WASHINGTON—Journalist Gwen Ifill and a cast of gifted vocalists, instrumentalists and a 173- voice choir will be featured when Handel’s Messiah is presented at the newly-renovated Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, 1518 M Street N.W. on Sunday, December 4 at 5 p.m.
In celebration of Metropolitan’s l73rd Anniversary Season, 173 “Connectional” voices — singers from various denominations, high school and college students, and the Metropolitan Arts Partners Program —will perform the beloved oratorio by George Frideric Handel. Metropolitan is the denomination’s National Cathedral of African Methodism.
Ms. Ifill, one of the nation’s leading journalists, is moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” and senior correspondent for “The PBS NewsHour” and will serve as moderator. The presentation, which marks the beginning of the Advent Season, will be webcast for the first time. Read the full press release. . .
As we prepare for this year’s Messiah presentation in our newly renovated sanctuary on December 4th at 5 p.m. view excerpts from Handel’s Messiah in 2003.
A record of the faith, hopes and dreams of thousands of members of Metropolitan AME Church over the past 173 years was entombed for posterity when the church buried its historic time capsule on Sunday, November 20. The event was covered by Hamil Harris of the Washington Post:
The Metropolitan AME Church’s spirited “homecoming” service Sunday concluded with the D.C. congregation’s children placing items important to the church’s 173-year history into a time capsule that will be opened in more than 100 years.
Church members put hymn books and church records into a silver vault, along with photographs from President Bill Clinton’s inaugural prayer service, Rosa Parks’s funeral and the day President Obama and his family came to worship.
“It is so important in the history of African America that we not only preserve our history, but we lift up our future,” said the Rev. Ronald E. Braxton, the church’s pastor. “This time capsule talks about the 173 years that we have been in this city, and we have made a tremendous contribution.” Read more . . .
Thank you for making the November 5 2011 CAAB-Moneywise Financial Empowerment Tour a huge success!!
Here’s a snapshot of what you helped us accomplish in just one day:
525 registered, and over 500 attended
Over 70 attendees received one-on-one credit coaching or financial planning sessions
- 8 credit coaches on site
- 2 Certified Financial Planners® on site, plus LeCount Davis and Eugene Profit on the “Making Your Money Work for You” panel
Over 30 experts participated from business, government, nonprofit, workforce development, and home ownership sectors including Kelvin Boston, Willie Jolley, Rev. Dr. Deforest Soaries, Marie Johns (SBA) and Sandra L. Thompson (FDIC)
18 Exhibitor tables, including Business Kids exhibit!
Prizes were awarded to several attendees who stayed to the end
-One Kindle e-book reader from Moneywise
- Two certificates for portraits by certified photographer Jim Johnson of ThePicture-Story® Studio in downtown Washington, DC from CAAB
15 signed up for Can You Afford Your Life? – A Financial Empowerment Workshop on Saturday, January 7, 2012 from 10am-1pm – register at www.caab.org or www.metropolitanamec.org or call 202-419-1440 to register
Two people got connected with JOBS through the DC Department of Employment Services!
Downlaod the CAAB Event Program. We would sincerely appreciate your feedback on the event, and if you have any ideas on how it could be improved for future events, please share.
Register for CAAB’s FREE workshop: Can You Afford Your Life?, a three hour financial empowerment workshop held on January 7, 2012 from 10 am – 1pm at Metropolitan AME. Register at www.caab.org or call 202-419-1440 to register.
Rev. Harold B. Hayes, Jr. To Preach at Metropolitan’s Homecoming on Sunday, Nov. 20 for one service at 9 a.m.
The Rev. Harold B. Hayes, Jr., pastor of Hunter Memorial AME Church in Suitland, Md., will be guest preacher at Metropolitan AME Church’s annual homecoming celebration on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 9 a.m.
Rev. Hayes was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa., and is the product of their public school system. An alumnus of Hampton University in Hampton, Va., Rev. Hayes pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity in 1982. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity.
