Words from Washington

I have an addiction or two. I am addicted to Facebook and email. It does not matter what day of the week it is, I regularly read status upda...

The tiny instructor is a master dancer. I often walk away from class trying to figure out how she remembers each step of every routine. She ...

What if God loves us so much that we are set free from all of our failures and sins no matter what? What if there really are no boundaries t...

We have grown to expect someone wearing a blue vest to say "hello" to us when we walk through the doors of Wal-Mart. We believe ou...

As many of you know, I am spending this week in Collegeville, Minnesota with Martin Copenhaver, Lillian Daniel, a writing tutor and eleven...

I'm spending the week in Minnesota as a guest of the Collegeville Institute . As one of twelve incredibly lucky pastors selected to part...

Today begins my seventh year as the pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church. The last six years have included some of the most...

Today is my 39th birthday and our 3rd wedding anniversary. It's one of my favorite days as I get to celebrate both my life and my life w...

My mother is one of the most gifted people I know. Her career has included time as a college professor, a college dean, the mayor of a small...

Pentecost is one of my favorite celebrations in the church. I have been singing the words "Holy Spirit Rain Down" in my head over ...

It was a Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope in South Africa that led me to my current appointment at Mount Vernon Place . While in South Africa wit...

I live in a city that is a haven for people with news to share. Whether it is the protestors who stand outside the Convention Center across ...

I serve a church in a denomination that is declining. The loss in numbers has not happened over the course of the last few years. Rather, we...

We washed feet at Mount Vernon Place last night. Foot washing is not a practice I have been drawn to. While I love to have my own feet wash...

I watched with interest a discussion taking place on Facebook last week. The mayor of Washington DC had been arrested in a protest in downto...

My husband and I have been watching this week's budget standoff with interest. Craig is a government employee, and all week he has been ...

I sang on my way to work this morning. The sun was rising over Washington, and my car radio was tuned to the local Contemporary Christian st...

"I have these moments of deep peace in the midst of my anxiety," he told me. "It's almost like I am walking through a poc...

I used to go to the restaurant at least once a month as it is a few blocks from the church and quite affordable. The manager of the store cl...

I received two calls from the District of Columbia Mayor's office yesterday. Two individuals called in an effort to find a pastor who co...