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The Pastoral Corner: "About the War in Iraq "
I could and did. I also offered the prayers of Foundry Church and any support we could be. Then I set down my phone and began to kick myself. Some time ago we set out to discuss the War in Iraq and to study the church's teachings on war and peace. We did a couple of discussions and then other concerns and worries pushed it to the backside of my pastoral mind. I know we have people here at Foundry working for peace through our Peace with Justice Mission and others who are participating in discussions and study. But I don't think I myself have participated in a serious theological or ethical discussion about war or mentioned the War in Iraq in a sermon in months. I guess I made some vague comments during sermons in Lent, but – really – the war has not held a very central place in my attention. I read the papers, an occasional report or analysis in magazines, and a book or two, but I guess I've just been hoping the war would somehow end. Here's part of my problem – I am tired of blaming. So much of what I read seems to be about who to blame. It is as though once we've blamed somebody else for the war, we don't have to do anything ourselves. And, then, the options seem so limited and hopeless. How is this war ever going to end without horrendous consequences one way or another? It feels hopeless. So I've found myself focusing my energy, attention, and prayers on things that maybe I can do a little something about – like homelessness in the District and the music program here at Foundry. Then one day I get a phone call from another coast, asking for the name of a grief counselor, for a young bride who – a month after her wedding – will never make love to her husband again. And I sit here kicking myself for not paying better attention. Just because we don't have solutions, just because it is all so hard to figure out, just because the political posturing and blaming is so revolting…is this a good excuse to stop paying attention? Isn't it precisely the work of the followers of Jesus Christ to pay attention to the places of greatest despair and hopelessness? Isn't it at the hopeless places that the followers of the resurrected Christ believe God is most powerfully present? Stanley J. Thurston Selected as Interim Director of Music On Sunday, September 30, the Staff Parish Relations Committee and the Interim Search Committee announced the selection of our Interim Director of Music, Stanley J. Thurston. In making the announcement, Paul Hazen stated: “As the congre-gation knows, Stanley is an outstanding musician and director. His talents and experience are exceptional and we are blessed to have his gifts and leadership here at Foundry. Stanley is renowned for his leadership with the Washington Performing Arts Society and the Heritage Signature Chorale and now we can add Foundry to this impressive list. Stanley will assume full-time duties as the Interim Director of Music immediately.” In welcoming Stanley , Dean Snyder said: “We are pleased and honored to welcome Stanley Thurston to Foundry Church as our Interim Director of Music. Stanley is an amazingly talented and accomplished musician and director. He is a strong classical and traditional musician and Washington 's leading conductor of spirituals. He also plays a dynamic gospel and jazz piano. We intend to employ and enjoy the full range of his gifts. Stanley is also a profoundly spiritual person who will deepen and enrich our life as a congregation. I am grateful to our Search Committee and Staff Parish Relations Committee for their good work in helping to identify Stanley as our interim director. I am also grateful to the members of our choirs for their leadership of worship and their musical service.” Stanley J. Thurstonhas appeared as conductor in concert venues including Carnegie Hall, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, the U.S. Capitol, The Music Center at Strathmore, Carter Barron Amphitheater, DAR Constitution Hall, Arena Stage, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Washington National Cathedral, and the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. He has appeared as guest conductor with the Soulful Symphony, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Prince George ’s Philharmonic, the Detroit Civic Symphony, the Washington Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra. He has prepared choruses for Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Washington Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Festival Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Royal Ballet. Mr. Thurston is well known as a pianist, composer, and arranger. His orchestral arrangements have been performed by the symphony orchestras of Baltimore , New Jersey , and the National Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared, as conductor, with such well-known artists as Sweet Honey in the Rock, Canadian Brass, and jazz legends Ramsey Lewis & Wynton Marsalis. A graduate of The American Academy of Conducting at Aspen , Mr. Thurston made his European opera conducting debut in Verdi’s La Traviata with Romania ’s Opera Constanta, returning in 2004 to conduct Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Previous positions have included Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra’s NSO In Your Neighborhood concert series, Choirmaster, Sixth Presbyterian Church; Music Director for The Gospel at Colonus, Georgetown University; Minister of Music, First Baptist Church (Randolph) Washington, D.C.; Staff Accompanist, Howard University Vocal Department; Music Director, CACS Chorus; Interim Minister of Music at National City Christian Church; and Principal Conductor of the Municipal Opera Company of Baltimore. He is the founding Music Director of The Heritage Signature Chorale and Artistic Director with the Washington Performing Arts Society. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Morgan State University in Baltimore , Maryland , where he completed dual degrees in music-piano performance and economics. All Saints' Sunday: November 4 - Faure Requiem All Saints Sunday is the day when we as a worshipping community connect ourselves with the past, with the saints who have gone before us, whether they be prophets, early Christian writers, personal mentors, friends, or family. Our lives have been touched by countless people, and we form a bridge between them and those whom we will, in turn, influence. During the service we will name those who have died within the last year from the Foundry community and from the wider community. Our worship on this Sunday (at both services) will be enriched by the Fauré Requiem. Gabriel Fauré began sketches for the Requiem in 1887. By the time of the first performance, on January 16, 1888 , there were five movements: an Introit and Kyrie, the Sanctus, Pie Jesu, Angus Dei, and In Paradisum. To perform the work, Fauré called for a mixed choir with divided tenors and basses, a soprano soloist, an orchestra of low strings (violas, cellos, and double basses), harp, timpani, and organ, with a violin solo in the Sanctus. He added an Offertoire in 1889, and added a setting of the Libera Me that he had written for baritone and organ some twelve years earlier. He added horns, trumpets, and trombones to the orchestra, and a baritone soloist, and this version was first performed at the Madeleine in January of 1893. As a choirmaster and organist, Fauré constantly sought to create a new kind of church music. He wanted something different than the operatic bel canto style which was popular in Paris at the time, and different than the outsized, large-scale Germanic Romantic style which dominated the rest of Europe . Along the way, he helped to establish a distinctive French style which set the stage for the development of the Impressionist style of Debussy and Ravel. Why Liberal and Conservative Christians Don't Think Alike
Whether you have traditionally enjoyed this service or find yourself in town over Thanksgiving for the first time – come and be glad with us.
