News and Announcements

Metropolitan AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH “The National Cathedral of African Methodism” is transforming into a tithing church.

God promises that if we bring the full tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in His house, He will open the windows of heaven and pour  us out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Come out on Saturday, June 2nd to a dynamic and thought-provoking workshop to learn more about tithing!

Topic: “Pleasing God by how I handle my money”
Presenter: Rev. James Moody (Sr. Pastor, Quinn Chapel AME, Chicago IL, former associate minister of Metropolitan)
Time: 9:30am- 2:00pm
Location: Douglas Hall
Metropolitan AME Church, Washington, DC
Continental Breakfast served 8:30am – 9:15 am

Please register in order that we will have information necessary for enrollment and workshop materials.

If you are unable to attend but would like to be informed of future events, please contact the church office.

The Reverend James M. Moody is the Senior Pastor of Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago, Illinois – an appointment he accepted in January 2002. The Reverend Moody’s ministry experience has focused on restoring church congregations and physical facilities. The restoration of the historic Quinn Chapel, the first African American Church established in the City of Chicago in 1844, represents the third such assignment for Moody in his fifteen-year ministerial career.

He is a writer for the African Methodist Episcopal Church newspaper, “The Christian Recorder.” His “Pastor’s Corner” is an internet devotional read around the globe. He is known for making Biblical principles useful for daily living. Often heard saying, “This is a good problem!” he tackles the toughest pastoral assignments uncovering the excellence contained in each setting. Some of his most popular workshops are “Pleasing God through How I Handle Money,” “The Way of the Winner,” “Get Out of That Pit,” “Building Godly Relationships,” and “Created for Excellence.”

The Reverend Moody’s leadership roles extend beyond the walls of Quinn Chapel to a number of outside involvements which include the positions of Past President of the AME Church Ministerial Alliance of Chicago, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Chicago Conference, Advisory Board of Partners for Sacred Places a national church preservation organization, and Vice President of the Board of “The Renaissance Collaborative” of Chicago, which operates a 101 room facility, assisting men and women out of homelessness and into mainstream living, houses seniors in a newly constructed 72 room senior housing complex, and operates Bronzeville Green, a non-profit training men and women in landscaping, lawn care and green technology.

Prior to entering full time ministry in 1996, Moody held a number of increasingly responsible positions with General Mills, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota over a fifteen-year career including Director of Corporate Diversity and EEO, and Controller for West-Coast Manufacturing and Distribution Operations of the Consumer Foods and Food Service Divisions of the Corporation.

The Reverend Moody holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and Master of Divinity Degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

He is married thirty seven years to Mrs. Corlis S. Moody. They have three children: daughter Quinci, sons Jim and Markey; and two grandchildren: Tre` and Jaiden.

Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton,
Senior Pastor

Sunday, May 27,  2012
Metropolitan AME Church
1518 M Street NW, Washington, DC
www.metropolitanamec.org

Scripture Message: Romans 8:  22-27 (The Message Bible).^22-25All  around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout  the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us.  The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs.  These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That  is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant  mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is  enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful  our expectancy. ^26-28Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the  waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how  or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making  prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. 28 That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for  God is worked into something good.

During the days of apartheid, Methodist Church bishop Peter Storey serving in South  African was led by the Holy Spirit as he wrestled with and lived through another  instance of our inhumane treatment of one another.  In his homiletically  inspired perspective, Clayton Schmit writes of Storey’s experience,  “Even while surrounded by the strong-armed agents of  repression, Storey knew that the Holy Spirit was active in his nation.  The  government had all the power; nevertheless, God was with the poor in South  Africa.  The South African regime did not hesitate to use force in order to stop  rebellion; nevertheless, Storey, along with Desmond Tutu and others, led the  black South Africans in peaceful revolution.  The odds were heavily against the  peaceful revolution; nevertheless, with God on their side, they were  victorious.  In the end, there was strong temptation to retaliate; nevertheless,  God gave them a means of forgiving enemies and forming a reconciled nation.”

Schmit’s poignant assertion struck a chord for my preaching  on this Pentecost Sunday.  He says: “No matter what the odds, if God is in  something, no obstacle can block the great nevertheless of God.”

