ejoice March 2020 R 118 N. Washington St. ✠ Alexandria, VA 22314 www.HistoricChristChurch.org ✠ 703-549-1450 Lenten Offerings This year for Lent we are offering several pray from the Episcopal Book of different ways that in one way or another Occasional Services, also adding address the theme of “unexpected holiness.” a moment of personal prayer. The Sunday Forum Stations offer us a way to pray and March 1, 8, 22, 29| 9:00 a.m. | reflect on how the life, death, and Meade Room resurrection of Jesus opens us to the God is big enough to deal with and fullness of life with God and one work with actual another. Led by the Daughters of the compromised and imperfect people. King. This is at the heart of how we Labyrinth approach the characters and the February 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27, story that form the events of Holy April 3 | 6:30 p.m. | Auditorium Week. At the pinnacle of Christian Walking the Labyrinth is an individual faith and practice is the death and pilgrimage. Our Labyrinth is a resurrection of Jesus which occur circular pattern printed on a large against a backdrop of several betrayals, canvas laid out on the floor. The a show trial, and numerous people lines form a path that wind toward a trying to be compassionate and death. Images will be set up along center point where it turns and leads faithful. Yet, nothing is truly lost when out again. Slowly walking along the it comes to how God uses even the the aisles of the church. As we walk most imperfect people to bring about to each station, we will pause and continued on page 2 our healing and redemption through Fowler House Agreement to Lease is Signed. Jesus’ passion. Our Lenten forums will examine several characters from What Happens Next? the events of Holy Week and explore This update is based in large part on John At the All Parish Meeting on Feb. 23, how God does indeed deal and work Weaver’s report to the parish at the All John Weaver of the Fowler House with compromised people. Join us for Parish Meeting in February. Committee explained where we go a time of exploration and discussion On February 18, the Vestry authorized from here: on how a series of intersecting stories the Christ Church Trustees to counter- “Kensington has posted a $100,000 inform our experience of the crucified sign a long-negotiated Agreement to refundable deposit and now has and resurrected Christ. Lease with Kensington Senior Living. 18 months to design and obtain Stations of the Cross This is a first critical hurdle toward the all governmental approvals for March 4, 11, 18, 25| 6:30 p.m. | final execution of a binding 99-year the project. If during the next 18 Church Ground Lease with Kensington and its months Kensington is not successful in The 14 Stations are part of a long redevelopment of the Fowler House obtaining the requisite approvals, the Christian tradition of pilgrimage as an assisted living and memory company has the right to get back its providing a visible representation care facility. Under the Agreement to deposit and terminate the deal. If it is of Christ’s passion and death. Each Lease, Christ Church will maintain successful, then approximately three to station captures a moment along free use of 10,000 square feet in the six months later, the 99-year Ground Christ’s journey to the Cross—from new building during the 99-year Lease will be executed and irrevocably His condemnation by Pilate to His Ground Lease. go into effect. continued on page 2 2 Lent continued from page 1 Rejoice is the official monthly publication Labyrinth in a candle-lit room offers fasting, as marked by Lent, is intended of Christ Church, Alexan- a time for personal deep prayer and to draw us closer to God. This is a mo- dria, Virginia, an Episcopal thought. Some are working through ment of great opportunity and growth church in the Diocese of life decisions or personal problems, in our lives with Christ. We invite you Virginia. confusion, fear or doubt. Some simply to take advantage of this time and The Rt. Rev. Susan Ellyn Goff, space. Come, take some time away to Bishop Suffragan and need the time to talk with God and pray with others and experience the Ecclesiastical Authority listen intently. Daughters of the King nurturing silence of time with God. In The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson will be available to help as you begin preparation for Holy Week, we will be Bishop Associate your Labyrinth journey. reflecting on the themes of the Biblical Vestry Lent Quiet Day text and the Words of Christ that mark Abas Adenan ‘21, Sr Warden, March 28 | 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | the end of the Lenten season. Kelley Brooke Hostetler ‘20, Jr Warden, Fowler House Our leader for the day is The Rev. Nancy Carson ‘20 Margaret Peel-Shakespeare, interim Steve Humphrey ‘20 We invite you to join us for a few hours as we sit at the feet of Christ and gather at St. Margaret’s, Woodbridge, Sandra Thomson ‘20, Jane Baird ‘21 with one another to prepare our hearts and a spiritual director in the Ignatian Kevin Metz ‘21, Julie Zahn ‘21 for the spiritual journey from Bethany tradition. Bob Cady ‘22, Carol Donlan ‘22 to Jerusalem that we encounter at Lunch will be provided. There is a $30 Mary Dixon Hutcheson ‘22 the end of this Lenten season. Our suggested donation for the day (made Kenneth Knapp, Treasurer retreat will focus on methods of prayer out to Christ Church with Quiet Day Del Turner, Assistant Treasurer from St. Benedict and St. Ignatius of in the memo line). Please sign-up here: Clergy Loyola as we explore our relationship http://bit.ly/CCQuietDay The Rev. Dr. Noelle York-Simmons, with God. The time of penitence and Rector The Rev. Dr. Lyndon Shakespeare, Fowler continued from page 1 “After the Fowler House Committee’s Associate Rector Simultaneously, Kensington will give extensive marketing efforts over the last The Rev. Seldon Walker us a notice to vacate the lower level.” five-plus years, we can report that to Associate Rector/Curate What are the chances of Kensington be economically viable, any project on getting all the needed approvals? The Rev. Dr. Richard Jones the Ross parcel will be five stories and Parish Visitor These are early days and there cover most of the site. A big part of the are many steps, but a meeting in The Rev. Dr. Diane Murphy, City approval process will involve the February between Kensington and Rev. Dr. William B. Roberts details of what that building will look Associates the Alexandria Board of Architectural like.” Review seemed to go well. Fowler Director of Music The rent would be $200,000 per year M. Jason Abel House Committee Chairman Chris for the first two years and then a fixed

