October 2018 Messenger

October 2018 Volume 29, No. 6 nationalchurch.org

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messenger

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October Worship Series at the Metropolitan Memorial campus October 2-28, 2018:

EXODUS Disobedience Courage Triumphs Challenge November Worship Series at the Metropolitan Memorial campus:

Tyler Rusch Help the Homeless Walk Sunday, October 21, two sessions: 10:00 AM and Noon At Metropolitan Memorial campus & neighborhood

NUMC hosts the annual Help the Homeless Walk which, over the years, has raised more than $300,000 to support our transitional housing ministries. The event is held in honor of Tyler Rusch, an 18-year-old parishioner and a dedicated Metropolitan House volunteer, who died in a tragic automobile accident in 2003.

There will be two start times: 10:00 AM and Noon, so you can walk after any of NUMC’s worship services. The registration fee is $25 for adults and $15 for people under 25 years of age. Registration will be on the Newark Street side of Metropolitan Memorial, outside the office foyer. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lighting the Way Forward November 4:

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

A Vision of Inclusivity November 11: STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY

A Vision of Service November 18: COMMITMENT SUNDAY

A Vision of Generosity November 25: THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

A Vision of Thanksgiving

UMW Annual Bazaar Saturday, November 3, 2018, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM The ground level of Metropolitan Memorial, including the Vestry, the Music Room, the Christie Room, and surrounding hallways An annual event that the community looks forward to all year, this year's proceeds will benefit projects supporting the welfare of women and children locally, nationally, and internationally.

Join us to find many interesting, gently-used items for sale: china and other collectibles, attic treasures, kitchen boutique, fashion mania, Christmas shop, jewelry, hand-made specialties, children's toys and games, and baked goods.

The deadline for donations is Sunday, October 21.

Notes from the Metropolitan Nursery School (MNS) MNS is excited to host events during the school-year that are open to the general public or specifically to the wider NUMC community. There are a few ways we will communicate these events with you. When possible, we will post upcoming events in the Messenger. We will also communicate these events on our Parent Education Program and Community Events page on the MNS website. When available, you will also find event flyers with additional details on the Nursery School bulletin board just outside the sanctuary doors in our Nursery School hallway.

Save the Dates: The Nursery School will be hosting several events this Fall that will be open to the wider NUMC community: • A Trunk-or-Treat on October 26, starting at 4:00 PM. • On November 7th we will be hosting a blood drive in honor of Christian Broder (the late husband of one of our nursery school teachers).

• On November 8th we will be holding the first of our speaker series for this school year, Dr. Steve Silvestro, who will talk about Mindfulness when Parenting Young Children.

More details about all of these events and how to RSVP will always be shared on our Parent Education Program and Community Events page as we get closer to each date.

We look forward to sharing these and other events with members of our broader community!

Kristen Maxson Director Metropolitan Nursery School

Prayer Shawl Ministry Third Sunday of each month at 12:15 PM in Metropolitan Memorial’s Parlor Compassion and the love of knitting/crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry and spiritual practice which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. Many blessings are prayed into each stitch. Come and enjoy a time of fellowship, ministry, and fun! If you are interested in joining, please contact Barbara Tate, at bdtate1932@gmail.com.

The Stephen Ministry Christ Caring for People Through People For many years, NUMC has been blessed with an active Stephen Ministry: lay-people from our church who have been trained to provide one-on-one, Christ-centered and confidential care for those who are hurting or in crisis.

To learn more about a confidential and caring relationship with a trained Stephen Minister, or about joining the Stephen Ministry team, contact Rev. Frances Stewart (pictured above, right) at (202) 363-4900, or by email at fstewart@nationalchurch.org; or Rob Hartmann (pictured above, left, at his commissioning ceremony as a Stephen Leader) at (301) 9286988, or by email at rhartmann6948@gmail.com. _________________________________________________________________

Want to do something about food waste and hunger on your own schedule?

Our Campus Kitchen program has partnered with an agency solving one of the biggest barriers to food donation: transportation. Food Rescue US enlists volunteers who use their own cars to transfer excess food from businesses that have too much to agencies serving people with too little, such as Campus Kitchen DC at St. Luke's Mission Center.

Food Rescue US has designated Campus Kitchen several pick-ups weekly at Horace Mann school, located just across the street from Metropolitan Memorial, and Palantir Technologies in Georgetown, a 15 minute drive to St. Luke's.

Volunteers can help out occasionally or weekly. Here's how you do it.

Download the Food Rescue US app, select food runs that fit your schedule, recover the food, and bring it to Campus Kitchen. The whole process usually takes less than an hour and it's extremely rewarding.

In just over a year, Food Rescue US volunteers have transported half a million pounds of food to neighbors experiencing food insecurity, keeping it out of landfills.