This  morning I want to talk about“The Great Nevertheless.”

In the scripture,  the disciples had witnessed Jesus performing major and miraculous  accomplishments in the lives of so many.  They were witnesses to the impossible  becoming possible.  They saw that, with Jesus, the nevertheless took on new  scope and new meaning—blind eyes nevertheless began to see; lame limbs  nevertheless were strengthened to stand and walk; leprosy nevertheless was  cleansed; bleeding disorders nevertheless were cured.  This list was endless.  Even with Jesus, they killed him, but nevertheless God raised him and gave him  new life.

Now at  Pentecost, the band of believers themselves become major participants in the  unfolding drama of God’s great nevertheless.  Against great odds, God is  anointing them with His Spirit and sending them out into the vast world to  preach the good news, baptize and make new disciples.

Much like Peter  Storey’s South African apartheid environment, the newly anointed Apostles will  face a hostile world.  The Roman government was in control.  The Apostles are  about to embark on a non-violent peaceful revolution.  We mentioned that today  is the 54th anniversary of Steward Ernie Green’s graduation from Central High  School in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Jesus’ Apostles were engaged in the same type  of non-violent, peaceful movement that Ernie was engaged with as a member of the  Little Rock Nine.

In Paul’s letter  to the Roman Christians, there is the sense that the Apostles felt the pain of  what those who have claimed Christ were experiencing.  And not just those under  the rule and reign of the Roman Empire, but he talks about the whole of creation  groaning in labor pains.  Clearly the times were grave and those living in that  era found themselves living in a broken world.  It became the fate, mission and  ministry of the Apostles, inclusive of Paul, to carry a message to the downcast,  to carry the word of God to the broken, the disenfranchised the strong message:  Don’t count to ten yet; don’t give in yet; there is yet hope in Peter Storey’s  “great nevertheless. ”

Let me give you  something to hold on to from the scripture and from the great  nevertheless.

1. When you feel yourself overwhelmed by the world around you, don’t let them count to ten on you; cling to the great nevertheless.   I’m a news junkie; I listen to everything – CNN, MSNBC, PBS, our own J.J. Green at WTOP.  And when we contemplate all the happenings around us, we can become overwhelmed.  We live in our own broken world, overwhelmed by news of natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.  On the broader scene, we are overwhelmed by news of global terrorism, wars and rumors of wars around the world, modern-day slavery of all sorts including the American penal system, oppressive governments with very little heart or concern for the basic welfare of its people.  That is on the broader scene; closer to home we can find ourselves overwhelmed by so much in our homes, families and neighborhoods—gangs, crime, illegal drugs, alcoholism, family and marital distress, incurable diseases, pandemics, job losses, financial crises — the list goes on and on.

This morning, I come to say that sometimes it takes all of your energy just to STAND–just to get up in the morning.  Standing under the pressures of life can be a major challenge, but with the Spirit of God and the assurance that God is on our side to carry us through each event and every day, we can stand.

Somebody in here today can testify that I was overwhelmed, and they had me on the floor, down for the count – 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…they almost counted to 10, and then the great  nevertheless stepped in and revived my spirit and changed the course of direction of things in my life.  I may be leaning on the outside, but nevertheless I’m going to get up this morning. I don’t have everything I need, but nevertheless I am going to get up before they count to 10 on me.

2. The great nevertheless is our historical grounding for our today’s and tomorrow’s living.  I was… nevertheless…I was down… nevertheless God picked me up…I was sick, bad off sick YESTERDAY, nevertheless God healed my body…I was flat out broke without a pot or a window… nevertheless God kept food on my table, and a place to lay my head…when they told me I couldn’t or wouldn’t, nevertheless God assured me that I could and I would.  My today and my tomorrow is grounded in my nevertheless yesterdays.

