DCBC eNews Briefs

Task Force Orientation and Journey of 180 Launch
On Thursday, Feb. 9 from 7 – 9 p.m. there will be an orientation for the four newly created DCBC task forces at the Baptist Building, 1628 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009. The orientation will also serve as a launch for the Journey of 180, a strategic planning and discernment process for the future of the Convention. All members of DCBC congregations are invited to participate in addition to those who have agreed to serve on the Strategic Realignment, Denominational Affiliations/Partnerships, Bylaws Revision and Johenning Baptist Community Center task forces. Please RSVP by TODAY by calling 202.265.1526.

Seminar Explores the Power of Forgiveness
“The Power of Forgiveness” will be the focus of a seminar at the Baptist Building on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The Baptist Building is located at 1628 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, D.C. The seminar will include a video, Bible study and discussion. Rev. Stephen Price, interim pastor at Commonwealth Baptist Church and Dr. Robert Cochran, associate executive director of the D.C. Baptist Convention, will facilitate. Make reservations at 202.265.1526 or www.dcbaptist.org.

Emergency Response Orientation Scheduled
The D.C. Baptist Convention is launching an Emergency Response Team to train dedicated disciples to respond to weather-related emergencies in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and beyond. If you are interested in becoming a part of the team, attend one of two orientations that have been scheduled—on Saturday, Feb.11 from 10 a.m. – noon or on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 7 – 9 p.m. Both orientations will take place at the Baptist Building, 1628 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. For more information or to RSVP for the orientation, please email ert@dcbaptist.org or call 202.265.1526, ext. 204.

Read the latest issue of Capital Baptist
The February/March Capital Baptist is available online at http://www.dcbaptist.org/capital_newsletter.php. This issue features information about DCBC’s new Emergency Response Team, the Journey of 180, using social media and a tribute to Rev. Dr. Joseph M. Smith. For more information about how you can subscribe to Capital Baptist and receive it at your home, email communications@dcbaptist.org.

Lent Begins
On Wednesday, Feb. 22, the Lenten Season will officially begin. Praying that you will experience God in new ways on Ash Wednesday and throughout this season of prayer, repentance, sacrifice and good works.

Ministers Invited to Fellowships Across the Region
Join the Fellowship. This year, we’re cutting your commute. The Ministers Fellowship is coming to you. The P.G. County Ministers Fellowship will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the Seafood Palace Buffet, 3745 Branch Avenue Temple Hills, Md. The Montgomery County Ministers Fellowship is slated to gather on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Copper Canyon Grill, 925 Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, Md. The D.C. Ministers Fellowship will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at DuPont Italian Kitchen, 1637 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C. Fellowships begin at noon. Contact Rev. Starlette McNeill at 202.265.1526 ext. 209 or by email at starlette.mcneill@dcbaptist.org for more information or to RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there!

DCBC Partners with MissionServe: Join Us in Being a Blessing
With a grant obtained from the City of Takoma Park, this summer the D.C. Baptist Convention in partnership with MissionServe will work to rectify code violations on approximately 23 homes in Takoma Park, Md, July 1-6. We have 330 volunteers, with students ranging from 6th grade to college, who have already confirmed to serve, and housing for all volunteers has already been obtained. We now NEED 23 of our churches to adopt a “work squad” of 13 volunteers. What does this mean?

The “work squad” assigned to your church would attend worship service with you on Sunday, July 1 and we ask that you provide them with lunch.
Commit to prepare and bring lunch to the work site Monday, July 2 through Friday, July 6 (Wednesday, July 4 will be an off day, so no lunch is needed.) for the squad and the homeowner(s).
Follow-up with the homeowner(s) once the work project is complete. What an awesome ministry opportunity for your church to reach the community!

Webinar for Lent features DCBC pastor
Dr. John Burns, pastor of University Baptist Church in College Park, Md. and author of Modeling Mary in Christian Discipleship, will be the featured speaker during a webinar hosted by Judson Press. The webinar, “What Wondrous Love is This: Mary as a Guide for the Season of Lent" will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28. To register, visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/633944545 .

In-Service Training for Teachers and Leaders
The D.C. Baptist Convention will be hosting In-Service Training for Teachers and Leaders, Feb. 24 and 25 at the Baptist Building, 1628 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, D.C. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Feb. 25
9:30 a.m. – noon                   Teachers of Adults
1– 3:30 p.m.                            Teachers of Youth
1- 3:30 p.m.                             Teachers of Children and Preschoolers

Please make reservations by calling 202.265.1526, ext. 213 or at www.dcbaptist.org.