This City Paper article has more information as does this ABC News piece. You can find the app at www.foodrescue.us or contact kate@foodrescue.us for more information; or contact Anita Seline at amseline@aol.com.

Coming Together in Thanks

A Community Dinner for New Arrivals

By Caralee Adams

Silence the Violence Concert a Success!

Proceeds from the Silence the Violence Concert on September 29, to benefit The TraRon Center have reached ~$10,770!

An estimated crowd of 200 enjoyed a spirited concert, a moving presentation by Ryane Nickens, and a mass choral finale performance of Let There Be Peace on Earth with 125+ performers overflowing NUMC’s chancel! It was an inspirational evening!

Appearing at the Stop the Violence Concert are: Boy & Girl Choristers of the Washington National Cathedral Choir (above); Ryane Nickens, founder of The TraRon Center (near right); and NUMC’s Men’s Ensemble (shown far right, at their recent performance at Nat’s Stadium, singing “God Bless America.”)

National UMC will be hosting a dinner for clients and families of the Asylum Seekers Assistance Project (ASAP) on Saturday, November 10, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM, at Fellowship Hall on NUMC’s Wesley Campus (5312 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20015). As new arrivals from around the world seek safety and a new life in DC, this is a chance for our congregation to welcome them into our community.

There will be traditional American holiday food – and Ethiopian cuisine – served as we share a time of cross-cultural exchange at this family-friendly event. We invite NUMC members to bring favorite desserts to share.

Activity tables will be set up for children, and adults will have an opportunity to network with asylum seekers. Clients are mostly professionals – journalists, accountants and engineers – in need of help navigating the local job market.

Please join us for this “Coming Together in Thanks” event. If you’d like to learn more, contact Caralee Adams at Caralee.Adams@verizon.net; or go to Sign Up Genius to volunteer or RSVP at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4bada62ba02-coming If you’d like to help with resumes or mock interviews, or meet some of the ASAP clients this month, volunteers are needed for their job readiness training Monday through Friday afternoons, October 22-26. To sign up, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5LodrpKAN4dOqCKNfUHsItGBp wkOmge_kKtreZN6cqMG4FA/viewform Thanks for considering doing what you can in our efforts to assist with our immigration ministry and show compassion to our new neighbors from around the world. For more information about ASAP, visit: www.asylumprojectdc.org

Adult Sunday School

Metropolitan Book Club Third Monday of each month at 7:30 PM Next meeting: November 19 Metropolitan Memorial’s Parlor

Metropolitan Memorial Campus 10:05-10:55 AM

In the Biblical Sense Metropolitan Memorial’s Library

Where do you turn in the Bible for inspiration? We are exploring a number of familiar (and perhaps not so familiar) passages from the Bible.

Visitors are encouraged to join us. For more information, contact Bob Olson at robob675@gmail.com.

All readers are invited for a discussion of current fiction and non-fiction. The next selection up for discussion is Isaac’s Storm: The 1900 Storm That Hit Galveston, Texas, by Erik Larson. For more information, please contact Suzanne Clewell at reader1021@aol.com, or Joan Topalian at topajoan62045@gmail.com.

Questions of Faith

Community Dinner In Metropolitan Memorial’s Vestry, Wednesday evenings, 6:00-7:00 PM $8 per person, students pay what you can Classes Locations to be announced each Wednesday evening, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Metropolitan Memorial’s Conference Room

This group addresses issues of personal faith development and current trends in Christian thought, as well as social and ethical issues in light of the Christian faith. We are currently discussing “Thinking About Religion and Violence.”

For more information, contact Diane Moody at

Food for Thought

October 24: November 7 and 14:

The Exodus in Film (a.k.a. Moses Movies!)

Vietnam Then and Now Reflections on Military Service and Ministry with Rev. Mike Chamberlain

billanddianemoody@comcast.net.

Science and Religion Metropolitan Memorial’s Parlor

This class involves vigorous dialogue on matters of faith and contemporary thought. For more information, contact Maynard Moore at emaynard8@yahoo.com.

Inspired Parenting

Metropolitan Memorial’s Great Hall

Open to parents with children of all ages, this class is a safe space to share the week's parenting challenges and joys.

It is a great place to find advice, feel affirmed, and become connected with other parents in our church community. We meet at a corner table during coffee hour, and everyone is welcome! For more information, contact Elizabeth Burks at elizabeth.burks@gmail.com

Bible Study: Invitation to the Old Testament

In Metropolitan Memorial’s Christie Room, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM September 27 – November 15 Led by Rev. Janet Craswell; for more information or to register, go to: www.nationalchurch.org/biblestudy.

