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A Pastoral Letter Concerning the Institution of a Service to Recognize and Honor Lesbian and Gay Committed Relationships
from Rev. Dean Snyder
Dear Friends:
As a loyal United Methodist pastor, it is my desire and commitment to live within the covenant of the United Methodist Church as set forth in our Church’s Constitution, General Rules, and Book of Discipline. It is my desire to be obedient to the covenant and order of the Church even in matters on which I may disagree.
The Book of Discipline states: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” ( Para 341.6)
It is also my strong desire to be a faithful and effective pastor by providing pastoral care and services to the members and constituents of the congregation I am appointed to serve. Foundry United Methodist Church , reflective of its community, includes a significant presence of lesbian and gay people, some of whom are in committed relationships. The failure of their Christian community and their pastor to properly recognize and honor their committed relationships formally denies them, at the very least, an encouragement and spiritual support the Church provides to other couples. At the worst, it undermines and dishonors their commitments by withholding recognition and prayerful support.
I am reminded of this disparity whenever I read the Church’s Constitution, which states, in part: “The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection. In the United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition.” (BOD Division 1.4)
I am also reminded of the consequences of failing to recognize and honor some of our congregants’ commitments when I recall the General Rules established by John Wesley: “It is therefore expected of all who continue [in Methodist societies] that they should continue to evidence their desire for salvation, First, by doing no harm … Secondly, By doing good.”(BOD, Para 103)
Our failure to recognize and honor the committed relationships of our lesbian and gay members does harm to them and to the larger society by failing to provide spiritual and communal support for commitment and stability within gay and lesbian relationships.
The topic of same-sex unions has been discussed formally at Foundry Church for more than three years and informally for a much longer time. I am appreciative for all the leaders and members of this congregation who have studied and shared with each other and with me as we have deliberated about what it means to be a faithful congregation and as I have pondered what it means to be a faithful pastor.
Because of my desire to be to be obedient to the covenant and order of the Church, and at the same time to provide faithful and effective pastoral ministry to our lesbian and gay members and constituents, I am announcing my intention to make myself pastorally available to lead services which recognize and honor lesbian and gay committed relationships. These will not be “ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions,” but will instead be worship services which recognize and honor committed relationships of lesbian and gay members and constituents.
The following principles will guide such gatherings for worship:
1. Such services will be offered for couples who are members or constituents of Foundry Church who have participated in a Pre-Cana weekend or other preparations with the pastor.
2. Couples will make their commitment and vows to each other in a setting other than the service. Ceremonies in which these commitments and vows are made “shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” Such a ceremony may be a personal gathering in which the pastor is present but does not conduct the ceremony; it may be a ceremony conducted by a lay person within the congregation trained and authorized to do so; it may be a wedding or civil ceremony in a jurisdiction in which such ceremonies are legal; or it may be any other ceremony which does not violate Para 341.6 of the Book of Discipline.
3. At the request of the couple, I will then lead a service at Foundry Church or at another location. The service will include the worship of God and recognize and honor the commitment which has previously been made. Vows and/or other statements of commitment previously made will be shared with and reported to the gathered congregation.
4. Other details of such worship services will follow the practices and principles established in Foundry Church’s wedding policies so long as they do not violate Para 341.6 of the Book of Discipline.
I would also implore the Foundry congregation and others of good will to continue to work to change the Book of Discipline by removing Para . 341.6 and everything else in the Discipline which discriminates against people because of their sexual orientation. I would encourage us to continue to work to help our beloved Church become a Church in which all people are affirmed, included, valued, honored and loved.
I would like to invite the congregation of Foundry Church to meet in the church sanctuary to discuss this letter on Sunday, December 16 at 12:30 pm . I will also invite additional discussion by Foundry’s Church Council at its meeting on December 18. Other meetings, as appropriate, will be scheduled during January 2008. It is my intention to make myself pastorally available for such services effective February 1, 2008 .
Thank you for your prayers, thoughts and feelings. May the Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on us and melt, mold, fill and use us!
In the love of Christ,
Dean Snyder , Senior Pastor
Foundry United Methodist Church
For additional information:
See the “Same-Sex Union Issue Time Line” on Foundry’s website (at www.foundryumc.org). A limited number of copies of the final report of the Same-Sex Union Issue Working Group are available from Foundry’s Library, or from the church office.
