Church gossip
I don't really keep up with these things, so this may be
last year's news to some. But it doesn't look like Metropolitan is going to be moving from Armstrong/CAPS school anytime soon. That church they are
supposedly building in PG County to move to in order to accommodate their car-centric congregation, well that's on hold. 'Cause they broke. Or 'bankrupt', using the language of my source. I can't find anything confirming the bankrupt charge.
Labels: churches
Mt. Sinai missions
On Saturday I got a flier advertising the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church Nurses' Ministry's Church and Community Health Fair. What I really wanted to do Saturday was ask questions of what I'm assuming is some clothing ministry that was out on the corner of 3rd and Q that day. But I was running errands and trying to catch buses so that didn't happen.
If you haven't seen them or ever walked by that corner when they are out, every so often (it seems monthly or quarterly) on a Saturday there will be free clothing offered. The couple of times I've passed there have been people fingering through the racks of clothes. When I walked by this weekend there were "gently used" (got that phrase from EBay) women's and children's shoes. There were children's clothing as well as adult clothing. And then there is the big chalkboard saying "Free Clothes" just so it is clear of what' going on and offered.
The flier I got is for free health screenings and some shots & tests that are to occur on the 26th from 10AM to 3PM. The screenings are for prostate cancer, glucose (for diabetes, body fats or lipids), and blood pressure. The tests are for HIV, urine, and hearing. The shots are for the flu and tetanus. This is to occur in their lower auditorium. I'm guessing that's the same area where we have the BACA meetings.
For more information I gather one would contact Mt. Sinai and their office # is 2/ 667-1833.
Labels: churches, events, health
UHOP parade May 23rd, you have been warned
Okay, I don't want to get into an argument about religious or 1st amendment expression, I just want to warn some of y'all about an annual traffic nightmare/ fun parade. Depending on who you are, where you live, what you're doing and if you actually need to get anywhere will determine how you feel about it. I live on the other side of New Jersey Ave and I take the subway, so I don't care.
Anyway here's some of the announcement:
The United House of Prayer for All People will be celebrating its, Annual Memorial Day Peace Parade, on Saturday May 23, 2009. This year the parade has a theme, which has been coined "Return", adapted by our leader, Bishop C. M. Bailey.
Historically, the parade route travels passing through Vermont Avenue, however, this year, the parade route will travel down 13th Street, NW, from U. Street, NW. The actual parade route is:
6th Street - Florida Avenue - 13th Street - Logan Circle - P Street - 7th Street - back to United House of Prayer for All People, 601 M Street, NW
Because the parade route has been slightly changed, we want to provide notification to the Community and thus, sought to have this communicated to Advisory Neighborhood Commission, ANC, 2-F, so as to not inconvenience the community.
The parade, lotsa black people, groups of young men with brass instruments, and maybe drums, will be snaking through the middle of Shaw starting around 11AM and possibly finishing up around 3PM. Avoid Rhode Island Avenue, and any other cross streets through central Shaw, if you're in a car. Now if you're on a bike, just try not to hit anyone, you can probably ride through the gaps.
Every time I encounter the parade, there never seems to be anyone from the city (MPD, DDOT, etc) directing traffic on Rhode Island. Since the church is alerting the community with announcements, I wonder if that will change.
Labels: churches, events
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, good neighbor
Shaw has a lot of churches. Many range from the ones housed in rowhouses to storefronts and churches that look like churches. Some churches, as they act in their own interest (nothing wrong with that) have been deaf to the concerns of the residents who they share the neighborhood with, and others have been a bit better at listening. Mt. Sinai has been one of those better churches.
Back when portions of the TC was in the 3rd Police District, Mt. Sinai allowed for PSA (police service area) meetings. This is in addition to the Bates Area Civic Association meetings that are usually held on the 1st Monday of every month, unless it falls near a holiday or there is inclement weather. Provided that you can make arrangements, the church has so far been very willing to provide free meeting space to community groups.
