A thought, a feeling, rattled around in me for the better part of three years: “I need to do something of value.” This anxiety didn’t feel like the making of a resolution — just an uneasiness in the pit of my stomach.

It showed up as a question mark every time Pastor Ginger challenged Foundry to act or reminded us of our power as the body of Christ. I felt shaky, an inner wobbliness. Why was my body reacting this way? Is this how the Holy Spirit works?

I came to Foundry out of curiosity. I was searching for what David Brooks calls “the Second Mountain,” that illuminating stage in life where your purpose is revealed, you find your tribe and build community. At first, I stayed behind the scenes. Until one day, I didn’t.

In a Bible study class, Kate Coventry invited me to a small group called PerSisters. I went and it became clear that you don’t need only to study the Bible to form a church community. You give who you are without pretense. Your introverted self shows up for dinner and shares what’s happening in your life — simple love.

From there, I discovered the joy of experimentation, of jumping into activities, even if at first, it’s overwhelming. 

And now I have a growing list of connections. I’ve joined the Social Justice team working with partners like the Washington Interfaith Network’s Green Team (and even emboldening myself to testify before the DC Council on electrification). I’m taking a lead role in the DC Cluster for the Congregation Action Network, a Foundry partner training me in organizing, strategic campaigns, and advocacy for immigrants. 

I practice writing with the Foundry Writers group, am a member of the Antiracism cohort, and am beginning studies for the Stephen Ministry. I also plan to plug into Foundry’s Discipleship Ideators Workshop.

It’s a full plate. And I can’t say I’ll be able to juggle it all. But I certainly haven’t had much time for that fluttery feeling to reappear. And maybe that’s just how the Holy Spirit works. Won’t you join me?

Audrey MillerHallett spent her childhood in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.  She came to DC on military assignment and worked in the telecommunications industry until her retirement.  She has been a member  of the church since 2020, joining her husband Michael Lawson in celebrating life at Foundry.

"Foundry United Methodist Church strives to be an inclusive congregation committed to the reconciliation of all people to God and to one another through Jesus Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit dwells in all, and we invite all people to share our faith, our community life and our ministries. We celebrate diversity; whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, straight, queer or any other identity, we affirm you and we believe God does the same. To all, regardless of age, race, color, ethnicity, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, economic condition, or physical or mental ability, we proclaim: God loves you, and we love you. We welcome you, and we invite you to join us on our shared journey." — Foundry’s Statement of Reconciliation, Adopted 1995, updated 2017.

“It was in the 90s?”

Yes, as I shared recently with the young people in our confirmation class, it was in 1995 that Foundry adopted a Statement of Reconciliation and joined others in what today is the Reconciling Ministries Network. I heard the question as evidence of the speaker’s awareness that Foundry went on record relatively early in the movement for inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in Christian churches, no longer simply quietly accepting the participation of queer people, but overtly making a statement of welcome. 

Yet now, I wonder if I was wrong. Did the young speaker mean why wasn’t it done earlier?

1995 was the year I graduated from high school. It was the year my heart was “strangely warmed," and I took the faith passed down to me by countless generations as my own. It was the year I first told another person that I was a lesbian, though I had known for several years, since around the time I too sat in confirmation class in my hometown United Methodist church. 

When asked if it really was in the 1990s, I quickly moved to Foundry’s updating of the Statement of Reconciliation in 2017. Yet now I sit lingering over how 1995 was both a long time ago and just a few orbits around the sun. We know too well that change, particularly in institutions, takes place slowly. Even with the pushback taking place throughout the U.S. today, we know change does happen. 

There is a lot of work to do, but God continues to empower change towards the fullness of the kin-dom of God. The same young person asked if Foundry’s Statement was updated to include gender identity. Impressed by their grasp of what might have changed since 1995, I said yes, that was one of the changes. 

I then moved the discussion back to the topic of the day – faith statements and creeds. I had brought up the Statement of Reconciliation as one way Foundry goes public with its beliefs. Another student noted that the welcome statement at the start of each worship service serves a similar role: “No matter… you are welcome to come just as you are to be met by our God who knows you by name, who loves you, and wants to have an ever-closer relationship with you.” 

