Charlotte

Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NOVA) is a faith-based non-profit organization that works with congregations across Maryland to save energy, go green, and respond to climate change. If your faith community is interested in creation care, sustainability, or environmental justice, Interfaith Power & Light would love to support your congregation in whichever way possible. IPL-DMV has helped dozens of congregations go solar and has helped communities transition to cleaner and healthier energy sources. Learn more about how faith communities can care for our shared common home at http://ipldmv.org

If you are interested in Going Solar go to http://ipldmv.org/solar to learn more!

To Inquire about establishing a green team, environmental justice concerns, or request a speaker; Reach out to IPL-DMV congregational organizer Joshua Long. joshua@ipldmv.org.

First Christian Church is excited to share news about wonderful guest preachers who will
grace their pulpit during their 150th year of ministry as a congregation!  They hope that you can be in attendance to experience these amazing preachers. Attached is the current list of guest preachers for 2025.
Please feel free to share.

We are thrilled to announce that Rev. Kelly Crenshaw will be joining New Light MCC as our settled pastor, effective January 1, 2025.
Many of you may remember Rev. Kelly from her previous role as a co-transitional pastor at New Light from 2014 to 2016. She has also served at Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ in Boonsboro and St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ, among others.

We are grateful to John Wesley’s United Methodist Chapel for providing a space for our services and to the JWUMC congregation for their warm welcome.

We look forward to sharing ministries together and serving the tri-state area.

With blessings,

Board of Directors
New Light Metropolitan Community Church
Hagerstown, MD

Experience the Sights, Sounds, and Spirituality of the Holiday Season
at the Hagerstown Historic Houses of Worship Tour

A holiday tradition continues in downtown Hagerstown on Thursday, December 26 at the 11th Annual Historic Houses of Worship tour. The free, self-guided tour takes place from 3:00 to 7:00 pm and features eleven worship sites, all gatekeepers of history, art, literature, and architecture. Sites will share their ecumenical heritage, traditions, and music of the holiday season with visitors.

Many sites are located within walking distance of one another, and all sites are handicapped accessible. Light refreshments will be available at various locations. The tour brochure shows participating locations and all event details. Brochures can be picked up at participating worship sites or downloaded from the web at www.harccoalition.org

Attendees are encouraged to dine before or after the tour at one of the downtown establishments. From Puerto Rican to American fare a variety of options are available. https://www.hagerstownmd.org/685/Dine-Downtown

The event is hosted by the participating worship sites with support from the Hagerstown Area Regional Council, the City of Hagerstown, and Visit Hagerstown & Washington County CVB.

“What I love about the Historic Houses of Worship Tour is on what’s usually a quiet day, there are small and large groups walking in Downtown Hagerstown to expose themselves to the beautiful architecture of the houses of worship,” said Dan Spedden, president of Visit Hagerstown & Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “

In the event of inclement weather, visit HARC’s website at www.harccoalition.org or listen to WJEJ radio station, 104.3 FM and 1240 AM. In the event of cancellation, the tour will take place on December 27.

In a time of many divisions, the HARC Interfaith Thanksgiving Service held on Sunday, November 24, was a beautiful event full of unity amid appreciation of our differences. The multi-colored leaves on the bulletin cover illustrated this harmony: “[they] are all alike, yet all different. And they fit perfectly together.”

The service started with an Islamic call to prayer, concluded with a joyous song “Bringing in the Sheaves,” and featured speakers from Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Baha’i and Native American faith traditions as well as a large interfaith choir. 135 people attended the service. If you weren’t one of them, you can view the recording on Benevola UMC’s YouTube page. Many thanks to the many participants who made this service amazing, and to Benevola United Methodist Church for hosting this year.

   

The HARC Lighthouse After-School Program is a brand new program that started in Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) in September! At our November meeting, Kim Duncan, WCPS Community Schools Coordinator, shared information about Community Schools and the importance of this program and other wraparound services for children in our county. Angela Yamashita, the new Program Coordinator for Lighthouse, shared how the program is going so far and how others in the faith community can get involved. And Lighthouse Steering Team Leader Rev. Scott Winnette shared how we can all help. Watch the recording of this program HERE.

MLK Day 2025 falls on Monday, January 20. Is your congregation, non-profit, or governmental office planning an observance? Let HARC know! If you are planning a special service, a community improvement event, a special meal to honor the life and work of Dr. King, please provide the details (and a flyer, if you have one) to us at info@harccoalition,org. Potential attendees and volunteers are seeking some way to honor the legacy of Dr. King. Help us to link them up with your ministry/event!

Position available for a Church Organist at Christ’s Reformed Church United Church of Christ in Hagerstown, MD. We are looking for someone who has experience in accompanying church music. Must be available for Sunday morning services and Christian holidays and able to work with a small, skilled choir. Compensation is negotiable. Please send resume and cover letter to  reverend.norville@gmail.com no later than November 22, 2024 with a starting date of January 1, 2025. For questions, please call Rev. Norville at (301)733-4144.