In Robert Bolt’s playA Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More says to his daughter, “When a man takes an oath,, he is holding his own self in his own hands. Like Water. And, if he opens his fingers then – he needn’t hope to find himself again. “When we swear an oath or take a vow, when we areRead More →
Your Session sat for its regular monthly meeting earlier this week. As you know, the Session – elected by the congregation and ordained as elders – constitutes the local governing body of a Presbyterian church. But the Session is not just the church equivalent of a business or non-profit board. In addition to good governance, our responsibilities carry a spiritualRead More →
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. – Martin Luther King Jr. This quote lingers with me as I’ve walked through our 24th Street entrance over the last few weeks, remembering the incident on our sidewalkRead More →
Thank you for attending the little match girl passion! You helped us raise $1,670 for Miriam’s Kitchen. That’s the equivalent of 1 meal shift including food and staff costs, or moving one person into permanent housing, or five gift cards for those moving in to buy household goods, or the cost of ingredients for 3,340 meals. Thank you for supporting ourRead More →
Some aspects of church will always seem weird to the rest of the world, but this week one in particular stands out. As partisan influence seeps into the proceedings of this week’s impeachment trial, it can be hard to imagine a community in DC that tries to find a deeper unity, yet at our best, that’s what church is about.Read More →
Your Session sat for its first regular monthly meeting of the year earlier this week. We mostly dealt with housekeeping matters. Two new elders, Annette Reilly and Ray Kim, joined us; Rebecca Jackson was elected to the important but unsung role of Clerk of Session. We reviewed the leadership retreat held on Saturday, January 11, for elders and deacons. There, we learned anRead More →
Dear Western Friends, I write you with great sadness from the corner of 24th and G Streets to confirm an incident of violence yesterday afternoon. As you may have heard in news reports, a man was stabbed outside our 24th St. entrance just as Miriam’s Kitchen was opening at 2:30 p.m. Thanks to immediate action from MK staff, first respondersRead More →
“Our nation may be on the brink of an unsanctioned war, and you’re talking about what?” I imagined the response if I led with the theme of “Baptism of the Lord,” this Sunday, January 12, in the liturgical year, yet the meaning of baptism remains focal for our upcoming worship. This weekend, as our session and deacons gather on SaturdayRead More →
Helping migrant youth through the U.S. immigration system and ending homelessness in D.C. through Western’s mission giving: Alarmed by the increasing number of youth arriving in the U.S, nearly 70,000 migrant children held in custody in 2019, the Mission Team provided Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) a $2000 grant. KIND is a national organization that has five program goal: Read More →
Project Create was created in 1994 when Rev. John Wimberly, Jr. recognized a need and sought to fill it. Children attending Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School needed an after-school arts program, and Project Create began providing art classes to children in Western’s backyard. Since that time WPC has provided volunteer support, administrative office space, and financial aid. Project Create has continuedRead More →