During this Pride Month, whether you are part of the queer community or an ally, I invite you to celebrate who God has made you to be. And think about who you might invite to church some Sunday, in person or online, who needs to receive the message of wide welcome and God’s love for them. 

Rev. T.C. Morrow is a member of Foundry’s extended clergy team and serves as Pastor for Public Witness & Ecumenical Connection. Her primary ministry is with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. She and her wife, Logan Alley, first joined the Foundry community in 2002, and have one adopted daughter who graduated from high school last year. 

The work of Foundry’s Board on behalf of our church is supported by several committees, among them Personnel,  Facilities, Governance and Finance. Each is chaired by a Board member; the other committee members are drawn from the congregation, servant leaders who volunteer to assist with essential committee work. As the church year winds down this month, the Board wants to thank these volunteer committee members for their generous contribution of time and effort on behalf of Foundry.

Personnel Committee
The Personnel Committee oversees Foundry’s human resources and makes recommendations to the Board. The Personnel Committee oversees Foundry’s employment relationships, primarily through the creation of employment policy. 

In 2022–23, the Personnel Committee has been chaired by Allison Kramer. The committee began a full review and revision of Foundry’s personnel handbook, carefully considering whether its policy and procedures  are consistent with Foundry’s values and working with 
local attorneys to ensure they align with best practices under DC law. Personnel also revised the Senior Pastor’s evaluation process, moving the forms and standardizing the process for greater efficiency and continuity.

In addition, Personnel began a deep dive into the monthly clergy-staff report to the Board, surveying all participants with the goal of recommending a process which would ease the burden on clergy and staff while still serving  the Board’s needs. Personnel also continued to advise Foundry leadership on personnel matters, participated in the search for a new Family Ministries pastor and offered training on SMART goals. Allison is grateful for the work of Alan Krill, Shelley Jessee, Mike Lawson, Sarah Martin, and Davis Taylor this year.

Facilities Committee
Brian Walker chaired the Facilities Committee this year and enjoyed serving with the volunteer leaders on his committee: Joshua Baumgardner, Steven Pflasterer and Jay Hicks. The committee worked well together managing the ongoing building maintenance, from addressing major plumbing issues to more minor tasks like decommissioning an old, unused elevator. 

The committee’s biggest accomplishment was completing the GreenGen project. In 2018, Washington, DC enacted the Clean Energy DC plan which requires DC buildings to meet specific energy reduction standards. Foundry’s Green Team did hard work in this effort, initiating the project by tasking the firm Green Generations with creating a strategic plan to help Foundry meet DC’s energy reduction requirements. During this project Foundry replaced the HVAC chiller, installed window inserts to reduce energy loss through windows, installed better lighting controls and converted lamps to be LED.

Each of the steps in this project enable Foundry to be responsible stewards of our planet. Another highlight for the committee was the hiring of a Skilled Technician, Larry Green, whose services we share with our neighbor Vital Voices. Hiring Larry Green saves us money because he, rather than outside contractors, can accomplish many of the frequent routine maintenance tasks around the church. 

Governance Committee
The Governance Committee, chaired by Cathy O’Sullivan in 2022–23, has focused on making sure that Foundry’s policy documents are complete and up to date. The Committee prepared and received Board approval of a new policy governing payments to individuals and organizations from our Greatest Need Fund.  The policy establishes standards and procedures for use of the fund, which is intended for social justice and compassion-related expenditures beyond the scope of Foundry’s own ministries. In addition to providing guidelines on appropriate uses of the fund, the policy establishes a Benevolence Ministry Team to consult with staff on larger proposed gifts and other policy issues relating to the fund. In addition, the Committee updated the Foundry Policy Book available to staff and congregation in the Foundry Library.

The Committee also compiled a list of minor updates to committee charters and policy documents to make them consistent with current Foundry staff structure. The Committee provided up-to-date versions of the Board’s Compliance Calendar at each Board meeting, to help the Board keep track of key responsibilities and deadlines. Cathy greatly appreciates the work of her committee members Christina Biebesheimer, Libby Noyes-Palmer, Rachael Powell and Gwen Williamson.

Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is chaired by Guy Cecil and has benefited again this 2022–23 year from the long-term commitment of three members, Matt Hansen, Joe Bateman, and Danny Zeng. Working closely with Foundry staff, the committee’s primary purpose is to oversee Foundry’s financial performance and ensure sound financial practices. From establishing our annual operating and capital budgets to developing monthly updates on budget performance, the committee is focused on maximizing our resources to support Foundry’s mission and ministries.

Foundry is thrilled that Natalie Harvey (she/her) has officially joined the Foundry Staff as Director of Family Ministries effective June 1!

Natalie has recently completed the Masters of Divinity program at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she also served as the Seminary Intern for the Office of Religious Life at Princeton University during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Born in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, PA, and raised in the rich heritage of the Black Baptist church tradition, Natalie has a strong sense of familial community and the enduring bonds of friendship. She is a passionate advocate for Black healing, focusing on mental and emotional wellness and normalizing life’s rhythms of grief and joy.

Before attending seminary, Natalie worked in campus ministry, creating programs, running discipleship houses, leading Bible studies and retreats, and teaching students about the building blocks of Christian community, diversity and inclusion through mentorship and the intersection of spirituality and adult development.

Natalie seeks joy, loves laughter, music, warm and cozy aesthetics, bright colors (especially yellow), fresh flowers, and is extravagantly hospitable. It is her daily mission to experience and “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps.27:12b).

Sunday, June 4
Guy Cecil Preaching
As we complete our Easter season series, Day by Day, our own Foundry Board member Guy Cecil will preach at both services, where we will also celebrate Holy Communion. Today is also the deadline to send in the name of any Foundry folk who are graduating this year from high school, college or graduate school. They will be recognized next Sunday, June 11. Send the graduate’s name, photo, school and future plans to communications@foundryumc.org.

Saturday, June 10
Pride Parade and Foundry Pride Hospitality
Foundry’s radical hospitality will be in full gear today, the day of the annual PRIDE parade! We will serve water from our plaza and open the building for bathroom use. Choose a two-hour shift to work 2–4 p.m. or 4–6 p.m. (register here!). Email Jackie@foundryumc.org with any questions.

You can also march in the parade itself with Foundry and other United Methodists from the area (register here!). We will bear witness to God’s radical welcome. For more information, email Pastor T.C. Morrow at tmorrow@foundryumc.org.

Sunday, June 11
Pride Sunday and Graduate Recognition
Today we welcome another of our own into the pulpit, Dr. Michael E. Hill, Foundry member and president of the Chautauqua Institution, a community of artists, faith leaders, educators, thinkers and friends dedicated to exploring the best in humanity. And we will recognize all Foundry folk who are graduating from high school, college or graduate school. During Coffee Hour, we will take a moment to celebrate the commissioning of Rev. Cassandra Lawrence. Join us!

Sunday, June 18
David Argo Preaching, Confirmation
Acting Senior Pastor David Argo will preach today, as his time with us comes to a close. Foundry owes Pastor Argo our profound thanks for stepping in to lead us and our staff during Pastor Ginger Gaines-Cirelli’s rest and renewal leave. We will also celebrate our newest class of confirmands and our Appalachia Service Project (ASP) commissioning.

Sunday, June 25
Pastor Ginger Preaches…ASP Team Sets Forth
Pastor Ginger returns to the pulpit on this Baptism Sunday, and we welcome her back! And early this morning, our Appalachian Service Project (ASP) team of youth and adults set forth for their week of home repair work in Knott County, KY. Please keep them in your prayers (you can also support their trip with your gifts here!). They will return next Saturday, July 1.

Tuesday, June 27
Foundry Board Meeting
Foundry’s Board will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Interested Foundry members may attend via Zoom, following this link: foundryumc.org/board-meeting. 

Thursday, June 29
Project Transformation: Read with a Child this Summer
Volunteer to spend two hours each Thursday morning from today, June 29 to August 10, reading with an elementary age child in DC. It’s a great way to help students at a critical stage of learning to read avoid the “summer slide,” the loss of reading skills over the summer. For more details and to register, go to foundryumc.org/read or email projecttransformation@foundryumc.org.