute to trick her father-in-law into impregnating her. And the list goes on. Of course, one of the overarching themes of scripture is that God manages to work through flawed and faulty human agents. But in the case of these and other biblical women, the tradition has not quite known what to make of them. Generally, they have been ignored or made a negative example.
'Rebekah at the Well' Michael Deas, 1997
Over the past several decades, however, feminist theology has helped to redeem these characters – helping us see how their circumstances and choices were conscribed by the limited and dependent status of women in Biblical time. Biblical women, like other people without access to legitimate channels of influence, were often forced to exercise their agency in ways that seem deceitful, illegitimate, and desperate. Their stories remind us of the plight of those still disposed of power – including many women living today in the same places inhabited by Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, and Tamar — and in many other places around the world. That these women are part of salvation history reminds us that God is most typically found at work at the margins of society – that “God uses what is weak in the world to shame the strong,” (1 Cor. 1:27) as in the case of Tamar and Perez or the Hebrew midwives Puah and Shiprah who defied Pharoah’s order to kill the baby boys born to Hebrew mothers. During the month of September, “Women of the Bible” will be the focus of our sermon series and teaching in the Great Hall. Come join us in exploring this fascinating, colorful, and faithful cloud of witnesses!
It’s Coming! The Fall Festival and Ministry Fair - Sunday, September 19 You are invited to join us for our Fall Festival and Ministry Fair following the services at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. On this Sunday, we extend hospitality to new friends and neighbors, visitors, students from local universities and graduate schools (e.g., American University and Wesley Theological Seminary), and, of course, to our regular membership. A very special part of our hospitality is to reach out to those looking for a church home. Come and learn more about the many ministries, study opportunities, activities and fellowship offered through Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish. This year’s picnic promises to bigger and better than ever. We’ll have more games and amusements than before! The Children and Youth Ministry Team will provide the hotdogs and hamburgers, veggie burgers and chips, all the fixings, the lemonade and water. We hope you will help provide the rest. To avoid too many salads and to make sure we have some yummy deviled eggs, we ask that you follow these guidelines: If your last name begins with the letter: A – I, please bring deviled eggs: A family favorite, the original, or a new recipe that you’ve wanted to try; J – O, please bring salad, such as potato, green, fruit, or something else; P – Z, please bring coleslaw: the original or a new recipe that you’ve wanted to try. Don’t worry, there will be desserts! We are asking our nursery school families, who are invited of course because this IS an open house, to bring desserts. Look for more details in upcoming church publications. Want to volunteer? (we need grillers and food managers), contact Anita Seline at aseline@mmumc-dc.org or Jeff Closer at jclouser@mmumc-dc.org.
Life at Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish 2010 InterFaith Unity Walk Sunday, September 12 On Sunday, September 12, the 6th Annual Unity Walk will welcome all people to “Building Peace by Serving Each Other.” Participation in this metro-area event will help forge a link between the people of Metropolitan Memorial, including the youth groups, and the students of American University. There are many opportunities during the day for participants to interact and be in dialogue with each other, deepening interfaith understanding and creating bonds of community.
Where Do You See God? Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The Arts Council presents the opening of a photography show of our own Metropolitan members on Sunday, September 26 at 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The theme is Where Do You See God?