Jesus helps us here.  They almost counted to 10 on Jesus; they said:  “We got you now, crucified, nailed to the cross and buried in the tomb.”  But in his weakest hour, when all seemed lost, nevertheless God raised him with, what I want to call, God Power.  Ten days before Pentecost Jesus takes the disciples to Bethany and, while ascending to God, he tells them to go back to Jerusalem and just wait for “God Power.”  He says: “You are not ready yet, you are not able yet to do all things, and nevertheless in your weakness, the Spirit of God will give you ‘God Power.’”  At Pentecost they could look back and declare, “I couldn’t, but with God Power, nevertheless now I can do all things through Christ who is my strength…I wouldn’t, but with God Power, nevertheless now I will go; I will offer myself, I will make the sacrifice I will witness, I will testify, I will live for him who died for me…I didn’t; nevertheless now I do believe, I do know that all thing are possible…I wasn’t, but with God Power, nevertheless I am, I am on the battle field…You might beat me  down almost to the grave but with God on my side, nevertheless, I will stand and be a witness.

3.     When all the physical evidence and “common sense thinking” suggest to you that it is foolish, the great nevertheless of God will help you to risk trusting in what you cannot see or explain.  Has there ever been a time in your life when common sense thinking says – Oh, don’t be a fool; oh, there they go; they are over there talking about tithing – you know you can’t afford to tithe; why do you go to that church every day anyway – you’ve been slaving all week – just stay at home, stay in bed a little while longer; go out and wash the car; go cut the grass; go get yourself ready for Monday morning.  Our common sense says it makes no sense, but the great nevertheless keeps you trusting in something you cannot see or touch.

Our enlightened, high tech, super-sonic, instant gratification world often maligns and smirks at the notion of HOPE.  They say:  “Oh shucks, here he comes again with that ‘hope’ stuff.  You lay out how destitute you are, and they come back and say, ‘Son, Daughter, just wait patiently and nevertheless hope in Lord.’”

Brothers and Sisters, I know it’s hard right now; nevertheless hope in God.  I know you can’t see it yet; I know you don’t have it yet; but nevertheless hope in God.

But you might say, why hope, when you can go to the screen and click here.  Why wait on hope when you can push the button and get almost anything instantly. Why wait on hope when you can go press the button and transfer funds from this bank account to that bank account.  Recently, the bank sent me two statements; one said “we are going to increase your credit line.”  Then another they just sent me three checks and said “sign here.” I didn’t even have the money in the bank, but they were saying here, you can have the money with just a click, with just a signature.

Well, I come this morning to tell you that if you live long enough, there are some things you can’t “click” on; there are some buttons you can’t just press.

WAIT A MINUTE, I may be wrong there.  There is a button you can press – the great nevertheless button.  When I get up in the morning and I pray to God — Thank you Lord for last night; thank you Lord for letting me sleep sound.  That’s when I click on the great nevertheless button.

In the Spirit, I click on that great nevertheless button, and instantly I have hope for a good day.  When things seem impossible, I push the great nevertheless button of hope and I trust in God’s power to make possible the impossible.  When burdens get me down, I click the great nevertheless button of hope, and God Power lifts me from the sinking sands. When I become worn and weak in the Spirit, I click on the nevertheless button and God Power becomes my strength. In battle, I can push the great nevertheless button, and the power of God becomes my armor and shield.

Rev. Ronald E. Braxton
Senior Pastor
May 27, 2012
7:45 AM Worship Service

YOUTH SUNDAY
JUNE 10, 2012

CHURCH SCHOOL CONVENTION
JUNE 15-16, 2012

YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHOIR REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2012
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2012
FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012
SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012
FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2012

ALL FRIDAY REHEARSALS BEGIN AT 7:00 PM; DINNER 6:30-6:55 PM. SATURDAY REHEARSALS ARE AT 12:00 NOON.
METROPOLITAN AME CHURCH
1518 M STREET, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20005
(202)331-2426

For more information, contact,  Anita Drayton Wood (202)332-1559\(202)257-0682
Lester Green, Ph. D. (202) 331-1426

Metropolitan Hosts Conference Of National Black Churches On Wednesday, May 30

The Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) will hold its 2012 National Ecumenical Service on Wednesday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr. of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church will be the guest preacher.

With a theme of “For the Healing of our People: Building Communities and Empowering Lives,” this major worship service is expected to draw hundreds of worshippers from different denominations.

