The Message All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church

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1 The Message All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church December 2015/January 2016 Volume 66, Issue 6 Fr. John s Departure A Time of Transition Fr. John celebrated his last Sunday with us on November 15. He has accepted a call at the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City. This is a special Transition Edition of the Message. On pages 1-2, you will find information on the process of callin g a new rector. Page 3 has photos from Fr. John s farewell celebration, and you will find a letter from him to the congregation on page 4. Supply Clergy through January While we search for an interim rector, we have lined up supply clergy through the end of January. Unless otherwise noted, the supply clergy are both celebrating and preaching. December 6 (Lessons & Carols): Rev. Elena Thompson, O.P.A. December 13: Rev. Cameron Soulis December 20 through January 31: Rev. Martin Smith Inside this issue: Rector Transition, 1-2 Men s Fellowship, 2 Saying Goodbye to Fr. John, 3 Goodbye Letter from Fr. John, 4 Christmas Music & Flowers, 5 Transitional Housing Corporation, 6 Jr. Warden Article, 7 Video Project, 7 Capital Campaign Closeout, 8 Around All Souls, 9 Volunteer Thank You, 9 Announcements & Events, 10 Stewardship Closeout, 10 Parish Register, 11 Advent/Christmas Worship Sched., 12 For the time being, Matins will be held only on Thursday mornings with communion from reserved sacrament. Sister Elena will continue our Wednesday noon Masses every week until our Interim arrives. Fr. John Beddingfield, rector of All Souls from 2007 to 2015, and his husband, Erwin de Leon. Visit /transition for more info on the transition process 1

2 From the Senior Warden An Overview of the Transition As we embark on the transition from Father John Beddingfield to our new permanent rector, the most important thing I can do is to point you toward the Rector Transition section of our website ( where you can find out about our All Souls transition effort more fully as well as get the latest information about our progress. The following is an abbreviated version of a piece that Joey Rick, the Canon for Congregational Vitality in the Diocese of Washington, prepared about parish transitions. I appreciate her letting me adapt and use it here. Jeff Wells If rectors were simply program managers, the transition from one to another might be simple. But of course, they are not. A priest is shepherd to the sheep, consolation to the grieving, beloved parent to a congregation s children, theological instructor to the curious, liturgical leader, and pastor of the tight and holy community that is the parish. Departure of one rector and installation of another requires a process. In the Diocese of Washington that process is managed by a parish s Vestry with the support of an interim rector, a Search Committee, and the Diocese itself. Interim and Search Committee: Once the rector leaves, the parish prepares to search in earnest. The Vestry works with the Diocese to appoint an interim rector. That individual is invited to care for the congregation between rectors. Interims are special leaders who understand that their task is not only to minister but also to help congregations move forward on their journey. These individuals frequently hold a mirror to congregations, invite them to try new liturgies, and challenge them in areas that need attention. The Vestry also charters a Search Committee, which has one overall purpose: to help the congregation find the best rector candidates. The Search Committee leads the congregation through a period of self-exploration. Because a new rector represents a new stage in the parish s journey, each congregation must know where it will begin that journey and where it would like to go. This stage invites the congregants to be honest with themselves about who they are, what their strengths are, and what improvements they require. Honesty in this part of the process is crucial because the result of this selfexploration is a Parish Profile. Parish Profile: The Parish Profile, rather than being a marketing glossy, is an authentic assessment of a parish, its history, and its desired future. The Profile is the first documentation that potential candidates see about the parish, and its contents are what inspire a candidate to apply or bow out. In order for candidates to accurately assess their interest and fit, they need to know what the parish will truly require of them. The Profile is also used by the Search Committee to define the characteristics and competencies required of the new rector. At the end of Self-Exploration, the Profile is published and sent with appropriate forms to the Diocesan Deployment Office, which posts the requirements to generate candidates and (after about 2 months) provides a candidate list to the Search Committee. Discernment & Call: Once it has a candidate list, the Search Committee begins its discernment. It starts by sending letters and the Profile to each candidate, usually asking those who remain interested to respond to a series of questions. Initial contact is followed by a review of candidate resumes, phone interviews, interviews during visits to the candidates current parishes, interviews during candidate visits to the Search Committee s parish, and an interview by the Bishop of the Diocese of Washington. At each of these review and interview stages, the Search Committee is allowed, but not required, to eliminate candidates from consideration. The Search Committee s final act before being disbanded is to identify however many candidates the Vestry required. Under canon law, it is the Vestry who has responsibility for electing a new rector. Thus, the Vestry interviews the candidates presented to it by the Search Committee and discerns its selection. Once the Vestry makes its selection, it notifies the Bishop and then calls the chosen candidate. If that individual accepts the call, a letter of agreement is sent to the candidate and the Diocese. Then a starting date is determined, and the decision is announced to the congregation. Renewal: The new rector s arrival is a new beginning for the congregation. In this phase, there is usually laughter, celebration, and excitement. There is also fear, confusion, and adjustment. The new rector will do things differently. The new rector will do what he or she was hired to do no matter that it s not what has always been done! Transition (and the search at its core) is an exciting and blessed process. It is an opportunity for the Spirit to be present in unique ways. It is an opportunity to see through new eyes, decide with a free mind, and re-write the future without constraints. It is frequently described as one of the most intensely gratifying ministries in the Church. 2