Though the church owns a number of homes along 3rd Street, and unlike some churches I can think of, Mt. Sinai has maintained these properties#, paid their taxes*, and keeps them in use for various ministries and functions. Except for the two properties bookending the 1600 block of 3rd St, the others don't particularly stick out. One of the reasons I prefer the bus stop at 3rd and Q is that their place on that corner is somewhat populated, not as cut off and isolated as 3rd and R. Yes, the education center at 3rd and R does stick out. But after a while you get used to it.
They also, as do other Shaw churches, engage in community or local charity. Be it with their benevolence fund or the offer of free clothing. I can't remember if they have a small food bank or not. They might not need to as the Fourth Street 7th Day Adventists, on the other side of the block has a soup kitchen on Sundays.
As they have grown from a storefront** to a full sized church with auxillary buildings, they have not turned themselves into a fortress. They have not fought neighborhood efforts to better itself, nor has it forgotten those left behind. Mt. Sinai, seems to know where it is in the community.
# 1630 3rd is listed as a vacant property and is taxed as such. From
pictures of the house, it doesn't strike me as looking vacant.
*Yes, despite being owned by the church, taxes are paid on almost all the 3rd Street properties, save but one.
** A 1950s NW area church survey classified Mt. Sinai on the 1600 blk of 3rd as a 'storefront' chruch.
Labels: churches
Armstrong, New York Ave, and neighborhood charity
Those two have nothing to do with each other except they are the emails I have flagged in my inbox.
First Armstrong. I guess I'm on the mailing list for this subject because I attended the BACA meeting that covered it and I guess this is the 'getting back with the community' part of that discussion. Anyway here was the notice that was sent out:
Dear Community,
On Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 7:00 pm at Armstrong School, Kent Amos, founder of the CAPCS education campus, will met with community for follow up discussion on his recent decision permitting Metropolitan Baptist Church use of the school for Sunday services. Senior Pastor Beecher Hicks also plans to attend. Please make every effort to come out and bring your questions and alternative ideas for addressing this community dilemma.
Light refreshments will be available. For further information, please contact me at 55O-O619* or by e-mail at adbonds g mail com*.
I'm looking forward to seeing you,
Anita Bonds
There have been a couple of 'reply all' emails concerning the upcoming meeting. One, going on the separation of church and state thread is a fruitless one. The relationship between the charter school and the church is that of landlord and tenant and not unusual. My best friend's church rents out a PG County high school gym while they wait for their building to be done. Difference? High schools have way more parking than middle and elementary schools. And it is the parking that has raised the immediate resident's ire. Second, sticking to the point of the matter, parking, and using the threat of strong parking enforcement may prove fruitful.
This weekend being so nice I rode my bike to church, taking my old route by the old location of Metropolitan Baptist. I could see the difference. When Metropolitan was on R Street, the streets were congested and there was almost ALWAYS someone blocking the bike lane. And the Washington Post newspaper vendor dude used to be on the corner. But no more. The streets around 13th and R were 'normal', no more crowded than 9th and R.
New York Avenue. It is websites like
Stimulus Watch that make me think that the net was made for democracy. Apparently, the
intersection at Florida and New York Avenue is to take up 8 millllllllyon dallahs. There is another New York Ave project also included but no detail of what NY Ave bridge. Anyway, I need someone to define 'shovel ready.' Seriously there must be a treeful of paper of studies on New York Avenue NE and NW and it's various intersections that have never gotten past 'oh look we have a study.' After looking at the guts of some road studies (not New York Ave but other DC roads), the info in them goes bad quicker than a gallon of milk, which means after a few years...... you do another study (and the contractors who do studies say yay!). Seriously define 'shovel ready' because if it involves a study and community buy in and the other things that take up time and effort, it's only shovelin' manure.
Lastly, something good from the Eckington listserv:
Hi Neighbors,
Thank You!!! When members of our community were in need of support their neighbors stepped up to help out. The Stancil family has found an apartment to live in until repairs to their home are completed. Our efforts to raise funds and provide clothing was a great success. The community members, area churches and strangers that happened to read about the Stancil family at the Big Bear Cafe contributed $2,000 in cash, checks and gift cards. I had to make daily trips from the Big Bear to Emery with my Outback stuffed full of clothing donations. The Stancils were overwhelmed by the out pouring of support when they needed it the most. Any clothing the family can't use will go to area clothing banks. We all face uncertainties with the economic crisis yet this community opened their hearts to help. Thank You!
we all work together, ted
*I made changes here.