Rev. Hayes accepted his call to preach the gospel while at Ebenezer AME Church, under the dynamic leadership of the Reverends Doctors Grainger and Joann Browning. He preached his initial sermon entitled “Inseparable” in February of 1988. He was ordained Deacon in the AME church in April of 1991, and Elder in June of 1993. While at Ebenezer, he served as Minister to Youth, where he was responsible for directing, training, and implementing programs for over 1500 young people, and 75 adult volunteers. The highlight of his experience as Youth Minister was the development of the Adolescent Rites of Passage Ministry, which is still a vital part of the ministry today.
Rev. Hayes was honored to serve as an officer of the Washington Annual Conference Ministerial Alliance for the year 1999-2000. He was appointed by Bishop Vinton R. Anderson and Episcopal Supervisor Vivienne Anderson, to develop and chair the first Spiritual Enrichment Task Force for the historic Christian Men’s Freedom Forum/General Conference 2000. Currently he serves on the Board of Instructors for the Washington Annual Conference AME Institute, and as Church School Director of the Washington Annual Conference.
Inspired by God, and encouraged by Elder George A. Manning, to establish an AME Church in Landover, Maryland, Rev. Hayes and family, on Sunday, Jan.3, 1993 opened the doors of New Liberation AME Church. Rev. Hayes served New Liberation and the Landover community for eight years. In October of the year 2000, at the Mid-Year Conference in Wilmington, North Carolina, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Anderson appointed Rev. Hayes to the historic Hunter Memorial AME Church in Suitland, Maryland. In April of 2001, Pastor Hayes boldly led the faithful people of Hunter into a newly renovated, state-of-the-art worship center in a 36,000 square foot shopping center. In December of 2002, God blessed Hunter to acquire the entire shopping center, now known as Kingdom Power Plaza. His prayer is that Hunter will always be a place where the fresh bread of the Word is being served to a hungry, and seeking generation; and disciples are being equipped to serve the Suitland community and advance the Kingdom of God.
He is the husband of his partner in ministry, the Rev. Kellie V. Hayes, and the proud father of three Kingdom purpose children: Shante’ Vanise, Shannon Kellene, and Joshua Imani. He is the son of Elder Harold B. Hayes, Sr. the pastor of Mt. Pisgah United Holy Church, and the First Lady, Sis. Pearline Barfield Hayes.
Metropolitan AME annually recognizes the singular accomplishments of individuals who have contributed to the nation and world while also acknowledging the church’s role in extolling the importance of faith, family, culture and community in American heritage. On National Donor Sabbath Day 2011, Senior pastor Ronald E. Braxton (left) congratulates three medical pioneers who have played giant roles in organ transplant medicine and increasing the number of African American donors and recipients. They are (from pastor’s left) Dr. Velma P. Scantlebury-White, associate director, Kidney Transplant Program, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Del., Rev. Kimberley S. Copeland, guest preacher (in white robe); Dr. Clive O. Callender, LaSalle D. Leffal, Jr. Professor of Surgery at the Howard University College of Medicine and the nation’s senior African American transplant surgeon and expert on ethnic minorities and organ’tissue donation and transplantation, and Dr. Joseph Keith Melancon, director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation and pediatric kidney transplantation at Georgetown University Hospital, Washington Hospital Center and Children’s National Medical Center.
Dear Metropolitan AME Youth (Parents and Youth Advisors);
A. YOUTH MEETING
The Metropolian AME Church Youth Ministry, on Sunday, November 20, 2011, immediately following Sunday School, will hold a meeting of ALL YOUTH, AGES 5-18, (flyer attached) to discuss program and activities youth would like to see at Metropolitan.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to inform the church of things of interest to you!
Please be sure to attend this very important meeting.
B. HOMECOMING 9:00 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE
The church will have ONE Worship Service on Sunday, November 20, 2011. Everyone, with a CURRENT or PAST association with our church is encouraged to attend this special Worship Service.
C. YOUTH INSTRUMENTALISTS
Youth instrumentals will also have the opportunity to play in this special Homecoming service–and are encouraged to participate.
Entries
WASHINGTON—Journalist Gwen Ifill and a cast of gifted vocalists, instrumentalists and a 173- voice choir will be featured when Handel’s Messiah is presented at the newly-renovated Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, 1518 M Street N.W. on Sunday, December 4 at 5 p.m.