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Advent 2007 Worship Series: "Until Christ Comes . . . "
The time before Christmas (Advent is December 2 - 24) is more than a season on the Church's calendar. It represents and contains all the times of our lives when we are not in control . . . when we cannot make happen what we want to have happen . . . when our own efforts and the force of our own wills are not enough and we are dependent on another or Another. Sermons, beginning November 25 through Christmas Eve, will focus on this universal human experience and its spiritual dimensions.
November 25
“Until Christ Comes . . . Wait”
Isaiah 40: 28-31
December 2
“Until Christ Comes . . . Watch”
Psalm 130: 1-8
December 9
Vivaldi Gloria
and
Message by Bishop John Schol
December 16
“Until Christ Comes . . . Whistle in the Dark”
Isaiah 9: 1-7
December 23
“Until Christ Comes . . . Want”
Luke 2: 25-32
December 24
at 8:30 pm service
“Until Christ Comes . . . Welcome”
John 1: 1-14
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The Pastoral Corner: An Advent Adventure - Partners in Waiting and Watching
by Dee Lowman
Preparations are in full swing. I saw them last week. The wreaths are up on light poles in Silver Spring . Lights and garland and other Christmas paraphernalia have begun to appear in our communities, and it is just now Thanksgiving.
Some of us have begun choosing gifts and making travel plans to be with family and friends during the Christmas holiday season. For most of us, it is more than mere commercialism. These gifts and airline tickets represent opportunities for reconnecting with others, recognizing and remembering just how important these relationships are to us.
I would like to suggest another kind of preparation we might all engage in. In Dean’s State of the Church sermon of November 11th, he challenged Foundry to move toward deeper, more intentional relationships within our faith community. One of his visions for the church in the next year calls us into a primary prayer relationship with another person here at Foundry Church . Prayer partners are not new. In fact, prayer partners during times of anticipation (like Advent) are biblical. After learning that she would become the mother of Jesus, Mary also learned of the pregnancy of her much older cousin, Elizabeth. She went to Elizabeth , and she stayed with her three months.
We have no official record of the time Elizabeth and Mary spent together during those months. I imagine their time was filled with joy and wonder and fear and anxiety – not only for themselves and their children, but also for the world into which these children would come. In my imagination, they shared the making of meals, of baby clothes and of life plans together. They shared their sorrows and their excitements about what was to come, and perhaps even laments over what was past. But from the time Mary entered the house of Elizabeth , God was on their lips. Praises, thanksgivings, hopes – all of it was present in their relationship with one another.
During this time of waiting, watching, and hoping, I would encourage you to begin a prayer relationship with someone. If you would like help finding a prayer partner, or you have questions about prayer or prayer partnerships, please contact me and I’d be happy to help you begin. There will also be resources at our website with Q&A about prayer and partnerships in prayer.
May this Advent time of anticipation be fruitful and grace-filled and hopeful that you can share with your prayer partner.
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Vivaldi "Gloria:" Advent Music on Sunday, December 9 at Both Services
by Stanley Thurston
The Gloria (RV 589) is one of Antonio Vivaldi’s best-known compositions and one of the most frequently performed examples of sacred music from the Baroque era.
Composed in Venice circa 1715, Vivaldi presents the traditional Gloria from the Latin Mass in twelve varied cantata-like sections. Originally written for the Pietà, an all-female chorus who led cloistered lives in 18 th century Rome , this is music that has not only considerable artistic and spiritual merit; it also has a compellingly attractive design, with a generous proportion of four-part choruses, interspersed with soprano and contralto solos.
The orchestration is typically Baroque with solo oboe, solo trumpet, violins, violas, and bass continuo (harpsichord, organ, cello and bass). The wonderfully sunny nature of the Gloria, with its distinctive melodies and rhythms, is characteristic of all Vivaldi’s music, giving it an immediate and universal appeal.
Soloists Marymal Holmes, Kelly Smith, and Patricia Caya join the combined Foundry Choirs and orchestra under the direction of Stanley Thurston .
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Advent Quiet Day
December 1, 2007 , from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm .
Join us as we gather together for quiet prayer and scripture reading to start off the Advent season. This will be a time to hope for peace as part of the Advent faith journey. We will practice Breath Prayer and Intercessory Prayer and meditate on scripture. We will extend our intercessory and healing prayer of compassion, and hope in God’s love, to be part of World AIDS Day. Bring your lunch and a journal for reflection. Juice will be provided.
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Friday, December 21st: A Light in the Dark Night

The days are still getting shorter this time of year. The dark nights can feel very lonely for some. And yet, we often focus on the light of the season. There are Christmas lights going up everywhere, and candles are placed in windows. Many rejoice around a brightly lit Christmas tree.
For some, the approaching Christmas holiday does not bring with it the joy and happiness that is advertised on television or in greeting cards. Some may be facing a holiday after the death of a loved one or after a divorce, or have suffered through an emotional trauma. Perhaps they just feel pressured and overwhelmed by holiday preparations. Dark nights may be all around them.
On Friday, December 21 st , our church family will acknowledge the dark nights at a Longest Night Service to be held here at 7:00 pm . We will acknowledge the length of our dark nights, but we will also remember that there is one Light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.
This service will have a quieter feel than a traditional Christmas worship service. Scripture, music and meditations focus on the comfort God offers during the dark times of our lives. There will be childcare available.
Please join us as we search together for the light in the darkness.
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Foundry Joins Accessible Congregations Campaign
by Larry Slagle
Foundry is one of only 12 United Methodist Churches in the District of Columbia and Maryland to become an Accessible Congregation.
The church has built a ramp, installed pew cuts for wheelchairs, offers assisted hearing devices and an interpreter for the deaf. More work remains to improve the restrooms and elevator and to make the pulpit, lectern and choir area accessible to people in wheelchairs.
A program of the National Organization on Disability (www.nod.org), the Accessible Congregations Campaign seeks to enroll congregations of all faiths that commit to identifying and removing their barriers and welcoming people with all types of disabilities. A congregation that wishes to join the campaign must commit to three principles:
- to value people with disabilities as individuals created in the image of God
- to endeavor to remove barriers of architecture, communications and attitudes that exclude people with disabilities from full and active participation
- to encourage all, with and without disabilities, to practice their faith and use their gifts and talents in worship, service, study and leadership.
The National Organization on Disability sounds a familiar theme in outlining its objectives: it seeks “to open hearts, doors, and minds.” To join, NOD says, “[c]ongregations need not be perfect. They do need to make a commitment to action.” There is no cost for membership.
In Romans 8:38-39, Paul assures us that nothing “in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He did not, however, assure us that nothing will be able to separate us from full participation in the life of Christ’s church.
Many of us, especially as we age, will find barriers to entering the church, hearing the pastor, reading the bulletin, participating in the worship service, or engaging with others in the life of the church. According to the Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries of the General Board of Discipleship, more than half of all United Methodists are age 60 or older. As we age, more of us will have a disability that limits our activities and can keep us from attending church or bar us from full participation in the congregation.
The “Chartbook on Disability in the U.S. ” reports that almost one in five persons has a disability. Of these, half can be considered to have a severe disability, meaning that they cannot perform one or more vital life functions without assistance. For those of us who are or become disabled, entry steps, stairs, a lack of hand rails, narrow corridors, outdated bathrooms, pew configuration, and other barriers, including steps to a pulpit or lectern, keep us from full access to worship or active participation in the life of the church. It may be one of the reasons that 42 percent of senior Americans do not attend any church on a regular basis.
What responsibility does a local church have for removing barriers? Section 2532.6 of the Book of Discipline requires the Board of Trustees “to conduct or cause to be conducted an annual accessibility audit . . . (to) identify what . . . barriers exist that impede the full participation of people with disabilities and ”requires the Board to “make plans and determine priorities for the elimination of all such barriers.” A model “Local Church Accessibility Survey” published by the General Board of Discipleship can be found at http://www.gbod.org/coa/articles.asp?act=reader&item_id=3777.
Nationwide, more than 2276 congregations of all denominations have committed to becoming accessible to those with disabilities.
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Check Out These New Titles in the Foundry Library!