DCBC Offers Tax Return Preparation Service/Opportunity
The D.C. Baptist Convention has partnered with the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to provide free tax return preparation for low-income, elderly and disabled individuals. DCBC is excited to serve our community and our member churches with this vital service. We will be providing this service on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. – noon and 1-3 p.m. from Feb.14 through April 17 (please note the start date has changed from Feb.7) when taxes are due. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with tax return preparation or are in need of this service, contact Lashanor Doolittle at 202.265.1526, ext. 203 or by email at lashanor.doolittle@dcbaptist.org. No experience is required and the IRS and/or partner organizations will provide all necessary training.

Used Computers Available
If your church is in need of a used computer, please contact the D.C. Baptist Convention at 202.265.1526.

New Creation Raises 300,000 Pennies
New Creation Church in Wheaton, Md. was featured in The Washington Post after raising 300,000 pennies for local charities. The church had begun to collect pennies as a part of The Penny Project sponsored by American Baptist Churches USA, when it was broken into and vandalized (read story in the February/March 2011 issue of the Capital Baptist). The pennies were stolen, but an outpouring of support resulted in the churches’ ability to triple its original goal of 100,000 pennies. The church will donate the money to the Greentree Shelter in Bethesda, Md., a ministry of DCBC partner the National Center for Children and Families and the Mid-County United Ministries in Wheaton, Md. Read the inspiring story by clicking here.

Calvary Reaches Milestone
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is the pastor. Multiple activities are being planned leading up to the 150th Celebration Gala and Homecoming Weekend, June 1-3. For more information, visit www.calvarydc.org.

Canaan Celebrates 65 Years
Join us in celebrating with Canaan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. as they celebrate their 65th church anniversary. The church will host a 65th Anniversary Banquet at the Washington Navy Yard on Feb. 17. Rev. Dr. David E. Goatley, executive secretary-treasurer of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, will be the speaker. There will also be an anniversary musical on Feb. 18 and Rev. Elmore E. Warren, Jr., pastor of Whitestone Baptist Church in Baltimore, will preach at the 10 a.m. service on Feb. 19. For more information, contact Brandi Pearson at canaan_65th@yahoo.com or call the church office at 202.234.5330. Rev. Larry Owens, Jr. is the pastor of Canaan.

Girton-Mitchell Named MLK Drum Major
We extend our congratulations to the Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, the minister of Stewardship and Missions at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Largo, Md., who received the MLK Drum Major for Service Award from the U.S. Department of Education where she serves as Director for the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The MLK Drum Major for Service Award is presented to volunteers who perform extraordinary acts of service with reliability and commitment, but seldom receive recognition.

Purity Baptist Mourns Rev. Dr. Susie J. Tucker
Our condolences are extended to Purity Baptist Church in the loss of Rev. Dr. Susie J. Tucker, who served as an associate minister at the church. Her Homegoing Celebration services will be held at 10 a.m. (viewing) and 11 a.m. (funeral) on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the church, which is located at 1325 Maryland Ave., NE, Washington, D.C. 20002. For more information, contact the church at 202.397.4333.

New Church Information
Streams of Hope Church (formerly First Baptist Church, Wheaton, Md.) has relocated and can now be reached at 301.260.SOHC (7642). The new address is: 16227 Batchellors Forest Road, Olney, MD 20832. Please update your records accordingly.

Scholarships for Seminarians
The D.C. Baptist Convention Foundation (DCBCF) is now accepting applications from seminarians who will be enrolled in an accredited seminary in the fall. DCBCF offers scholarships to seminary students from DCBC churches. To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

Be enrolled as a full time student in an accredited seminary
Be studying for a first graduate level degree in preparation for full time ministry
Be currently or at time of enrollment a member of a DCBC participating church
Maintain a grade point average or 2.75 on a 4 point scale or its equivalent
Demonstrate financial need

For more information, contact Ellen Teague, DCBCF executive director at 202.234.7194 or by email at ellen.teague@dcbaptist.org. Applicants must submit an application with all required supporting documents by May 1 in order to be eligible for a fall 2011 scholarship. Click here for an application for first-time students. Returning students, click here.