Want to Move Better? Mondays and Thursdays Beginning October 7 10 a.m., Great Hall Feldenkrais/Anat Baniel lessons are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the Great Hall, beginning Thursday, October 7. Entitled “Moving Out of Pain,” this series of 8 Building on last year’s focus on service, the Unity Walk continues lessons will guide students through slow, gentle movements. to empower diverse individuals to come together for dialogue and Contact Pat Simpich, 202.966.1566. volunteer opportunities. Again, participants are invited to visit a variety of religious congregations for open houses and celebration New Member Sunday located along Washington, DC’s picturesque Embassy Row. The Sunday, October 31, 9 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. walk begins with an Invocation at the Sikh Gurdwara (3801 Mass Ave.). For a full schedule of the day go to http:// Have you been thinking of joining Metropolitan Memorial?! The next opportunity to join our growing congregation will be www.911unitywalk.org. in October. Our New Member Dinner and Orientation will take place on Sunday, October 24 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. in the Prayer Shawl Ministry Choir Room and our New Member Sunday will be on OctoTuesday, September 21 at 1:30 p.m. ber 31 with a class and reception to follow at 12:30 p.m. Join us for a time of knitting, crocheting, fellowship, ministry and fun! Questions? Contact Annette If you are interested in joining or want more information, contact Jeffrey L. Clouser, Director of Communications and OutFletchall at 202.363.9231. reach at 202.363.4900, ext. 23 or jclouser@mmumc-dc.org. September AARP Meeting Your Words... Please join us on Monday, September 20 in This fall we are launching a new secthe Vestry. This will be our fall kickoff meettion of the Messenger where you, the ing and also will be your opportunity to help congregation, gets to respond to a parshape the future of our Ward Circle Chapter. ticular question posed in the previCarol Page from DC AARP will survey memous issue of the newsletter. bers on their satisfaction with chapter activities and will discuss how we can improve our chapter. Come let your voice be heard! October’s question is ...”Who Do You Feel Makes the Most Please also bring some school supplies to be given to Raymond Difference in Service at Metropolian?” Let us know your Elementary School in DC. Social time is at 12:30 p.m., and the thoughts by responding to Jeffrey L. Clouser, jclouser@mmumc-dc.org by September 28 and we’ll publish meeting starts at 1:00. Refreshments will be served. your thoughts in the October Messenger!
Share Your Reflections on “Transforming Lives – Transforming the World” This fall, our congregation will be reflecting on the theme “Transforming Lives – Transforming the World” through the lens of the five pillars of our individual and collective lives of faith: Serving - Learning - Sharing - Praising - Caring. Do you have a witness, faith story, reflection, personal prayer, or scripture meditation related to this theme and these expressions of faith? If so, we invite you to share it as part of a daily devotional series to be used in conjunction with a five-week sermon series Rev. Dr. Charles Parker will be preaching during our fall stewardship campaign. Like last spring’s popular Lenten Devotional, this promises to be spiritually enriching for both contributors and readers, as we engage many voices from among the members of friends of our church. Dr. Maynard Moore will coordinate this project. If you are interested in contributing to this stewardship devotional guide, please sign up now to contribute an original devotional sketch (1 paragraph to 1 page, max). Send your devotional to Maynard Moore at emaynard8@yahoo.com and indicate which of the five topics you will focus on. Begin to think about what you want to say. Dr. Moore will be back in touch with you concerning the details and the deadline date when your piece should be ready. That’s all there is to it. But the impact could be very significant, and this is a wonderful way for you to participate in this important ministry of our church.
Life at Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish (cont.) Communion Ministry Metropolitan is starting a Communion Ministry to those who are unable to attend church on Communion Sunday each month. Beginning Sunday, October 3, World Communion Sunday, communion will be taken to Metropolitan folk who are homebound or in nursing homes. If you would like to receive communion or know someone who may wish to receive communion, please contact the church office, 202.363.4900; email: hsimon@mmumc-dc.og.
Staats Memorial Fund Accepting Grant Proposals The Margaret Rich Staats Memorial Fund is currently accepting proposals to be reviewed at our fall meeting, for funding in early 2011. The Staats Fund is a committee of the UMW and funds programs and projects that help others, particularly children. Please send proposals by Friday, October 22, 2010 by email to Pyper Davis Imperial at pdavis@alumni.princeton.edu or to the Metropolitan Memorial UMC church office marked “Attention: Staats Memorial Fund.”
WANTED! WANTED! WANTED! Crossroads APPRAISERS Sunday Evening Worship at 5 p.m. The UMW is looking for someone who can assist with the apBeginning September 12 praisal of jewelry in preparation for sale at the Annual Bazaar in St. Luke's Campus November. If you can help with this or know someone who can, (3655 Calvert Street N.W.) please contact Kelly Kokus-D’Angelo, 202.210.2220, Led by Rev. Jimmy Sherrod kelleysclothes@aol.com or Carol Tippett, 301.229.8944, Join us for a worship experience that features a high energy tippett_c@msn.com. band as well as creative uses of visuals and multimedia. A New Handbell Ringers Welcome! nursery is provided, and a time of gathering to build commuHave you studied piano? Did you play an instrument in nity over refreshments follows the service. For more inforyour school band or orchestra? Would you enjoy spendmation, contact Jimmy Sherrod and check out our blog at ing part of Sunday evening with a forgiving and funwww.xroadsdc.blogspot.com. Join us at the Crossroads, loving group of youth and adults rehearsing bell music to ring in where life and faith meet! our worship services? Coming with a few years of musical training under your belt is wonderful preparation, and we are happy to show you the bell techniques. To learn more about Metropolitan Ringers, Worship at Wesley UMC contact Susan Staines at 703.524.2533 or staines@rcn.com. (5312 Conn. Ave., NW) Author/Member Releases Book Ms. Deputy Postmaster General How Trusted Leadership, Courage, & Innovations Impacted The Postal Service Jackie Strange, a member of Metropolitan Memorial, and the only woman ever to hold the position of U.S. Deputy Postmaster General, will be signing copies of her book “Ms. Deputy Postmaster General” at our fall festival on Sunday, September 19 at 12:15 p.m. Come and meet the author and purchase your copy of her book!