Labels: Bloomingdale/Eckington, charity, churches, schools, transportation
Inauguration Day in the TC part 2
After President Obama's speech the loudspeakers of the mosque erupted with the call to prayer. I stuck my head out the door because I thought I also heard firecrackers or something with a big boom. As the call to prayer was still wailing on, a big cluster of National Guardsmen walked down the sidewalk. Love it, hate it, the call to prayer is one of those things that makes the TC and parts of central Shaw unique.
I wonder what went though the minds of these visitors in uniform as they walked by the mosque.
Labels: churches, inauguration
Open House at the Mosque
You've heard the call to prayer, or some guy singing over the loudspeakers, well Saturday will be your chance to see it live.
Sometime ago I and my neighbors got a flier for an open house at the Masjid Muhammad, that mosque over on 4th St or '1519 Islamic Way NW'. They will open their doors to neighbors on January 10 from 11:30am-1pm. As part of the flier there was a whole thing about proper dress and etiquette for entering the musalla (prayer area) and the masjid. Call the office at 202 483 8832 for more information.
I've been to a previous open house and was able to get an answer to my most pressing question answered. I wanted to know how early the call to prayer was done, because it has woken me up.
Another thing I want to note that I noticed from the flier, was that Cub, Boy & Girl Scout troops meet there on Sundays. Good thing to know because I'm always trying to score me some Thin Mints.
Labels: churches
Chef, Church, Contractor, Coffee
This posting is for stuff on the backburner I'd been meaning to post. So, going in alphabetical order
ChefChef Jean Claude LeLan that is. About a week ago I took my 3rd or 4th class with him and they are always wonderful learning and eating experiences. His classes tend to be on Sunday mornings at 10 at his home in Mt. Vernon Sq., so even after having a rich meal and a good deal of wine, I can toddle or waddle back home for a good nap. The next class he's having is the sauce class January 11th. I've taken it and it is well worth it because Chef Jean-Claude is a hoot, you get to take some sauces home and the after class meal is brunch. I also recommend that you take good notes and ask questions because the handouts are general and some steps are not mentioned or can be adjusted or are estimates or there are ideas that come out of the class.
Chef Jean Claude also offers catering and cooking classes in your home. I am tempted to have him cater, but a cooking class would not work. My kitchen is tiny.
ChurchChurch of the Immaculate Conception at 8th and N NW is one of two Roman Catholic Churches in Shaw, the other is
St. Augustine. The pastor of Immaculate Conception, Rev. Msgr. James Watkins resides in Shaw, so he is a part of the community. Mass is as follows- Saturday 5:30 (29 minutes or less or your next mass is free); Sunday 9AM (1 hour), 11AM (about 1.5 hours), 6PM (Latin. Fr. Watkins' Latin is lovely, everybody else....eh). And don't bother with the
website, it is stuck in Dec 2006.
CoffeeNot exactly in Shaw, but close, and they asked nice, and I needed another 'C'...
Hi,
I'm Ongisa and we just opened up CocoLibre at 786 Harvard St. NW. It's a Fair Trade Cafe' that specializes in certified tea, coffee, and chocolate- plus your typical coffee shop fare like paninis and pastries. I know we aren't exactly in Shaw, but we're close. If you could give us a shout-out or something, that would be great. Check us out on the web- www.cocolibre.com. Feel free to hype us up and stop in for some great organic (and ethical) tea! Thanks.
ContractorSome of y'all wanted my contractor's contact info. Well my 2007 big renovation job and my 2002-2003 kitchen job were done by David of Something Different Contracting, 2/321-6416. I do recommend him for your big house projects (things that may require permits). David is very communicative, and lives close, in Frozen Tropic land (Old City 1). He has worked with older homes and will work with you to salvage any old beauty that may still exist in your home. You can email me at mari at inshaw daht com if you have questions you want to ask.
