Have you ever heard a song on Sunday morning that stayed in your ear all week? A spiritual earworm.

Has a song brought a tear to your eye? Invoking a precious memory.

Have you experienced music, and found yourself smiling, unexpectedly, feeling as if a weight has been lifted from your shoulders? Sacred repose.

Music has a way of reaching the inner chambers of our hearts. Soothing away anxious thoughts. Stirring our hearts with unexpected joy! Music is a balm that heals, when words only touch the surface.

We are blessed, at Foundry, to experience a rich heritage of music ministry. Music that is eloquent, diverse, artfully prepared, ethereal, triumphant, mysterious, thought-provoking, and spirited. We sing together. We each bring our own heart into the community of voices lifting praise to God, together.

Music and worship arts are expressions of the heart of our faith. Worship teams provide us sacred openings into living out the true meanings of our faith, a tangible action with a powerful result.

Scripture readers, narrators, choir singers, instrumentalists, altar designers, creative curators, Congregational Choir community, singer coordinators, Seraphic voices, are but a few of the many ways you can step in with your talents. Our collective talents are stronger than our individual gifts. Give thought to joining one of the new or existing worship arts teams. We encourage you to respond to the congregational engagement survey. Let us know your interests. You can reach me at sthurston@foundryumc.org, to get engaged in our teams.

The Foundry tradition continues. Special music for All Saints Sunday, November 6, will include Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, with choir, soloists, orchestra, Communion sacrament, and Naming of the Saints we remember this year, at both the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services. This is ethereal music, for certain. Come with open ears and an open heart to absorb the gifts of music. Even better, if you read music, consider joining in singing as part of the choir this time! Our rehearsals are at Foundry on Wednesday evenings, 6:45 p.m.

Music…the heart of our faith.

Stanley Thurston
Director of Music and Worship Arts

If you give some of your own food to those who are hungry and to satisfy those who are humble, then your light will rise in the dark, and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.
Isaiah 58:10

I think of Saturday mornings when I don’t have to set an alarm as almost sacred. The treasured opportunity to sleep in feels almost revolutionary in a world where we are in constant motion, late to bed, early to rise.

But, for the most part, life’s unending hustle is inherent on weekends too: we are up early for family commitments, sports events and, for me, my alarm is often set so I can support the Christ House cooking ministry. I’ve been leading Foundry’s work at Christ House for several years now, and it has helped me find something even more sacred than sleeping in — it has created space for service, connection, and community.

If you aren’t familiar with Christ House, it’s an incredible facility. “Christ House opened in December 1985 as the first 24-hour residential medical facility for homeless persons in the United States. Today, Christ House is the largest facility of its kind in Washington, DC. Patients are admitted…from area hospitals, shelters, clinics, and medical outreach projects. They suffer from a wide variety of illnesses and injuries….In 2021, Christ House provided 6,411 patient-days of [health]care.” (This information is from the Christ House website - https://christhouse.org/about/)

How does Foundry fit into that?

On the first Saturday of every month, four or five Foundry folks meet at the Safeway in Adams Morgan and purchase ingredients for tacos, cabbage slaw, and fruit salad. We carry it about two blocks to Christ House and we cook lunch for 30 to 40 patients, Donning an apron and a hairnet, we brown meat, chop veggies, and halve grapes. We serve food together and then, most valuable to me; we join the residents for a meal…and learn a bit about their journeys.

I often find that my connection to the divine is never more present than when I experience community, a true, honest connection to other people. What Christ House is, what it represents to me, is that idea of divine community. And that is worth setting an alarm on a Saturday morning, it’s worth the weekend hustle. We share food and share stories; we find faith in coleslaw; we discover God in tacos (a place He has always been!). The noonday sun shines, and we are fed. We are full of love and community and the ever-timely reminder that we are meant to take care of one another.

Chelsey Jones lives in Baltimore and works remotely on two diversity talent pipelines for the U.S. Department of State.

She is passionate about education equity, live theatre, The University of Virginia, and her 9-year-old niece. Her regular bedtime is 1 a.m.