Sunday Worship at 11 a.m. Worship at Wesley-a truly diverse and welcoming church with a rocking Gospel choir. Questions? Contact Kate Murphey, kmurphey@mmumc-dc.org or 202.363.4900, ext. 21.
Ann Michel: Blazing a New Trail in Lay Leadership By Barry D. Wood Ann Michel is a very busy, dedicated lady. A pillar of Metropolitan since joining the church 18 years ago, Ann is currently the associate director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary. At Wesley she is also working towards a doctoral ministry degree, having already earned in 2000 her master’s (Summa Cum Laude) in theological studies. “I feel called to Christian service,” she explains, “but not the ordained ministry.” Her doctoral work explores how lay people are increasingly active within the church in areas such as counseling, administration, music and outreach. This new church leadership, she believes, has the capacity to transform and enrich Methodism. Twice Ann has been on the senior staff at Metropolitan, first as director of stewardship in the late 1990s, and then from 2001 to 2005 as head of mission and outreach. In addition to all of this, with her husband Scott, she has raised three boys, the youngest of whom is starting college this fall. Ann has won awards for her work with the homeless and was instrumental in setting up the Metropolitan House Homeless Ministry. She is a prolific writer on church leadership and co-authored the book, The Crisis of Younger Clergy, in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Ann grew up in the Chicago area and moved with her lawyer husband to Washington in the 1980s. A churchgoer in her youth, Ann recalls thinking when her children were young that she should resume attending church. One Sunday, she remembers, Bill Holmes—who would become her mentor—gazed out sweeping his outstretched arm over the congregation and asked who would like to join the church. Laughing, Ann says, “I made an impulsive decision and almost took the vows on the spot. I was a spontaneous joiner.” Metropolitan is deeply enriched as a result.
United Methodist Women Over 200 women of all ages are members of the United Methodist Women of Metropolitan Memorial. We meet monthly in small circles for fellowship, study, devotion and mutual support. The UMW also provides programs for women at various times throughout the year, and supports mission work in our community and throughout the world. Contact Caralee Adams at caralee.adams@verizon.net.
Recognition Luncheon Sunday, December 12, 12:30pm. Each year the UMW of Metropolitan Memorial hold a Recognition Luncheon honoring women who have made a significant contribution to the church, the nation, and the world. This year the luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 12 at 12:30 p.m. We are seeking nominations of outstanding women to honor this year. Please submit nominations to Robin Emery, 202.625.9273 or emerymjon@aol.com by October 15. In addition to recognizing these special women, we will also celebrate the babies who have been born this year and remember with gratitude those who died this year. UMW Bazaar: November 7 & 8
UMW Welcome Back Luncheon Sunday, September 12, 12:30 p.m., Great Hall All Woman are invited to the UMW Welcome Back lunch where Pyper Imperial, chief operating officer of the Seed Foundation, will talk about Seed’s public college, preparatory, boarding school model.
Donations and Volunteers Needed The annual UMW bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 7 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., and on Sunday, November 8 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. with lunch available after the second worship service. The UMW membership looks forward to this event every year to open our church up to the community and to join in fellowship with one another. Proceeds from the bazaar go to projects benefitting women and children worldwide. Donations are needed! ·Look through your closets and attics for items that you no longer use but that would be a treasure to someone else! Bring your donations and gift items to the UMW closet, located on the lower level of the church near the Parlor. (No furniture, no clothing.) ·Please bring items all the way to the UMW closet. If the closet is locked, be sure your items are labelled “bazaar” and leave them just outside the closet. But kindly do not drop items on the stage or elsewhere in the Vestry...thanks! ·Receipts for your donations are available inside the closet or ask in the church office. YOU are needed! ·Thursdays, from 10 a.m. - noon. Join in the fun and fellowship of pricing attic treasures in the Terrace Room. All hands are needed! ·Tuesdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Help the sewing group as they create our ever-popular Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls. Or, use your own handiwork skills to create a unique item for our arts and crafts table. If you knit, crochet, needlepoint, cross stitch, crewel, or sew, your creations would be welcomed at the crafts table. For more information or if you would like to volunteer, contact bazaar coordinator Barbara Gaskill, Barbara@bgaskill.com or 202.244.3512.