Christ Church embodies God’s McMurray, and members Jim Coakley, amount between $311,000 and about unbounded love by embracing, and John Weaver attended that initial $370,000 per year for the next eight liberating, and empowering people, meeting. City officials focused on the years, with inflation-based escalators whoever you are and wherever you find Washington Street façade (which the yourself on your journey of faith. every 10 years thereafter. The final rent City staff considers historic and wants would be based on the ultimate square The Rejoice deadline is the third of the largely retained) and on the traffic month preceding publication. footage the City of Alexandria grants Please email proposed articles to pattern near a proposed Columbus Kensington for its design concept. [email protected]. Street drop-off door. John added, “It’s important to note Those accepted are subject to editing for “I can report that Kensington’s that the income from the Ross parcel length and content. Susan Hahn edits presentation was well received,” said is not ‘gravy.’ It is vital to the mission Rejoice while Craig Keith provides design John. “It was clear that Kensington and layout. Carol Donlan gives her time and ministry of our Church and, not and talent as an advisor. Meredith Bracco is understands that this project will be incidentally, the upkeep of our historic the staff liaison. high profile in Old Town and the properties.” The Fowler Committee company appears ready to listen to will keep the parish informed as the comments and suggestions to the process moves along. Please keep the maximum extent feasible to move the future of Fowler House and Christ @historiccc approvals along. Church in your prayers.

Page 2 ✠ Rejoice ✠ March 2020 3 Reaching for New Goals to Grow the Miracle of Our Little Roses Mission