3 Photos from the November 15 Mass & Reception Saying Farewell to Fr. John Fr. John addressing the crowd in the undercroft Fr. John prepares to lead his final mass at All Souls Jim Child reads a poem in honor of Fr. John The choir of All Souls serenades Fr. John The Senior and Junior Wardens and the head of the altar guild present Fr. John with parting gifts John is presented with the portrait of him that will hang on our wall of past rectors 3 View more photos at allsoulsdc.org/gallery

4 From the Outgoing Rector A New Chapter for Father John & for All Souls By the time this edition of The Message is printed, Erwin and I will have moved to New York and I will have begun as rector of The Church of the Holy Trinity. Erwin will continue working with the Urban Institute, but will do so remotely based in New York and returning to Washington once a month. Most people know that I was ordained in New York and continue to have many friends and colleagues in that diocese. The current bishop was the canon for pastoral care when I was ordained deacon. The current suffragan bishop was the curate at Saint Mary the Virgin when I first began attending, and it was his position I took at that parish when I was ordained. I have continued to conduct Quiet Days there, and more often than not, when we have to attend a funeral of a colleague or former parishioner, it is to New York that we go. All of this is to say that while I might be from North Carolina and Erwin might be from the Philippines, much of our life has been lived deeply in New York City. We had always hoped to return one day, but we had imagined it being years from now. God seems to have other plans. Last winter, a friend suggested I look at the position description for the Church of the Holy Trinity on Manhattan s Upper East Side. I had known the church slightly when I was in New York, and I know several people who have been parishioners there through the years. When I first read the parish profile, the job seemed overwhelming, so I didn t think much more about it. Over time, however, I began to feel an increasing tug toward Holy Trinity. I applied in February, thinking that the conversation might be instructive and that God might help me either discern new directions forward or to commit more deeply to my long list of things undone at All Souls. With each conversation and interview, I found myself increasing in energy and excitement about the possibilities at Holy Trinity. In August, when I was in New Jersey for a regular retreat I attend, Erwin and I met on Sunday morning in Manhattan and sneaked into Holy Trinity for worship. A hot August Sunday is perhaps not the best time to visit any church, but this visit felt special. In a way that reminded me of my first visit to All Souls, I felt a calm and a deep sense of God s presence. At the end of the worship service, as we went up the side aisle, I noticed an icon (after Andrei Rublev) of the Holy Trinity. As many know, that icon represents the three strangers (or angels) who visited Abraham and Sarah, announcing good things ahead. The icon also seemed to represent my own future direction toward community, embracing strangers, and towards a ministry around the Table (both altar and serving table). My new ministry involves balancing various aspects of the parish: the church congregation, the Merricat Castle preschool, the Holy Trinity Neighborhood Center, the programs of Health Advocates for Older People, and many others. Our eight years at All Souls has been filled with blessing after blessing. Ten years ago, I would have never had the courage or the faith to begin a ministry like Holy Trinity. The love, support, and encouragement that All Souls has given me has expanded my understanding of God s generosity and calling. Though I m terrified at my own inadequacy for this new position, I am strengthened by your prayers. Even though I am no longer the rector of All Souls and you will need to build relationships with an interim and then a new rector I look forward to seeing former parishioners as friends whenever you might visit New York or when I return to Washington. You will continue to be in my prayers. I know God is going to be doing great things with All Souls. John Beddingfield 4