The Alpha Course at Metropolitan Memorial Alpha Invitation and Alpha Course Earlier this year the Alpha Course at Metropolitan was the place where people met to discuss and explore questions of faith and life. Each week a recorded or live talk was combined with a meal and time together in smaller groups. Everyone had a great time, and a few have asked to take it again! We are getting ready to begin the Autumn Alpha Course and would love for you to join us. If you are already a Christian, a Member of Metropolitan, or outside the Church, it doesn’t matter. We all have questions that we would like to ask if we had the chance. The Alpha Course is a wonderful opportunity for anyone to learn, ask, and share. If you can think of friends or family that would like to explore the Christian faith please encourage them to come to the Alpha Invitation (see below.) The upcoming Alpha Course begins on Wednesday September 29 in the Great Hall. It will run for 10 weeks every Wednesday evening from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (you can register even you are unable to commit to all 10 weeks). To register go to www.nationalchurch.org. Alpha Invitation - Invite Others! We are also hosting a special event for people to learn more about the Alpha Course. You are welcome to join us and we hope you will invite friends along as well. It’s called the Alpha Invitation and will be held at Metropolitan Memorial at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 9. We will have something to eat and drink, plus a short talk to give everyone a taste for the Alpha Course. To register go to www.nationalchurch.org.
Service and Advocacy
Homelessness Awareness Activities Help the Homeless Walk at Metropolitan Memorial, Sunday October 17 Mark your calendars now and plan to participate in this year’s Help the Homeless walk on Sunday, October 17. This walk is the principal source of funding for Metropolitan’s homeless shelter ministry. Last year’s walk raised almost $14,000 dollars! Metropolitan’s Help the Homeless Walk is part of the Fannie Mae Foundation’s region-wide fundraising Initiative which has raised more than $80 million since 1988 to support organizations serving the homeless. There will be two start times: 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. So you can walk after either church service. The registration fee is $15 for young people (25 and under) and $25 for adults. Persons of all ages are encouraged to take part. Sunday School students will participate with their classes during Sunday School hour. The Mann School Track will be used by the youngest children and anyone else who prefers a shorter walk. There will be a three-quarters mile course through the neighborhood for those who prefer a longer route. The more people who walk, the more Metropolitan House benefits! Not only do individual registrations directly benefit Metropolitan House, we receive bonus funds from the Fannie Mae Foundation based on the number of people who participate. Sponsors are needed. You can make it possible for American University Students, Metropolitan Nursery School students, and other young people to walk on behalf of Metropolitan House by providing sponsorship checks. Simply write a check made out to “Help the Homeless” for $15 dollars or more and mail it to the church office (3401 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016.) Metropolitan’s “Help the Homeless Walk” is held in memory of Tyler Christian Rusch, a young member of the church who was killed in an automobile accident in 2003. Tyler was a frequent volunteer at Metropolitan House shelter for the homeless.
Downtown Congregations Host Special Events on Homelessness October 23 & 24 Summit on the Needs of Homeless Children in DC. Saturday, October 23 at Mount Vernon UMC. There will be a city-wide gathering of leaders at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church to discuss the needs of homeless schoolaged children in the District. The effort is a collaboration of Wesley Theological Seminary, the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, and a number of DC nonprofits and government agencies. The event is from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. For more information contact Adam Briddell at adambriddell@hotmail.com. Can We End Homelessness Sunday, October 24 at Foundry UMC. Rosanne Haggarty, President of Common Ground, Inc., will be the guest preacher at Foundry UMC’s three Sunday services (9:30 a.m., 11 p.m., & 5:30 p.m.) on October 24. She will also be involved in a series of afternoon workshops on national and local strategies for ending homelessness. Workshop speakers include Neil Donovan of the National Coalition for the Homeless; John Driscoll of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans; Laura Zeilinger of DC’s Department of Human Services; Bishop John Schol; Jean-Michel Giraud of the Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place; Rev. Joe Daniels of Emory United Methodist Church and the Washington Interfaith Network; and David Pirtle from the Speakers’ Bureau of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Foundry UMC is at 1500 16th Street, NW.