Two books by Traci C. West, who will be the Guest Lecturer at the Wogaman Forum in January, are in the library. They are: Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women's Lives Matter, 2006; and Talking About Homosexuality: A Congregational Resource, 2005.
Many Faces, One Church : A Manual for Cross-Racial & Cross-Cultural Ministry (Ernest Lyght, et al , Abingdon, 2006)
Meeting God at the Boundaries: Cross-Cultural, Cross Racial Clergy Appointment . (Lucia Ann McSpadden, UMC General Board of Higher Education, 2003)
Developing Our Faith: In the Potter’s Hands . Support materials and newsletters from the May 2007 Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference
The Sexual Spectrum: Why We’re All Different (Olive Skene Johnson, Raincoast Books, 2007)
Invitation to the New Testament: Participant Book (David deSilva & Emerson Powery)
Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns & Spiritual Songs of the African American Church (with music & lyrics) (Gwendolyn Sims Warren, Holt, 1997)
New Century Hymnal (Pilgrim Press, 1995)
African American Heritage Hymnal (2001)
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Mustard Seed Mission
by Ryan and Megan
Megan and I are new to D.C. and we have both been looking for a church community in which we feel comfortable, welcome, and most importantly, spiritually active. We have been attending Sunday services at Foundry on a regular basis over the past few months and have been excited about experiencing the many positive aspects of these worship opportunities. That being said, we both realized that something was still missing; mission work that spreads God’s love to those in need.
We attended the Mission Luncheon this past October and were thrilled to hear about Foundry’s new Mustard Seed Missions. These one-time opportunities offer a wide variety of missions that allowed us to explore where our talents and time could be utilized to the greatest extent. From harvesting food for the hungry to walking for the homeless of DC, this new mission series has helped Megan and me find a way to share God’s love with others while we both enter further into Foundry’s community of faith.
Early in October, we met Katy Wheat and others before leaving for an apartment in Columbia Heights . As guests at one of Hope and a Home’s “Paint Party,” some of us began scrubbing away in the kitchen while others grabbed a brush. A refrigerator went from unbearable to unbelievable, white countertops were rediscovered and scuff marks on walls were covered with baby blue and beige. Rollers and paper towels as well as water-based paint and bleach began transforming the four bedroom rental into a great place for a family to live. Honestly, the apartment was not the only thing being transformed.
In only four hours working alongside others, Megan and I realized that a family would now have a place to begin new Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions. What seemed like such meaningless work to so many of us would allow others to start over. With these thoughts, we wanted to do as much as possible in order to move the project along while maintaining the quality that we would want in our own homes. Now, we’re just waiting for the promised photos of the finished product and a newsletter about the upcoming Mustard Seed Missions!
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West to Deliver Marting Luther King Day Sermon
Martin Luther King Jr. was a prophet who drew strength from God when he was weary, according to the Rev. Dr. Traci C. West, who will deliver the Martin Luther King Sunday sermon at Foundry on January 20, 2008 .
West, an associate professor of ethics and African American Studies at Drew University in New Jersey , will explore the parallels between King’s leadership of the civil rights movement and the story of Isaiah.
“It is easy to forget the unpopularity and arduousness of the labor the civil rights movement entailed,” West says. “There were so many times during Martin Luther King Jr.’s ministry that he felt weary and exhausted from the barrage of criticism and hatred that was leveled at him.”
In her sermons at 9:30 and 11, West will honor the people who shared in the civil rights movement, especially women leaders who are often overlooked, and will relate those struggles to challenges we face today.
She says, “How can we who are called by God to labor for justice and equality in today’s church and society receive Christ’s living water that we need to sustain us, and receive God’s strength when we feel weary?”
West is the author of Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women’s Live Matter (2006) and Wounds of the Spirit: Black Women, Violence, and Resistance Ethics (1999), and the editor of Our Family Values: Same-Sex Marriage and Religion (2006).
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Advent and Christmas 2007
Advent / Christmas Sermon Series: “Until Christ Comes . . .”
The time before Christmas (Advent is December 2 through 24) is more than a season on the Church's calendar. It represents and contains all the times of our lives when we are not in control…when we can not make happen what we want to have happen…when our own efforts and the force of our own wills are not enough and we are dependent on another or Another. Sermons beginning November 25 through Christmas Eve will focus on this universal human experience and its spiritual dimensions.
