The Church in DC

“How Do We Do Advent?” - Ecumenical Fellowship and Discussion at Howard Divinity School, 1400 Shepherd St. NE. Saturday, December 4, 11am-2pm. Lunch will be provided. The Student Board of the Washington Theological Consortium (aka the DC Area's graduate theological programs) invites you to a time of ecumenical sharing and discussion. The topic: Advent. How do we honor this sacred season within our Christian denominations? What Advent traditions do we bring from our churches, our cultures, and our families? What can we learn from one another? Come to listen, come to share.

This is awesome: Technology Playground and Florida Avenue Baptist Church are hosting a great opportunity for all children ages 8-12 to get to work with harmonica virtuoso Frederick Yonnet. Learn about playing the harmonica, an instrument that many have owned but few have mastered by an internationally renowned talent. This opportunity will not happen again in the District of Columbia. Event will take place on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at the Florida Avenue Baptist Church 623 Florida Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001 at 2:30pm - 3:30pm. The workshop is free but pre-registration is preferred. Call 202.667.3409 to register by phone or go to www.flavbc.org to download the a registration form.

When Nabal refused to feed David and his men in 1 Samuel 25, in spite of their help for him, the insult was all the greater because it occurred at a feast time, when landowners and the wealthy were under obligation to feed the poor. So with Nabal's fortunes in mind, we can think of these events as more than just opportunities to serve. In the words of  Capitol Hill Group Ministries , "Remember that your generosity means there are more families seated at the Thanksgiving table." Let there be much Thanksgiving! Care Company   is giving collections of food to families all over the city associated with a host of different local ministries.  There are three ways to help:   1) On November 20, help them package food and distribute it to homes around town.  Contact them at 202-594-9599. 2) Send a check for $40 to Care Company at 801 North Carolina Ave SE, DC 20003 , to enable them to buy enough food to add another. 3) Make your own Thanksgiving basket and get it to...

Editor's note: It is one of my long-term goals to write--or better yet, have someone more qualified write--a church history of Washington, D.C. (hopefully with a good chapter on the Washington ministry of  Alexander Crummell ).  Much like reading global church history, such a story no doubt would reveal us to be sinful and fallen, with prejudices and quirks that have changed over time. But it would also reveal the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's people in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. If you are that highly qualified writer, or if you happen to be interested in your own past, the Historical Society of Washington, DC has compiled a useful resource from which to start.   http://www.historydc.org/pdf/Religious_History_Resources.pdf Have fun!!

The NorthStar Church Network , an umbrella network for Baptist congregations in Northern Virginia with several regional offices, offers ways to help congregations with a popular and important way to welcome newcomers to the country, English language classes.  They offer several training options for teachers of English as a foreign language, including the classes below.  The trainings are open to all (not just Baptists, and not just from Virginia.   January 15, 2011 (snow date Jan 22) – Materials covered:  teaching a foreign language, planning an ESL lesson for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and introducing vocabulary April 16, 2011 – Materials covered:  teaching pronunciation, discussing communication practice activities, and introducing vocabulary July 16, 2011 – Materials covered:  dealing with different cultures, incorporating Biblical Material/teaching a Bible study for international learners, and sharing your faith ...

First Baptist Church will host a meeting of Prayer for the Poor at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 18. The church is located at 1328 Sixteenth Street, NW, just north of Mass Ave. All are invited to participate in this service of worship, praise and prayer, focusing on those living in poverty, locally and beyond. Sponsored by the Center for Church & Community Ministries of the D.C. Baptist Convention. For more information call the D.C. Baptist Convention at 202.265.1526.