Jackson Caesar Benefit Concert “The Song Giver” November 17, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m., Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St. NW) Our very own Jackson Caesar presents an unforgettable intimate night of Smooth Jazz in a one man concert with a live band. This is a benefit concert during the week of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 14 - 20).
Metropolitan House Resumes Operation October 20 – Donate Meals or Volunteer Time: As the cold-weather season approaches, Metropolitan Memorial will open the Metropolitan House shelter for Tickets are $25/person and 20% of the proceeds go towards UPLIFT Community Foundation, Inc., men on October 20. Metro House runs on volunteer power! You can The www.upliftfoundation.org 202.785.0022. help by donating a meal (contact Kent Weaver, kenthweaver@gmail.com) or volunteering on the weekends (contact Pat House at phouse@mmumc-dc.org).
Volunteers Needed to Make a Difference in Appalachia The Metropolitan Volunteers in Mission group is planning an adult weekend with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) to repair homes of families who are in serious need of help. The trip to the ASP year-round center in Jonesville, Virginia is scheduled for the weekend of October 28 - 31. No construction experience is needed, just a willingness to work hard. We will leave early on the morning of Thursday, October 28, work on homes Friday and Saturday, and return on Sunday, October 31. The reservation covers two groups of 12 to 14 people. There will be two preparatory meetings on September 19 and October 17 after the 11:15 a.m. service. The cost is $145/person. Join us and experience what generations of Metropolitan youth have come to love and appreciate about ASP. To volunteer or request more information, contact Ned Bachman, 703.212.9045 or nedbachman@comcast.net.
Campus Ministries While we as a congregation are just beginning our fall schedule, the AU students have been working hard the past four weeks. We encourage you to welcome students this fall as we offer many avenues of interaction, including the Glean for the City Event as well as a mentoring program designed to help students connect with members of our congregation. You’ll also see the students more often as we launch a mentoring program between the youth and the students in an effort to prepare some of our older students for the challenges of college that await in the coming years. So, keep us in your prayers and please feel welcome to join us anytime on campus and in the campus ministry office (Terrace Room).
Sunday Morning Gathering at 10:10 a.m. ”The Phoenix Affirmations” An exploration of the book published in 2006 by Eric Elnes, UCC pastor in Scottsdale, AZ is our focus this fall. Stop by to read the short chapters anytime during the week and join us on the weekends! Discussion is lively and covers many different areas. Questions? Visit http://www.tcpc.org/library/article.cfm?library_id=586 or contact Cody Nielsen, j.cody.nielsen@gmail.com.
Graduate Student? Nontraditional Student? Over the summer, a group of graduate and non-traditional students from AU and Georgetown began participating in a weekly dinner and bible study. This fall, we are working on growing and solidifying this group. If you are a graduate student or a nontraditional student you are welcome to join us. Our gatherings are still in transition, but we would love to hear from you! Questions? Contact Cody Nielsen, j.cody.nielsen@gmail.com or 319.759. 9688.
Glean (v ) 1: to gather (grain or the like) after the reapers or regular gatherers. The AU Outreach committee is sponsoring a day of service for the combined congregations of the Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish and American University. We invite you to spend a day harvesting produce for Bread for the City’s Glean for the City project. How does the gleaning project work? After the commercial harvest, regional farmers donate the surplus produce left in their fields to Bread for the City. Volunteers spend a morning picking that produce and Bread is then able to provide fresh produce along with the groceries they hand out to more than 10,000 needy mothers, children, senior citizens, and disabled individuals every month.
Our group will be gleaning broccoli from the Parker Farm in Colonial Beach, VA. The van(s) will leave the MMUMC parking lot at 7:30 a.m. We’ll pick for approximately 2 hours. In that short time, each person can pick enough broccoli for 90 people. We’ll stop for a quick lunch on the way back and return to DC around 1:30 p.m. All are invited to join us. Pickers under the age of 12 must have an adult buddy. If you’d like to participate contact Angela Gildner, angelacgildner@verizon.net or 240.460.2108 for more information or to reserve your place today. To learn more, visit breadforthecity.org.