Sunday, November 25 - Last Sunday after Pentecost
“Until Christ Comes…Wait”
Rev. Dean Snyder
Scripture: Isaiah 40: 28-31
Wednesday, November 28
Service of Prayer for World AIDS Day
6:30 pm
Saturday, December 1
Advent Quiet Day
10:00 am – 2:00 pm in the Parlor and Chapel
Join us as we gather together for quiet prayer and scripture reading – a time to hope for peace as part of the Advent faith journey. We will practice Breath Prayer and Intercessory Prayer and meditate on scripture. We will extend our intercessory and healing prayer of compassion, and hope in God’s love, to be part of World AIDS Day. Bring your lunch and a journal for reflection. Juice will be provided.

Sunday, December 2 – Advent I
“Until Christ Comes…Watch”
Rev. Dean Snyder
Scripture: Psalm 130: 1-8
Advent Workshop: A Foundry Tradition
12:30 pm in Fellowship Hall
Join us for an afternoon of festive fun and creative crafts for the Advent Season. We will continue the tradition of making gingerbread houses, Advent/Christmas wreaths, hand-decorated cookies, and tree ornaments. Children and families will share in the fun by making Holiday cards for the shut-ins, creating personalized crafts and more. This year’s Advent Mission will be to collect diapers and other baby supplies to be donated to our neighbor across the street, Family and Child Services of Washington, DC, Inc. There is something for Everyone!!
 
Sunday, December 9 – Advent II
Bishop John Schol
visits Foundry and delivers the Message
Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi
9:30 and 11:00 am services
Soloists Marymal Holmes, Kelly Smith and Patricia Caya join the combined Foundry Choirs and orchestra under the direction of Stanley Thurston
GLBT Christmas Brunch
12:30 pm
The annual Christmas brunch will be held at the home of Jeff Moulds and Brent Anderson
Christmas Party with L’Arche
(a community home for adults with disabilities)
Meet at Foundry at 4:45 pm
6 – 8 volunteers are needed: contact Katy Wheat .
Thursday, December 13
Hunger Mission Cooks at S.O.M.E.
6:00 – 8:00 am
Saturday, December 15
Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating by the AIDS Cooking Mission
9:00 am in the Main Kitchen
This is in addition to their usual meal preparation for the Whitman Walker Food Bank.
December's Saturday Matinee is Millions
10:00 am
This is a warm and quirky film from director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting). Two brothers have different ideas about what to do with the duffel bag full of money they find by the train tracks because the younger brother sees visions of and takes advice from Saints Catherine, Nicholas, and Peter. (Rated PG.)
  
Sunday, December 16 – Advent III
“ Until Christ Comes…Whistle in the Dark”
Rev. Dean Snyder
Scripture: Isaiah 9: 1-7
Christmas Pageant 2007 presented by the Foundry Church School
9:30 am service
Children’s Christmas Party
11:15 am in Fellowship Hall
hosted by the Senior High Youth
Susanna Wesley House Open House
2:00 - 4:00 pm
at Susanna Wesley House
Friday, December 21
Walk-In Mission Christmas Party
9:00 am in the Chapel
Longest Night Service
7:00 pm
For some, the approaching Christmas holiday does not bring with it the joy and happiness that is advertised on television or in greeting cards. Some may be facing a holiday after the death of a loved one or after a divorce, or have suffered through an emotional trauma. Perhaps they just feel pressured and overwhelmed by holiday preparations. Dark nights may be all around them. This service will have a quieter feel than a traditional Christmas worship service. Scripture, music and meditations focus on the comfort God offers during the dark times of our lives. There will be childcare available.