NABF to Meet in NOVA in March for Annual Gathering
The North American Baptist Fellowship (NABF), which is one of six regional fellowships of the Baptist World Alliance, will meet for its annual gathering March 8-9 in Falls Church, Va. The gathering will take place across the street from the Baptist World Alliance headquarters at Columbia Baptist Church, 103 West Columbia Street, Falls Church, Va. with the theme, “The Future of Baptists in North America.” Dr. Wes Granberg-Michaelson, former general secretary of the Reformed Church in America and author of Unexpected Destinations: An Evangelical Pilgrimage to World Christianity will be the guest speaker. Open to all who would like to attend, the gathering will begin with lunch at noon on Thursday, March 8. Network groups will meet Thursday morning. There is a registration fee of $99, which covers lunch, refreshments, materials and other shared expenses. The fee is the same for part-time and full-time attendees. For more information or to register, visit http://bullardjournal.blogs.com/nabf/annual-gathering. Dr. George Bullard is the general secretary of NABF.

Religious Liberty Essay Scholarship Contest
Entries are now being accepted for the 2012 Religious Liberty Essay Scholarship contest, which is being sponsored by the Religious Liberty Council of the Baptist Joint Committee. High school juniors and seniors can win up to $1,000 for college by writing an essay exploring the role of religion in presidential campaigns. The complete topic, rules, and entry forms are available at www.BJConline.org/contest www.BJConline.org/contest. The deadline to enter the contest is March 15 (no email entries will be accepted. For more information, contact Cherilyn Crowe at 202-544-4226 or by e-mail at ccrowe@BJConline.org.

Two Trainings Coming in March
The D.C. Baptist Convention will host two trainings for member churches in March. On Saturday, March 17, there will be training for trustees: “The Work of the Church Trustee.” Then, on Saturday, March 24, there will be training for ushers. Both sessions will take place from 9:30 a.m. until noon. More details will be announced soon. Please mark your calendar. Questions? Contact Gail Lacy at 202.265.1526, ext. 213 or gail.lacy@dcbaptist.org.

Conference Focuses on Supporting Missionaries
The White Cross Conference, which will be held on Saturday March 24 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Baptist Building, 1628 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, will help churches find out how they can be of practical help to American Baptist missionaries—including rolling bandages, sewing and medical supplies, assembling health kits and school kits, and much, much more. Chris Marziale from American Baptist International Ministries will be here to lead the conference. He will give background information and there will be plenty of opportunities for “hands on” practice in putting together packets. For more information, contact Gail Lacy at 202.265.1526, ext. 213 or gail.lacy@dcbaptist.org.

Church Musicians Conference
The annual Conference for Church Musicians, sponsored by the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians, will be July 14-21 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI. For more information about the conference, visit www.fabm.com or call 812.376.3321 or 812.371.5390. Click here for a flyer.

Youth Minister. Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Md. seeks a part-time youth minister. The position is available immediately. The successful candidate must have a passion for teens and ministry. The person will work an average of 10 hours/per week, including but not limited to Sunday mornings, worship leadership, and alternate Tuesday evenings. This person will also work closely with the pastor. Position could develop to be full-time for 4-6 weeks in summer upon mutual negotiation. Send resume as soon as possible to cnstins@aol.com but no later than March 1.

Pastor. Beth Car Baptist Church in Madison, Va. is looking for a pastor with five years ministry experience preferred. The candidate should be a graduate of an accredited seminary or Bible college. Sunday morning worship attendance averages 100 and Sunday School averages 60. Resumes will be accepted until March 1 and should be submitted to: Beth Car Baptist Church, P.O. Box 444, Madison, VA 22727 or e-mail bcpastorsearch@bethcarpbaptist.com. For more information, please visit their website at www.bethcarbaptist.com.

Executive Minister. American Baptist Churches of New York State has opened a search for its next Executive Minister. Nominations for the position will be accepted by March 1. The committee will correspond with all nominees. For those interested in applying, the deadline to submit applications, which should include a brief letter of interest and an American Baptist Personnel System profile, is March 15. Please send all nominations and applications to: Pastor Sandra Spaulding, 1436 White Lane, Argyle, NY 12809. 518.692.0284, abcnyexecutive@yahoo.com (electronic communication preferred). Click here for a full job description and here for a profile of the region.

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