Youth Connection! We’re gearing up for youth group this fall semester, and we are in the midst of scheduling and planning our different welcome activities for the month of September. We are excited to welcome Emily Bagwell as our new Associate Director of Youth Ministries. She brings a lot of energy, enthusiasm and new ideas to our ministry. We hope you will join us on Sunday, September 12 for our youth kickoff, which will be at 7 p.m. in the youth room at Metropolitan. Please look for a welcome packet that will be coming in the mail very soon. This has the fall calendar as well as ways you can plug into Metropolitan. Please take a look at the calendars and plug those dates into your family calendars! There are a couple of changes as we start this fall. The first change is that our youth group will expand to include 6th graders. The second is that Sunday evening youth group time will meet on Sunday evenings from 6:30-8:00 PM on Sundays (meeting at Metropolitan). Our Sunday morning gatherings will continue at 10:10 AM in room 206. We will gather as a larger group and then break off into junior high and senior high groups. You can keep up with the youth group through our website at www.nationalchurch.org or the blog at www.metropolitanyouth.blogspot.com or Facebook (Metropolitan Youth page).
Important dates: September 12, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Fall kick-off at Metropolitan September 19, (TBD) Pool party at Dr. Parker’s house September 26, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Youth Connection (serving dinner and worshiping with American University Methodist group) October 10, 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Youth Sunday (Youth will be leading worship) October 15-17 Family camp at Camp Manidokan
Welcome Emily Bagwell! Hi! My name is Emily Bagwell and I am thrilled to be joining the staff of such a wonderful community at Metropolitan as Associate Director of Youth Ministries. I grew up in South Georgia and attended Berry College in Rome, Ga gaining a Psychology Degree and Religion minor. My volunteering with youth ministry throughout college led to my hiring as Director of Youth Ministries for an interim time after college before I moved to Eleuthera, Bahamas. There I served as Long Term Mission Volunteer and Camp Director for a year and a half before beginning my seminary studies at Wesley Theological Seminary here in Washington, DC this past year. I am so excited to be ministering with the Metropolitan church family as I participate with and help lead the Youth Program in this community.
Sunday Mornings for Children What Does a Typical Sunday at Metropolitan Look Like for My Child? Children are an integral part of our Sunday mornings and are invited to participate in worship services, choir, Sunday school and all other aspects of our worship experience. 9 a.m. Contemporary Worship Service – Children are welcome to attend our first worship service of the morning. About 15 minutes into the service, children are invited to sit at the altar for the children’s sermon, which includes a short spiritual story or bible lesson. ·Following the children’s sermon, children may return to their seats, go to the nursery if they are three years old or younger, or join one of our children’s choirs. ·The Cherub Choir is for children age 4 through second grade and meets in the choir room on the first floor. The Morningstar Choir is for children in third grade through sixth grade and meets in the music office on the first floor. Both choirs rehearse and sing until 10:00 each Sunday. 11:15 a.m. Traditional Worship Service – This traditional service is also child-friendly. About 15 minutes into the service, children are invited to sit at the altar for the children’s sermon, which includes a short spiritual story or bible lesson. ·We welcome children to return to sit with their parents for the remainder of the worship service or go to the nursery if they are five years old or younger. 10:10 a.m. Sunday School – We offer Sunday School classes for children eighteen months through fifth grade. Yes, that’s right; our Sunday school starts as young as eighteen months! Our two youngest classes follow the Early Christian Awareness (ECA) curriculum and our other five classes follow the Godly Play and Young Children in Worship curriculum. Metropolitan has a special program on Sunday mornings for toddlers. Early Christian Awareness (ECA) is a curriculum that embraces the idea that even our littlest children can benefit and grow from a special program designed to teach them about God’s love. Teachers of ECA use song, finger play and materials that the children can touch to convey God’s love. Through this program, children become aware of their importance as children of God, their relationship to others and God-created beauty of the world.
Changes in the Education Wing Take Flight Over the summer, there was a major overhaul of the church nursery in Room 100. The floor was replaced, the walls painted, and cubbies moved. Families will notice bright new wall hangings and toys. Metropolitan Nursery School has expanded this year so Room 100 will be a nursery school classroom during the week and then shift to a nursery on Sunday mornings. The new nursery debuts Sept. 12. Please come check it out. In addition, our Children’s Library has been revamped. Old, outdated books have been culled and the ones that remain are being re-categorized. In addition, the Nursery School has shelved its books in the library, so that everyone can share. Take a few moments on Sunday morning to spend time with your children in our new library space.