5 Music Notes Prepare the Way, O Zion The season of Advent encompasses the four Sundays preceding Christmas. This year, Advent begins on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, November 29. At Masses in Advent, worshippers will find music reflecting this season of preparation. The ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei) will be drawn from some of the most ancient music in existence today, Plainsong (also known as Gregorian Chant). The Second Sunday of Advent brings with it our third annual service of Advent Lessons & Carols at 11 a.m. This service consists of readings from the Bible telling of the promise of the Christ child, interspersed with choral pieces and congregational hymns. This festive retelling of the ancient prophecies will prepare us for the joyful celebration of the Mass which follows immediately. On this day, brass and timpani will accompany the singing. Later that day, at 4 p.m., All Souls will host the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in a service of Readings & Music for Saint Nicholas Sunday. Christmas Eve brings with it three opportunities for worship. At 4 p.m., we celebrate Mass with particular intention for families with children. Short carols are sung with piano accompaniment and all take part in the Christmas Story as the crèche is blessed in the Mary Chapel. At 7 p.m., we begin our third annual service of Christmas Lessons & Carols in the style of King s College, Cambridge. This service consists of readings and music retelling the joyful message of the angels as we remember the birth of Christ. Brass musicians and timpani will accompany this festive service. At 10:30 p.m., familiar carols will fill the Nave as the musical prelude for the First Mass of Christmas, which follows at 11 p.m. Please join us! The choir would also like to ask the parish to save the date for a fun-filled Twelfth Night celebration on Tuesday, January 5. Our plan is to offer dinner and entertainment as we celebrate the end of Christmastide. Ben Hutchens, director of music Donate by the Third Sunday of Advent (Dec. 13) Christmas Music & Flowers You are invited to consider making a special donation in memory of or in thanksgiving for an individual and to defray the additional costs of flowers and music during the Christmas season. Accordingly, checks will be accepted now through the end of the year. If you would like a dedication in the Christmas bulletins, please have your check to the parish office or in the offering plate by the Third Sunday of Advent, December 13, Please indicate Christmas Music, Christmas Flowers, or Christmas Music & Flowers on your check. Dedication forms will be available as inserts in the Sunday bulletins, in the parish office, and online at Donations can also be made via our online giving system by clicking the Online Giving link at and selecting the Spec Flower-Christ fund for Christmas Flowers and/or the Spec Music-Chris fund for Christmas Music. 5

6 Mission Spotlight Christmas with Transitional Housing What Is THC? Here at All Souls, members have been donating backpacks and Christmas gifts and furnishing transitional housing apartments for years. We do this to support Transitional Housing Corporation (THC). But what exactly is THC? THC was founded in 1990 by a partnership of Samaritan Ministry, Christ Lutheran Church, and Community Life Services to provide transitional housing for homeless families. Under the transitional housing program, a family is provided housing, fully furnished by an organization such as All Souls, and they may stay in their new home for up to two years. During that period, THC works with the family to help them achieve sustainability, by providing education, employment, mental health, and other services. You may have heard the name Partner Arms used in connection with THC. THC named its first transitional housing building, a 14- unit apartment building on Kennedy Street NW, Partner Arms. A few years after its founding, THC acquired a second transitional housing building on Georgia Avenue, called Partner Arms 2. THC also provides transitional housing services in a third building in Anacostia called Partner Arms 3. Since the founding of THC, housing policy has shifted considerably, and the accepted model is now Housing First. Under this model, families are transferred directly from emergency shelter to permanent housing. Several years ago, Partner Arms 1 was converted under the Housing First model. Partner Arms 1 now houses chronically homeless families with disabilities, under a program called Permanent Supportive Housing, or PSH. The residents of Partner Arms 1 are no longer required to move out after two years. They are guaranteed permanent housing directly out of emergency shelter and are provided appropriate services to help them achieve stability in their lives. As a result of the evolution of housing policy, transitional housing is now only a small part of what THC does. In addition to transitional and permanent supportive housing, THC also provides Rapid Rehousing (RRH). RRH is another Housing First program that takes families directly from emergency shelter. The RRH families are those who are assessed as temporarily homeless due to exigent circumstances and will be able to be self-sufficient after a year or so. These families are provided housing with subsidized rents, and they are offered supportive services to help them increase their incomes and achieve self-sufficiency. Many of the PSH and RRH families are housed in scattered apartments around the city. In 2005, seeing the growing need for affordable housing in DC, THC decided to start developing affordable housing properties, in addition to its other services. THC has developed three awardwinning properties: Fort View, Webster Gardens, and Weinberg Commons. The newest, Weinberg Commons, which opened in October 2015, has 12 apartments housing PSH families and 24 affordable housing apartments. From its humble beginnings providing transitional housing services at Partner Arms 1, THC has grown to be a leading housing and services provider to homeless families in the District of Columbia. THC serves over 500 families on their journey to housing stability and economic viability. THC s array of housing options enables them to meet families where they are and offer housing that best meets their needs through rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, or affordable rental housing. Melissa Barrett Supporting THC This Christmas Look in the weekly announcements for information about our Angel Tree (gifts for families in THC s housing programs). Senior Warden Jeff Wells assembles furniture during a recent THC Adopt-an-Apartment event. 6