   
Sunday, December 23 – Advent IV
“Until Christ Comes…Want”
Rev. Dean Snyder
Scripture: Luke 2: 25-32
9:30 and 11:00 am services
Christmas music led by Jubalate at 9:30 and the Foundry Choir at 11:00

Monday, December 24
Christmas Eve
Family Service
6:30 pm
Story: “Great Joy” by Kate DiCamillo
Rev. Dee Lowman and Rev. Theresa Thames -Lynch
Scripture: Luke 2: 17
Christmas Reception
7:30 pm in Fellowship Hall
Concert of Christmas Music
8:00 pm
by Foundry’s soloists and strings
Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
8:30 pm
The Foundry Choir, soloists and strings
“Until Christ Comes…Welcome”
Rev. Dean Snyder
Scripture: John 1: 1-14
Christmas Reception
9:30 pm in Fellowship Hall
Sunday, December 30: The First Sunday after Christmas
9:30 and 11:00 am services
Bishop John Innis
Methodist Bishop of Liberia

Monday, December 31: New Year’s Eve
New Year’s EveWatchnight Service
11:00 pm
We gather in the front of our sanctuary, near the altar, at 11:00 pm on New Year's Eve, for an hour of prayer, music, meditation, and Holy Communion. We are privileged this year to have Bishop John Innis of Liberia joining us for this service.
Watchnight services are a Methodist practice that comes from the time of the Wesleys, Methodism's founders, in the 18th Century. Originally it was a three-hour service in which Methodists examined their lives during the past year and renewed their covenant with God. We will reflect together on scripture, sing hymns, pray the Wesleyan Covenant prayer, and share Holy Communion. The youngest person present will push the button to ring our church bells at midnight . You are invited to bring friends and neighbors who may want to start the New Year in prayer.
Meditation given by Bishop John Innis, Methodist Bishop of Liberia
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Celebrating Advent at Home
by Theresa Thames -Lynch
It’s that time of the year again. Decisions on what to do, what to buy and where to spend the holidays bombard us all. The hustle and bustle can distract us from the holiness of the holidays. So, here are a few suggestions on how you can celebrate Advent at home. These simple activities will bring your family together and give you memories to last throughout the year.
The Hope Basket
Place a basket in your family gathering space. Invite everyone to place notes in the basket, throughout the week, that express what they hope for, for members of the family, for friends, for a difficult test and for the world. Parents, encourage the little ones to share their hopes too!
The Peace Candle
Light a candle during a family meal each day. Have the person who is saying the blessing of the food also pray for peace.
Abundant Joy
Have a family fun day. As a family, participate in a service project in your church or community. Then end the day with a fun activity that is interactive and full of joy. Activities such as ice skating, cooking a meal together, caroling and decorating the Christmas tree will surely bring joy to your home.
Holiday Love Notes
Throughout the week, write notes to members of your family offering words of affirmation and encouragement.
Christmas Story Activities
Read or narrate the Christmas story, but with a different focus each night. One night focus on the animals, another night the angels and so on. Make the story come alive by having your children draw pictures, act out events, sing songs or even create their own Nativity scene out of play-doh. This can turn into your very own family Christmas pageant!
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Advent for the Children: Baby Basics, Holiday Childcare Schedule, and Children's Events at Foundry
Baby Basics .
Across 16 th Street is the new location for the Family and Child Services of Washington, D.C., Inc. Their primary mission is to empower and strengthen families and communities throughout the D.C. area. One of their initiatives is a nation-wide program called Baby Basics. This program assists the “working poor” provide the basic supplies needed to care for their babies.
On Sunday, December 2 nd, we will collect items (diapers, formula, bottles, etc.) to be donated to Baby Basics. Bring your donation to the Fellowship Hall and stay to enjoy the Advent Workshop.
Holiday Childcare Schedule
Childcare will be available on Wednesday nights and Sundays during Worship Services
Longest Night Service
December 21 st at 7 PM
Childcare is available
Christmas Eve Services
December 24 th at 6:30PM & 8:00PM
Children are invited to bring a blanket as they enjoy a movie, cookies & milk!
Watchnight Service
December 31 st at 11:00 PM
Children are invited to bring a blanket as they enjoy a movie & snacks!
Advent Workshop: A Foundry Tradition
December 2, 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
Join us for an afternoon of festive fun and creative crafts for the Advent Season. We will continue the tradition of making gingerbread houses, Advent/Christmas wreaths, hand-decorated cookies and tree ornaments. Children and families will share in the fun by making Holiday cards for the shut-in, creating personalized crafts and more. This year’s Advent Mission will be to collect diapers and other baby supplies that will be donated to, our neighbor across the street, Family and Child Services of Washington, D.C., Inc. Come on out, there is something for EVERYONE!!