Childcare is provided throughout the morning (8:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.) for infants to pre-walkers in room 100 and walkers to 3 year olds in room 102. We also offer childcare during the 11:15 a.m. worship service for children younger than 6 in Room 102.
•ECA for children 18 to 36 months is in Room 102. Godly Play attends to the spiritual development of children, seeking to help children know and experience God rather than simply knowing things about God. The curriculum centers in the sharing of Biblical stories and the patterns of worship and liturgy. Godly Play calls forth the child’s response to God, encouraging a sense of awe and wonder in the presence of the Holy. It cultivates reverence for sacred space and respect for one another. It assists the child in the art of using religious language to help interpret what happens in their daily life. As part of our middle school transition sixth graders can choose between joining the Young Disciples Sunday School class or the Youth program in room 204. •Little Wonders- 3 and 4 year olds (Room 101) •Godly Players- children enrolled in pre-K and Kindergarten (Rm. 202) •Joyful Spirits- 1st and 2nd grade (Room 200) •Bible Explorers- 3rd and 4th grade (Room 201) •Young Disciples- 5th grade (Room 203)
Metropolitan Weekday Nursery School The Nursery School has provided quality children’s programs since 1966 for the children of the church and the community. Metropolitan’s founding philosophy is that young children thrive best in a small, family oriented and nurturing environment.Our preschool program is open to children ages two through five. For more information contact Linda Smith, Director, 202.362.8746 or lsmith@mmumc-dc.org. Come to Our Open House! Our Open House dates are October 20, November 18, December 9 and January 13. Each Open House is from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Great Hall. Admission for new families for the 2011-12 school year begins on February 1!
Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) Congregational Feedback Each fall the Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC), together with with your feedback concerning any pastor or staff. Our policy the Senior Pastor and other clergy, evaluates the performance of the with regard to confidentiality is the following: SPRC will not Senior Pastor, Associate Pastors, and church staff. Our pastors, staff, consider any unsigned letters. We will, however, respect and and SPRC welcome feedback from the congregation as part of this agree to requests for confidentiality, if a member of the conprocess. gregation fears embarrassment or retaliation. We encourage an open dialogue as the most constructive way to address At the end of this process, as required by our Conference, SPRC issues of concern, and our goal is to achieve that type of diamakes a recommendation to the Bishop as to whether each pastor logue whenever possible. should be reappointed. The Bishop considers the recommendation, along with other factors, in deciding whether to reappoint a pastor. Please contact SPRC by October 1 if you wish to have your comments concerning any clergy or staff considered as part We encourage members of the congregation to provide feedback of this year’s evaluation process. Members of the SPRC are directly to our pastors and staff throughout the year. We also want John Long (Chair), Phyllis Kokus, Eugenia Evans, Barbara to invite members of the congregation to write to the Chair of SPRC, Tate, Leigh Rollins, Eric Imperial, Bill Roach, Kris Oberdick, in care of Metropolitan Memorial (there is a separate SPRC “box” in Ina Morgan (Wesley UMC), and Shirley Barnes (Wesley UMC). the mail room), or write to or talk with any member of the SPRC
Our Mission Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites others into a deepening relationship with God and challenges them to grow as disciples for the transformation of the world.
Our Vision Extending radical hospitality, transforming lives, and pursuing justice.
Reconciling Statement Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church affirms that all individuals are of sacred worth without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, education, marital circumstances, economic status, physical and mental condition, or criminal history. We declare ourselves in support of the reconciling movement and welcome the full participation in the church of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered persons and their families, as a reflection of God’s unconditional love. At the same time, we recognize differences of opinion on issues of sexuality and seek to journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect.
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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF - 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW, DC - 202.363.4900 - www.nationalchurch.org Pastoral Emergency Number - 202.510.8555 Please contact the church office for a complete listing of staff contact information.
THE MESSENGER is published by: The Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish Metropolitan Memorial, St. Luke’s, and Wesley United Methodist Churches Metropolitan Memorial - 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20016 Tel: 202.363.4900 Fax: 202.686.2056 E-Mail: jclouser@mmumc-dc.org website: http://www.nationalchurch.org St. Luke’s Campus - 3655 Calvert Street N.W., Washington, DC 20007 Wesley United Methodist Church - 5312 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20015 NEXT ISSUE: October 8, 2010
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