KGullickson's blog

Join us for the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9. CHUMC, along with other DC Reconciling UMC congregations, will march in the parade.  We will meet at 24th and M St NW at 4:00 pm. Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water are a must. Please wear a purple shirt or a CHUMC "All are Welcome" t-shirt. For more information or to get a t-shirt, contact the church office (202-546-1000).

On Sunday, June 10 from 11 am to 6 pm, CHUMC, along with other Methodist churches, will sponsor a booth at the Pride Festival (food, live music, booths sponsored by a variety of community groups and businesses). Please stop by to say hello to our volunteers. Play the Duck Pond Game and win a prize!  If you would like to volunteer at the booth, please contact the church office.

Please mark your calendars and join us in December!  Consider a gift card for a loved one this Christmas!

Friday, Dec. 2, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm: Wrapping gifts is the task. Folks will gather in CHUMC's fellowship hall to wrap the presents for the Stocking Project. Food will be provided, and Christmas music will be playing. Stop by anytime; stay as long as you can.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 9:00 am until 2:00 pm: Stuffing 132 stockings and completing any wrapping of the gifts is in order for this day. We gather in the fellowship hall to complete the Stocking Project. Stop by anytime; stay as long as you can. Brunch will be provided, and the music will still be playing.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Each year, Capitol Hill United Methodist Church (CHUMC) wraps countless small gifts to stuff stockings for children in our community who would otherwise receive few gifts, if any, at Christmas. This year, 132 children will receive a personalized hand-sewn stocking filled with small gifts, toothbrushes, school supplies, games, and snacks. Capitol Hill Group Ministry (www.capitolhillgroupministry.org), whose administrative offices are in CHUMC, identifies specific children and delivers the handcrafted stockings to the children's parents before Christmas Eve.

In lieu of material gifts for those you love, support CHUMC's Annual Christmas Stocking Project. For a minimum donation of $40, you may donate a Christmas Stocking. The card describes the program and states "In the spirit of the season, a Christmas Stocking has been given in your name to a child in Washington, DC who would otherwise receive few gifts, if any, this Christmas." Cards will be available after November 1.

Cash donations to help fund the Stocking Project are always needed. To make a cash donation and/or receive a gift card for another person, just mark your gift "Stocking Project" and place it in the offering plate during Sunday service or mail it to Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, 421 Seward Square SE, Washington DC 20003. Include name, address and the phone number and the gift card will be mailed to you.

Reconciling Sunday is May 22

Worship Service
Join us for worship at 11:00 am. During worship, we will hear more about our history of reconciliation and how it has shaped our congregation. Sam Marullo, as well as lay members, will share their stories.

For the Bible Tells Me So screening
At 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 22, the CHUMC reconciling ministries team will show For the Bible Tells Me So, the award-winning documentary that tells how five ordinary Christian families have coped with the realization of having a gay child. Discussion will follow the movie. 

For the Bible Tells Me So Bible Study
Starting on Tuesday, May 24, you are invited to join in a six-week study and discussion of the film For the Bible Tells Me So. This study, published by Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX, is meant to generate a safe and comfortable atmosphere for small groups to have constructive conversation. We will view portions of the film at each meeting. Study material will be provided. The study starts at 7 pm 

In First Thessalonians, Paul reminds the early church in the city of Thessalonica, “to always seek to do good to one another and to all.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.”  It is in the spirit of growing our hearts, doing good to one another and deepening our relationship with God and others that we invite you to “grow” your prayer life during the season of Lent.

To celebrate the morning and the evening in prayer, you are invited to phone-in to pray each day during Lent – either at 7:00 am or 9:00 pm.  Using the free service – www.freeconferencecall.com – we will have a twice daily prayer time.  Anyone can dial-in from anywhere, listen and prayer along together.  Led by a church member, the time together will start by reading a psalm or bible verse, followed by prayer.  We anticipate the call should not last more than ten minutes.  The first prayer will be on Thursday, March 9 at 7:00 am.  If you would like to volunteer to lead a prayer, please contact Kirsten Gullickson. Instructions to lead the call will be provided to you.