Sunday, October 28 Sunday, November 4 – All Saints Sunday, November 11 Sunday, November 18 Generous Giving for Ministry Dictionary.com gives four meanings of the word “generosity”:
A few weeks ago, when I attended the Leadership Institute at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City , I had the opportunity to hear Robert Schnase, the Bishop of the Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Schnase was leading an intensive workshop on stewardship, entitled “Extravagant Generosity.” Writing on generosity, Bishop Schnase states: “First-century Christian communities, the Methodists of the 1700s, faith mentors, and models of Christian living today – all have discovered a truth as sure as gravity, that generosity enlarges the soul, realigns priorities, connects people to the Body of Christ, and strengthens congregations to fulfill Christ’s ministries. Giving reflects the nature of God. Growing in the grace of giving is part of the Christian journey of faith, a response Christian disciples offer to God’s call to make a difference in the world.” - Robert Schnase, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations In Foundry’s planning process, in our worship series “In the Potter’s Hands,” and in our house meetings this fall, we have been focusing on how God is calling Foundry. One thing is certain – that God calls us to “make a difference in the world” through our ministries. Our Stewardship Campaign this year is focused on the theme “Generous Giving for Ministry.” The first step in this campaign is to recognize the generosity of our congregation over this past year and to offer a very grateful “Thank you!” for all that we have been able to accomplish together in continuing our missions and ministries. On Sunday, November 11th, Dean Snyder will preach on “The State of the Church,” with Matthew 7: 24-29 as the scripture text. This will be followed by our Stewardship Sunday, November 18th, with the scripture being Luke 10: 25-37. As we reflect during this season on the generosity of God, let us experience our generosity as part of our journey of faith, making a difference in our world through our ministry. The Liberia Mission Group In November 2006, Foundry shipped blankets, cots, and clothing to a day care center in Monrovia . Today, there are little kids wearing red “Foundry Preschool” T-shirts running around and climbing on the jungle gym at the center. But screens are needed on the windows at the center, and more playground equipment would be immediately used. In square miles, Liberia is slightly larger than the State of Ohio . Its population of 3 million is about 40% Christian; life expectancy at birth for females is 42 years. It has 85% unemployment. In 2006, Ms. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became President: she is Africa ’s first democratically elected female president. What can Foundry do, in response to the needs of Liberia ? Join us at our next meeting on November 7th at 6:45 pm in Room 203. "Help the Homeless" Walkathon
Calling all walkers! Foundry UMC is organizing a team for the Help the Homeless Walkathon, and we need your help! Walk for one of three amazing organiza-tions: N Street Village, Emmaus Services for the Aging, or So Others Might Eat (SOME). The Help the Homeless Walkathon is one of the biggest fundraisers for the homeless in the Washington DC area. What makes it particularly appealing is the fact that the funds you help raise will stay in your community. Most of us who live or work in the city see evidence of the plight of the homeless on a regular basis. So, for me, the Walkathon is a chance to see the expressions of joy and pride among the multitude of people who come together for this walk. For the past two years I have walked with my daughter and other youth from Foundry and for another year served with her as a volunteer. Whether you volunteer to organize the event or walk for the "feel good feeling" that you get at the beginning of the walk, you are bound to see the signs of support for the individual shelters and programs that offer help in the city. Crossing the finish line is worth the entry fee. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for youth; the registration fee will support the mission of your choice and help to further its work in the District! All interested walkers should join us Saturday, November 17 at 8:00 am on the front steps of the Natural History Museum (look for Foundry’s balloons and sign). The Walkathon will begin at 9:00 am on the National Mall. People of all ages are invited to walk with us, especially families and youth. Join us this November 17th on the Mall to walk for the homeless. Make this our best year yet! Please register with Katy Wheat at (202) 332-4010 or by email at kwheat@foundryumc.org. Foundry to Implement Electronic Contributions Many of us have been asking if it could be possible to make pledge payments and special contributions on-line by credit card or direct debit from our bank accounts. The answer is yes: this service will be available here at Foundry by mid-November. We have engaged VANCO Services, which is recommended by the United Methodist Church General Commission on Finance and Administration, to provide this service. Foundry will provide two different services: 1. Electronic transfer of your regular pledge payment or one-time special gift from your bank account to Foundry. 