CNBC is made up of members of the African Methodist Episcopal, AME Zion and Christian Methodist Episcopal denominations. The ecumenical service is part of the CNBC’S three-day “National Consultation” which will be held from May 29 – June 1 at the Renaissance Hotel.

Host Pastor Ronald E. Braxton is urging Metropolitan members, their families and friends to attend this significant event in the life of the church.

A special 200-voice choir composed of persons from all denominations is being assembled for the event. Persons interested in being part of the choir are invited to rehearsal on Saturday, May 26 at 10 am at Metropolitan, 1518 M St. N.W.

Download the flyer!

Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Senior Pastor
Metropolitan AME Church
1518 M Street NW
www.metropolitanamec.org

Scripture Message: Luke 24:49-53, Acts 1:6-11 – Luke 24:49-53: Jesus appears to the disciples: 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. ”The Ascension of Jesus 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Acts 1: 6-11: Jesus taken up into heaven:6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

The scripture provides two different takes on Jesus’ “ascension” into heaven after the crucifixion. We pick up the scripture to find Jesus assembling the disciples together at Bethany and pronouncing a blessing on them. Right before their eyes, he physically began to rise above them into the clouds and then beyond their view, just like a helium balloon.

David Cunningham, in his theological perspective on this passage, writes about “ascension day,” saying that it is not so much about the physical act of ascension, or even about the reuniting of the incarnate Word with the unbegotten Source; [ it is more about] the divine act of making space so that the mission of the church can begin. As long as God was in the world in human form, all eyes and hearts were fixed there. Jesus’ ascension makes space for the disciples to turn their gaze upon the world where repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in the Messiah’s name to all the world…”

I submit that, to be with Jesus – even in the spirit – requires rising above the grass, above the living room chair, above the mundane, above the ordinary, above trivia, above anything that would rob us of living life at its maximum.

From my own pastoral perspective let me suggest three helpful keys I found in this text which might enhance life and living in this modern era.

1. If you keep your eyes on the one who has promised to keep His eyes on you, He will turn your pain into purpose. In a Washington Post Women’s Health supplement the actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher talks about, “Turning pain into purpose.” You can’t look up to the Ascension of Jesus without first looking up to the cross and crucifixion of Jesus. And looking up on that cross, pain is turned into purpose. Here is one of the keys: whatever you find yourself going through; whatever you have to endure; whatever pain you must suffer—physically, emotionally, financially, socially, or even spiritually—if you keep your eyes on the one who has promised to keep His eyes on you, he will turn your pain into purpose.

Sometimes we do not understand the “why” in life. Why the pain, why the loss, why the disappointment, why this hurt, why the downcast spirit, why the craziness, why the heartache, why, why, why. But just as His eye is on the sparrow, only God can turn our whys (pain) into purpose. Keep your eyes on the one who has His eyes on you and, as hard as it might get, “You’ll understand it better bye and bye.

In verse 6 in Acts 1, the disciples were about to fall in a usual human trap. They say (and I’m paraphrasing): “Jesus, this is a messed up world and some messed up times we are living in. Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” Jesus quickly challenges them by responding: “You don’t get to know the time…what you get is the Holy Spirit.” Here again, Jesus was saying, don’t worry about the when or the why – you don’t get to know that part. Just keep your eyes on the one who has His eyes on you;

2. If you keep your eyes on the living God instead of the “mess” going on around you, you will discover that God has ALREADY provided all that you need in your life. Here lies the 2nd key from this passage to help us live a little better today. If I keep my eyes on the living Lord and not all of the mess that is going on around me, I have discovered that God has already provided to meet whatever the need is in life. Jesus challenges the disciples not to try and be God. He says: “You go out and be a witness; you be a messenger; you go in my name — and God will provide.” What a vital lesson for us to wrap our minds and spirits around—doing what we are suppose to do and trusting God enough to do what only God can do.

Sometimes you just have to trust God; sometimes you just have to step out on God’s promise to provide. Somebody in here knows that if you keep your eyes on Him who has His eyes on you, you will discover that, just like He provided yesterday, he has already provided for today… and tomorrow.