By the Rev. Dr. Noelle York-Simmons, Rector relationships: omeone recently said to me, Financial sustainability, including S“When I look around everything that thoughtful practices about how we Christ Church, I see little continues over decades, spend our resources for mission trips. green shoots everywhere.” there are some policies Faith practices, including advance It is a happy, hopeful and attitudes that need preparation and prayer for each group observation and one I to be updated in order and group member share wholeheartedly. We to better serve our Community focus, making sure that have all – staff, Vestry, mission partners and the members of each mission team committees, volunteers, our parish. are trusted members of the church congregation – been Melanie and I are and church community working hard to position currently working on I am grateful to Sarah DeCamps Christ Church forward updating our mission and everyone she recruited over the into a place of joy, relationship with Our last decade to join in the miracle challenge, and growth in Little Roses Home for that is mission work at OLR. Jesus Christ. Our hard Girls. We are bringing Because of her organization and the work is paying off little by little and I our practices in line with best practices tenderness and passion with which hope you see it too. outlined by mission experts in the she connected with the girls at Our Over the last three years, Director Episcopal Church and beyond. We are Little Roses, our mission relationship of Mission & Outreach Melanie working with our friends in Honduras stands poised to enter its next chapter Gray and I have been looking at the to ensure we are moving towards a strong and filled with faith. Melanie history and future of our mission model that serves and protects those and I, along with new interim leaders relationships in Uganda, South precious girls in the best ways we Anne Reed and Jane Baird, invite you Sudan, and Honduras. This labor has know how, a model that also holds to join in this mission this year (from confirmed what we knew: our mission Christ Church to high standards of July 6-13) or in years to come and relationships have deep roots in faith accountability and faith formation that witness for yourself the miracle that and mutual love, roots that we can be we expect from our community. is OLR. very proud of. Specifically, we are working on Onward and upward. We also discovered that like three main goals for the OLR mission

Bromley Organ Update removed again for the installation of invite you to take a few minutes to ducts for wiring and wind to the new learn about some of the interesting By Jason Abel, Music Director organ. music history associated with Christ he first full week of January saw We are still waiting on some Church. As we prepare more earnestly Ta team of workers spending long estimates for the work that needs for our musical future, we are learning days working to remove the Austin to be done in preparation for the fascinating things about our musical Organ from the church. And, it is installation of the Bromley Organ. past. now gone! One of the men leading But, that work should begin before the effort at removing the organ much longer. commented that in his 40 years in the Harrison & Harrison has begun business, this was the most difficult work on our instrument in their shop organ he had ever had to remove. If in Durham, England. In the pictures you’ve been upstairs in the church, below are some of the first pipes which you’ve seen the exposed bare walls and they have made for our organ. Also, the large holes in the flooring. We will the display outside the gift shop is live with this for a little while as we do being updated with new information not want to spend money repairing we have discovered about some of the flooring when it would have to be the previous organs and organists. I

Rejoice ✠ March 2020 ✠ Page 3 4 Our OLR Family Will Build on the Faithfulness of Sarah DeCamps As Sarah DeCamps steps down from her leadership of the Our Little Roses Committee, I was asked to reflect on her impact on OLR and on Christ Church. By Kris Amundson arah DeCamps made her first visit to Our Little SRoses Home in Honduras when she was 15. And part of her heart has lived there ever since. OLR provides a home and an education for more than 60 abused, abandoned, and orphaned girls from age 10 months to 26 years. Sarah says the young women of Our Little Roses are part of her familia. She has known many of them since in the more than 20 years since that first visit, and they know she will be there for them – even years after they have left the home. When the husband of one OLR alumna was killed in a drive-by shooting, Sarah flew to Honduras to be there as he was laid to rest in a tiny mountain village. When another OLR graduate faced the prospect of raising her new baby alone, Sarah made sure there were diapers and baby clothes. And this month strengthened the bond between our church and Sarah will be in Honduras for the wedding of Jensy OLR. Over the years, she has led hundreds of Maldonado, an OLR graduate who is now a dentist. parishioners of all ages to San Pedro Sula for the 10- (Jensy preached at Christ Church in 2015.) As Sarah day OLR Mission trips. She has hauled hundreds of says, it’s just what families do. duffel bags filled with needed supplies. She has made From 2003-2006, when she served as the Director sure every girl had athletic shoes, cute pajamas, and of Mission & Outreach at Christ Church, Sarah new dresses. She has rolled many gallons of paint onto the walls of bedrooms and classrooms, watched hundreds of hours of the latest telenovelas with teenage girls, and applied countless layers of sunscreen to protect little ones at the beach. She also built strong relationships with Hondurans outside OLR. When our longtime van driver tragically died, Sarah saw that his daughter received a scholarship so she could fulfill her father’s dream and attend college. This year, the OLR Mission Committee will have new interim leadership as Anne Reed and Jane Baird assume the responsibility of guiding members of our parish to form an OLR committee and on the 2020 OLR visit. If you are interested in getting involved with the OLR mission or learning about this year’s trip from July 6-13, please contact Jane Baird [email protected] or Anne Reed anneftreed@ gmail.com. And as our church again answers the question, “Who is my neighbor?” we will have 20 years of Sarah’s example to help us along the way. Kris Amundson has been going to Our Little Roses since 1995.

