Words from Washington

Thoughts, questions, and reactions from the pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, Washington, D.C.

Monday, December 31, 2012

Trusting Enough to Let Go

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"My wife was in the best mood possible." These words concluded a story that seemed stressful at best. My friend told me how he...
Saturday, December 15, 2012

Light in the Darkness

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Horror. Tears. Sadness. Anger. Weeping. Our spirits have been through much since our Facebook feeds lit with news of a senseless...
Saturday, December 01, 2012

Seeing the Signs

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"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea ...
1 comment:
Friday, November 30, 2012

Vacancy: Room Available Immediately

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While it may ruin my reputation as a faithful Wesleyan, I must confess that I have been carrying around two Powerball tickets in my purse ...
Monday, November 12, 2012

Stuck in the Middle

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The United Methodist Church has been filling much of my Facebook feed in recent days. Last week, I watched as many of my friends grunted a...
Friday, October 26, 2012

Enough? vs. Enough!

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I consider it a privilege to serve in the center of the city of Washington. I love urban ministry. I take delight in living in the midst o...
1 comment:
Friday, October 19, 2012

What Would Make Your Heart Sing?

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What would make your heart sing?  I was first exposed to the Lilly Endowment's deep impact upon seminaries, churches, pastors and o...
1 comment:
Monday, October 08, 2012

I've Been There

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The food was quite different, forcing a constant craving within me for Chinese dumplings. The preferred method of eating was with chopstic...
Friday, September 07, 2012

Scary, I Mean Holy, Business

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I happened upon this picture while scrolling through my Facebook feed last Sunday. It was the end of a very long day when I came home with...
Monday, September 03, 2012

Unexpected Barriers

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Passing the peace is a ritual at our church. Immediately following the confession, many of us relish in the opportunity to stand and gre...
Friday, August 17, 2012

Saying Goodbye to a Bishop

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In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes, "He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. ...
Saturday, August 11, 2012

That's Where I Come From

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This morning we watched a carefully planned introduction of a candidate for Vice-President of the United States of America. The stage was ca...
1 comment:
Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Lessons from a Construction Company

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Our church, Mount Vernon Place United Methodist , is surrounded by new activity. There are condominiums, apartments, a grocery store, some...
Friday, July 13, 2012

Becoming a Bishop

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I cannot recall any of the specific lessons taught during our confirmation class but I'll never forget the day we met the bishop. I wa...
Monday, June 18, 2012

Bowing to Nebuchadnezzar vs. Dancing with God

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I introduced myself to the first-time visitors who were in worship with us last Sunday. I learned their names and told them how good it wa...
5 comments:
Thursday, May 24, 2012

Defined by Generosity

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The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each ...
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Setting the Stage

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I went to the gym at 4:45 today with expectations of spending 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer followed by a half hour of squats, sit-...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

But I'm Not a Mother...

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While the church never seeks to do harm, I see the church sometimes adding salt to the wound. We ask first-time visitors to stand and intr...
4 comments:
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Donna Claycomb Sokol
Since July of 2005, I have had the extraordinary privilege of watching an old church find new life. I have had a front-row seat to lives being changed, property being redeveloped, and God working in surprising ways. I ponder here about who God is, how God seems to work, why I love the church, why I'd love to change the church, and a variety of other things. I have been told that I am an external processor - perhaps this place is where I externally process what's on my heart and mind in hopes that some of what I share can be helpful.
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