7 From the Junior Warden A New Season Begins Interim time is a space where we can review what we ve accomplished, where we are, and where we want to go even as regards our buildings. As the church bundles up for winter, Roof Solutions (our long-time roofer) will clean and rebalance gutters and inspect our roofs so we don t have weather penetration during the winter. And they will repeat that process in the spring so we are ready for the next season. The Garden Guild is putting our gardens (including the irrigation systems) to bed for the winter. The gardens will still be interesting to watch, but the gardeners won t have such a busy schedule. They are also removing leaves and other debris from window wells. Thanks to all of you! Please watch your step in the Woodley Place double door entry way. Before long there will be water absorbing socks inside the doors and around the walls. They are designed to absorb water that may come under the doors in a downpour which overflows the gutters. We will continue to look for ways to make All Souls more inviting and hospitable for all souls; please keep giving me suggestions on how we can do that. Martha Wallace Domenico, junior warden Communications Committee Video Project Why Do You Come to All Souls? The other day I was walking by an evangelical church in Adams Morgan. As the congregants were leaving, they expressed how powerful a member's testimony was at that Sunday s service. As Episcopalians, the word testimony is a bit loaded. That doesn't mean sharing our stories isn't important. Every week we gather for Mass. We gather for our own reasons. Many of us come because of our love for Christ, many of us use Sunday Mass to escape the clutter, many of see Mass as a way to fuel fire for the upcoming week, and many of us show up because we have found a community that loves us for who we are. We all have a story and the Communications Committee wants your help to tell it. We are producing a short video comprised of short interviews of All Souls parishioners. Our goal is to put this video on social media and our own website so the world can hear our story! We are looking for anyone who is willing to share in front of the camera what makes All Souls a great place to worship, celebrate, and grow. We are also looking for anyone who wants to help behind the camera and with editing. If you feel called to help us with this endeavor please contact Dan Weisshaar at danweisshaar@gmail.com. Dan Weisshaar, communications committee 7