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continued on page 5 5 How Christ Church is Helping to Nourish Children Around the World By David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World

ast May about 100 members of cosponsors. million. With funding from the Gates LChrist Church wrote letters to I had opportunity to visit nutrition pro- Foundation, Bread for the World Congress in support of U.S. efforts grams in Ethiopia and Guatemala last Institute staff have also been working to reduce child malnutrition. Hun- fall. Mothers bring their babies to be with USAID to inject new knowledge dreds of other churches and tens of weighed and measured. If a baby shows about child nutrition into the design thousands of individual Bread for the signs of malnutrition, the mom is given of humanitarian, health, and agricul- World members across the country fortified baby food. All the mothers ture projects. reached out to their members of learn about nutrition – lessons such as In 2020, Bread for the World and its Congress. the benefits of extended breastfeeding network across the country are push- Congress is divided on many issues, and handwashing with soap. Thanks to ing Congress to further strengthen and President Trump wants to cut the spread of nutrition programs like child nutrition countries in around programs like this. But this Bread for this, the number of stunted children in the world – and in our own country. the World campaign recruited 205 the world declined by 22 million over The Christ Church forum on May members of Congress from both par- the last 10 years! 10 will be a chance to learn more ties as cosponsors of global nutrition The last thing the U.S. Senate did just and write letters to our members of resolutions. Most of these cosponsors before the impeachment trial was to Congress. May 10 is Mother’s Day, were recruited, one by one, by caring unanimously pass the global nutrition a fitting time to focus on babies and people back home. In most cases, the resolution. It urges stronger USAID their mothers around the world. members of Congress learned for the efforts to improve child nutrition. In Our nation’s democracy gives each of first time that the world is making dra- the House of Representatives, our reso- us far-reaching influence, a gift from matic progress against child stunting lution has passed the Foreign Affairs God to be used for God’s purposes because of new style, evidence-based Committee and is poised for approval – and our loving God clearly wants nutrition programs (many of them by the full House. all children to get the nutrition they funded by USAID). Christ Church Bread for the World used this demon- need to thrive. helped engage Senator Mark Warner stration of broad, bipartisan support and Representative Don Beyer as to increase the annual appropriation for USAID’s nutrition program by $25

Join our Director of Music, Jason Abel, at The Lenten Gathering on March 19 By Susan L. Hahn, Communications status of our new organ project. Jason instrument, followed by a meticulous Committee will provide pictures of the work being process of voicing each of the organ’s done on our new instrument and also pipes to be ready. hrist Church Director of Music provide some explanation into the Come to the Gathering and hear Jason Abel will join us as the C workings of an organ and things to about the Music Ministry, enjoy featured speaker at The Gathering look forward to in the coming months longstanding friends and make new for the Lenten Lunch event at 11:30 musically. friendships while enjoying a delicious a.m. on Thursday, March 19 in the You can review the fascinating history lunch. RSVP to Cindi Bartol at Auditorium. All are invited by The and future of Christ Church organs [email protected]. Hospitality Committee to join in and music directors on the history fellowship and lunch. Jason, our music exhibit, being updated regularly, director for the past 15 years, returned located in the Gift Shop Foyer, to from his post-Easter spring 2019 prepare for hearing more about it in sabbatical just before the beginning of March. the 2019-2020 program year last fall, As we enjoy the piano during services having had the opportunity to learn now during this time while the new new organ repertoire in preparation instrument is constructed, we also look for the next Christ Church organ. At forward to the new organ expected to the Lenten Gathering, Jason will share arrive in October or November. It will stories from his sabbatical experiences take several weeks of installing the new and also provide an update on the