Yes, you gotta go through/endure some things in your life, but God has a plan for your life. We are talking about tithing and giving? God has already stored up blessings you cannot imagine.

The same God who walked with the ancestors is walking with you right now! If God parted the waters for the children of Israel, why won’t that same God part the waters for you? Bring down the walls of Jericho for you? Put food on YOUR table; clothes on YOUR back; shelter on your table? If he feeds the little sparrow, why won’t he feed you? Look at the blade of grass. Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Seek first the kingdom of God, and keep your eyes on HIM. If you keep your eyes on all the mess going on out there, you will miss this one.

3. Keep your eyes on God. The third lesson is that, no matter what is going on around you, just keep your eyes on God. When all is said and done, Jesus was clear that God will send you the strength/power that you need in order to stand strong in this life. I know it, but in more recent times, I have become more keenly aware that the presence of God in your life can give you more power and strength than you can ever imagine.

In the scripture, in so many words, Jesus is warning the disciples that they really don’t have a clue about the future. They have no idea what lies waiting for them tomorrow. They don’t know what lies lurking around the corner of life. He cautions them to wait on God before they move and God will give them enough power and enough strength everyday to stand on him and stand for him.

There is enough going on in the world to knock you down. But the presence of God in your life will give you more power and strength than you can ever imagine. When you wake up in the morning, and you know that the Lord’s power and presence is on your life, you can say “I’m going to run on out and face whatever devils are out there.” Jesus said you don’t have a CLUE about what is going to happen; you don’t have a clue what is around the corner. But if you keep your eyes on him, you will have power to stand, power to fight, power to live, power to overcome!

Sometimes it doesn’t pay to run too quickly; you gotta wait for the power to come. You gotta “[s]tay in Jerusalem a little while longer” because power is coming, and when the power comes, you will be my disciple. You can go out and face the world, but don’t ever take your eyes off Him.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, June 9, 2012

The Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Scholarship Committee Is Hosting Its 20th Annual Scholarship Luncheon

The luncheon commemorating the 29th Anniversary of the Payne-Tanner Memorial Scholarship Endowment will honor the 2012 Scholarship Award Recipients. Musical entertainment will be provided by “Just in Time” and three talented student musicians.

Date: Saturday, June 9, 2012

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: Washington Navy Yard
Catering and Conference Center, Bldg. 211
6th and M Streets, SE
Washington, DC

Metropolitan’s transformation into a tithing church pushes forward with intensity when Rev. James Moody of Chicago leads a tithing workshop on Saturday, June 2 and preaches at both services on Sunday, June 3. Rev. Moody is a former associate pastor of Metropolitan.

”It is imperative that all Stewards and Trustees are on board and pushing this effort,” said Rev. Ronald E. Braxton. “Tithing will make the difference in this church and every officer must come to believe and then see that.” he said.

Further details on the workshop will be forthcoming shortly from the Tithing Committee. A continental breakfast will precede the workshop.

The South Carolina Club of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Commemorates its 60th Anniversary

On the second Sunday in April 1952, the Rev. George Dewey Robinson, a Sumter, SC native who was then the pastor of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, organized the South Carolina Club. In 1968, Rev. Robinson left Metropolitan when he was consecrated the 85th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church. The South Carolina Club of Metropolitan now commemorates its Annual Day on the 3rd Sunday in May.

From April 1952 forward, the Club has been a vital part of the life and mission of this church. A dedicated and committed organization, the members generally have spiritual and community roots that are deeply embedded in African Methodism.

The South Carolina Club is one of the oldest, continuously active entities in Metropolitan. Though the Club’s past reflects a legacy of untiring and faithful service, members do not rest on the merits of the Club’s history, but rather strive to always build upon that which was done by founding Club members. Though originally organized as a means of Christian fellowship among persons with ties to the state of South Carolina, the membership has enhanced its vision and focus in providing service not only to the church, but also in the community.

The Club has always been very involved in various projects and activities to assist in kingdom building at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. Club members work cheerfully and untiringly to get a job done, for they are not timid about rolling up sleeves and being about the work! The membership, a spirited group that enjoys fun and fellowship with each other, remains loyal to serving the church and humankind.

James F. Robinson, President