8 Capital Campaign Officially Ends Dec. 31 Thank You to All Souls Forward Donors! Let me share a few last words about construction. We re almost done. Looking back at our first meeting with the architect during the summer of 2009, the visioning sessions in 2010, the first meeting with the builders in the summer of 2012, the beginning of the Capital Campaign in early 2013, breaking ground in September 2013, and finally completing the building and elevator inspections in September 2015, I m going to find it quite different (dare I say, pleasant) not to be thinking about construction. There is still a small bit more to do. Three of our new doors were damaged in a break-in. Our insurance covered the damage, but one of the replacement doors the one on the automatic door opener at the parking lot level did not match the undamaged door (not even close). The correct replacement should be in place by the time this article is published. The builder will then install astragals (weather strips) on the doors and they are done. A beautiful, new All Souls sign for the front yard will arrive within the next month. And when that s installed, that s the end of the project. This project was tougher than anyone anticipated it would be. Before we could get building permits, DC insisted on a sewer inspection. Finding the sewer line (it runs very near the steps to the Undercroft on the Woodley Park side of the building) took days of digging. Within a few days of digging for the new foundations, the builders exposed a long forgotten 3000-gallon oil tank which had to be removed. Fortunately, no environmental clean-up was necessary. Shortly after that, it became apparent that even the conservative foundation solution which we had selected at the engineer s recommendation was not sufficient, so the builder had to install helical piers to support the new building. As we began to wrap up the project, it also became clear that soil in the parking lot would not allow for proper completion of the parking lot, so we had to replace substantial amounts of soil with gravel. We said at the outset that this project was about handicap accessibility and to our credit, we stayed focused on that. The only aspects of the project that weren t focused on accessibility were the new sign, the new portico on the Narthex, the fire alarm and updated emergency lighting throughout the facility, and the French doors in the Undercroft (opening up the Undercroft was relatively low cost because the excavation had to be done for the new construction anyway). We successfully steered clear of adding expensive nice-to-do additional work to the project. Even the cornerstone, which was not in the original plans, was the result of a specific, additional donation after construction had begun. As the major work wrapped up, we did decide to incur the cost of maximizing available parking by adding permeable pavers in two areas because of environmental requirements for permeable surface we could not put in additional asphalt. We also leveraged the construction company to make limited improvements in the kitchen (new tile and paint job) and to renew five restrooms in the existing facility. None of that work was funded from the Capital Campaign. Thank you for your forbearance through all of the inconveniences associated with construction. Let me encourage you to complete your Capital Campaign donations. We are tallying the final bills and we ll let you know where we stand in January. I know that this was all worth it when I see people at Coffee Hour who could not be there otherwise. Finally, we are more fully a church for All Souls. Dale Lewis 8

9 Around All Souls Parishioner venessa Acham with the new Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, at Washington National Cathedral for his installation on November 1, Nine from All Souls renewed faith (confirmation, reception, or reaffirmation) at the National Cathedral on November 14, Above: Fr. John conducts his last Eucharist at St. Mary s Court At Left: Diocesan new priest training (with Bishop Mariann in attendance) in our new patio space Thank You to Our Volunteers! Between late January (when we began tracking volunteer hours) and mid-november 2015, volunteers logged over 2,000 hours of work. That s the equivalent of someone working full time for a whole year! Volunteers did everything from garden work to Coffee Hour prep to help in the office. Thank you so much to our volunteers for all their hard work we couldn t get everything done without you! Interested in volunteering? Keep an eye on the weekly announcements, where volunteer opportunities are often posted. 9

10 Calendar Highlights Refer to the back cover of this issue for a list of our Advent & Christmas services. To view the full All Souls event calendar, visit and click the Church Calendar link. Service Schedule Changes during the Transition While we are without an interim rector, the Sunday and Wednesday Masses will be lead by supply clergy (see page 1 of this issue for details). For the time being, there will be no Matins on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. There will still be Matins and Low Mass on Thursdays (at 7:15 a.m.) with communion from reserved sacrament. Office Closures As is our custom, the parish office will be closed from Christmas Eve (December 24, 2015) through New Year s Day (January 1, 2016). The office will reopen on Monday, January 4. Our parish administrator, Mary Beth Howard, will be out of the office for the last week of January. We expect to staff the office with volunteers for all or part of that week. Any reduction in the hours/days the office is open that week will be listed in The Weekly beforehand. Year-End Contribution Deadline If you wish to make additional contributions to All Souls in 2015, please be reminded that according to the IRS, contributions must be postmarked by December 31, 2015 to be counted for this year. Year-end statements of giving will be sent out to all donors in January. Announcements Building Faithful Foundations While the 2016 Stewardship Campaign officially ended on November 22, we are still accepting pledges. All Souls is not a community that relies on just a few donors to make its budget. For us to live into our mission while preserving and maintaining our parish home, we truly need the participation of all souls. Every year, your pledge is both a commitment and an important message to the Vestry as it prepares the next year s budget. This year, it takes on even greater importance as wide participation in stewardship is an important signal of our community's vitality as we begin the search for a new rector. If you have already turned in your 2016 pledge, thank you! However, if you haven't yet done so, please submit it to the parish office at your very earliest convenience (or put it in the plate on Sunday or pass it to a Vestry member). You can also go to to pledge online Liturgical Calendars 2016 Liturgical Calendars are available to be picked up from the welcome tables in the undercroft and the new addition. You can also view 2016 readings at lectionarypage.net/calndrsindexes/calendar2016.html Giving Envelopes If you requested giving envelopes for your 2016 pledge, they can now be picked up at the welcome table in the undercoft. If you did not previously request envelopes, but would like to now, contact the parish office at office@allsoulsdc.org. Endowment Grant Request Deadline Applications for 2016 grants from the All Souls Endowment Fund are available from the parish office or on our website at Grant requests must be received by the parish office no later than January 24, 2016, and will be considered by the Endowment Board and Vestry soon thereafter. Questions? Contact Jim Lewis, Endowment Board Chair, or a member of the Vestry. 10