Labels: business, churches, food/dining, renovation
Buy a church for your new home
This place has been on the market for a while and I do wish I could find a non MRIS picture, but
1641 4th St NW is up for sale. According to a
1957 study of NorthWest 1 churches, it served as a house church. That's sort of like a storefront church, but instead of a store, worshipers used a house. Up until last year or two years ago, a small sign reading "Faith Temple" was near the door of this house.
A few years ago, I swear there were more of these little house churches around the hood. I remember years ago walking around 1st and Bates and hearing a woman preaching, well saying words loudly in a rhythm similar to preaching. That's gone now. There is a house church on the corner of 3rd and P. The building looks nice and seems to be well kept every time I pass by. I do have a pciture of that.
The Redfin ad for 1641 4th St, the former Faith Temple, says it has the original wood floors and looking at the pictures it looks like it has a lot of original stuff. I can see how the layout can serve a small number of people.
Now that I think of it, I have attended an Eastern Orthodox service in a converted rowhouse in Columbia Heights. While there I was paying more attention to the fact they had chairs, than the normal, non-churchy windows. Depending on the size of the congregation, a house can work for worship purposes and neighbors like it if worship does not require drums, electric bass and amps.
Labels: churches, neighborhood history, real estate
That ringing
I've figured out where the bells that ring the hours come from. I was walking near Immaculate Conception on 8th and N one evening and heard the bells there, sounding like they were coming from the church. All this while I was guessing it was coming from LeDroit or over by Howard.
Si (of MVSQ) mentioned that sound bounces around on the buildings, which could explain my confusion.
Labels: churches, misc
Veranda
...or the one place within walking distance to take the Aunt whose liquor license her church hasn't challenged....
Veranda on P has a decently priced brunch. I had seen the regular dinner menu and was concerned but the brunch featured a selection of omelettes, a burger, a veggie wrap, salads, and some sides. It was standard American fare, but good none the less. We both got big honking plates of food. I could hardly finish mine. It cost me, as I had volunteered to pick up the tab, a little over $30 for the two of us.
Then she dragged me to Handel's
Messiah.
Labels: business, churches
Before there was the Shaw School Urban Renewal Area there was NW
This should be at the DC Archives over on Naylor Court, NW because this comes from the DC RLA. And the 'this' is a church survey for a previous urban renewal idea of doing a nice big chunk in NW. The best I can tell of what happened with the NW Urban Renewal Area is that it shrank to the NoMa area, and at some point the Shaw School Urban Renewal came to be. Seriously, I'm fuzzy when it comes to all the various urban renewal programs that RLA, with the federal government (NCPC), churned out. There were several, a downtown, possibly a NE, Adams-Morgan, the famous SW, this NW one and Shaw.
Anyway, the little numbered circles in the shown map here of the NW urban renewal area are of the various steeple and storefront churches in 1957. I'm not going to list them all as there are several pages and I don't want to. But there are a few churches I want to highlight.
Steeple:
#3 Greater New Bethel; #4 Metropolitan; #10 Redeemer Italian Baptist; #13- Shiloh Baptist and #14 Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Storefront Church:
#17 Mt. Sinai Baptist
The survey is basic, with name and address of pastor, ethnic make up, staff, and a few things about the membership I found interesting.
Greater New Bethel, then at 1739 9th St, had a membership of 700, with an average attendance of 350, parking for 25 cars, and 80% of the working members held white collar jobs. None of the members lived in the NW urban renewal area but all lived in DC.
Metropolitan Baptist at 1225 R St had a membership of 3,260, average attendance at the worship service was 1500. Of the working membership 25% were white collar, 30% unskilled manual, 15% skilled and 10% in business. Geographically 40% lived in the urban renewal area, 57% in the rest of DC and 3% in VA. In 1957 it had no mortgage.
Redeemer Italian Baptist, or 'ok I guess there was a strong eye-talian presence here'. It was at 1200 Kirby St and composed of white Italians. None of them lived in the urban renewal area, 40% were in the rest of DC and 60 % in MD & VA. The membership 125 with 60 showing up for worship services. A majority, 55% were skilled manual laborers, 30% white collar, and 10% in business.
