Office Updates

Our Three Churches Offer Community Forum for 9/11’s 10th Anniversary

 "Remembering and Reflecting: Seeking God Again on 9/11"

On Sunday, September 11 at 1 pm, The Ebenezer Circuit will welcome all from our churches and the community to come and share reflections on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Please come to Capitol Hill UMC and help us offer holy space and hospitality to all who might want to gather on this day.

Rev. Alisa Lasater Wailoo and Rev. Herbert Brisbon will preside over a program of music, dialogue and meditation.

When:
1:00 pm Bounteous Reception in the parlor
1:30 pm Program in sanctuary

Speakers:
DC Council member Tommy Wells will address us on this milestone occasion.
Rebecca Lightbourn, whose daughter Samantha Lightbourn-Allen was killed in
the attack on the Pentagon, also will speak and will sign copies of her book, A 9/11 Mother’s Journey of Grief.
Rev. Herbert Brisbon will provide the pastoral reflection.

Music:
Solos and duets by great artists. Inspiring hymn singing.

Time of Sharing:
Pastor Alisa will lead a time of meditation and invite us to speak from the heart.

Can you help?
To volunteer (or for more information) please contact: Barbara Brooks, 301-336-7765 (Mt. Vernon); Lorna Morgan 202-561-9395 (Ebenezer), or Carol Anderson 202-554-8622 (CHUMC).

You will help create a different 9/11 memory!

Click to view a PDF flier with more information.

 Do you find yourself wondering...

What is going on in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake? How are churches, NGOs, and individuals helping (or not)? What can we do to connect with the people ofHaiti?
Or...How do you plant seeds when the land has no topsoil? How can you make an oven out of a cardboard box and tin foil? Should you ever try to get to Port au Prince by riding on top of a coal truck?

To answer these and other questions, mark your calendars for the next CHUM Women event: On Monday, August 15th, at 6:45pm, CHUMC member Kara Scroggins will offer pictures (see left) and stories from her recent work with a reforestation project in Haiti. Everyone (men, women, children, visitors, family, friends, neighbors!) is welcome to come for a Haitian dinner, slideshow, and conversation.

If you are planning to attend (even if you have already RSVP'd), please reply to karascroggins@gmail.com, so that we can make sure there is enough food. A donation can be made by writing a check to CHUMC with "Haiti" in the subject line, and if you would like to help with drinks or paper goods, email Carol Anderson at andercom@verizon.net.

Hope to see you there!

Where will you share in an Easter Feast?  How about at CHUMC?  Following worship on Easter Sunday, April 24th plan to gather in the Fellowship Hall as we join our Café guests for this annual tradition of sharing food and fellowship. The Cafe Team will prepare a main dish (ham of course) and a side dish.  And you, if you are able, can bring a side dish/salad or desert to make the feast complete. You can participate in other ways as well: lend a hand and help serve.... Grab a plate and share in the feasting... Pull up a chair and connect with others! Questions, contact Melanie Lang at melanie361 @ hotmail.com

It's almost time for our annual Easter Party with many formerly homeless families of CHGM.  We will gather at the church on Wednesday, April 20th, from 6:30-8:00p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for this fabulous opportunity for fellowship and fun. We have egg dyeing, cupcake decorating and dinner as just part of the Easter good times.  We also will hand out Easter baskets to the CHGM kids who might not otherwise receive one.  If you'd like to sponsor an Easter Basket, please designate "CHGM Easter Party" on your check and place it in the offering basket. $10 sponsors about 2 baskets (but feel free to contribute more or less).  You can also help with the event or even co-chair it. Specifically, we need people to hard boil eggs beforehand, bake cupcakes, make frosting, decorate, work the stations, bring a dinner item, help set-up/breakdown, etc.  If you'd just like to attend, that's fine, too!   Simply contact Melissa Jones at melissa31jones @ yahoo.com for more information.

Pastor Alisa and Chris Wailoo welcomed their new addition last week: Anthony Adolphus Wailoo was born Monday night at 11:25pm.  He weights 6 pounds and is 19 inches.  Pastor Alisa proclaimed with excitement on the phone: "He is healthy as can be and we are all doing great." 

Please join us in prayer:

God of creation, we offer you grateful praise for the gift of Anthony. We give you thanks for a healthy delivery.  Bless Anthony, Pastor Alisa, and Chris with your presence and surround them  with your love.  We ask this through Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Baltimore-Washington United Methodist Conference is calling our church to a new opportunity. The conference’s commission for our church is that Capitol Hill United Methodist Church will become part of a circuit with two other churches in the area.  These three churches will be served by two full time pastors with Pastor Alisa serving as the lead pastor.  The creation of a circuit church brings together more people, more leadership among United Methodists with similar callings, but with diverse gifts. The circuit model leaves us free to share resources of people and space, but we do not assume each other’s debts or financial resources.  This circuit structure will begin on July 1 – after our pastor returns from maternity leave.

The conference has created a circuit with Ebenezer United Methodist, Mount Vernon United Methodist, and Capitol Hill United Methodist.  Ebenezer United Methodist is located on the same block as this church, at the corner of 4thand D Streets. Mount Vernon United Methodist is located on Minnesota Avenue NE directly across the street from the Minnesota Avenue metro station.  

Neither of these churches is large enough, on their own, to support a full time pastor.  Nor is Capitol Hill UMC able to support a co-pastor.  But through the synergies of a circuit, we are able to bring in not only another full time pastor, but someone with almost a decade of experience with urban churches. The conference has called the Reverend Herbert Brisbon to serve as the circuit’s associate pastor.  He is a graduate of Wesley Seminary and is currently serving a two-church charge in Baltimore. 

Sisters and brothers, we are being called by God into some sort of new unity.  We are being offered that opportunity by the Conference.  This is all new.  It is all very exciting for us and for Methodism here in the city. We ask that you take this opportunity into your hearts and that you pray with us and for us, our pastor, and our new associate pastor, as we prepare for this great opportunity. 

Click here to read the full text of this announcement.