Sunday, November 6
Power! and Special Music

Sunday, November 6 begins our new series, titled "Power!" We will be asking ourselves some questions such as: What is the power we receive from God? How does it work? We’ll explore several ways scripture teaches us about God’s power at work in our lives. Special services for All Saints Sunday (today) and Reign of Christ Sunday bookend our exploration. Join us and learn more about “the immeasurable greatness of God’s power.” (Ephesians 1:19).

Special music for All Saints Sunday will include Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, with choir, soloists, orchestra, Communion, and Naming of the Saints we remember this year, at both the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services. Come with open ears and an open heart to absorb the gifts of music and remembrance.

Sunday, November 6
Sacred Resistance Listening Session
The second of two Sacred Resistance Listening Sessions, hosted by our Social Justice team will happen between services (from about 10–11 a.m.) in the Fellowship Hall. This is your chance to learn how you can get involved. Our Sacred Resistance team works on issues such as homelessness, immigration, creation care, and more. Learn more at foundryumc.org/events.

Saturday, November 12
Foxall Society Evening Gathering
Have you thought about leaving anything in your will to Foundry? If so, join lay leader Stephen Link, Pastors Ginger and Kealani, and the Foundry Foxall Society at 5:30 p.m. at Chef Geoff's restaurant (3201 New Mexico Avenue NW) for a gathering of the Foxall Society. We will gather for food, fellowship, and to learn more about how we can plan for leaving a lasting, impactful legacy.

Sunday, November 20
Fair Trade Gifts are back for Advent!
In-person gift buying is back! You can pick up chocolate, coffee, dried fruit, and olive oil from Equal Exchange (a cooperative partnering with interfaith groups such as the United Methodist Committee on Relief) during Foundry's coffee hour Nov. 20–Dec. 11. You can also make a special order on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27. Our purchases support farmers in developing countries, help eliminate child labor, and foster sustainable farming and community development

Sunday, November 20
Baptism Orientation
Join us after worship from 12:30–2:30 p.m. for Baptism Orientation where we discuss the specifics of United Methodist baptism! Learn more and register at foundryumc.org/orientation.

Thursday, November 24
Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
Are you a runner or walker? We are looking to form a team with Asbury and John Wesley AMEZ to run or walk in SOME’s (So Others Might Eat) Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. It is a fun and healthy way to contribute to SOME’s work and help our community. Please email Jackie Wright at jackie@foundryumc.org if interested!

Sunday, November 27
Advent Begins! "Wonder"
Of all the liturgical seasons of the year, Advent and Christmas may be the most full of wonder. Bright stars and humble beginnings, strange prophesies and the promise of hope fulfilled, gift-bearing strangers and God drawing near to us in flesh and blood —these things and more are signs and wonders that beckon us to pause and reflect on the love and grace of God. Join us amid the swirl of the season as we create spaces to be still, and to let the little child lead us with eyes and hearts open to wonder.

Sunday, November 27
Adult Christ at Christmas Time
Today also begins a new four-week class taught by Pastor Jonathan titled “Adult Christ at Christmas Time.” It will meet today and each Sunday through December 18 from 10:15–11 a.m. in room 202 at Foundry. The course will focus on essays by Raymond Brown exploring how the adult Christ impacts our reading of the birth narratives found in Matthew and Luke. This class is open to all (no prerequisites). Learn more and register at foundryumc.org/raybrown.

Check out the Foundry Library!

Foundry has its own library — and it’s open for visitors in Room 203! We hope you will come and explore the many resources there are for you to check out.

Library resources include: books on theological topics, race relations, LGBTQIA+ and other social justice issues, and resources from past and current Foundry classes (such as books on and by major religious authors Thomas Merton and Howard Thurman). You’ll also find biographies, books on Methodism and Methodist history, and even old hymnals. The "Foundry" section includes issues of the Foundry Forge, historic Foundry directories and charge/church conference material.

If you enjoy libraries and are interested in making Foundry’s library even better (and more current), contact chrismatt444@gmail.com. Your assistance is welcome!

The Stephen Ministry is Coming to Foundry

Early 2023 — which is right around the corner — Foundry members will have the opportunity to train as Stephen Ministers! The training will organize, equip and supervise a team of congregation members to provide high-quality, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to individuals in the congregation and the community experiencing life difficulties. For more information, contact Pastor Kelly at kelly@foundryumc.org.