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History Corner: George Religious Freedom, which completed Washington and Christ the separation of Church and State in Church Virginia, ended secular duties of the By Sue Johnson, History Committee , and completed Member the abolition of the former system hen the Vestry of the Fairfax of tax support for the Church of WParish received the completed England. During his Presidency, he church from the builder on February donated money as part of an effort to 27, 1773, it “sold” ten pews to the buy the church’s first organ. highest bidders. George Washington According to Mount Vernon purchased pew number 5 for £36.10 historians, Washington was described ($5,762 in 2019 dollars), the highest granddaughter Nelly Custis Lewis, as “attentive” and “respectful” during price paid. “when the weather and roads church services. He generally stood Washington was 41 years old permitted a ride of ten miles.” “as was then the custom…during the when construction on what he During his Presidency (1789-1797), devotional parts of the service”, while called the “Church at Alexandria” the Washingtons worshipped his wife followed the training of her was completed. According to his at St. Paul’s Chapel and Trinity youth and knelt. diary, he attended his first service Church in Manhattan, at St. Washington’s last recorded visit to at the church on June 13, 1773. Peter’s Church, and Christ Church Christ Church was on November 17, He attended services numerous after the government moved to 1799, about a month before his death. times over the next two years Philadelphia. When he was based The Rev. Thomas Davis, Rector of before receiving his commission in Philadelphia, he attended a Christ Church, spoke at community as Commander-in-Chief of the July 4, 1793 service held at Christ memorial services at the Presbyterian Continental Army in 1775, which Church as part of Alexandria’s July Meeting House and at his funeral and kept him away from Alexandria for 4 festivities. interment at Mount Vernon. eight years. Washington also financially Today, when newcomers attend a After returning to Mount supported Christ Church beyond his Christ Church service, they often Vernon in 1783 at the conclusion purchase of a pew. He and seven other are seated in Washington’s pew as a of the Revolutionary War, pewholders signed an agreement in gesture of welcome. All visitors are Washington attended services at 1785 stating that their pews “shall invited to sit in the pew during the Christ Church when he was in be forever, charged with an Annual hours that the church is open for Alexandria for business, pleasure Rent of five pounds Virginia Money tours, creating a personal connection or, according to his adopted each” in anticipation of the passage to our nation’s first President. of the 1786 Virginia Statute for

Objects of Faith The Word was prominently featured in Church’s tradition of baptism through and History – The tablets, books, and commanding pul- affusion, where water is poured over Baptismal Font pits1. The unadorned and spare architec- the head of the person being baptized, By Chris Zavrel, History Committee ture of Christ Church places it squarely does not require a large piece of litur- member (excerpt from the first of three within the canon of Georgian architec- gical furniture. The marble baptismal 2020 forum presentations) ture. The interior design of a colonial font was purchased by the Christ Anglican church conveys an understand- Church Vestry in 1818 from James olonial Anglican churches were ing of the nature and role of God in the Croudhill2. Baptism during this time Coriginally designed to be more lives of the congregants; beauty resided was seen as a largely private, or family auditory than liturgical spaces where principally in “regularity, uniformity, centered, occasion. In fact, until after the spoken Word took precedence. and proportion” - in the liturgy, the the Civil War, it was the fashion for architecture, and the music1. Christ baptisms, like weddings, to often take

