A word from John, July 4th Parade, and small groups: Weekly Updates from CC+WP

June 23, 2024 | Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

A word from John+

Christ Church started gathering for worship during the presidency of George Washington. The first presidential election that Christ Church prayed through was that of John Adams. The person that lost that election, Thomas Jefferson, was known to attend Christ Church. I take great comfort in the fact that the walls of our church are saturated with generations of prayers for our country and our world. Christ Church existed long before any of us in this room arrived and will continue long after the last one of us departs.

The 2024 iteration of Christ Church is a busy place. There are a lot of activities that go on here week in and week out. Since the very beginning, however, Christ Church has really been about one single thing: helping as many people as possible find a deeper connection to God. We are a sacred space of prayer and worship. That’s our foundation. As the current stewards of Christ Church, one of our responsibilities is to welcome others into our holy space so that they can be transformed by it, just as we and many other generations have been transformed by it. In this constantly changing and often adversarial world in which we live, I am grateful that places like Christ Church exist and invite people of all stripes to gather around the same table. Our world is in desperate need of places like this. Each of our lives are in desperate need of places like this.

One of the goals of our Vestry is to enhance the way that we welcome people to Christ Church. I am sincerely grateful for your help raising money to support this work at our St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser. You may have already noticed some rearranged furniture in the narthex (front entryway) and choir area. In the coming weeks, more substantial work will begin as we paint the front hallway and side entryway and install new magnetic boards for name tags and announcements. Please pardon our dust! And thank you for being flexible and respectful as we work to make our entryways feel like holy space, while also aligning our common spaces with the purposes they need to serve.

Someone recently asked me why any of this matters? I truly believe that there is not a political rally or club or soccer team or scout troop that does what it is that we try to do. People are desperate for it. We believe that the message we have to share is capable of transforming people’s lives for the better. Let us together prioritize welcoming people into our hallowed space, so that we can walk together towards a deeper relationship with God.

Join us this Sunday!

Sunday Morning Worship

Join us at 9 a.m. or 11 a.m.* this Sunday in our historic sanctuary to worship in community. We hope to see you at whatever service fits your schedule this weekend.

*11 a.m. service also live-streamed. By entering the church at 11 a.m., you consent to being filmed, as well as its release as desired by CC+WP. More information linked below.

Additional worship information & livestream links here.

Children's Ministry

Nursery Care is available as usual from 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the nursery off of the parish hall, and Children's Chapel is on during the 9 a.m. service.

Community Prayer List

Add someone to our prayer list

CC+WP Events & Updates

News about church-led events & updates!

July 4th Parade + Lunch

We are continuing our now-annual tradition of marching in the Barracks Row July 4th Parade, and we'd love to have you alongside us! This fun community gathering is a great opportunity to get our name out in our neighborhood, while celebrating together. If you plan to join us, please let us know!

Immediately following our parade walk, we'll head to the church lawn for July's Grill + Chill (12-2 p.m.). As usual, we'll provide burgers, dogs, and brews; please bring a side, dessert, or drink to share. Water games are a near guarantee, so bring a suit for the littles!

Small Group planning time!

Beginning in September, we will launch a number of Small Groups built around certain affinities. Potential groups include: Fathers of Young Kids, LGBTQ+, Aging & Spirituality, Young Professionals, and those with Military Experience. Would you like to suggest another group? Interested in helping lead one? Please reach out to Winnie as soon as possible to ensure we have the best offerings!

Spam email alert

We have been made aware that John's email has been spammed. Please delete any emails that come from an address other than rector@washingtonparish.org. Thank you!

Passing of Peggy Farrow

We are sorry to share that parishioner Margaret (Peggy) Farrow passed away at home on June 11, after a battle with cancer. Further details about a service or memorial to come.

Outreach Partnerships

Help us help our neighbors through these outreach opportunities!

Through the end of August, all financial donations to the Outreach Fund will support Everyone Home DC.

Summer of Everyone Home DC!

Beginning this weekend, our outreach focus will shift towards longtime partner, Everyone Home DC. EHDC works tirelessly to support those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in our city. Our partnership this summer includes many prongs; we hope everyone can find a place to plug in!

Hydration Drive: Beginning this weekend, we will kick off our annual hydration drive for clients of Everyone Home DC's day center, located just a few blocks away from our church. Through the end of August, please drop off flats of water, sports drinks, or - new this year - electrolyte packets at the table in the parish hall. We're also looking for volunteers to take water from the church to the day center every Thursday around 12:30 p.m. Sign up here with a friend, and the Outreach Committee will be in touch with additional instructions.

Financial Support: All financial donations to the Outreach fund from June through August will support the work of Everyone Home DC. Specifically, these donations will fund EHDC's annual back-to-school drive, as well as any additional day center needs during these hot and dangerous months.

September Challenge: Earlier this year, the Outreach Committee donated $5,000 in support of EHDC's September Challenge - their largest annual fundraiser - making Christ Church one of the campaign's headlining donors. Giving large and early has helped EHDC attract similarly sized gifts from other local faith communities, which goes far in their ability to budget for the coming year.

Summer Day of Service: The committee is finalizing a date when our community can come together at the church to support the needs of the day center by packing hygiene kits or feminine care packages for delivery. Stay tuned!

Outreach Forum: We are also happy to share that leadership from EHDC has agreed to join us at a Forum later this summer to talk more about their work in our community, and ways we might be able to get more personally involved.

Don't worry - we don't expect you to remember all of this! We'll share updates and additional needs throughout the summer, but thank you in advance for finding a way (or two!) to support this great partner!

Community Fellowship Group Updates

Comprised of parishioners as well as other Capitol Hill neighbors, the below groups offer opportunities to engage with our neighbors around shared interests.

Friday Night Film Group

The movie group off June 21, but join us via Zoom on Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m. to discuss Forbidden Planet (1957), the classic Shakespearean sci-fi based on The Tempest, starring Leslie Nielsen in a rare dramatic role opposite Robby the Robot. Widely available, and free on Tubi and the Internet Archive. For more information contact Paul Laymon or Ellen Psychas.

Sermon Spotlight

"Jesus says that true growth begins from a place of humility, and then it happens step by step — almost invisibly — from the bottom up, from the inside out, from the soil to the sky." Hear Rev. John remind us of our responsibility to transform and grow, and become more of the self God has called us to be.

Past sermons are always on our website.

Sermon: The Rev. John Kellogg

June 16, 2024

Christ Church + Washington Parish

Washington, DC

Church Business Hours for Clergy & Staff: Sunday - Thursday, 8:30-3 or by appointment

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