Starting on Thursday, March 9 and each subsequent day in Lent, please join us in group prayer by following these instructions:
·         At 7:00 am or 9:00 pm, dial:  (712) 432-0800
·         Enter Access Code: 770739#
·         The leader will wait a minute or two before reading a psalm or bible verse, followed by prayer.
·         You may be prompted to announce your name.  If you join the call late, please do not announce your name.  Simply join the prayer.
·         As participants join or leave the call, the sound of a bell can be heard until the call leader turns the bell off.
 

• Palm Sunday Processional and Worship March 28, 11 am
• Reconciling Congregations Worship Celebration at Mt. Vernon Place UMC March 28, 4 pm
• Musical Monday Concert with David Kim March 29, 8 pm
• Capitol Hill Group Ministries Easter Party March 30, 7 pm
• Maundy Thursday: Reflection with The Lord’s Supper April 1, 7 pm
• Good Friday Noon Day Service: Stations of the Cross April 2, 12 pm
• Good Friday Evening Service: Seven Last Words at Ebenezer UMC 7 pm
• Easter Vigil: Join other Capitol Hill churches as we rejoice "He is Risen!” April 3, 8 pm
• Easter Morning Worship! April 4, 11 am
• Easter Feaster April 4, 12:30 pm

 
Dear church family,
 
In First Thessalonians, Paul reminds the early church in the city of Thessalonica, “to always seek to do good to one another and to all.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.”  It is in the spirit of growing our hearts, doing good to one another and deepening our relationship with God and others that we invite you to “grow” your prayer life during the season of Lent.

Lent runs from Ash Wednesday (February 17) to Easter Sunday (April 4).
 
Specifically, we invite you to participate in prayer in the following ways:

Group Prayer: To celebrate the morning and the evening in prayer, you are invited to phone-in to pray each day during Lent – either at 7:00 am or 9:00 pm.  Using the free service – www.freeconferencecall.com – we will have a twice daily prayer time.  Anyone can dial-in from anywhere, listen and prayer along together.  Led by a church member, the time together will start by reading a psalm or bible verse, followed by prayer.  We anticipate the call should not last more than ten minutes.  The first prayer will be on Thursday, February 18 at 7:00 am.  If you would like to volunteer to lead a prayer, please contact Kirsten Gullickson. Instructions to lead the call will be provided to you.

Extended Time in Prayer: As we know, the bible offers us examples of pray that occurred in great lengths of time.  Jesus spent whole nights praying.  Nehemiah prayed ‘certain days’ upon hearing of the plight of Jerusalem. Three times Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights alone with God.  To honor the tradition of extended prayer, we invite you to find an extended time in your schedule during Lent to prayer.  It may be one hour, four hours, or an entire day.  A handout will be available on the usher’s table and in the narthex describing ways to spend extended time in prayer.  If you would like me to email you a handout, just let me know.Directions for participating in group prayer

Starting on Thursday, February 18 and each subsequent day in Lent, please join us in group prayer by following these instructions:
·         At 7:00 am or 9:00 pm, dial:  (712) 432-0800
·         Enter Access Code: 770739#
·         The leader will wait a minute or two before reading a psalm or bible verse, followed by prayer.
·         You may be prompted to announce your name.  If you join the call late, please do not announce your name.  Simply join the prayer.
·         As participants join or leave the call, the sound of a bell can be heard until the call leader turns the bell off.
 
 
If you have any questions, please ask Pastor Alisa or Kirsten Gullickson.

On Saturday, December 13th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in the church fellowship hall, we will be wrapping gifts for the Stocking Project. Food and refreshments will be provided. Each year, CHUMC prepares stockings for children in our community who would otherwise receive few, if any, gifts at Christmas. This year, over 135 children identified by Capitol Hill Group Ministry will receive a personalized hand-sewn stocking filled with small gifts, school supplies, fruit, and treats. There are a number of ways you can help share the joy and promise of Christmas with neighborhood children in need. DONATIONS… A direct monetary contribution to the Stocking Project is always welcome and appreciated. To make a donation, just mark your gift "Stocking Project" and put it in the offering plate on Sunday. If you’re looking for “alternative gift” ideas, consider donating a CHUMC Christmas Stocking in someone's name! Gift cards are available at the usher's table.