Wesley Campus Study

In the Wesley Campus’ Art Room, 7:30-8:30 PM September 20 – November 8: Christ on the Psych Ward: The Church, the Bible, and Mental Health

Support Our Campus Ministry Since 2008, NUMC has been engaged in ministry across Nebraska Avenue with students at American University. A volunteer team works in cooperation with the Methodist Chaplaincy to extend hospitality to AU students.

Participate in Monthly Dinners Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve monthly dinners following student worship at Kay Spiritual Life Center on campus at AU. Even if you can only volunteer for one dinner a year, your help is greatly appreciated!

Adopt-a-Student Students are often far from home and tired of dining hall food. Adopting a student is a wonderful way to support them away from home. Have a student over for a homecooked meal and get to know some of our amazingly insightful and intelligent neighbors across Nebraska Avenue.

Donate A portion of tithes and offerings to NUMC goes to supporting campus ministry efforts including staffing, curriculum, supplies, and more. Other donations, like food for the lounge or monthly meals, are always needed. For more information on what and how to donate, contact campusministry@nationalc hurch.org.

There is always a need for more volunteers; contact campusministry@nationalc hurch.org to find out how you can help.

The Way Forward

Of Meetings, Money, Miles, and Hotels

By Ellen Bachman

MEETINGS In only 4 months, the special session of the United Methodist Church General Conference will open in St. Louis, Missouri, to consider recommendations for a Way Forward for our denomination. For many, the results at that conference will influence their decisions as to whether they will remain in the United Methodist Church, seek a new church home, or abandon church altogether. If you haven’t been able to attend one of the educational sessions already held at National UMC, you can find information and the plans being considered at the BWC website: http://www.bwcumc.org/resources/commission-on-a-wayforward/ Or, you could attend the next meeting of Baltimore Washington Area Reconciling Methodists (BWARM), to be held on Saturday, November 10, at Bells United Methodist Church in Suitland, Maryland.

Or, you could consider attending the General Conference Session February 23-26, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri. The Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) and the Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC) are encouraging clergy and lay people to attend as volunteers and witnesses. Their goal is to pack the gallery with hundreds of United Methodists wearing their Rainbow Stoles. We hope that we can have 4-6 NUMC folks in that cloud of witnesses.

MONEY NUMC’s Reconciling Ministry budget funds our guest preacher for Reconciling Sunday, our participation in DC’s Pride Parade, and our contributions to BWARM and the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). Additional support for the work of RMN helps promote understanding of the issues, especially in areas where the options are not being discussed.

You can become a Reconciling United Methodist (a RUM) or make a financial donation at https://rmnetwork.org.

Or, perhaps you could make a financial contribution to National UMC to assist others in our community in travelling to St. Louis on our behalf. The estimated cost for participation as a witness is about $1,200, including airfare, hotel, and meals, for 5 nights.

MILES and HOTELS Similarly, if you are a frequent traveler, your donation of frequent flier miles or hotel credits might make the difference for a volunteer from National UMC to be able to make the trip.

MORE INFORMATION NEEDED? Please contact Ellen Bachman at ellenbachman@comcast.net or Kerm Towler at flautobasso@yahoo.com

NUMC ARTS COUNCIL

Jazz at Wesley

Art Exhibit Exploration of Beauty and Light: Impressionistic Oil Paintings

by Janet Raesly through November 11

Metropolitan Memorial’s Great Hall Exhibition hours: M-F, 9 AM – 5 PM

Call (202) 363-4900 for entry during the week Third Annual Fall Square

A Message from United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Dance:

Pie, Popcorn, and Promenade Your Partner!

Friday, October 19, 7:00 – 9:00 PM Metropolitan Memorial’s Vestry

$10 per person; $5 for students with ID $20 maximum for families

Come as you are, but your cowboy boots, hats, and square dancing togs always add to the fun!

Five Things You Can Do for Disaster Response Pray for those whose lives have been impacted by these disasters.

Please also pray for Early Response Teams, disaster coordinators, and the many volunteers who are working tirelessly to provide relief.

Make relief kits. Download the packing lists and shipping label at umcor.org/UMCOR/Relief-Supplies Give to UMCOR’s relief and recovery efforts at umcor.org/donate U.S. Disaster Relief: Advance #901670 International Disaster Relief: Advance #982450 Undesignated: Advance #999895 Donate requested items only. To keep relief supplies in stock, give to Material Resources: Advance #901440, at umcor.org/donate Please wait for an invitation to volunteer.

National’s Food Ministries

By Cynthia Pugh

Grate Patrol

For eight years, our congregation has supported the Salvation Army's Grate Patrol program, which uses a van to distribute meals and other essentials to the homeless throughout DC. Our volunteers deliver Campus Kitchen DC meals as well as sandwiches and lunches prepared after both the Metropolitan Memorial and Wesley services one Sunday each month. We conduct our activities on the first Sunday of each month and the last Sunday and Monday of the month.