Page 6 ✠ Rejoice ✠ March 2020 Rites of Passage 7

Deaths: place at home. There is no mention of History Corner References • William Seale the location of the baptismal font in the early historical record of Christ Church. 1. Nelson, Louis P. The Beauty • Anne Gray of Holiness: and • Brints Wommack Post-Civil War renovations to Christ Architecture in Colonial South • Evalina Hines-Bates Church reflected an arrangement of the Carolina. Chapel Hill, NC: • Ham Hamilton church interior called a “Hobart Chan- University of North Carolina • Emily Hubbard cel” that was popularized by John Henry Press, 2009. • Majok Mading Majok Hobart, Bishop of New York from • Charlotte Biggs 1816- 1830. Bishop Hobart supported 2. Milner, John D., and Alice • John King the High Church Movement within the Kent Schooler. The Historic • Geraldine Argrett Episcopal Church, which emphasized Structure Report for Christ • Pam Harman the significance of baptism.3 Hobart’s Church, Alexandria, Virginia. • Paul Dillon ecclesiastical architectural design placed Report. John Milner Associates. Submitted to the • Randal John Soderquist the pulpit against the east wall with the Vestry of Christ Church, 04 • Michael Hoare altar in front and the baptismal font September 1979 • Ginny Hammell along the same architectural axis within • Wendy McMillan 4 the chancel rails . All three liturgical Granger, Todd. “John Henry • Erika Frade 3. centers were elevated and visible to Hobart, Bishop of New York, • Roger Reeves the congregation throughout the rites. 1830.” For All the Saints, • Richard Bradley Because this formalized chancel design 11 Sept. 2014, forallsaints. • Eric Scorce is reminiscent of medieval English wordpress.com/2014/09/12/ • George Vassos churches, they connected the Episcopal john-henry-hobart-bishop-of- Church in America to a long, unbroken new-york-1830-4/. Baptisms: continuity with Anglican tradition, • Benjamin Dedrick Baize which in turn reached back to an ideal- 4. Armentrout, Don S. and • Kiran Thatcher Edwards ized “apostolic and primitive church”5 Robert B. Slocum, eds. • Miles Stephen McMurray which also helped set the Episcopal An Episcopal Dictionary of • Susannah Mae Cable Fake Church apart from other Protestant the Church: A User-Friendly • Hunter William Slifka denominations.6 Reference for Episcopalians. New • Robert Ricky Beckwith York, NY: Church Publishing, • Gideon Walker Floyd The first recorded image of the font Inc., 2000. • Zoe Sabine Eleanor Lueken in its current location is from a photo • Paul Angelo Lueken dated 18702. The font was knocked over 5. “A Word for the Church” • Gwendolyn Gail Harden and damaged by a tourist in 18977 and in The Churchman, by John • Calla Rowan Green repaired shortly thereafter. An 1898 res- Henry Hobart, Printed by J. toration of Christ Church to its original Malcolm, 1843. Births: Georgian colonial architecture resulted Buggeln, Gretchen Townsend. • Eleanor Jean Harger, daughter in the construction of the current 6. Temples of Grace: The of Haley & Kyle Harger wineglass pulpit, but the chancel layout, Material Transformation of • Samuel Brooks Keith, son of including the placement of the baptis- 2 Connecticut’s Churches, 1790- Emily and Rob Keith, grandson mal font remained unchanged . The 1840. University Press of New of Craig & Sherley Keith silver liner which covers the 1898 re- England, 2003. • Ella Thea Jennings, daughter of pairs to the font was donated by Helen Kari Foote & Stephen Jennings Chapman Calvert, the great- great- great- 7. The Silver That Surrounds Us, • Thomas and Patrick Byrd, grand- granddaughter of John Alexander, who Christ Church Alexandria, sons of Tom & Betsy Hahn donated the land in 1765 that became published 2018. • Connor Andrew Abram, grand- the site of Christ Church in 1773. son of Doug Mitchell & Kitty Dillon

Rejoice ✠ March 2020 ✠ Page 7 8 New Gift Shop Items

The goodies the Gift Shop has been promising for the past month are now in stock – and were they worth the wait! A new and unique selec- tion of the ever-popular Crosses by Woody are each 5-1/2 inches tall and sell for $38.50 apiece. Six inspi- rational styles are available: Cross of Hope, Cross of Spirit, Cross of Healing, Cross of Creation, Cross of Peace and Cross of the Immigrant. Also new are scarves and Pashminas in soft, Easter-egg colors ranging in price from only $14 to $24.50. And while you’re draped in your new scarf, your children could be cud- dling with a “Warmie” – a stuffed puppy, kitten , or even a stuffed sloth, that you heat for a few seconds in the microwave and then give to your sad, sick or injured child (or spouse!) to hug. The Gift Shop even has Warmies for babies and infants; they are made without button eyes, nose and mouth to avoid any danger of swallowing. The Warmies sell for $10.50 to $21 depending on their size. And what’s cozier than cuddling with a Warmie while reading a great book (from the Gift Shop, of course) and sipping a hot cup of specialty tea from the Tea Can Company that comes in “skinny tins” of six sachets for $12 and “mini tins” of four sachets for $6.25 (each sachet makes two cups of tea). Finally, ladies – and the men who like to shop for the ladies in their lives – we have LOTS of new jewelry in multiple designs and various price points!

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