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News | Upcoming Events | Episcopal Church News | News Archives
Holy Communion Celebrates Youth Sunday and Baptism, July 29, 2007 Baptism, July 29, 2007
Holy Communion Celebrates Youth Sunday, July 1, 2007
Holy Communion Celebrates its First Watch Service
On New Year's Eve, Holy Communion held its first Watch Night service. A Watch Night Service is service on New Years Eve evening ending at midnight, New Year's Day. It is used as a time to reflect and give thanks for the old year before facing the new one.
The Watch Service found its origins with the Moravians, a small Christian denomination whose roots lie in what is the present-day Czech Republic. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, started doing his own version, making them one of the practices of his denomination. Methodist Watch Nights were held once a month and on full moons, with the first such service in the United States. These services survive to the present day in that denomination's worship manuals as "Covenant Renewal Services."
As to what was being "watched over" in those earlier services, it was one's covenant with God. These gatherings were a time for congregants to meditate on their state of grace? Were they spiritually ready to meet their maker if the call were suddenly to come? As the 13th chapter of Mark instructs, the faithful need to be ever vigilant, because the hour of the Lord's coming is not known. (Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh.)
For the African-American community, the Watch Service on December 31, 1862, took on a special significance. On that night, Blacks came together in churches and private homes, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863, and a good portion slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free. On 22 September 1862, President Lincoln issued his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of 1862, which said: "... on the first day of January ... all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."
So not only did African Americans go to church for spiritual reasons, it was also to celebrate their freedom. In the African-American congregations, both reasons make the New Year's Eve Watch Night service as much now about remembering the end of slavery as it is upon personal reflection on the state of one's soul.
Holy Communion's celebration consisted of 3 hour service with reflections by Father Williams and a guest preacher and holy Eucharist. Afterwards, the church held a formal celebration in the undercroft to welcome in the New Year.
The historical reference was adapted from Snopes.com. Holy Communion Hosts Back-to-School Picnic
The Church of the Holy Communion held a Back-to-School on Sunday, August 19th outside on the grounds of the parish. The picnic attracted current and old members and their families and friends as well as members of the Congress Heights community. The members of the congregation organized the picnic to serve as an opportunity for members of the church and the community to have fellowship with the youth before they start school in the upcoming weeks. The event was especially bittersweet for our college students who will be leaving the area to attend their prospective universities. Assiatu Williams will be starting college at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. Yolanda Baylor and Danielle Robinson, who are both business majors, will be returning to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL. Fr. Williams presented each young lady with a certificate of appreciation from the congregation.
(Click here for photos from the event)
Holy Communion Celebrates Youth Sunday and Baptism
Church of the Holy Communion celebrated Youth Sunday on July 29th. For these special Sundays, which occur on every fifth Sunday of the year, youths are responsible for most aspects of the church service including reading the lessons, leading prayers and even giving the sermon. This Youth Sunday, Churchill Hamid, a 9th grader at T. C. Williams delivered a sermon on baptism for the occasion of the baptism of Isaiah King, the youngest member of our church family.
(Click here to read Churchill's sermon)
(Click here to see pictures from that day)
Holy Communion Celebrates Youth Sunday
On Sunday, July 1, 2007, the congregation of the Church of the Holy Communion recognized the achievements of its young people on the churchs annual Youth Recognition Sunday. The youth at CHC are a very talented group of young people that are involved in various activities at the church and in their respective communities. They are also scholarly and athletic with several of them being on the honor roll and on sports teams. CHC also recognizes those youth that are at college locally and in other regions of the country. Below are the achievements of the youths being honored:
- Isaiah King
-Home school and learning daily
- Walton Williams
6th Grade
-Promoted to 7th Grade and will be attending Walt Whitman Middle School,
-BUG Award
-Turkey Trot Winner
-Acolyte
- Kayla Harris-Fountaine
7th Grade
-Attending Drew Freeman Middle School and promoted to 8th Grade
-Honor Roll 4 quarters 3.83 GPA Academic Achievement Medal
-News Team Anchor
-Girl Scouts
-Acolyte
-Jaceric Dance Company Principal Club
-Easter and Christmas drama presentation at Evangel Temple
- Churchill Hamid
8th Grade
- Promoted to 9th Grade and will be attending T.C. Williams High School
-Merit Honor Roll
-SOL: Perfect scores in Science and Civics
-SOL: 2nd Highest SOL Test Average
-Acolyte
- Brian Matthews
9th Grade
-Attending Mount Vernon High School and promoted to 10th Grade
-Varsity Soccer Team: Mount Vernon High School
-Soccer Team: Raptors
-Acolyte
- Vivian Williams
9th Grade
-Attending Mount Vernon High School and promoted to 10th Grade
-Varsity Soccer Team: Mount Vernon High School
-Soccer Team: Raptors
-Acolyte
- Assiatu Williams
12th Grade
-Will be attending the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
-National Achievement Scholar
-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Scholarship Winner
-Absalom Jones Scholarship Winner
-Mount Vernon High School Female Athlete of the Year
-Washington Metropolitan Scholar Nominee
-Virginia High School League Scholar Athlete Award
-First Team All-Region: Girls Track
-Acolyte
Collegiate level
- Yolanda Baylor
Junior, Florida A & M University
Major: 5yr Master Program - Business Administration
-FAMU Swim Team
-Mentor 1 club
-DC METRO Club
-2007 MEAC All Academic Team
-Alpha Kappa Psi-Business Fraternity
- Joel Davy
Sophomore, Prince Georges Community College
Major: Computer Science
- Danielle Robinson
Senior, Florida A & M University
Major: 5yr Master Program - Business Administration
- Epicurean club
Prayer for Young Person
God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Schools and Colleges
Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively centers of sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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