Children’s Events – December 16 th
Christmas Pageant 2007
During the 9:30am Worship Service
Children’s Christmas Party
11:15am in Fellowship Hall
Hosted by the Senior High Youth
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Opportunities for Giving
Mission Council Gift Catalog and Ornament Display – This year, consider giving your family and friends a gift from Foundry’s Mission Council Gift Catalog, which enables our mission groups and partner organizations to carry out ministries of compassion and justice. The calendar is available in Fellowship Hall from November 25 – December 23, and on our website.
Mission Council Advent Prayer Calendar : Center your Advent prayer life through daily prayer about different areas of mission and social justice. Available in Fellowship Hall, November 25 – December 23.
Prison Ministry Angel Tree Project – Celebrate Christmas by giving a gift to a DC child who has a parent in prison. The Prison Ministry will sponsor its annual Angel Tree project on Sundays in Fellowship Hall from December 2 through 23. Sign up to buy a gift, and return the wrapped gift to Fellowship Hall by Sunday, December 16 (or Sunday, December 23, if needed). Clothing sizes and gift suggestions are available when you sign up. For more information, call Michael Thompson at (202) 302-1033.
Day Labor Outreach: Thursday mornings. Meet at Foundry at 8:00 am to take sandwiches and hot chocolate to day labor sites.
Fair Trade Coffee, Cocoa, and Chocolate Bars will be sold on Sundays, November 25 through December 23, by the Peace with Justice Mission in Fellowship Hall. This will include coffee from Africa and Latin America , whole beans, organic products, teas, unsweetened cocoa and chocolate bars. All sold to you at cost (cheaper than local stores) – not a fundraiser.
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Fair Trade
Fair Trade products are once again being sold by the Peace with Justice Mission on Sundays during Advent to encourage equitable and sustainable international trade. By buying directly from farmers, our supplier, Equal Exchange, in cooperation with UMCOR, the farmers receive enough to cover their costs, provide for their families and communities and reinvest in cultivation, harvesting and post-harvesting processes that enhance flavor and protect the environment.
Fair trade coffee has expanded well beyond its first years as a mission-based niche to include discerning specialty coffee roasters big and small nationwide. Now it is possible to find fair trade products in many stores. However, Peace with Justice is selling at cost – not a fundraiser, so you can’t beat these prices! In addition to coffee, we are offering varieties of tea, chocolate bars, cocoa, and NEW pecans, organic almonds and organic dried cranberries. Great for Christmas gifts!
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Foundry VIM to Ukraine Supports School's Health Teaching
by Mark Schoeff Jr.
On a sunny, warm fall Saturday recently in Dnipropetrovsk , Ukraine , young brides and grooms strolled along the Dnipro River promenade taking pictures to capture the beginning of their life together.
But the wedding photographer would have to find an angle that didn’t include smoke stacks in the background. In this city of 1.2 million, which used to produce nuclear weapons for the Soviet military, the factories are a sign that manufacturing still undergirds the economy.
The pollution emanating from chemical and metal production and other industry poses a challenge to local schools because many are located in the same neighborhoods as the plants. In response, they have designed educational programs to promote healthy lifestyles and environmental stewardship.
In late September, a Volunteers in Mission team from the Baltimore Washington Conference traveled to Dnipropetrovsk to visit six schools that have instituted the new curricula as part of a two-year-old government program.
The group was led by the Rev. Alex Karakcheyev, minister of the Russian United Methodist Church in Washington . Fred Beamer of Foundry UMC in Washington, Dave Tingley of Centenary UMC in Bermuda and the author of this article, who also is a member of Foundry, traveled to Ukraine .
It wasn’t a typical VIM trip. It was an exploratory mission that sought to establish relationships with Ukrainians that might lead to the establishment of a Methodist church in Dnipropetrovsk.
Those connections started at schools that are focusing on children’s health and protecting the environment. Such an approach responds not only to the city’s current pollution problems but also to the region’s legacy of environmental degradation stemming from the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown.