WRAPPING… WRAPPING… Join us on Saturday, December 13 to help wrap the gifts. Stop by anytime for any amount of time. You will be surprised at how much we can get done with many hands. If you have any questions, please contact Gale Munro or Kirsten Gullickson

This is a reminder that our church’s charge conference will be this Saturday, November 8th from 1:00 pm to 3:00pm at the United Methodist Church of the Redeemer in Temple Hills, MD.   (Directions are below.)

At this meeting, we will set our pastor's compensation package for 2009, vote on four candidates for ordained ministries, and have an opportunity to share the signs and wonders that are happening at CHUMC.  While all are invited to attend the meeting, only members of the charge conference will be allowed to vote.

The Baltimore-Washington conference are holding charge conference meetings in a "cluster" format.   On Saturday, four churches are holding their charge conference meetings at the Church of the Redeemer in Temple Hills -- CHUMC, Ryland-Epworth UMC, Christ UMC, and Grace UMC.   All four churches will worship together from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.   In addition, we will have time to fellowship together.   Worshipping together will be well-worth the short trip to Temple Hills!

Again, this important annual meeting will be held at the United Methodist Church of the Redeemer in Temple Hills, Maryland this Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  Please consider attending.

The directions from CHUMC to the Church of the Redeemer are as follows:

1. From CHUMC, head south on Pennsylvania Ave SE (2.3 miles)
2. Turn right at Branch Ave SE (2.2 miles)
3. Turn right at Iverson St (1.4 miles)
4. Make a u-turn at 19th Ave (322 ft)
5. The church is at 1901 Iverson St, Temple Hills MD. 

 Thank you!

CHUMC Family,

As announced in church on Sunday, you are invited to a CHUMC House Party. We hope you’ll be able to fit one of these events into your busy schedules. As we ontinue to grow as a church, events like these allow
us to connect with our pastor and with one another to discuss our
church’s past, present and future. Please join us!

Who: You! Everyone in the congregation is invited to attend one of the house parties. There's even an opportunity for our CHUMC kids to participate.

What/Why: The house parties have two purposes. We will fellowship with our new pastor, Alisa Lasater, and share with her our church’s identity, strengths, and challenges. We will also discuss how CHUMC is living out the call to be the heart of God in the community and dream together about what the church building should look like in order to better answer that call.

When/Where: We’ve provided a diversity of times, dates and locations. Options listed below.

RSVP to Abbey Levenshus with which event works best for your schedule. Your host will be in touch with more details.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19
Host: Sam and Sue Marullo
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20
Hosts: Ray and Sandy Smith,
Roy and Eleanor Jensen
Location: Church Parlor
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Host: Abbey Levenshus
Time: 6:30 – 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22
Hosts: Becky and Aaron Tallent
Location: Church Parlor
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23
Host: Jessica Lundberg and
Brian and Laura Rossbert
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 - Special Kids' House Party
Host: Laura Bensman and the Sunday School Teachers
Location: Sunday School rooms at CHUMC
Time: 10 - 10:45 a.m.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
Host: Judy Boyd  Time: 6:00 – 7:30

RSVP to Abbey Levenshus with which event works best for your schedule. Your host will be in touch with more details.

Dear CHUMC,

It is with joy that I announce that Dottie Yunger has completed her seminary internship as Student Associate here at CHUMC as of September 7. While her official duties and worship requirements were actually completed in May, she graciously agreed to remain as our worship leader this summer to aide Pastor Alisa and the congregation in our pastoral transition. Dottie will continue in her role as staff to the Ebenezer Capitol Hill Cooperative Parish, coordinating Parish activity and leading the Parish congregations through our Diversity training this fall. On behalf of the Staff Parish Relations Committee and Rev. Alisa we offer you thanks for being a part of Dottie's formation and preparation for ministry, just as we thank Dottie for allowing us to walk with her on this journey. Beginning Sunday September 14, worship leadership will be rotated among our declared Seminarians.

Please join us in offering up heartfelt prayers for Dottie, and for all our seminarians, as they continue to prepare to serve God in new and glorious ways. God has clearly called CHUMC to the ministry of preparation! What a testament to our family that God has entrusted us with this awesome responsibility. Let us pray for our congregation as we continue to answer this call.

Kirsten Gullickson, SPRC Chair