2. Payment of pledges or other contributions by credit card, using an on-line form on Foundry’s website. We are currently in the final stages of setting up and testing our on-line payment link. Training of staff will begin in early November. We expect this service to be available before our next Stewardship Campaign begins. The precise date for implementation will be announced soon. Watch for special announcements in the Focus, on our website, and by special e-mail message. If you have questions concerning electronic contributions, please contact Jim Irwin at (202) 332-4010, ext. 223, or by email at jirwin@foundryumc.org. Mustard Seed Mission He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." - Matthew 13:31-32 Foundry has a new series of mission opportunities, the Mustard Seed Mission. The name comes from Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed in Matthew. Although the mustard seed is small and may appear insignificant, with nourishment it grows to be an impressive and powerful presence in any garden. Similarly, it is our hope that these mission opportunities will plant a small seed of service in the hearts of all involved, one that will be nourished by participation, a seed that will grow into a habit of mission to God’s people. Mustard Seed Mission will present opportunities for service one to two times each month, on weeknights and Saturdays. They are one-time, no commitment chances to engage in service in and around the District of Columbia , with a group of other Foundry volunteers. Service opportunities may include a visit to a local food bank on a Saturday morning to help package and distribute food to shelters, or helping an elderly client of Emmaus Services for the Aging to tidy up around their home on a week night. Mustard Seed Mission is open to everyone in the Foundry congregation, and will have a special emphasis on working individuals, families, youth, and anyone looking for something new! Suggestions for mission opportunities are always welcome, so if you have a special local mission you would like to support, please let Katy Wheat know, at kwheat@foundryumc.org! Look for upcoming events in the Focus for monthly details. The Foundry Players: Awards and a New Season
After a brief rest in August, The Players are pleased to announce their 61 st season (the longest running community theatre in the area, still performing in the same location!): this fall we will present A New Brain, by Tony Award winning playwright and composer, William Finn, which dramatizes his own battle with a brain tumor several years ago. This delightful one-act musical chronicles the character Gordon’s journey from serious injury to recovery, and from self-absorbed and jaded to a new loving relationship with his friends and family. The play opens on Friday, November 2, and runs for three weekends. The season continues next February with Goodnight, Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet) by acclaimed playwright, Ann Marie McDonald; and, in May, we’ll present a legacy production of the much loved A.R. Gurney play, The Dining Room. Visit The Players website at www.foundryplayers.com for complete performance dates and times, ticket information, and updates on our season. Think About Becoming a Foundry Member: 3 Easy Steps If you have been coming to Foundry for some time and have found yourself more “at home” with our congregation, why not consider becoming a member? Perhaps you are a Methodist who has moved here from out of town. Maybe you grew up a Methodist or a member of some other religious tradition and haven’t been connected with a church for some time. Or maybe you found yourself here at Foundry having never participated in a place of worship before. However you may have arrived here in your journey, we welcome you and invite you take the easy steps to become a member. Step 1: Complete a registration form that can be found on the Foundry website (www.foundryumc.org) or at the church office. Step 2: Attend the New Member Orientation session that takes place on Sunday, November 4th after the 11:00 am service. After being hosted to a free lunch, new members engage in a dialogue about what brought you to Foundry, what you are looking for from the church community, and how you would like to participate in the life of the church. Each new member has a “lay mentor” to help guide them, to respond to questions and to stay in touch with you as you continue your spiritual journey. Step 3: Participate in the “Joining Sunday” on November 11th at either the 9:30 or the 11:00 am worship service where you will be welcomed by the congregation. The next orientation will be held on Sunday, November 4th. The session starts with a free lunch at 12:30 pm in the Davenport Center and will end by 4:00 pm . Free child care will be provided during the orientation. If you have any questions, please contact Garrett Peck at (703) 807-0249, or by email at garrettpeck@comcast.net. Member Profile: Barbara Miller - Back to School Barbara has had over 30 years experience working as a manager in human resources. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University . Barbara was volunteering at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital when she realized that she wanted to spend the rest of her working years as a nurse. To follow her dream, in 2005 she enrolled at Montgomery College to take the necessary prerequisites to apply for nursing school. Barbara took the courses while continuing her day job and also her volunteer commitment at the Hospital. The next step came when Barbara accepted a severance package from her employer and began her journey in earnest. The Gazette quotes Barbara: “I was 55 years old, but as a science and math student I was maybe 19 – my last science course was high school chemistry in 1967, my last math course, statistics, was in grad school in 1976. “Every professor I had was knowledgeable, fair, organized, and a real teacher. Some qualities were consistent across all—they started class on time even if students were late; gave a clear class syllabus in the first class; advised us in advance of quizzes and tests; encouraged questions, and if we were having trouble grasping a concept tried to explain it a different way; were always available and generous with individual help before and after class.” Barbara’s success was recognized when she was accepted to the University of Maryland ’s highly-regarded, competitive Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which she started in August at the Shady Grove campus. Remolding, remaking, reinventing . . . Barbara Miller is well on her way! Congratulations, Barbara! Foundry Families Visit Cox Farms Members of Foundry traveled to Centreville , Virginia , on Saturday, October 13, to enjoy the fall festivities presented by Cox Farms.