11 From the Membership Database (as of November 14) The Parish Register Memorial Service October 24, 2015 Paul Stephen Meyer Confirmations November 14, 2015 Michael Peter Bray, Wesley Edward Cook, Nolan (Nolie) Kema Jack Thornell, John Martin Ward, Jr., Catherine (Scout) Bowman, Allain (Alli) Jean Bowman Receptions November 14, 2015 Tyler Matthew Woods Reaffirmations November 14, 2015 Paul Nolan Diallo Thornell, Mary Lisa Watson Transfers In October 22, 2015 Suzanne Speakman, from The Church of the Advent, Westbury, NY November 5, 2015 Karen Lightfoot from St. Thomas Parish, DC Transfers Out October 22, 2015 Erwin S. de Leon to The Church of the Holy Trinity, Manhattan, NY The All Souls Message All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church 2300 Cathedral Ave, NW, Washington, DC Follow All Souls on Facebook & Twitter! UPCOMING NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Copy deadline for articles for the February/March 2016 issue of The Message is Friday, January 15, with story ideas, questions, and comments. The Message Staff & Editorial Review Terry Cain, Daniel Callis, Evelyn Duffy, Leigh Harrison, Mary Beth Howard, Barry Huber, Chuck Hunter, Jeff Wells The Vestry Jeff Wells, Martha Domenico, Melissa Barrett, Daniel Callis, Jen Catena Davis, Elaine Eaker, Jennifer Crier Johnston, Greg Lebel, Jonathan Nicholas, Katherine Nordal, Rick Taylor, Terry Cain, treasurer Linda Mahler, registrar Clergy and Staff While we search for an interim rector, contact the parish administrator with pastoral emergencies and she will direct you to our volunteer clergy as appropriate. Mary Beth Howard, parish administrator about announcements, calendar questions, altar flower requests, giving statements, online giving, etc. Dr. Benjamin Hutchens, II, director of music with questions about the choir and music program. Jonathan Musser, seminarian Moises Flores, Sunday sexton Volunteer Clergy Rev. Elizabeth Orens, Rev. Cameron Soulis, Rev. Elena Thompson, O.P.A., Rev. Christopher Worthley, honorary assistants Volunteer Lay Leadership Carlos Guerra, sexton emeritus Terry Horan, financial secretary Barry Huber, membership secretary with address changes & transfer requests Jim Lewis, chair of the endowment fund board 11

12 The All Souls Message December 2015 / January 2016 All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church 2300 Cathedral Ave NW Washington, DC Join Us this Advent! Sundays in Advent 10 a.m., Advent Adult Forum A discussion of Bishop Stephen Cottrell's Do Nothing: Christmas is Coming Sunday, December 6 11 a.m., Advent Lessons & Carols 4 p.m., Readings & Music for St. Nicholas Sunday Thursday, December 24 4 p.m., Children s Mass & Blessing of the Crèche 7 p.m., Candlelight Christmas Lessons & Carols Music and readings in the style of King s College, Cambridge 10:30 p.m., Carols for Congregation and Choir 11 p.m., First Mass of Christmas (High Mass) Friday, December a.m., Christmas Day Low Mass