Okay, I'm tired of typing, I'll pick this up again later.
Labels: churches, neighborhood history
Well, that went well
Well today after getting my hair done, I went to the Shiloh Baptist Church Family Life Center's Forum on Gentrification. It was a good step on the part of the Family Life Center to have something of a dialog, which despite nearly falling into chaos*, where different opinions voiced themselves. Hopefully, some Shiloh groups and community members can come together again to improve communication, find out what we can agree on, and work together on that.
I really did not take any decent notes. Except a notation about something Alex Padro, one of the panel members said about who gentrification really hurt were the people in boarding houses and people in single family townhomes. Shaw has the highest concentration of subsidized housing in Ward 2, with Lincoln Westmoreland, Foster House, Asbury Dwellings and some other places. And, if I remember right, the tenant groups have long covenants that keep the housing affordable to them. So whatever happens in the real estate market, their fine. However, found out that the United House of Prayer, which had/has a fair amount of affordable housing is going market/ luxury rate.
Also it was good to meet/see people I mainly know from the online experience, Ray and the man behind OnSeventh. The great thing about neighborhood blogging is at some point you are going to run into people off-line. Oh, and I stand behind what I said about libel. If there is anything that I have typed that is untrue (outside of an opinion) bring it to my attention, and if it is false, I will retract it or adjust it, basically try to make it right. I am not hiding behind a blog, believe me, you can find me if you put some effort in it, like emailing me, or wandering over to a BACA meeting. At some community gatherings, some people (Scott Roberts) are more than happy to point me out.
After the forum I did talk to some folks who were members and volunteers for Shiloh. There are a few ideas that I hope some who can act on these ideas can work with. One is getting new Baptists in the area to join. Second is doing a better job of advertising different missions that can help people in need in the immediate area take care of immediate needs, like a food pantry and a benevolence fund, and if a person needs to tap into it right this minute, how they would get connected. Third, have a church presence on one of the civic association committees, like Ebeneezer Baptist is with BACA.
*****
I've been typing this up between dinner and had a nice long conversation with a fellow with a Shiloh justice ministry spin-off, the Urban Housing Alliance, who was at the forum. Long and short of it, because I really want to get back to dinner, what's going on with Shiloh and the properties and the official justice ministry to address issues is complicated. This is the part where I don't want to be bothered with the infighting because I have to side with my family members who are Shiloh members and supportive of current leadership. But the fellow made a good point of some failings with current leadership and some of the problems we are seeing.
Anyway, due to issues related to the infighting & parking, the Urban Housing Alliance will be meeting at a friendly location for them, 4311 R St, Capitol Heights, MD October 20th from 10:30AM to noon. 'Cause I asked, why out in Maryland? It seems they also meet in DC as well and their goal is to provide services, free of charge, to DC citizens (I gather from the discussion) to cut property taxes, lower rents, and hold on to homes.
Okay, din-din.
***************
UPDATE: Off Seventh has more
here and
here.
*I say the same thing about my church's screamy baby service with kids squirming and not providing the expected answers when the priest does the kiddie focused sermon.
Labels: blog, churches, gentrification, housing
BACA meeting 9/10
I'll get my skimpy notes up later on the
super secret site later. Yet there are two things I want to address.
Just for the love of G-d say no to chain emails.The email the woman mentioned prior to the official start of the meeting,
I believe is a hoax. But this one has the anti-illegal immigrant flava crystals. Warning emails like this are half the time false, clog up inboxes, and only serve to unsettle the receiver's nerves. Not like we don't have enough crime in our own little section of the world to worry about much less some story in another time zone.
Churches need to better publicize their local mission work.Attending the BACA meeting was the pastor of Mt. Sinai. Mt. Sinai Baptist Church has been hosting the BACA and back when the PSA meetings since as long as I can remember. And the pastor asked the tiny assembly what the church could do to help the community (in addition to keep allowing BACA to meet). A fair amount of discussion was on social services and there was some back and forth with the Ward 5 representatives from the mayor and Mr. Thomas' office, regarding a person the govt people are trying to find help for.
In that discussion I found out about some of the services that some of us could refer folks to in dire need.