Those interested in volunteering should search service@nationalchurch.org on signup genius.

Shelter Meals

We celebrate that Metropolitan House and St. Luke’s House shelters are both fully occupied, with three women residing at Metro House and six men at St. Luke’s. Both shelters are running smoothly.

In addition to the Campus Kitchen meals that the shelter residents receive weekly, we ask our congregations to help provide weekend dinners. Our immediate need is for Saturday dinners at St. Luke's; volunteer slots for Sunday dinners at either shelter are available for October.

Further information can be found by searching service@nationalchurch.org on signup genius.

If you love food, love to cook, or appreciate that no one in our city should go hungry, there are a variety of ways to support our food ministries. Find all the details you need and when to sign up by searching service@nationalchurch.org on signup genius. This new sign up system is different than the former service calendar on the church website. If you have any questions or have trouble signing up, please contact the co-chairs of the Service Team, Cynthia Pugh or Anita Seline. The need is great and there are many ways to help out. Thank you.

Campus Kitchen DC

The Service Team resumed direct supervision and administration of our Campus Kitchen DC program June 1, which had been operated by a contractor for the past several months. We have immediately re-built relationships with MOM’s Organic Markets and farmers’ markets across the region to recover food that would otherwise go to waste. Through relationships of members of our congregation, Campus Kitchen also tapped into Food Rescue US, which pairs food donors with recipients (see article on page 2). In July, we welcomed Clynt Hyson as a part-time driver to help bolster the volunteer ranks with these large food recoveries.

Several times a week, volunteers – or our driver – pick up fresh produce and other food donated by MOM’s, farmers markets, and local community gardens and deliver it to our Campus Kitchen facility at St. Luke’s Mission Center. There, National UMC’s own Master Chef Anthony Mickens works with teams of volunteers to create delicious, healthy, and appealing meals of several courses from food otherwise destined for landfills. Three times per week, more volunteers deliver hundreds of Campus Kitchen meals to Mt. Vernon UMC, Community UMC, and Hughes Memorial UMC located in parts of our city where hunger is a daily issue for many. Once a month, CKDC also delivers to Douglas Memorial in DC and to St. Paul’s in Kensington. All of these churches host community meals, free for all who are hungry, serving our Campus Kitchen meals. They also have food pantries that our program has helped stock with fresh vegetables recovered by our volunteers.

There are several ways to help with this ministry: • Volunteer to help Chef Anthony in the kitchen on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, or on Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Chef Anthony will be ready with clear instructions for even kitchen novices!

• Sign up with Food Rescue US and help bring excess food from local schools such as Horace Mann Elementary School, to Campus Kitchen.

• Help deliver Campus Kitchen meals on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays. You can drive yourself or help another volunteer driver to carry the food and share the conversation. For further information, search service@nationalchurch.org on signup genius.

Don’t Forget! Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 4.

Remember to set your clocks BACK one hour.

Save the Date!

Metro Players Fall Production: Over the River and Through the Woods

Metro Players, NUMC’s acting troupe, has been presenting theatrical productions for over 30 years. Their Fall Production

by Joe DiPietro may mislead and surprise you. The cute name…Over the River and Through the Woods…provides the cover for a smart and witty comedy delivering dramatic depths as it tells the story of how family generations can see things differently as life brings its inevitable changes.

Mark your Calendar now to attend this production presented in Metropolitan Memorial’s Vestry Stage: • Friday, November 16 at 8:00 PM • Saturday, November 17 at 5:00 PM • Sunday, November 18 at 2:00 PM Follow Metro Players on Facebook to keep up with latest activities and find out more about this production.

Watch for the next issue to be released on November 9th to learn about NUMC’s plans for the upcoming holidays!

Deadline for submission of articles or photos is Friday, November 2.

National United Methodist Church 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW | Washington, DC 20016 202.363.4900 NUMC consists of three campuses: 1: Metropolitan Memorial Campus 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 Location of Metro House Shelter 2: Wesley Campus 5312 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015 3: St. Luke’s Mission Center 3655 Calvert Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Location of St. Luke’s House Shelter, Campus Kitchen of DC, and Shalom Place Retreat Center For a complete listing of our ministerial and administrative staff, please visit our web site:

www.nationalchurch.org Third Quarter 2018 Financial Statements In the past few days, National United Methodist Church's financial director, Pam Murdoch, has prepared and mailed the Third Quarter financial statements for 2018. Please watch for this mailing and, when you have had an opportunity to do so, review it in the event that any changes or corrections need to be made. If you have any questions, Pam may be reached at finances@nationalchurch.org.