Foundry's Annual Charge Conference Acts 2: 41-47 Foundry’s Annual Charge Conference will be held on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 7:00 pm . Rev. David Argo, our District Superintendent, will preside at the Conference. All Foundry members are invited to attend. This year’s agenda begins with a time for worship that will include two testimonies on how one’s life has been enriched by the Church. There will be time for reflection on Scripture, followed by a time of fellowship. A pastoral report will include confessions of faith during the year, worship attendance, and mission engagement. SPRC will review pastoral compensation, and recommendations for ministry. The Lay Leadership Committee report on the Election of Officers will be conducted. The evening will conclude with a report on the Hope Fund, the sharing of Signs and Wonders, closing prayer and benediction.
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I recently had an emergency phone call from a pastor I know who is now serving in another part of the country. A member of his church had just been married in a ceremony in his church a month earlier. Her husband had been deployed to Iraq . She had taken a job here in DC. A month after their wedding he died as the result of a roadside explosion in Iraq . The pastor told me she badly needed grief counseling and asked if I could suggest a counselor or therapist. 
This is a six-week class that will examine why Christians read the Bible differently, dis-agree on inclu-sive language and homosex-uality, and discuss what hope there may be to transcend these differences. The text used for this course will be Nancey Murphy’s book: Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism. The course will be led by Dean Snyder and will take place on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 – 8:30 pm on November 7, 14, 28, and December 5, 12, and 19. Look for more information in upcoming issues of the Focus. 
Thanksgiving Day Worship will be celebrated in the Chapel at 10:00 am on Thursday, November 22nd. Come gather for praise and thanksgiving as we sing, pray, hear the word (including a Children’s sermon), share communion and collect canned goods to support Whitman-Walker Clinic’s program. The service will be led by Rev. Theresa Thames -Lynch and Rev. Dee Lowman . 
As the autumn leaves change, the temperatures begin to drop (finally!), and the sun stays with us less and less, I find myself thinking about the upcoming holidays – Thanksgiving and Christmas. In my reflections and prayer during this time of year, I find myself thinking about God’s generosity: the liberality of God’s giving, the generous acts of God that I have received throughout my life, and the largeness or fullness of God becoming human in Jesus. There was certainly no smallness of mind or character in God becoming one of us. Such generosity from God can inspire us to acts of generosity in how we live our lives and use our resources. 
This past Summer, The Foundry Players concluded their Diamond Jubilee Season by entering two one-act plays in the NVTA One-Act Play Festival. The two plays, All in My Head, a new play by Players’ President, Terri McKinstry , and Dogg’s Hamlet, an early play by Tom Stoppard, were performed in June in Falls Church , Virginia . Competing with plays presented by 13 other area companies, The Players received a dozen nominations at the awards ceremony and garnered four awards: Best Production of an Original Play for All in My Head; and Best Ensemble, Best Director (for Bob Benn ) and Best Overall Production for Dogg’s Hamlet. Look for a display of the awards during upcoming productions. 
The Montgomery County Gazette recently ran an article about one of Foundry’s members, Barbara Miller . The article described Barbara’s experience as one of thousands of adults attending Montgomery College who are learning to reinvent themselves. The College’s programs assist adults who are in the process of changing jobs, entering the workforce for the first time, or learning new skills for their current position. 
Foundry United Methodist Church
1500 16th Street, NW * Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 332-4010 * Fax: (202) 332-4035
Email: foundryumc@foundryumc.org
Web: www.foundryumc.org
Pastoral Care Emergency Phone
(after normal office hours): (202) 306-2659