What youngsters encounter each day are the economic and social challenges related to the transition from a state-run economy to capitalism, which has produced a growing gap between rich and poor and ongoing corruption. One result is a problem with alcoholism.
The VIM team visited several schools that are teaching children to take care of themselves and their community.
“We decided to create a school that (focuses) on physical health improvement but also spiritual health improvement,” said Lyudmila Pashaeva, director of School No. 24. “We are trying to create some sort of system to grow healthy kids.”
The schools are struggling for funding and are short of equipment and materials. To address these needs, the VIM team donated fax machines, a personal computer station, a DVD player and a stereo system to various schools.
The group also donated 400 children’s Bibles, 10 puzzle Bibles and 20 Christian books to School No. 24. Foundry and Centenary combined to finance about $2500 worth of books and equipment.
The Bibles were an initial step in building a spiritual link between the UMC and Dnipropetrovsk. Methodism can find a foothold in his hometown by introducing a practical kind of Christianity that can transform difficult daily lives through grace, Karakcheyev said.
“The United Methodist Church has a lot to bring to Ukraine ,” he said. “Ukrainian people, in order to survive, have the skill, the instinct to think ahead one step at a time. Russians and Ukrainians like to live by a method. They are Methodists in their heart, and they just don’t know it.”
Perhaps that future will include a Methodist church in Dnipropetrovsk. “In five years, we’re going to sit in our own fellowship hall and eat Ukrainian borscht,” Karakcheyev said.
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Electronic Contributions Now Available at Foundry
Foundry has installed a new electronic contribution service which allows members and constituents to make pledge payments and other contributions on-line by credit card or direct debit from our bank accounts. We have engaged VANCO Services, which is recommended by the United Methodist Church General Commission on Finance and Administration, to provide this service.
Two different services are available:
1. Electronic transfer of your pledge payment or other one-time contributions from your bank account to Foundry.
2. Payment of pledges or other contributions by credit card.
To make a pledge payment or a one-time contribution, you can go to our website, www.foundryumc.org, and click on the link located on the top right of our home page. This will take you to a completely secure page where you can enter all the necessary information. In addition to pledge payments, you can make one-time contributions to the walk-in mission, special Sunday offerings, or other special or memorial purposes as you designate.
Recurring pledge payments can be made on a weekly or monthly basis, either from your checking or savings account or by charging your credit card. You can change the amount and/or frequency of your payment at any time. Funds are transferred from your bank account to Foundry’s bank account on the date you specify.
If you prefer not to set up your electronic payments on-line, you may fill out an authorization form available at our office. Using your written authorization, we will set up your payment for you.
Please consider the following advantages to making your pledge or contribution by electronic transfer or credit card:
- Your payment is completely secure.
- The number of checks you have to write is reduced.
- The income flow to Foundry is more stable, allowing for better planning.
- There is less work for our volunteer counters and a reduction in overall labor to manage and account for donations.
- We cut costs by reducing the number of pledge envelopes we must print each year.
Of course, you can cancel your authorization of transfer at any time, either on-line or by notifying us in writing. But we believe that once you have enjoyed the convenience and savings of this new program, you won’t want to go back to writing paper checks to make your pledge payment or contribution to Foundry.
If you have questions or want more information, please contact Jim Irwin at 202-332-4010, ext. 223 or e-mail him at jirwin@foundryumc.org.
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Lenten Devotional 2008
This year's theme is "Jesus as Friend." Each year on Ash Wednesday, Foundry presents a Lenten daily devotional filled with short pieces and poetry written by members of the congregation. Deadline for submission is January 13, 2008 . Take some time over the holidays to explore the topic and write a devotion of 300 words maximum to share for Lent. You might include a title, some scripture, a personal note about Jesus as friend or how friendship sustains you, a short prayer and your name. If you have not thought on this topic before, what possibilities come to mind? Some scripture for getting started: Job 42:10; Psalm 25:14; Jeremiah 3:4; Matthew 26:50; Luke 5:20; Luke 7:34; Luke 12:4; John 15:13-15; James 2:23. You can submit your devotion by email to Jeanette Barker at jjbarkerdc@hotmail.com or leave a paper copy in the "Spiritual Life" mailbox in the copy room.
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