Shelter- The church has a men's shelter in the neighborhood with a handful of beds and it is staffed by a church volunteer. They used to have a women's shelter but that apparently had too many complex issues (children, family, spouses, etc) and they just did not have the volunteers.
Clothes closet- You've seen it though the window. Free clothes to anyone who asks. There are no regular hours, but if you go to the educational center on R and 3rd or call the church office at 202 667-1833 or get a staff person at the church building who can call the person with the keys and let the person who needs it come in and pick out what they need.
Food pantry- Like the clothes closet.
Benevolence Committee There are funds to help with utility bills of persons in need. There are some questions the applicant needs to answer. Also one does not need to be a member of Mt. Sinai to request the help of the Benevolence Committee, but if the person is a member of another church community, Mt. Sinai would ask that the other church be asked first. It seems that Ebeneezer Baptist on the unit block of Q, also has a similar Benevolence fund.
I want to state that I know most of you reading this blog won't probably ever need to use the church's services, but from time to time bump into other residents who do need emergency food, clothing or a little help with the light bill.
There are plenty of churches.... plenty...and a mosque, around here that I know offer a hodgepodge of social services that can be tapped by those of our neighbors' in need, it just that we don't know or are not sure how they operate. There are also the odd program sponsored or hosted by churches that people of various income levels, such as AA meetings, Girl Scouts (yummmm cookies) and Boy Scouts.
Since I'm on hodgepodge, I believe the church on the 1200 blk of New Jersey Avenue on the Ward 2 side, offers a free breakfast. Or at least did offer a free weekday prayer (okay not completely free if prayer is costly) breakfast. And the 4th St 7th Day Advents on the 1600 blk of 4th has an early morning breakfast (with sermon) for the homeless/hungry on Sunday to feed a handful of people. The Korean Protestants at 4th and R offer free legal help.
Labels: BACA, charity, churches
Dirty Laundry & Church
Normally I'd leave the subject to other bloggers closer to the area, but I think I have a little to add.The District section of the Washington Post has two
articles regarding Shiloh, I'm glad to see
the second about Rev. Wallace Charles Smith. The reason being is that I hope that those outside the church understand at least one of the factors that make it difficult for Shiloh to move forward, because it is not of one mind.
As mentioned to me by a relative who has been a long time member of Shiloh the divisions have gotten to an upsetting point. There was a meeting with an architect with plans for ther properties where she claims the deacons were acting up and telling outright lies about Rev. Smith. And there is some little side group having meetings, attempting to oust Rev. Smith. She defends him as a good pastor and pointed out the problem properties were problems way before Rev. Smith got there. And really, the church fire back in the 90s did not help.
In other conversations I know that tithing seemed to be a problem before all the negative press. People not tithing properly is not a problem unique to Shiloh. And it is those tithes as well as a building fund campaign that will get those properties up to snuff and maybe get a senior center. When the church does finally come together, deals with their infighting, and makes the senior center/senior housing a priority mission, it will be good for the church and the neighborhood.
Labels: churches
Church
ChurchHonestly I am trying to find a decent Episcopal church in DC, but I'm aiming for Shaw. In this search I have been to St. Paul's in Foggy Bottom, St. George's on U Street, and recently St. Agnes (?) on 12th and Mass. St. Pauls- love the people there, love the incense, not too keen on the mass. Too high church and not even Rite I (I'm totally Rite II). St. George's is near by and African American. It is Rite II and seems traditional. Yet, I am so, so sad to say, I was bored to tears in mass. That pains me, 'cause it would be so cool to just walk to church and be amongst my people and be 'home'.
The past 2 sundays I've been to St. Agnes. The first time, high mass. Okay, I can pretty much say that besides the incense, I hate high mass. This week I did their low mass. I gather because of the march downtown there was a very low turnout. For the whole mass there were 5 of us, counting the priest, and worse, it was like high mass but without the music. Arrgh! There were a few good points, I got more sherry, it was over with quickly, and it was at 12:30.
At this rate I'm almost headed towards the Luthuran church.
Next month I'll try Georgetown churches.
Labels: churches
