Yesterday, already worn out by two very long days of meetings, and definitely not in the mood for one more meeting that would give me back-to-back 13-hour days, I dragged myself out to the stated meeting of National Capital Presbytery. I confess that had the meeting not been minutes from home at Westminster Alexandria I might well have played hooky.

Then we gathered for worshipful work. A jazz quarter was playing swinging prelude music. The moderator gavelled us to order. We passed the omnibus motion, thus concluding the business of the body for the day. And we started singing the psalms. An hour later, when the jazz band played us through Psalm 150, and then a wonderful postlude, people all but danced out of the sanctuary. Best presbytery meeting, ever.

I was reminded again of the power of worship to lift up our souls, and to ground our work in praise.

We have been extremely busy at CPC this spring. It is rather remarkable that such a small congregation has so much going on: almost 20 of us spending a day on housing rehab; eight or so bagging groceries for AFAC; another good crowd anticipated for Wii Kirk; a legal briefing on Saturday -- and that's just the last two weeks of April.

Worship is central to all of this. Worship is where we ground ourselves in the gospel. Worship is where our souls are restored lest we burn out in the busy-ness. Worship is our first act of hospitality to newcomers to the community.

There is so much going on at Clarendon right now and so many opportunities to get involved in our mission to the community. Worship remains the heart of it all. So come and worship.

peace,

David

Say what?

First, come out and play!

This Friday we hold our final pizza-themed Wii Kirk evening of fun, food and fellowship.

The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. and typically continue till about 9:00.

Our resident pizza chefs will be doing their thing. The Wii will be hooked up to the big screen. Games will be on the tables. Good conversation will flow, as will good drinks!

Come on out for an evening of simple fun.

Second, we're calling this one a "shower for the kirk." We've registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond under the names Clark Chesser and Cheryl Lederle-Ensign, and are looking to stock the kitchen.

Come and play, and bring along a wee gift for the kirk.

Saturday morning at 11:00 CPC hosts a free Learning Through the Law Seminar on GLBT civil rights issues. The seminar will cover marriage law updates and contractual relationships (including civil unions and domestic partnerships) that can help protect you and your partner in areas such as inheritance, medical rights and reproductive rights. 

Presenters are licensed in MD, DC, and VA. Please RSVP to Molly DeMaret-Tahu by April 27th at mdemaret@comcast.net.

Join our More Light friends this Saturday afternoon (noon til three) in the park at Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 I Street, SW) for a picnic, t-shirt painting, and other preparations for the Pride Parade and Festival in June. We'll be putting together signs and banners for the parade and the festival booth, and generally having a good time. Drop in for a bit on this decidedly all-ages event and meet some off your fellow progressive Presbyterians.

Mark your calendars now for the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 12. This is your one chance each year to receive a standing ovation merely for being a Christian and showing up.

I was privileged to spend the first several days this week with the Bishops and Elders Council of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. (I blogged a bit on it here.)

Yesterday they held a press conference on the front steps of National City Christian Church to issue a statement condemning the hateful work of American religious leaders who are encouraging Ugandan lawmakers to pass draconian legislation that would make same-gender relationships a capital offense in some circumstances, and would make supporting gay and lesbian brothers and sisters a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Our friend Harry Knox, director of the religion program at the Human Rights Campaign, told reporters that the gathered Christian leaders represented authentic Christian faith. Knox said, "This is a Christianity we need to hold up, a Christianity that like Jesus' love knows no boundaries: no nations, no color, no class, no sexual orientation, no gender identity.  This is a Christianity that begins with our deep love and commitment to one another."

Knox also introduced Moses Kayizer, a young gay Ugandan man seeking asylum in the United States. Knox said, "I first met Moses in February when he spoke at the Press Club about his experiences in Uganda. Wearing a paper bag over his head for fear of persecution, Moses recounted how he had been forced to marry a woman, was assaulted at school, raped by a policeman, and fired from his job because he is gay. 'One would rather die than come out of the closet,' he told us."

Moses closed our gathering with a prayer in which he thanked God for the efforts of supportive American Christians and said, "something good is happening."

Clarendon is part of that something good, and I give thanks for that, and for you, every day.